Results 81 - 100 of 177
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Results from: Notes Author: Bill Mc Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
81 | was Gods intention to eat forbid. fruit | Gen 2:9 | Bill Mc | 17776 | ||
Dear Cherrie, This is a good question. But I don't think that the answer is all that hard to understand. God did not intend for Adam and Eve to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He intended for them to eat from every other tree in the garden and the Tree of Life. But God has made humans with a capacity to choose. He wanted it that way. This is the way God chose to allow man to make his own choice about his source of life. Please let me state something here. Just because God knows what will happen DOES NOT invalidate or negate our choices. Unfortunately, we, as humans are not omniscient. Therefore, we CANNOT enter into understanding it. Omniscience is one of God's divine attributes. It is not ours. Because we have no experience with it, nor can we fully comprehend it, we have no right to judge God's plan. God created man in His image and man has been trying to return the favor ever since. So for us to imply that if God knew man would sin, He should never have put the opportunity there, I believe, we are over-stepping our bounds. God desired a creature that would choose to love and obey Him. You cannot have true love and true obedience without a choice. You can create robots without love and obedience but not what God calls humans. Adam and Eve chose the wrong tree. But God had, in mercy, a plan of redemption through Jesus Christ even before the world began. I DO NOT understand this completely. But I do accept it because God says it is so. Consider 2 Pet 3:9 - 'The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.' God wills, desires, intends for none to perish. But it happens anyway. People go into eternity every day not knowing God, not having eternal life. Is this God's will? No. This is man's will. God has provided a way, through the sacrifice of His Son, for us to have eternal life. He has done everything He can do to redeem us EXCEPT to break our wills. We MUST choose. Dear Cherrie, do not confuse God's desires, intentions, and will with His omniscience. Does God know who will accept Him and who will reject Him? Yes, I believe He does. We do not. But that does not invalidate our right or privelege to choose Him. I hope that this clarifies my answer. Blessings to you, Bill Mc |
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82 | New to the Word | Bible general Archive 1 | Bill Mc | 17678 | ||
Hi EdB, it's nice to know that there are a few other inductive studiers out there. I just finished the two-year course in Revelation. I've done (and taught) Philippians, 1 Timothy, and Romans in the inductive method with Precept Ministries. It's a real blessing to just get into God's Word and dig, letting scripture interpret scripture. Blessings to you, Bill Mc |
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83 | Lionstrong, maybe this will clarify... | 2 Chr 7:14 | Bill Mc | 17676 | ||
Tim, so true. This is the mystery that was hidden, God in the Gentiles also. "Christ in you, the hope of glory." The Jews found that thought unthinkable. God, in 'sinners?' How could it be? The Jew and Gentile one in Christ? Hallelujah! (Sorry, makes me joyful...) Accepted in the Beloved, Bill Mc |
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84 | Lionstrong, maybe this will clarify... | 2 Chr 7:14 | Bill Mc | 17672 | ||
Lionstrong, I'm glad we can respectfully disagree. But I must clarify something that you are alleging that I think. I DO NOT see the church as an after thought or parenthesis in the plan of God. Eph 1:4 says that we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. You are correct that God has, spiritually, one people. God either sees you 'in Adam' or 'in Christ'. You are either dead to God or alive to God. From this viewpoint, if you are in Christ, then there is no Jew, no Gentile, no male, no female, etc. The same is true if you are 'in Adam.' The church is made up of regenerated believers in Christ from every nation, tribe and tongue (i.e. Jews and Gentiles). One day the nation of Israel (the physical people of God) will claim Jesus as their Lord and enter into His 'one people', - the eklesia - the church (the spiritual people of God). I hope and trust that you see this distinction. Blessed in Christ, Bill Mc |
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85 | Lionstrong, maybe this will clarify... | 2 Chr 7:14 | Bill Mc | 17649 | ||
Dear Lionstrong, please don't take this as a confrontation, brother. But I do not believe that the church is the New Testament Israel. I know that some Christians do. That's OK. But from what I have studied, I feel that Israel is primarily a nation and believers are Christ's body. Yes, the Jews were (and still are) God's chosen people. God chose them as the only nation in the pagan world to proclaim Him and His righteousness as the one true God. And, yes, believers are a holy, chosen people. Are their similarities between Israel and the church? Yes. But there are also major differences. Though Israel was God's chosen nation, on a personal level, theirs is a story of human failure to keep God's commandments and follow Him. We, as believers, are all members of Christ's body and are no longer under the Mosaic law. We are under the agape law of love in Christ. Some people believe that every promise that God made to Israel