Random Questions; Bible-based answers
- Thread starter GWH
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Oh, you're no fun!
Think of it as the Lord teaching you how to handle frustration.
Well, that would mean at least one of us is learning what God wants to teach.
(cup half full :^)
The short version of God's peace plan is found in Luke 2:14. The longer version of God's peace plan is revealed by Paul
in his epistle to the Ephesians:
TOP #151: God has revealed that Gentiles are included with Jews in God’s plan of salvation via the Gospel of Christ. [Eph. 2:11-3:6] This is a significant elaboration of TOP #144. God revealed this mystery or insight (Eph. 3:4) to Paul for the purpose of him making the Gospel (3:7) known through the church (3:10).
TOP #152: The Gospel is God’s peace plan for humanity. [Eph. 2:14-17] Paul commanded peace in Rom. 5:1, 8:6, 12:18 & 14:19, 1Cor. 7:15 and 2Cor. 13:11.
TOP #153: The body of Christ or God’s household may be viewed as a spiritual edifice founded on Scripture and with Christ as the cornerstone. [Eph. 2:18-22] Jesus is also called the capstone and the stumbling-stone in 1Pet. 2:6-8. The body metaphor is also employed in Eph. 4:15-16. The edifice is called “church” in Eph. 3:10.
At this point in the epistle Paul shared more of his prayers for the Ephesians (cf. 1:15-19), which serves as his next teaching that is surely meant for all members of God’s family.
TOP #154: Through faith Christ may dwell in believers, enabling them to know the infinite love of God and be filled with His power. [Eph. 3:16-19] This is the miracle for which Paul prays and which he cites in Eph. 5:18.
TOP #155: Christian behavior should be worthy of their calling by Christ, which means being humble, patient and loving. [Eph. 4:1-2, Phil. 1:27, Col. 1:10, 2Thes. 1:5&11] Paul did not claim to be perfect, but he pressed on toward this goal (Phil. 3:12-16).
TOP #156: Strive for spiritual unity or oneness, because there is one body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism, and God/Father. [Eph. 4:3-6] Achieving oneness answers the prayer of Jesus in John 17:20-23.
TOP #157: Christ gave various gifts regarding teaching God’s Word so that God’s people would grow spiritually and become mature. [Eph. 4:7-15, cf. TOP #202 &255] Although salvation is by faith, becoming spiritually mature is by good works or continuing to cooperate with the loving Spirit of God (cf. Eph. 2:10).
TOP #158: Spiritual maturity is manifested by speaking the truth in love. [Eph. 4:14-16] This is contrasted with the sinful lifestyles of many Gentiles (4:17&19).
TOP #159: Separation from God (and thus condemnation) is caused by willful darkness, futile thinking, ignorance and hardening of the heart. [Eph. 4:18] Paul noted that his readers were once such but are now children of light (5:8), because they were taught (and chose to believe) the Gospel truth (see the next TOP).
TOP #160: God’s normative method of conversion is via the gifts related to teaching His Word/Truth. [Eph. 4:20-24] Jesus indicated (in John 14:26, 15:26 & 16:13) that GW is taught by the indwelling HS. This truth jibes with TOP #119 & 120.
TOP #161: Christians must speak the truth. [Eph. 4:25a] The reason Paul gives for this teaching is because they are members of one body (v.25b). This is a nuance akin to TOP #158.
TOP #162: Christians should not have unrighteous rage. [Eph. 4:26a] A way to avoid wrongful rage is to make things right by night (v.26b-27). James also teaches this (in JM 1:19-20).
Comment:
our God is logical.
here is an example of the use of logic.. logic is 2 plus 2 = 4
Revelation 20
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
For a person to die for the second time -- they must have died the first time.
For a person to die for the second time the must have lived for the 2nd time.
this matches God's 7000 year plan of salvation to perfection
see Ezekiel 37 and Revelation 20
Amen! I don't think the truth that God is logical is emphasized enough.
This is why Scripture must be harmonized with Scripture.
God is not schizophrenic, nor is His Word double-speak.
No proof-texting!
By comparing it with the Gospel,
which requires knowing our creed
beyond what the Baptist taught me,
although that was a good beginning,
so I compiled the following from GW:
There is a/one all-loving and just Lord or Creator God (Deut. 6:4, John 3:16, 2Thes. 1:6),
who is both able (2Tim. 1:12) and willing (1Tim. 2:3-4, Ezek. 33:11) to provide humanity
salvation or heaven—a wonderful life full of love, joy and peace forever.
Human beings are selfish or sinful (Rom. 3:23, 2Tim. 3:2-4, Col. 3:5), miserable (Gal. 5:19-21),
and hopeless (Eph. 2:12) or justly hell-bound at the judgment (Matt. 23:33 & 25:46) when
they reject God’s salvation (John 3:18, Rom. 2:5-11).
Jesus is God’s Messiah/Christ and incarnate Son,
the way that God has chosen (John 3:16, Acts 16:30-31, Phil. 2:9-11)
of providing salvation by means of his atoning death on the cross
for the payment of the penalty for the sins of humanity
(Rom. 3:22-25 & 5:9-11), who resurrected and reigns in heaven (1Cor. 15:14-28).
Thus, every person who hears the NT Gospel needs to repent and accept God’s grace
or justification in Jesus as Christ/Messiah the Lord or Supreme Commander (Luke 2:11, John 14:6, Acts 16:31),
at which moment God’s loving Holy Spirit of Christ indwells/baptizes the believer into the church (Rev. 3:20, Rom. 5:5, 1Cor. 12:13).
