Searching For Truth Seekers!
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How many churches are sister churches to the RCC today?
Satan's plan, keep them out of the water.
If they get in the water keep JESUS name out of it.
If you look at most churches they do everything in JESUS name EXCEPT baptism.
It is sad, but to be a Christian you have to be born again with GOD'S rule book.
They claim, as you know Peter was the first pope, I ask this question to ones I deal with.
If Peter was the first pope why don't you follow what he says?
The first message that JESUS promised to be preached in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:38-39
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
JESUS told HIS disciples not to go out without a converter, they waited and this happened.
Acts 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
I ask Catholics has ANY Catholic been baptized in JESEUE name?
Has JESUS filled any Catholic been with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongue's?
Today Satan is slick, it's not just the trinity he uses,
It's say the man-made sinners prayer and your saved.
Paul preached a different message.
We are saved by grace alone.
We are saved by faith alone.
We are saved by grace and faith alone.
Being baptized is a work.
Being baptized is to show others that you said the man-made sinners payer.
John 3:5 JESUS is speaking about natural birth.
There is ONE GOD and ONE gospel, the road to Heaven is Narrow and to Hell is wide.
Until I started sharing HIS word on my computer this verse surprised me and made me sad but I can see why JESUS said it.
Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
SO SO many people think they are Christians today but since they are not following JESUS and his rule book but men and their opinion and will never enter.
Foundation is the key look what JESUS says after he told so called Christians to HELL.
Matthew 7:24-29
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Foundation,
JESUS said in John 3,
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Our walk is between us and JESUS, HE will be the one juduing us in the end with HIS rule book.
Foundation is the key, Believe, repent, get baptized in JESUS name and pray for JESUS to fill us with HIS spirit.
GOD BLESS YOU in your walk.
Scripture on tradition of men
Matt 15: 3 But He answered and said unto them, why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Matt 15: 7-9 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth near unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mark 7: 9, 13 And said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such things do ye.
Col 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Peter was not the head of the first apostolic church
Gal 1: 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, except James, the Lord's brother. That nullifies the perpetual virginity of Mary. James was the head of the first apostolic christian church who were all devout Jews who maintained the Jewish customs, rituals, and beliefs. They still circumcized their male babies, attended the Temple to pray, observed the Jewish holidays and rituals, and baptized with water for spiritual cleansing as was the custom.
1 Cor 15: 7 After that, he was seen of James; then, of all the apostles.
Acts 21: 17-18 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. It seems that the central hub of the first christian church consisted of James and the elders. Notice that James stood out among the elders.
Acts 15: 13,19 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Wherefore, my judgement is, that we trouble not them, who from among the Gentiles are turned to God; In this scripture James seems to be speaking with authority.
Acts 12: 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. In this scripture James stands out among the brethren and is singled out.
Gal 2: 11-14 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before certain men came from James, he did eat with the gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them who were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled in like manner with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? The reason Peter feared the Christian Jews sent by James is because it was a Jewish tradition not to eat with gentiles. Apparently, he was worried about their report back to James.
Acts 8: 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. The apostles who were at Jerusalem were those headed by James. Peter and John were sent by them and they obeyed.
Who is the Rock or Foundation?
Eph 2: 19-22 Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. The building is the Church which is the Temple of the Holy Spirit because both Father and Son reside in us to form the body of Christ.
1 Cor 3: 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Peter is not the rock on which the church is built.
Deuteronomy 32: 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are justice; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Jesus Christ is our High Priest and we have access to the Father through the Holy Spirit which He baptizes us with
Hebrews 6: 17-20 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, Where the forerunner is for us entered, even (that is) Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Christ died once for all, making everyone eligible for the Father to choose from
Hebrews 10: 10 By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Mary's perpetual virginity
Matt 1: 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When, as his mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Matt 1: 24-25 Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. And knew her not (no sexual relation) till she had brought forth her first-born son; and he called his name Jesus. First-born son implies that there were other sons afterwards. If Jesus was Mary's only son, shouldn't it have said only son and not first-born son?