as a nation has a NT counterpart to the Christian. I, personally, do not believe that. Hebrews says that we have 'better' promises. God is no longer building a nation. God is building His bride. God did not dwell in the average Irsaelite. God does dwell in us. And God is not finished with the nation of Israel. The day will come when Israel, as a nation, recognizes and turns to Jesus Christ as her true Messiah. Lionstrong, if you'd like to discuss this indepth, then click on my profile and email me. But I do not see the church as a modern Israel. Israel's story is one of turning away from God time and again (so would I except for His grace) and she tried to establish her own righteousness through the flesh. She eventually crucified her own Savior. So I don't believe that she should be a pattern for the church. We already have a pattern - His name is Jesus Christ and we are His body and bride. To answer your question directly: No, I do not believe that this verse directly applies to the church. Why? Because, as the true church, in order to come to Christ we must humble ourselves (Jesus said 'as children'). We DO pray, we do not need to seek His face (He is inside us). We have turned from our wicked and unbelieving ways. And God did hear and answer our prayers. In the fullness of time God sent His Son to take away our sins. He accomplished this on the cross. He HAS FORGIVEN our sins. It is finished! It is not faith to pray for something that God has already accomplished. Faith is saying, "Thank You!" Peace, Bill Mc |
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86 | God's people's land? | 2 Chr 7:14 | Bill Mc | 17563 | ||
Fellow Christians, please let me interject a principle here that I believe is helpful and applies. We often quote 2 Tim 3:16 - "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" Then we say things like "I looked up the word "All" in Greek. It means "all." Well ,yes, 'all' does mean all. But 'all' means the WHOLE of scripture. It means that the whole, the summation, of scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. It means that we can go to God's Word and find that some portion of God's Word will address these areas and any other area of our lives. It DOES NOT mean that every verse of scripture is profitable for teaching. The verse itself can be taught but that does not mean that for every verse there is an underlying doctrine that needs to be taught. It DOES NOT mean that every verse of scripture is profitable for reproof. Some verses are excellent for reproof, but not EVERY verse is a verse of reproof. It DOES NOT mean that every verse of scripture is a verse for correction. It DOES NOT mean that every verse of scripture is a verse for training in righteousness. Verses, passages, chapters and books in the Bible frequently fall into what we call literary styles, i.e. history, poetry, doctrine, prophecy, etc. Would you use a verse of poetry, "The Lord is my Shepherd" to teach prophecy? Would you use genealogies to reprove people? Would you use passages from OT sacrifices as instruction and tell the world around us to sacrifice animals? I hope and pray not. Fellow believers, we MUST learn to correctly discern the scriptures. That is one of the blessings of this forum. But people will quote 2 Tim 3:16 and then say that all the OT applies directly to Christians. This is NOT correctly dividing the Word of Truth. Generally speaking, the Word is already 'correctly divided' into Old Covenant and New Covenant. God has blesses us with the ability to reason from the scriptures. The Holy Spirit illumines the scripture and He will reveal its meaning, but He uses our spirits and brains to do that. Let's learn to 'accurately handle the word of truth.' - 2 Tim 3:15. In His grace, Bill Mc |
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87 | Tim, what is your understanding of this? | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17476 | ||
Tim, very well explained! Thank you. If you have time, share your thoughts on my original forgiveness question at the top of this thread. Redeemed, Bill Mc |
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88 | soul and spirit | Bible general Archive 1 | Bill Mc | 17412 | ||
Tim, I though you might find this interesting. This is a slightly different view of Gen 2:7: "When God the Creator created man, He "formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man become a living soul" (Gen. 2:7). This reiterative record of man's creation is loaded with insights into man's constitution and intended function. The body of man was "formed of dust from the ground," into which God breathed the breath (or spirit) of life, and man became a behaviorally functional soul (nephesh). Man was created with the capacity for spiritual life-function so that the very presence of the Spirit of God might dwell within the spirit of man in order to activate the character of God within the behavioral life-function of man's soul and allow such to be expressed in man's external behavior of the body unto the glory of God. As the highest order of creation, mankind was designed with the capacity to incorporate the spiritual life of God within his spirit, and express God's character of love, joy, peace, patience, etc. in his behavior, as no other part of the created order is capable of doing." - Jerry Fowler I'm not real good with big theological terms but he seems to be saying the God created us so that He could live through us. Or as my friend, Bob George says, "Jesus gave His life for us, so that He could give His life to us, so that He could live His life through us." We were designed as vessels, houses, temples for the God of the universe to live in and through - 2 Cor 4:7, 2 Cor 5:1, 1 Cor 6:19. What a privelege! My temple is starting to get wrinkly and gray, though. (I've heard His got another imperishable one in the wings for me, though.) Grow in grace, Bill Mc |