Loving Christ Jesus as Lord (Luke 2:11), God the Son (Matt. 16:16) or God in the human dimension (Col. 2:9)
means reflecting divine love as empowered by the Holy Spirit, thereby obeying His command to love one another
(Matt. 7:21, 22:37-40, John 13:35, Rom. 13:9)—forever (Matt. 10:22, Psa. 113:2), which will eventually achieve spiritual maturity
on earth and heaven after Christ returns at God’s resurrection (John 14:6, 17&26, Rom. 8:6-17, Gal. 6:7-9, Eph. 1:13-14, Phil. 3:12-16,
Heb. 10:36, 12:1, Jam. 1:2-4).
How well do you know Him? I know Him some and he's almost never been logical with me! Shall we trade Testimonies because I have a lot of testimonies I could share
Share a good testimony with me Brother as an example just how logical He can be!
My Testimony
[Prologue: It is futile to witness to closed-minded atheists (Matt. 13:14-15), just as it is pointless to play verbal ping-pong with tulipists, but we should do the best we can by sharing our testimony as 1Pet. 3:15 commands and by providing Scriptural answers to questions causing doubts as Paul did or exemplified in Acts 17:16-31, hoping some will be convicted by the HS in their consciences (Rom. 2:14-15).]
I was raised by loving, Christian (Southern Baptist) parents, who were happily married for 70 years. I attended church regularly as a child, and about the age of eight I had enough courage to walk the aisle during an invitation and profess publicly my faith in Jesus by being baptized.
My personality was rather introverted as a teenager, so I discussed my beliefs only with a few close friends. When I was a senior in high school, my favorite teacher was a former preacher turned agnostic, and in my freshman year of college, the daughter of a missionary became an atheist. My ignorance of answers to questions asked by skeptics prompted me to read the entire Bible (NEB) making notes in the margins (which I repeated with three other versions over the years).
After college and military service I attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where a professor of systematic theology, Dr. William Hendricks, stimulated my thinking, while I attended a satellite church that listened to tapes by R.B. Thieme, whose preaching was also systematic teaching. During this time I heard a debate on the radio between Christian evangelist Bob Harrington and atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair. Although the exchange was quite humorous, I was chagrined to concede that the atheist won the debate on substance, and I determined to seek better replies to such questions and criticisms.
Years later as a military chaplain, I encountered the Atheist Community of Austin and offered to speak at one of their meetings. I also debated atheists on an online chat site for several years. Although I cannot claim to have converted anyone, the discussions helped hone my beliefs, which I published on a website, <truthseekersfellowship.com> in 2005. In 2018 and 2019 I self-published two booklets, The Best Belief and The Christian Creed, which are also on the website.
The following excerpts from “Love God with All Your Mind” by J.P. Moreland expresses my experience: “I used to be afraid of witnessing... I was rather defensive and nervous... But now I understand why I believe, and this has brought me both peace and a non-defensive boldness to witness to others.” (p.20) “Sunday School should be more effective in training believers how to think carefully about their faith. Training in apologetics should be a regular part of discipleship.” (p.26) “Our discipleship materials often leave Christian young people vulnerable to atheistic college professors.” (p.28) “The apostle Paul... reasoned with and tried to persuade people intelligently to accept Christ.” (p.30)
My testimony continues in the threads on CC for the edification of anyone who is interested, in hopes that it will provide a spiritual boost for fellow truthseekers. LIC, GWH
RQ: Because only four chapters of the NT are devoted to the story of Jesus' birth,
and because Paul indicated in 1Cor. 15:17, "If there is no Easter, faith in Christmas is futile",
should Easter be a more major holiday than Christmas? How should it be celebrated?
and because Paul indicated in 1Cor. 15:17, "If there is no Easter, faith in Christmas is futile",
should Easter be a more major holiday than Christmas? How should it be celebrated?
Yes, Easter should be celebrated as much and even more than Christmas,
but every day in between is also important for the Gospel (Gal. 4:10):
Jesus was a man (1Tim. 1:16), accredited by his sinless life (Heb. 4:15) and ministry (John 10:37-38)
to be God’s Messiah, who died on a cross as the sacrifice for humanity’s sins (Rom. 3:25),
but who was resurrected from the dead to show his divinity (1Cor. 15:20, Rom. 1:1-4).
However it is celebrated should not copy the commercialization of Christmas!
These verses indicate that love is the sign of being a Christian, and arguing is a sign of not being a Christian,
so those who manifest animosity and a divisive spirit on CC or elsewhere should examine themselves (2Cor. 13:5),
and if they fail the test (cf. 1John 4:1-5:5), they should repent, accept Jesus as Lord and discuss disagreements
about secondary issues only for the purpose of achieving spiritual unity via peaceful persuasion (Eph. 4:1-6 & 11-13).
Comment:
Translation do make a differences but unless God the Father open a person's mind they can not understand.
which is why there are 40,000 flavors of churches.
Isaiah 28
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.
Spiritually mature
10 For precept [must be] upon precept , precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:
Truth is scattered through out the entire Word of God
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
The Word of God was not meant to be understood by an unconverted mind
12 To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
NLT a little here, and a little there, so that they will stumble and fall.They will be injured, trapped, and captured.
And what do folks do,, they pick the scriptures that match what they want to believe and dump the rest.