I was saved by hearing the gospel in respect to Christ's three day labor of His love, or called a work of faith. The gift I received was faith.. needed to believe god not seen previously having none.
In Romans 1 it is called faith to faith or believing God not seen, the same understanding that comes by what the scriptures says walking by that faith that does exclusively come from hearing God .
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for "it is the power of God" unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.Romans1:15-17
I would add to what you offered in respect to parables. First and foremost we are informed by prophecy the word of God that without parables Christ the anointing Holy Spirit of God our teacher, comforter and guide who also does bring to our minds the things he has taught us , spoke not without a parable.
In other words we should keep on guard or we could miss out on the spiritual application. Comparing the spiritual unseen to the same.( faith to faith)
In not doing so we could miss the purpose of the whole period of time as to what was performed when God temporally gave over the faithless Jews to install a king in Israel because of the jealousy coming from the Pagan nation again for a temporal time period . Hundred of years of history recorded accurately and hiding the understanding in that parable or figure for the time then present ..as a way of signifying.... using the things seen to give the understanding of things of God not seen . As if we guided according to 2 Corinthians 4:18. (Look to the temporal to find the unseen eternal understanding)
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure (parable) for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the "time of reformation".
There are many examples that are historically true yet have another understanding that relates to the gospel of faith to faith .
Zion is used to describe the bride of Christ coming down from heaven prepared as Christ chaste virgin bride .Using the earthly Jerusalem as a pattern or parable as that seen to represent the unseen city the new heavenly Jerusalem .
What on earth is a: in respect to
Christ's three day labor of His love, or called a work of faith . I have never heard that term.
And your explanation of Prophecy and Parables, is EVEN STRANGER than I originally thought.
Lets approach this differently, when you use a term, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS IN SIMPLE TERMS.
First of all, what TYPE of Church do you attend, and I am not asking for the name of the church, but the TYPE, such as Baptist, Lutheran, Evangelical, etc.
I am from a non-denominational, conservative evangelical Church. That means we believe the Teaching of the WORD should dominate our services. Our Pastor teaches the WORD for one hour, and the other parts of the service only last about 40 minutes. We do not ordain women, or make the music last longer than the sermon. Yes we use lots of modern music, and some hymns, that lasts about 20 minutes and the Prayers and the Announcements last about another 20 minutes.
Your response to how you were BORN AGAIN, was very vague, which leads me to believe you do not understand how to explain it.
Now I will give you a short explanation of HOW, I was BORN AGAIN.
I thought I was a Christian because I took up space in a pew in a Lutheran Church. Someone should have told me that Sitting on a pew did not make me a Christian and more than sitting in a Garage would make me a car. I did not realize that I did not know the first thing about becoming a GENUINE CHRISTIAN until something VERY TRAUMATIC happen to me when I was 29 years of age.
To make a long story short, I got married in June 1977, to the wrong woman, after we met 6 month before, at a beer party. Six months after that on Christmas Eve, she announce that she wanted a divorce "Because you cannot earn enough money to by me what I want in my life." Some reason right? I hit BOTTOM BIG TIME.
I has MAJOR depressions, and did not want to live to see another day. I did not care if I hurt may parents or my brother and sister,
I just wanted to CEASE to exist, period. That Last week of 1977, I attempted suicide three times. The first two times, I has a pistol against my Temple, with the trigger half pulled. BOTH TIMES, had an OVER WHELMING shear TERROR over came me, because I thought death was like the SUICIDE that I thought it would be, just CEASING TO EXIST. I was in the GATES OF HADES, about to WALK INTO IT. THAT TERROR shook me to the very core of my being.
I got as drunk as I could two nights later, and after 1:00 in the morning, I WENT OUT TO ARRANGE A FATAL MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT. I saw that afternoon they were POURING loose gravel on a dirt road, and knew the most dangerous surface to ride a dirt bike, was on LOSE GRAVEL. I am more ashamed of what I did next, but I actually TAUNTED GOD "If You want me, You me You can take me anywhere You want to on this MILE." I cranked the THROTTLE wide open, and I deliberately left my helmet at home, LEANED OUT OVER THE HANDLE BARS to ensure I hit head first, and kept that THROTTLE WIDE OPEN.
I hit the end of that mile, and NOTHING HAD HAPPENED, in fact it was as smooth as if I had been riding on PAVEMENT. I slowly went Home, and sat up thinking about what had happened, and sobered up, and about 5:00 in the Morning, I walked to my Bedroom. As I entered the Bedroom, I realized, "I CANNOT RIDE A BIKE LIKE THAT, EVEN SOBER." I realized that GOD had to have reached down, grabbed a hold of that bike, and SAID, "NO YOU DON'T, I GOT A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE." Instantly wave after wave of tremendous GUILT FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, as I CRIED LIKE A BABY, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, and started continually pleading, "FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE ME!"
I kept repeating that begging for forgiveness, as I continued in my deep remorse, for about an hour. About halfway through, I went Prostrate, still crying for Forgiveness.
Then some thing strange happen to me, whether it was a Vision or I fell asleep, I do not know, but if it was a DREAM, IT WAS THE MOST VIVID DREAM THAT I HAVE EVER HAD. I found myself at the FOOT of the CROSS, on my KNEES, looking up at HIM, while I continued to CRY, "FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE ME!", as I reach up towards HIM. I noticed the Nails were through His wrists, and NO CHURCH had said that the JEWS consider the Wrist to be PART OF THE HAND. I noticed blood began to drip from the Nails through HIS Wrists. It fell on Both of my Forearms, and it was a SURPRISE to me, because it was still WARM. In that Instant, I KNEW, FOR SURE, HE has Forgiven me! And the Vision or Dream ended.
YES, IN ME WAS A CHANGE, I LOVED HIM MUCH DEEPER AND PERSONAL THAN EVER BEFORE. The Holy Spirit was IN ME, and HE Birthed my Human Spirit into ETERNAL LIFE. HE obviously had POURED GOD's LOVE in my HEART. He soon put a HUNGER FOR THE WORD OF GOD to be taught to me, and I WAS AS HAPPY AS I HAVE EVER BEEN. I TRUSTED HIM TOTALLY, I KNEW HE HAD A PLAN FOR MY LIFE. HE OPENED ALL THE DOORS, AND I WAS JUST WALKING THROUGH THEM. AND ON TOP of all that, HE caused a GODLY WOMAN to come into My life. We were married about a Year and a half later, and we kept HIM first and foremost in our lives, and each other second. We were blessed with 36.5 Years of Marriage, before HE called her home, to be with HIM.