Matt 23: 9 And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. We have a spiritual Father and a biological father. I believe that the scripture above is talking about our spiritual Father. That title belongs to the Father who is in heaven and is the Father of our reality.
2 Tim 3: 16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto good works. The Bible is all we need because it is inspired by God and therefore is complete.
Matt 15: 3 But He answered and said unto them, why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Matt 15: 7-9 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth near unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mark 7: 9, 13 And said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such things do ye.
Col 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Peter was not the head of the first apostolic church
Gal 1: 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, except James, the Lord's brother. That nullifies the perpetual virginity of Mary. James was the head of the first apostolic christian church who were all devout Jews who maintained the Jewish customs, rituals, and beliefs. They still circumcized their male babies, attended the Temple to pray, observed the Jewish holidays and rituals, and baptized with water for spiritual cleansing as was the custom.
1 Cor 15: 7 After that, he was seen of James; then, of all the apostles.
Acts 21: 17-18 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. It seems that the central hub of the first christian church consisted of James and the elders. Notice that James stood out among the elders.
Acts 15: 13,19 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Wherefore, my judgement is, that we trouble not them, who from among the Gentiles are turned to God; In this scripture James seems to be speaking with authority.
Acts 12: 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. In this scripture James stands out among the brethren and is singled out.
Gal 2: 11-14 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before certain men came from James, he did eat with the gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them who were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled in like manner with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? The reason Peter feared the Christian Jews sent by James is because it was a Jewish tradition not to eat with gentiles. Apparently, he was worried about their report back to James.
Acts 8: 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. The apostles who were at Jerusalem were those headed by James. Peter and John were sent by them and they obeyed.
Who is the Rock or Foundation?
Eph 2: 19-22 Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. The building is the Church which is the Temple of the Holy Spirit because both Father and Son reside in us to form the body of Christ.
1 Cor 3: 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Peter is not the rock on which the church is built.
Deuteronomy 32: 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are justice; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Jesus Christ is our High Priest and we have access to the Father through the Holy Spirit which He baptizes us with
Hebrews 6: 17-20 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, Where the forerunner is for us entered, even (that is) Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Christ died once for all, making everyone eligible for the Father to choose from
Hebrews 10: 10 By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Mary's perpetual virginity
Matt 1: 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When, as his mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Matt 1: 24-25 Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. And knew her not (no sexual relation) till she had brought forth her first-born son; and he called his name Jesus. First-born son implies that there were other sons afterwards. If Jesus was Mary's only son, shouldn't it have said only son and not first-born son?
Matt 23: 9 And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. We have a spiritual Father and a biological father. I believe that the scripture above is talking about our spiritual Father. That title belongs to the Father who is in heaven and is the Father of our reality.
2 Tim 3: 16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto good works. The Bible is all we need because it is inspired by God and therefore is complete.
I'm certainly not one to defend the RCC as many, if not most all, of their doctrine directly contradicts the word of God. However, I did find the telescope information interesting.
The Large Binocular Telescope instrument was renamed from LUCIFER to LUCI in 2012 due to public pushback over its religiously controversial name. The original name, LUCIFER, was an acronym that led to conspiracy theories, which were amplified by the instrument's location on the same mountain as the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT).
Key details about the name change:
- Original Name: LUCIFER was an acronym for "Large Binocular Telescope Near-infrared Spectroscopic Utility with Camera and Integral Field Unit for Extragalactic Research".
- Controversy: Although the name was originally a "catchy, and often humorous" acronym created by scientists, it was quickly adopted by critics and conspiracy theorists. The proximity of the instrument to the Vatican's telescope on Arizona's Mount Graham sparked false rumors that the Vatican was using a device named after the Devil.
- Name Correction: To quiet the public backlash, the acronym was rebranded to the less provocative LUCI in 2012.
