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NASB | Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 1:4 just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love |
Subject: Predestination |
Bible Note: (continued from previous post) And let me explain "New Light" of course it is not New, but it is most certainly waiting to be "re-discovered" I propose only one example of many but an example that reveals how far we may still need revival if you consider it deeply. Take baptism. We have so many varied methods and means of baptism. We may be assured that our method is the right one based on the scriptures. And yet know one seems to follow the scriptural pattern at all. The scripture shows men being baptized at the time of believing in Christ. So that you get the impression and most scholars agree they did indeed go to the river and baptize the same day if not the same week after believing in Christ. Today even in our protestant congregations we save it until a convenient time when family and friends, and photographers can be present. What is this and from whence did it come? It came from reviving what was lost in the Dark Ages by the oppressive rule of the RCC, but you see how it has never really been fully restored. So it is with our methods of taking the Lord's Supper. Even those that are trying to be the most like the New Testament book of acts they know who still use the little trays of crackers and cups and pass it around in the church like an RCC ceremony. This is not how it was done in Acts and yet we keep doing it this traditional way? What difference does it make if your heart is focused on the meaning of the Lord's Supper? Maybe none. But it is an example of how we still have room to be "reformed" back to the pattern of the book of Acts and teachings of Christ. I could use many other examples such as doctrinal truths that we propagate because we were told by other teachers and books that such a thing is so and yet when we look for it in scripture it is not there. For instance, I know this one is not believed by even half of Protestants but Those that believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the church all say we disappear in a moment or a twinkling of an eye. (I lean toward pre-trib but am not dogmatic about it) and yet the text says nothing about disappearing. It says we are CHANGED and rise. Not a hint about turning invisible. But it has been said so often and by so many "respected" prophesy teachers that no one questions it. Is it wrong to take a stand and say something "New" such as we do not disappear. Yes we change, and yes we rise, but there are scriptures that hint at the world seeing it, and none that say we vanish. If it is easy to see how this type of "new" understanding is possible (especially about such things as eschatology, of which Luther and others did not deal with exhaustively) then you should be able to see how we do indeed have room to grow in revelation not that opposes solid foundational doctrine but builds on it and brings us further into the light, as we press toward the mark of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus. If I pastor and every time someone comes to the faith of Christ and is Born Again my church has a Baptism at the end of a service would I be different than the last 1700 years of church history? Probably. Would I be unorthodox? Was is John Locke that said " every man is orthodox unto himself and his own church?" If you measure orthodoxy by the book of Acts, I dare say I would be the most orthodox church I know. If I have the congregation meet and eat a supper in the spirit of fellowship and communion in the Holy Ghost and at the time of the supper we partake of the Lords Supper observance I would be much more in line with the book of Acts than the trays and pixie cups. Do I really think that is a big deal? I think it is a good example that though we may have come a long way since the Reformation, there may be still things we are blind to as it relates to our understanding in the scripture becuase we walk in the tradition of our fathers (church teachers) rather than the clear text of scripture. God Bless you All. |