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89 | How did the imputation of sins happen? | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17351 | ||
Dear Tim, thanks again for your input! Once again you've given me something to look into and, if neccessary, adjust my theology to. Regardless, I don't believe that Christ's nature, as you called it, was ever made sin. And I agree with you that He was never a sinner. Your conclusion, 'He simply took our place and paid our debt,' may be simple (good for my level of understanding) but what a profound thing He did! Bless you, Tim. Bill (the lesser) Mc |
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90 | Should this be taken only personally? | Matt 6:33 | Bill Mc | 17336 | ||
Good explanation, Nolan. I like what you said about 'relationships based on love.' I don't want to digress too much from your subject but you have hit upon an important concept. One commentator (not on this forum) said that the Sermon on the Mount in many ways reflects how people will treat each other as the are led by the Spirit of Christ in them. This echoes the truth that you stated about letting our relationships be ruled by love instead of by loving rules. Here is an analogy that helps me. BTW, I AM NOT calling you a legalist, brother. I am drawing an illustration :). Jesus says, 'If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.' - John 14:15. A legalist (I used to be one, still being set free) looks at this verse and sees, "If I really love God, then I had better keep His commandments. If I don't keep them, then I must not love God." His motivation is based on rules - if this...then this. Period. A 'gracer' looks at this same verse and sees, "As I abide in the love of God (because He loved me first) and reflect that love back to Him and to others, I will keep His commandments." His motivation is based upon relationship - "Since God has done this...I can, through Christ, do this..." Jesus' new commandments are to love God and to love others. All men will know we are His disciples not because of the rules we keep, but because of His love that we exhibit. We don't even have to try to drum up the love that we think God 'requires.' What God wants from us, He Himself supplies: Rom 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. The love of God HAS BEEN poured out within our hearts through the Spirit. So even what God desires from us, He first gives us. What grace! Sorry to digress...(Ok, not really) Lord bless you, Bill Mc |
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91 | Steve, Christ bore sins in His body. | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17290 | ||
Steve, I'm glad that you understand my side. However, I'm disappointed that you take the attitude of 'this has been debated by people with more study time than either of us. So let us leave it alone.' You're saying, 'My mind is made up, don't confuse me with scripture.' That is obviously your choice. Christianity has been debated for 2000 years and that is more time than either of us have. However, the Holy Spirit, through revelation of the scripture, is who enlightens us, not the amount of study time. You demonstrate much ignorance when your answer to a question is a flippant, 'Read your Bible.' The Pharisees knew their 'Bible' inside and out and Jesus called them sons of hell. Knowing scripture will not save you. Knowing the God of scripture does. The Holy Spirit ALONE knows the mind of God and He will reveal many things as we seek to understand the 'things that we are freely given in Christ.' I do respect your opinion and your right to have it. But your unwillingness to submit it to the truth of scripture demonstrates an unteachable spirit. I do not respect the answers that you have given me such as 'leave it alone, read your Bible, I'm done with you.' If that is your opinion, brother, then please follow your own statement and do not respond to my questions. I hold nothing against you but it is not edifying to anyone to give short, curt answers on this forum. Many people on this forum have challenged my beliefs and my understanding of scripture with a Christ-like attitude, in meekness and love. You would do well to learn from them. In Christ, Bill Mc |
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92 | What do you think? | Luke 23:34 | Bill Mc | 17244 | ||
Dear kalos, please see my subsequent post to Steve. I don't agree with MacArthur here (John does write many good explanations, though). Christ DID bear all our sins in His body - 1 Pet 2:24, Heb 10:5,10. I respectfully submit that God is truth and He does not see something that is not there or not see something that is there. Scripture says that Christ bore our sins IN HIS BODY. I agree, Jesus was not a sinner. But to think that God just 'treats' people one way or another presupposes that God is pretending. I.e. God pretended to make Christ our sin sacrifice and God pretends to make us Christ's righteousness. Brother, I don't see it that way. Christ literally bore all my sins in His body and my spirit has, literally, been created in righteousness - Eph 4:24. My body is still unredeemed but my spirit has been baptized INTO Christ and therefore 'the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.' - 1 Cor 6:17. Christ is righteous, alive, and eternal and so is my spirit. In Him, Bill Mc |