- Vatican Connection: The false claim that the Vatican named or controlled the instrument is a major element of the controversy. The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) is a separate telescope on the same mountain, with no direct connection to the LUCI instrument or its parent telescope, the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT).
Well, my comment is that the Bible clearly indicates a triune God, although it does not state that doctrine specifically.
I do not claim to understand the doctrine perfectly, but I am satisfied with describing it thusly:
The OT Shema (Deut. 6:4) teaches that God is one, and the NT also affirms that there is one God (Eph. 4:6, 1Tim. 2:5). However, the NT teaches that God relates to believers in three ways simultaneously: as the Father, as the Son and as the Holy Spirit (1 x 1 x 1=1).
The Father/Parenthood of God is indicated in Jesus’ model prayer (Matt. 6:9), throughout the Gospel of John (3:35, 5:17-18, etc.), and in the epistles of Paul (Rom. 4:11, 8:15, Phil. 2:11). God the Father and Christ’s Sonship are discussed in Hebrews 1:1-4. The Son of God also is mentioned by John (John 1:14, 3:16, etc.) and by Paul (Rom. 1:4, Gal. 2:20, 1Thes. 1:10). The Holy Spirit is mentioned in three successive chapters in John (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:13), frequently in the book of Acts (Acts 1:5, 2:4, 9:17, 13:2, 19:2), and in many of Paul’s letters (Rom. 8:4-26, 1Cor. 6:19, Eph. 4:30) as well as in some of the other epistles (2Pet. 1:21, Jude 20).
It might be helpful to discern which aspect of the triune God is the subject of various biblical statements. These divine aspects or “persons” may be distinguished by role: God the Father as creator or initiator (Gen. 1:1), God the Son as Messiah or mediator (1Tim. 2:5), and God the Spirit as indweller (Rom. 5:5). For example, 1 John 4:7 says love comes from (is initiated by) God (the Father), Galatians 5:22 says that love is a fruit of the (indwelling) Spirit, and Ephesians 3:18 speaks of the (mediating) love of Christ (Rom. 5:8, Eph. 2:18).
We can denote these distinctions by the use of three prepositions: God the Father is over all creation (Eph. 4:6), God the Son is Immanuel or with humanity (Matt. 1:23), and the Holy Spirit is within all believers (Eph. 1:13). A single passage that comes closest to indicating this distinction is Ephesians 3:14-19, in which Paul prays to the Father that through His Spirit of love Christ would dwell in believers’ hearts (also see 1Cor. 8:6).
TSers seek to learn the best belief and most logical answer to questions concerning ultimate reality. (Matt. 7:7, John 8:46, 1Cor. 2:6&13)
TSers are grateful to all people including both famous philosophers and anonymous acquaintances who help answer these questions. (Acts 17:26-31, 1Pet. 1:10-12)
TSers share their fallible faith with others, hoping they will find what they have learned helpful for understanding ultimate truth. (1Pet. 3:15b, 1Tim. 2:3-6)
TSers hope the Christian view is correct, because there is no better (credible and desirable) way of attaining heaven than NT theism. (Acts 7:51-53, Rom. 1:16-17)
TSers use logic, because they believe God is One/Logos, so right reasoning leads to all truth, both scientific and spiritual. (Isa. 1:18a, Acts 17:17)
TSers want to learn the best belief, so when a contradictory view is deemed to be better, they change their opinion. (1Cor. 13:11, Heb. 6:1-3)
TSers love everyone and thus want to share knowledge with other truthseekers, so they may fellowship (2Tim. 4:3-4, 1John 1:3).
