Results 721 - 740 of 819
|
||||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: flinkywood Ordered by Date |
||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
721 | act as if you had faith - verse? | Rom 12:3 | flinkywood | 88531 | ||
Rom 12:3 "...God has allotted to each a measure of faith." (NASB) Octotex, we are each alloted a measure of faith. Like Abraham, a bold example, we should act "in" this faith we've been given. It is quite another thing to act "as if" we had faith so as to gain it. God does not reward phoniness. Proverbs 16:2 "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives." (NASB) And, Gal 6:7 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." (NASB) God is not mocked. Can you think of a few televangelists who should beware? |
||||||
722 | Whose will causes a believer to sin? | Rev 13:8 | flinkywood | 88194 | ||
Good stuff, Joe. God ordains that good and ill work to His glory. As I understand free will, the one thing God can't ordain is our loving obedience. He can lead us to Him, but He deliberately can't make us love Him. He can search the heart (here Hezekia's): 2Ch 32:31 Even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart." (NASB) He can search for the heart: 2Ch 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (NASB) He can harden the heart: Deu 2:30 "But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today." (NASB) Stir up the heart: Ezr 1:1,2 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah." (NASB) And give the gift of love to the heart: 1 John 4.19 "We love Him, because He first loved us." (KJV). But I can't find any scripture which says that God can make a heart to love Him. Nothing is impossible for God, except, it seems, this one thing. I conclude that He has deliberately limited His omnipotence in this amazing way: that love for Him is up to us. I think you phrase it correctly with, "God doesn't sin, but ordains "that" the wickedness of men and Satan...", the stress being on "that"; God doesn't ordain sin, but "that" sin be used and directed to His glory. Since He loves us, sin is one of His intruments; if He didn't love us, sin would be his handiwork. Love seems to be the answer at heart of the question whether God tempts to sin and ordains the commission of sin. Colin |
||||||
723 | THE CROSS | John 3:16 | flinkywood | 88175 | ||
Hank, Joe's answer is great, so is yours, so I think your differing viewpoints can't be reconciled conclusively from scripture; it's a mystery. The trick for us workers is not to take these differences to extremes that hobble the Holy Spirit. I'm really pleased with the answers from both you guys, let me tell you. Colin. |
||||||
724 | THE CROSS | John 3:16 | flinkywood | 88174 | ||
Joe, While walking my dog Flinky last night I thought on this. I'm absolutely in agreement: True salvation is a heart thing and must produce a holy life. I misunderstood your position. My wife suggests that doctrinal disputes are human nature wanting to have everything nailed down instead of trusting. I think a general fix for doctrinal naval-gazing is to get busy for the Lord with solid, Cross-focused witnessing: sin, hell, God's love, redemption--the whole, incomprehensible shebang. Seeing the Holy Spirit work repentance in a person is more interesting than doctrinal argumentation. Thanks very much for your clear reply. Colin. |
||||||
725 | THE CROSS | John 3:16 | flinkywood | 88141 | ||
Hank, I'm assuredly not in the pink with Pink on assurance, which actually was the main faith crux for New England Puritans: "If I presume I'm of the elect, then I sin by my presuming to know His will, and therefore can't be of the elect," a hardcore paradox, which may partly explain why Puritanism wore out. Could you help me with these 2 conundra? 1) If Calvinist doctrine, as I understand it, is applied to deathbed conversion, the new believer croaks without ever having his faith tested? Is it faith-fair that he gets a major break when the rest of us poor slobs have to persevere in effortful holinesss? When does our faith get as good as that fortunate son's? 2) If a Calvinist can't assure the dying guy that he's going to heaven, why is he there in the 1st place? |
||||||
726 | THE CROSS | John 3:16 | flinkywood | 88127 | ||
Hank, is it your understanding that Reformer Joe and Jibby Jee cannot know whether they are saved? | ||||||
727 | Does anyone have a good way to explain t | Bible general Archive 1 | flinkywood | 87600 | ||
10-4, by definition you're right, and by James' measure of religion: Jam 1:26 "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless." (NASB), you have biblical support. And Webster: (definition 4) "Any system of faith and worship. In this sense, religion comprehends the belief and worship of pagans and Mohammedans, as well as of christians; any religion consisting in the belief of a superior power or powers governing the world, and in the worship of such power or powers. Thus we speak of the religion of the Turks, of the Hindoos, of the Indians, etc., as well as of the christian religion. We speak of false religion, as well as of true religion." So you can't sever Chritianity, the "Way", from a definition which includes Scientology, Islam, Brahma Koumaris, peyote cults and JWs. I didn't know there was a taboo. I stand corrected, Hank. Colin |
||||||
728 | Does anyone have a good way to explain t | Bible general Archive 1 | flinkywood | 87579 | ||
Hank, exactly right, but Christianity is not a religion, Jehovah's Witnesses is. Colin. |
||||||
729 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87145 | ||
Emmaus, I understand "repent and be baptized"; what is missing that could unjustify us? How does the church support purgatory with scripture? | ||||||