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93 | The Lord is Righteous | Ps 34:8 | Bill Mc | 17027 | ||
Great answer! Animal sacrifices never made the worshippers righteous in the eyes of God. Even if an OT Jew came to the Day of Atonement and had all his sins atoned 'covered', he could not then enter into the Holy of Holies. Forgiveness and righteousness are two completely different things. Heb 10:1 makes it clear that the OT sacrifices could never make the worshippers perfect (complete, righteous in God's sight). The Law made no one perfect - Heb 7:19. True righteousness is a gift of God received through faith in Jesus Christ - Rom 5:17,19; 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 4:24; Phil 3:9. Even if someone kept all the Law, he would not be righteous - Gal 2:16. Christ kept the whole law BECAUSE He was righteous, not vice versa. The law is fulfilled in us as NT believers because Christ fulfilled it and He is in us. But our righteousness is FROM God. We don't attain it, even as Christians. We just receive it. What a wonderful thing Christ has done! Thanks for your answer and insight, Pemican! In Christ, Bill Mc |
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94 | Great answer, kalos! My two cents... | Col 3:17 | Bill Mc | 16989 | ||
The Name of Jesus represents all who Jesus is as Lord and Savior. Good quote. I agree 100 percent. Blessings to you, brother kalos. In Jesus, Bill Mc |
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95 | Great answer, kalos! My two cents... | Col 3:17 | Bill Mc | 16974 | ||
True, Christ (Messiah) is loaded with meaning. And most of the Jewish leaders expected the Messiah to overthrow the Roman Empire. But Christ made it clear that His kingdom (at that time) was not of that world. One day, during the Millenium, it will be. But, you're right. All they saw was Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter's son. And they thought that because they 'kept the Law' that they would go to heaven. Even the disciples wanted to argue over who would be the greatest. I firmly believe the One who is the greatest is the One who was the most humbled - Phil 2:6-11. What a wonderful Savior! Blessings in Christ, Bill Mc |
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96 | Great answer, kalos! My two cents... | Col 3:17 | Bill Mc | 16973 | ||
Dear kalos, Thanks for answering my question. I understand your point. However, technically, His name is not the Lord Jesus Christ. His name that Joseph gave Him is "Jesus" - Matt 1:21. This is the Greek form of Joshua 'the Lord saves' and it was a very popular name at the time. The angel did not instruct Joseph to name Him the 'Lord Jesus Christ.' And in Rev 19:13, His name is called 'The Word of God.' Please don't misunderstand what I am saying. I am not in any way trying to say that Jesus is not Lord or not Christ. Indeed, He is and nothing you or I think or say changes that. Actually, I am substantiating your point. One phrase you used is, 'if the words of the Bible mean anything at all.' And that, brother, is exactly the point. The words of the Bible MEAN something. The NAME (technically speaking, arrangement of letters) is not what we have faith in. What we have faith in is the PERSON and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Who He is, what He's done in providing our salvation, and how He now lives in us is what we must have faith in. There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved, but many people in Christ's day and since have been named 'Jesus.' I have a couple of Hispanic friends named 'Jesus', but faith in their name, though it is the same as my Lord's, cannot save me. Faith in the PERSON of the Lord Jesus Christ saves me. I do agree with trying to stay with biblical terminology when speaking of biblical truths as much as possible. But, as you well know, anyone with a decent education can read the Bible. But ONLY the Spirit of God can tell you what it means. He may use various ways to do that - comparing scripture with scripture, your pastor, your friends, commentaries, even a seminary :), etc. But He is the revealer of truth. And biblical terminology, as wonderful as it is, must sometimes be explained. Who knows what propitiation is without using other words to explain it. We need to use everything God places at our disposal to help other's come to saving faith in our Lord. Even John tells us that, so we would understand, the Word became flesh, human, so we could finally understand who God is and His plan for us. Let's not let the words get in the way of the message. Blessings to you, Bill Mc |
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97 | Where do we draw the line? | Matt 10:14 | Bill Mc | 16934 | ||
charis, thanks for your response. And the grace to not be 'preachy.' There is much wisdom in what you write (not just here, but in other posts too). Thanks for the balanced view and your honesty to admit, like me, that you do not know exactly where the balance is. I do understand what you are saying. The Lord bless you as you serve Him in Japan, my friend. Resting in Him, Bill Mc |
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98 | So what does this passage mean? | Matt 10:14 | Bill Mc | 16917 | ||
