Results 521 - 532 of 532
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Robert Nicholson Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
521 | Born from above, born of the Spirit? | John 3:6 | Robert Nicholson | 27816 | ||
I am not posing this question to cause conflict with fellow Christians relative their views on the Holy Spirit. In talking to Nicodemus, Jesus made it abundantly clear "Except a man/woman be born again( born from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God." According to John 3:6 Jesus made it clear that this new birth is when a person "is born of the Spirit.(Holy Spirit) What does this mean? It means that God will move within the believer on a permanent basis by his Spirit. This happens the moment a person receives "everlasting life" upon believing John 3:16. Since the Holy Spirit of God is a person, we cannot receive him in part John 3:34 When we are saved we are indwelt or sealed by the Holy Spirit who will provide us with the power we need in our lives. We read in 1 John 4:4- "you are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." AMPLIFIED Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 As we grow in Christ, the Holy Spirit will direct us in the path of God if we are willing. We are exhorted: (a) Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit;" 1 Thess. 5:19 (b) "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30 Would I be right in suggesting that the scripture teaches us that in order to be filled with the Spirit and to know his power in his life, that such power will be directly related to our willingness to allow him to work? In other words as Christians sealed by the Holy Spirit at our spiritual birth in Christ, we can "quench" the Holy Spirit by resisting or suppressing his power in my life and we can "grieve" the Holy Spirit by wilful disobedience against him. He is the potter, we are the clay. |
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522 | How can we influence who is saved? | 1 Pet 2:9 | Robert Nicholson | 27550 | ||
Bro. Lionstrong Thank you for your response. I agree that God is not obligated to show mercy to anyone. What I am trying to express is that there will not be one lost soul at the Great white Throne who will be able to cite unfairness on God's part. The books will be open, the works reviewed and the Book of Life will show that their name is not there. They will bow their head in silent agreement with God that they indeed deserve judgement forever. Do you not think that there are those who have been drawn to the saviour by the Holy Spirit and yet have refused Christ? Although God is not obligated to call anyone to salvation, does he not call the whosoever? Robert |
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523 | How can we influence who is saved? | 1 Pet 2:9 | Robert Nicholson | 27546 | ||
Thank you Joe: I have great respect for J.L. Packer and will read the book. I have wrestled with this subject for some time. Robert |
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524 | Is seed of the woman the believer? | Gen 3:15 | Robert Nicholson | 27484 | ||
I believe that the seed of the woman is Christ. My understanding is that in Gen.3 we have the beginning of the Godly line through which Christ the redeemer would come. "it or he will bruise thy head" or in other words we read "for the devil sineth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil".1 John 3:8 "Thou shalt bruise his heal" The Lord Jesus endured the buffeting of satan through his life on earth and on the cross satan appeared to have the victory. But God raised Christ from the dead. |
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525 | Is your salvation genuine? | 1 John 5:13 | Robert Nicholson | 27482 | ||
"This is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the So hath not life (1 John 3:11-12) I rest upon the finished work of Christ revealed to through God's word and I plead nothing other than the precious blood of Christ which was shed on calvary for my sins. Not only are my sins forgiven, but he lives within my heart and gives me power to live for him and I know that one day he will deliver those redeemed by his precious blood from this world altogether. My Savior summerises it best "I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish" John 10:28 |
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526 | How can we influence who is saved? | 1 Pet 2:9 | Robert Nicholson | 27474 | ||
I do not think the scripture teaches that we are put in this world as a robot. On the other hand, I also believe in the divine foreknowledge of God. If we take a conservative Calvinistic view would we not say "the deck" is stacked. If there is no opportunity for humankind to respond to the saviour if they are "not choosen" how then can we say that God is righteous? However, knowing that God is righteous, longsuffering not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" 2Peter3:9 should we not take another look. We know God cannot lie and the Bible cannot contradict itself. 1. It is God's desire for all to be saved. 1 Tim. 2:5 "God who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. 2. Provision is made for all. 1 Tim. 2:6 "Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" 3. All will not be saved: "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: there is no difference. Who then does God Call? The Lord Jesus said "I am come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32 The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. It would appear that God calls a certain KIND of people from the human race. Those who are acknowledged lost sinners. By his Holy Spirit he speaks to individuals, he brings circumstances into their lives, he strives with them with the purpose of bringing them to a place were they will feel their need, their burden of sin and he will open their eyes to the finished work of Christ. Those who will not acknowledge their need, who feel they are too righteous, too intelligent, or enjoy the pleasures of sin too much, eventually God will cease his calling as he did in the days of Noah he said "My Spirit shall not always strive with man" Gen. 6:3. The Lord Jesus was continually giving invitations "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. In Rev.3:20 at the end of the church age he calls "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and openeth the door, I will come into him and sup with him and he with me. Finally, Jesus valued evangelical work "Go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:16 Paul writes "...It pleased God that by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1:21 In Christ Robert |
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527 | Are we obligated to God? | Is 45:23 | Robert Nicholson | 27471 | ||
Yes. He is our Creator who put us on this earth for a purpose. As our Creator he is sovereign and can do as he will. In his Grace he has provided a way whereby he can bring us into a living relationship with himself for time and for eternity. If we miss Christ we are still accountable and will bow before him and acknowledge him as Lord of All. | ||||||