730 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87144 | ||
Reilly, how does the church support purgatory with scripture? | ||||||
731 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87069 | ||
Emmaus, Is the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory currently still holding water? If so, can you disbelieve this doctrine and remain Catholic? | ||||||
732 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87068 | ||
Reilly, is there a scriptural reference for part 2? What sprang immediately to mind was Phi 2:13: "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." NASB Colin |
||||||
733 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87067 | ||
Emmaus, I'm going to look it up. Like Sargeant Schulz, I know nothing, and this string has got me amped to fix that. Thanks a pile. Colin |
||||||
734 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87066 | ||
So Reformation doctrine was identical with Roman doctrine when it came to the Cross, but Protestants hoped to expose the error of Rome's theology? I just got a note from Emmaeus pointing out Roman Catholicism's conformity with Reformation theology of Justification. I've also understood, incorrectly perhaps, that one of Protestantism's main aims was to expose Rome's extra-biblical practices (sale of indulgences, prayers for the dead, etc.) and restrictions on freedom of worship (the bible confined to Latin). What particular theology do you mean? | ||||||
735 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87052 | ||
I'll read it, Emmaus. thanks for the link. I recently had a serious 1-way conversation (her way) with a professed catholic, who insisted Protestantism was bunk, that "modern" catholics were misled, that you can't know whether you're saved, and that it's all about good works. I asked whether she'd read the bible; she told me she didn't need to. I don't think she's a typical catholic. Colin. |
||||||
736 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87040 | ||
Yes, I believe that everyone is eligible for salvation through choice; and though He already knows what will be, we don't, which makes our trust in Him so precious. Our continued, applied trust in Him is what, I think, you were developing in your string on James, and which evidently nullifies Predestinarianism on 2 grounds. 1) If we presume we are predestined, we have become proud before God, a sin, which nullifies any genuine repentance and, therefore, any assurance of salvation. This was the catch-22 for Puritans, the problem of assurance: "How can I know I'm saved? If I think I am, I sin, so I'm not. Better just work my bloomers off." This also leads to salvation being losable, which is another trap of pride, since only God can know who's the real McCoy. 2) The faith by works of James becomes hope by works for the predestinarian: since he can't know he's saved, he falls into the Roman Catholic trap of salvation through works, which yields pride, which yields doubt, which yields...oh boy. Which leads me to ask whether Predestinarianism is really a Roman Catholic spin-off? A kind of midway between Rome and the Reformation? Works save because we can't really know. Colin |
||||||
737 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87038 | ||
No, I'm not sure whether God "sets" what is to happen; I'm trying to suss it out here within the Forum. A couple of thoughts: Because God is above time and knows what will happen and why, does it necessarily mean that He's written each physical circumstance and decision of the human heart? The book of Esther indicates that the answer might be yes; even the necessary, inexorable death of Jesus appears to make the answer yes (a sudden insight into the infinite reach of that plan blew Paul's mind in Romans Ch. 11). Yet the story of Abraham and Isaac indicates otherwise, that God loved Abraham precisely because he chose to believe God's promise. If God wired Abraham to make no other choice than he did, then God has loved a puppet. On the one hand, no, I don't think God has made us puppets; on the other, perhaps He has chosen each of us already. How could He not have? Interesting topic, hard to comprehend -- for me at least. Colin |
||||||
738 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87032 | ||
EdB, Good point about the OT faithful. Could you expand on 1)how predestination would embarrass Rome, and 2)what "good and righteous men" finally saw at the end of the path? What kind of embarrassment? Why the desperate search? Where was the path leading? I'm curious how your answers fit with your saying that God actually picks some for salvation. Thanks. |
||||||
739 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87025 | ||
Asis, I come to your house because you approved my application to do so, is that what you're saying? | ||||||
740 | Have we chosen freely? | James 2:19 | flinkywood | 87010 | ||
What a great little string! I've clipped the whole shebang and kept it for my notes. Great going, guys. On another topic: I've followed some predestianrian stuff from another string. I wonder: Since God is outside of time and knows the beginning to the end and back, it can appear that all has been predetermined and that we've been chosen to believe rather than having chosen to believe. Yet: Doesn't predestinarianism violate our free will? Doesn't our freedom to choose Him give our love for Him it's superb value? If so, doesn't predestinarianism violate His love? Does God's already knowing our choice mean we haven't freely chosen? Colin. |
||||||
Result pages: << First < Prev [ 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 ] Next > Last [41] >> |