OK, Hank, thanks for your response. I just have mixed feelings concerning our missionaries who could die for sharing the gospel where it has been made imperatively clear (under sentence of death) that Christ is not wanted there. I'm outraged that our government can do nothing about it. We can obviously pray for them. But it seems hypocritical to pray, 'God, keep them safe and spare their lives', then support sending them or others right back into the lion's den. | ||||||
99 | Thanks, but what about....? | Eph 2:5 | Bill Mc | 16879 | ||
Thanks again, gentlemen. I appreciate your answers. It is hard for us, even as Christians, to understand some of these spiritual truths because, for the most part, we operate in a natural world. From the time of our birth, we are taught to trust only what we can perceive with our senses or figure out with our intellect. And neither our senses nor our intellect can completely understand spiritual things. I believe that is one of the reasons that God gives us the Holy Spirit. One of the things He does it to take the things of Christ and make them known to us. Charis, thanks for your input. I especially like what you said about God being bigger than our understanding of salvation. That's true. Our salvation cannot be greater than our Savior. The heat of the sun is not greater than the sun. The effect of something is never greater than the cause. I agree that, from God's perspective, we are saved as a single event. And we are now seated with Him in the heavenlies. Why do I think it so? Because that is what He says. My faith has to go beyond the constraints of my intellect and ability to put everything in nice, neat little boxes. Also, as proof of what God has done for us, He seals us with the Holy Spirit. As far as I can tell, all mentions of this sealing are in the past tense i.e. you were sealed. I believe that this is our guarantee of salvation. Steve, thanks for your input, brother. I appreciate that you are still willing to respond to my questions in spite of our little tangle on forgiveness. Thanks for the illustration. Here is a variation of that story I've have heard: A man is floating, face down, dead in the sea of his sins, Rom 5:12, Eph 2:1. His sins are what killed him, Rom 6:23. Jesus comes along and sees him floating there, dead as a door-nail. Of course, Jesus, being God, doesn't need a boat :). He lifts the man out of the sea of sins and breathes new life back into the dead corpse, 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 8:1,2. Christ carries the man safely back to shore and home. As I said, illustrations always fall short somewhere but they can paint beautiful word pictures for us. Thanks again, Resting in His arms already, Bill Mc |
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100 | Violence against innocent Arab Americans | 1 Cor 16:14 | Bill Mc | 16762 | ||
These acts are NOT what Jesus would do. In fact, Christ's one act of anger that we see portrayed in the gospels was against, not Gentiles, but the Jewish religious establishment. He overthrew the moneychangers' tables for unscrupulous business practices in the temple. And NO ONE died at that event. As individuals, we should do everything that we do in love. Christ said that the one overall characteristic whereby people would know that we are Christians would be love. Christ said that all of the commandments are summed up in love - love for God and love for others. In our personal lives, we are to let the love of Christ flow through us to others regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, social status, or any other perceived barrier. As a nation, we will have to see justice done for the acts of terrorism that have beseiged our country. Exactly how and when that is implemented is a decision of our collective government. Terrorism must be stopped in this country, even is it means executing people like Timothy McVey or these terrorists responsable for last Tuesday. But this is the government's responsibility. As individuals, God calls us to be a light in a dark world. The question I have is this...one of the principles that our country was founded upon is the freedom of religion. We know that people came to these shores seeking freedom from a 'state sanctioned' religion. However, should a religion that sanctions violence be allowed to be practiced here? Some radical sects of Islam do believe that if you're not of the Islam faith, then you should be exterminated. Some radical sects of Christianity, who hold to the name of Christ, believe that it is OK to shoot abortion doctors. Probably every major religion in the world has some extreme segment that believes in justifiable extinction of those who do not hold to their belief system. I, for one, feel that this is an atrocity, and should NOT be tolerated in this country no matter who or what label they wear. As long as different religions and faiths respect human life and can practice their beliefs in peace, I would welcome all to these shores. What better opportunity to share the gospel? But, if any religion or faith, even so-called Christians, decides that other people need to die if they won't convert, then I believe those sects and people should be tried by our government as criminals and/or expelled from this country. Let's not drag Christ's name through the mud. It is the only name given among men whereby we can be saved. Let's band together against violence and leave the sword of justice in the arm of government where it belongs. |
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