Random Questions; Bible-based answers

[GWH]

Question #1: Are there other earths with human life on them?

My answer: I doubt it, although I have seen people say there must be, because there are so many billions of suns in the universe, but I do not understand how one could arrive at an estimate of probability from a known case of only one--US!

Your answer?...

 

[GWH]

Question #2: Must we have an inerrant translation of the Bible in order to know God's Word?

My answer: Even if we had an inerrant translation, we would need an infallible interpretation, which not even a pope knows, so we must be content with believing that God has ensured we have very accurate translations that can provide us sufficient knowledge of His Will, especially regarding salvation.

Your answer?...

 

[GWH]

Question #3: How can we say that answering questions with logical answers is Bible-based?

Biblical passages that seem to support the view that human logic is a divine gift include the following:

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. (IS 1:18a)
“They hated me without reason.” (JN 15:25)
“So [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (ACTS 17:17)
“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom [right reasoning] among the mature…” (1CR 2:6)
“When I was a child… I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” (1CR 13:11)
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1PT 3:15b)

These passages indicate that we should think and attempt to learn the best beliefs/opinions or solutions regarding issues, beginning with revealed Scripture and continuing with right logic when helpful.

Your answer?...

 

[Eli1]

Question #1: Are there other earths with human life on them?

My answer: I doubt it, although I have seen people say there must be, because there are so many billions of suns in the universe, but I do not understand how one could arrive at an estimate of probability from a known case of only one--US!

Your answer?...

I don't know. I am open to the possibility and i'm not shocked by it, but i simply don't know.

Question #2: Must we have an inerrant translation of the Bible in order to know God's Word?

My answer: Even if we had an inerrant translation, we would need an infallible interpretation, which not even a pope knows, so we must be content with believing that God has ensured we have very accurate translations that can provide us sufficient knowledge of His Will, especially regarding salvation.

Your answer?...

I agree with you and i also think the same. As someone who speaks 2 languages fluently and a few others brokenly, realize that you can't translate something 100% without losing the essence of the culture it came from and make it fit into another culture. So you do your best to make them compatible.

Question #3: How can we say that answering questions with logical answers is Bible-based?

Biblical passages that seem to support the view that human logic is a divine gift include the following:

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. (IS 1:18a)
“They hated me without reason.” (JN 15:25)
“So [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.” (ACTS 17:17)
“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom [right reasoning] among the mature…” (1CR 2:6)
“When I was a child… I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” (1CR 13:11)
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1PT 3:15b)

These passages indicate that we should think and attempt to learn the best beliefs/opinions or solutions regarding issues, beginning with revealed Scripture and continuing with right logic when helpful.

Your answer?...

I agree with you again that we have a divine gift but we don't have divine wisdom and only Christ was able to speak our language here with divine wisdom by using parables that can be understood but a 5 year old child and a 90 year old man at any time in human history.
The gift of communication is to reduce all complex ideas into a simple language so they are understood by a 5 year old child and a 90 year old man.

 

[GWH]

I don't know. I am open to the possibility and i'm not shocked by it, but i simply don't know.



I agree with you and i also think the same. As someone who speaks 2 languages fluently and a few others brokenly, realize that you can't translate something 100% without losing the essence of the culture it came from and make it fit into another culture. So you do your best to make them compatible.



I agree with you again that we have a divine gift but we don't have divine wisdom and only Christ was able to speak our language here with divine wisdom by using parables that can be understood but a 5 year old child and a 90 year old man at any time in human history.
The gift of communication is to reduce all complex ideas into a simple language so they are understood by a 5 year old child and a 90 year old man.

Well, we gain divine wisdom as we acquire the mind of Christ.

 

[Eli1]

Well, we gain divine wisdom as we acquire the mind of Christ.

You are describing very closely my understanding of Salvation but the process of purification, illumination and divinization aka Theosis which in simple English means 'trying to become like Jesus' is seen as a metaphor, to follow from the heart due to free will and the love we have for God, but we can never become like God. It's an endless pursuit which grounds you in the now by being grateful which also gives you joy for having the privilege to be able to know Christ here and now.

 

[Hakawaka]

You're a great guy, I agree with all you wrote.

 

[GWH]

You are describing very closely my understanding of Salvation but the process of purification, illumination and divinization aka Theosis which in simple English means 'trying to become like Jesus' is seen as a metaphor, to follow from the heart due to free will and the love we have for God, but we can never become like God. It's an endless pursuit which grounds you in the now by being grateful which also gives you joy for having the privilege to be able to know Christ here and now.

Becoming like Jesus and God is indeed a life-long goal, but it refers to sharing the Spirit of Truth and Love, NOT to becoming Christ and God.

 

[Eli1]

Becoming like Jesus and God is indeed a life-long goal, but it refers to sharing the Spirit of Truth and Love, NOT to becoming Christ and God.

That part is true through the Holy Spirit, but we can never heal the sick or do miracles or find the appropriate words, unless granted by God like He did when He granted the apostles the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons.

By the way i like a lot of your ideas but you haven't mentioned one important thing so far in your post which i would like to leave it to time.

 

[GWH]

That part is true through the Holy Spirit, but we can never heal the sick or do miracles or find the appropriate words, unless granted by God like He did when He granted the apostles the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons.