528 | Kin, too much ritual in baptism? | 1 Cor 12:13 | Robert Nicholson | 27469 | ||
Dear Fountain: Thank you for the kind response. I was a young boy when my father at age 35 got saved. We immediately began to hear of God and of Jesus. We were taught about the death of Christ and it was emphasized that we must be born again if we ever wanted to be with Christ in heaven. I spent many miserable hours wondering how to get saved. I was told that all I had to do was believe that Jesus died on the cross for me. I believed that and yet I knew that I was not saved. One day walking home from school, in rural Ontario Canada, I sat at the end of my laneway on the snowbank and once again I tried to believe and tried to feel saved. Finally, through my tears I simply asked God "please help me to get saved" My mind was taken off trying to believe and as I thought of the words of John 3:16 I realized that I was the whosoever for whom Christ died. In a moment, I rested my all on him for eternity and passed from death unto life. I believe that from John 3:3 "Except a man be born again or (born from above) he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Jesus reemphasized this in v.7 "Marvel not that I said unto you, ye must be born again". When the Holy Spirit takes up the word of God and opens the eyes of our understanding to the truth that Christ paid our debt on the cross and through him we are forgiven, the holy Spirit enters and changes us forever. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things have passed away, behold all things have become new" (2 Cor. 5:17) This of course does not mean that we will be a full grown Christian overnight, but we will have new desires with a view to pleasing God. And as we live our lives the Holy Spirit will be seen in our lives if we allow him to use us. I Cor. 12 :13 "For by one Spirit, are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles..." I believe this is teaching that when we are born again or when we have rested our all on the finished work of Christ, the Holy Spirit places us in the body of Christ. This is not water baptism. In fact the remainder of the chapter explains how we are "members in particular" and that we are interdependant on each other. Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to illustrate this. What about baptism: Part of the great commission given by the Lord Jesus was "baptizing them..." In the Acts it would appear that every believer was baptised. In the example of the Ethiopian in Acts 8 the question was asked "What doth hinder me to be baptised" Philip answered, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. The man responded "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We see the method of baptism in which Philip goes down into the water with the man and he baptised him. Believer's baptism is not a ritual, but is a commandment from the Lord. It is for those who have already been born again or saved. When we are baptised as in the days of old we are identifying with Christ in his death, buriel and ressurection. Our baptism proclaims that we intend to live for Christ and turn our backs on our sinful past. I agree with your comparison of John 4 and 1 Peter 1:25 that Christ is the living water and when we accept him by faith, he dwells in the heart of each beliver by his Spirit. Col.1:27 Oh Christ he is the fountain The deep sweet well of love The streams of earth I've tasted More deep I'll drink above There to an ocean's fulness His mercy doth expand And glory, glory dwelleth In Immanuel's land. Thank you for listening and may God richly bless your life. Robert |
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529 | Do sinners have a time of visitation? | Luke 5:20 | Robert Nicholson | 27461 | ||
Joe: Thanks for the answer. This chapter no doubt is one of the proofs that Jesus is indeed God manifest in the flesh. I have been thinking of the many people who followed Jesus or waited for him in the way hoping to be blessed. I have been looking at this as obedience to the words of Jesus "Strive to enter in at the straight gate" Luke13:24 On the other hand I realize that except the Spirit of God deals with us and reveals to us Christ, then we will be left in the dark. Do you not think that there is a time of visitation when Jesus comes our way and by his spirit implores us to receive him and yet many turn away? Robert |
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530 | Does God look for faith? | Luke 5:20 | Robert Nicholson | 27427 | ||
I realize that in order to be born again that salvation is a work of God and that he draws us to himself by his Spirit. However, when we look at examples of people who came to Christ it would appear that he looked for desire on their part. In Luke 5:20 we see faith demonstrated by a group of people resulting in a man having his sin's forgiven. Does this example not underline the need for those who already know Christ to do everything within their power to bring others to Christ? In the example given would we say that the Spirit of God was already drawing them to Christ even though they thought the idea was their own? In Luke 5:20 we have the case of a man who was brought to Christ by his friends. In fact they had to overcome great obstacles by climbing up on the roof, removed tiling and let the paralyised man down before Jesus. "When he saw their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." |
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531 | Kin, too much ritual in baptism? | 1 Cor 12:13 | Robert Nicholson | 27356 | ||
Kin and Fountain: I believe that you will find that the context of 1 Cor. 12:13 is teaching us that the moment we trusted Christ we were baptised by the Holy Spirit into one Body, the body of Christ which is sometimes referred to as the church which is his body. All believers are part of this Spiritual body. In V. 27 of 1 Cor. 12 we read "Now we are body of Christ and members in particular" This baptism is not ritualistic and occurs at the moment we rest in Christ. In Christ Robert |
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532 | I agree But......... | Rom 1:18 | Robert Nicholson | 27355 | ||
Nolan: Just a few thoughts on the "Truth" As you have mentioned Jesus is the truth personified. He is the truth absolute. I agree truth is revealed by the Holy Spirit through his word. The revealation of truth is often progressive. In Romans 1 Paul as it were laying a level playing field for the whole world in their responsiblity to the claims of God. This climaxes in Rom. 3 where he shows the whole world guilty before God. In Rom.1: 18-20 teaches that God will hold humans responsible for the truth which he has revealed to them. In Romans 1 we have God's creation as a witness to him "his eternal power and Godhead. In Romans 2 we find that those who were not under the law (Gentiles) "which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness..."V.15 Nolan, what you think based on the above scriptures that we could say that every human being has a sense of God and what he desires? Robert |
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