By the way i like a lot of your ideas but you haven't mentioned one important thing so far in your post which i would like to leave it to time.

That part is true through the Holy Spirit, but we can never heal the sick or do miracles or find the appropriate words, unless granted by God like He did when He granted the apostles the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons.

By the way i like a lot of your ideas but you haven't mentioned one important thing so far in your post which i would like to leave it to time.

I certainly cannot perform such miracles, and I suspect that those who claim to do so want to walk by proof, not by faith, disregarding Paul's teaching relevant to this topic (2 CR 5:7).

You want to like me to mention something next time?

 

[Eli1]

I certainly cannot perform such miracles, and I suspect that those who claim to do so want to walk by proof, not by faith, disregarding Paul's teaching relevant to this topic (2 CR 5:7).

You want to like me to mention something next time?

Miracles in my understanding are not so much about proof, because 'proof' as the secular society understands it, is about reproducing something on a lab on demand. Even then, they're not convinced. This is why conspiracy theorists exist.

Miracles are about garbing the attention of the person or the group at large. Jesus performed many miracles and they didn't believe Him. But because of those Miracles He became well-known in the area right away.
So Miracles are a way to let yourself, or the group or the world know that this is something that needs attention, which then makes their attention and ears more prone to listen to the edifying message from God.

Also i don't want you to do anything other than what you are doing now. Time reveals more about us.
God bless you for all your insights so far.

 

[GWH]

Miracles in my understanding are not so much about proof, because 'proof' as the secular society understands it, is about reproducing something on a lab on demand. Even then, they're not convinced. This is why conspiracy theorists exist.

Miracles are about garbing the attention of the person or the group at large. Jesus performed many miracles and they didn't believe Him. But because of those Miracles He became well-known in the area right away.
So Miracles are a way to let yourself, or the group or the world know that this is something that needs attention, which then makes their attention and ears more prone to listen to the edifying message from God.

Also i don't want you to do anything other than what you are doing now. Time reveals more about us.
God bless you for all your insights so far.

Yes, Jesus performed many miracles, and Paul performed a few, but then he taught us to walk by faith, not by sight or proof or from miracle to miracle. LIC

 

[DavyP]

Question #1: Are there other earths with human life on them?

My answer: I doubt it, although I have seen people say there must be, because there are so many billions of suns in the universe, but I do not understand how one could arrive at an estimate of probability from a known case of only one--US!

Your answer?...

No. Simply because God has already said He chose Jerusalem, here on this earth, as the place He will dwell forever.

If science actually does ever find signs that life once existed on other planets, then it will be artifacts left over from God's destruction of the 1st world earth age time when Lucifer first rebelled, a time of angelic existence.

 

[Iconoclast]

Question #1: Are there other earths with human life on them?

My answer: I doubt it, although I have seen people say there must be, because there are so many billions of suns in the universe, but I do not understand how one could arrive at an estimate of probability from a known case of only one--US!

Your answer?...

No...Eve is the mother of all living;

20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

 

[GWH]

Not sure that the writer of Genesis was addressing the question of alien life, but DavyP's mention of heavenly Jerusalem reminds me of another random question: How do you envision being immortal in heaven, whether on Earth or outer space or beyond?

 

[Eli1]

Not sure that the writer of Genesis was addressing the question of alien life, but DavyP's mention of heavenly Jerusalem reminds me of another random question: How do you envision being immortal in heaven, whether on Earth or outer space or beyond?

This is another one of those things that i don't think about a lot since it's a mystery for now, but we have two big clues in this.
The first is the body of Adam and Eve who were incorruptible but the most important clue which i consider more important is the body of Christ after resurrection who could travel through walls but also be able to eat our food.
That right there is a deep mystery for me but also something glorious which brings joy and hope.
So i'm thinking that our incorruptible bodies might have similar properties? Ultimately i don't know, but this is an educated guess based especially on the body of Christ.

 

[GWH]

Yes, Jesus performed many miracles, and Paul performed a few, but then he taught us to walk by faith, not by sight or proof or from miracle to miracle. LIC

Keeping in mind that the main miracles are creation, with which science correlates, and resurrection, which will be the Omega event.

 

[Eli1]

Keeping in mind that the main miracles are creation, with which science correlates, and resurrection, which will be the Omega event.

We think alike in this aspect.
When we find ourselves in this Creation, we take it for granted because we are like fish in the water who are oblivious of the water.
So a Miracle within the Creation is a way to grab the attention of the inhabitants, but when you realize that the Creation is a Miracle itself, then Miracles should be a sign of relief for a Christian because you have already given your full attention to God.

 

[Dino246]

Question #1: Are there other earths with human life on them?

My answer: I doubt it, although I have seen people say there must be, because there are so many billions of suns in the universe, but I do not understand how one could arrive at an estimate of probability from a known case of only one--US!

Your answer?...

No. Jesus lived and died on this planet “once for all” … for all humankind. Were there “other earths”, He would have to have suffered and died many times.

 

[GWH]

No. Jesus lived and died on this planet “once for all” … for all humankind. Were there “other earths”, He would have to have suffered and died many times.

Yes, once was enough hopefully!