TSers are grateful to all people including both famous philosophers and anonymous acquaintances who help answer these questions. (Acts 17:26-31, 1Pet. 1:10-12)
TSers share their fallible faith with others, hoping they will find what they have learned helpful for understanding ultimate truth. (1Pet. 3:15b, 1Tim. 2:3-6)
TSers hope the Christian view is correct, because there is no better (credible and desirable) way of attaining heaven than NT theism. (Acts 7:51-53, Rom. 1:16-17)
TSers use logic, because they believe God is One/Logos, so right reasoning leads to all truth, both scientific and spiritual. (Isa. 1:18a, Acts 17:17)
TSers want to learn the best belief, so when a contradictory view is deemed to be better, they change their opinion. (1Cor. 13:11, Heb. 6:1-3)
TSers love everyone and thus want to share knowledge with other truthseekers, so they may fellowship (2Tim. 4:3-4, 1John 1:3).
TSers seek to learn the best belief and most logical answer to questions concerning ultimate reality. (Matt. 7:7, John 8:46, 1Cor. 2:6&13)
God has always existed, is everywhere at once, transcends time, has a mind, heart and will, can create out of nothing, and knows everything about everything, including what everyone is thinking and feeling, and the future. Our reality is in the mind of the Father because that is the only way that He can have all those qualities and power. He is the Father because He is the Father of our reality and everything in it. The Father, who has always existed, must have created many different realities, and ours is just one of many. In our reality with nothing in it and nothing happening, there is no concept of time. When He placed a living, thinking, willful, and feeling being in it and called him His Son, time begain because there is now a time before, during, and after this event. The Father interacts with the realities that He creates through His Holy Spirit, which in Isaiah 63: 9-10 is referred to as "the angel of His presence". Angel because it can be sent, and where the Holy Spirit is, the Father is. In our reality, the Father fills (indwells) His Son with His Holy Spirit so that the Father resides (is present) in the Son's being. The Son has his own mind, feeling, and will, but because he loves the Father, he surrenders his will to the Father. The Son is the image of the invisible God in our reality because the Father is in him and he obeys the Father. Col 1: 15-17 The Father, through His Holy Spirit that is in His Son, creates everything that is in our reality. In 1 Cor 15: 27, because the Father loves His Son, all creation in our reality is placed under the Son's feet, which makes the Son Lord and God of all creation in our reality, but the Father is the Lord and God of all realities. If you think of the Holy Spirit as a portal through which the Father can enter the being indwelled, scripture starts making sense.
The Holy Spirit is a portal through which the Father can enter the being indwelled in order to communicate with, speak through, motivate, and empower to perform His will.
When Jesus ascended back to the Father to get glorified, he received a glorified body made up of the spiritual souls of those chosen by the Father to fill this body. The person gets baptized in the name of the Father when the Father fills the person with such extreme repentance that he turns to God for forgiveness. The person is baptized in the name of the Son when he puts his faith and trust in Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. When Jesus baptizes him in the name of the Holy Spirit, he receives a portal through which the Son can enter his being, along with the Father who resides in the Son. That is when the person is born again. Together, they change the person's motivation for living from love of self first to love of God first and all others as he loves himself. That is how we get perfected. When the motivation for every thought and action is loving God by trying to do His will, and loving our neighbors through our actions, we will have been perfected because we would be devoid of any negative thoughts and feelings. John 13: 33-35, John 14: 23
With all this in mind, let's explore scripture to see if my explanation about the Holy Spirit makes sense.
Col 1: 24-29 The mystery that Paul is referring to is that God's glory is His Holy Spirit. The hope of glory is the hope of the portal through which Christ can enter our beings. John 14: 20
Eph 2: 18 Through Christ in us, we have direct access to both the Son and the Father who is in the Son. John 14: 6
John 14: 7-11 The Father, who is in Jesus's being through the Holy Spirit that descended on him during John's water baptism, speaks directly through Jesus to Philip. Luke 4:1, John 12: 49-50, and John 17: 8
John 14: 13 The Father is glorified in the Son because when the Son enters a being through the Holy Spirit, so does the Father, who is in him. When we pray to the Father in Jesus's name to bless a loved one with the Holy Spirit, he will do it.
God has always existed, is everywhere at once, transcends time, has a mind, heart and will, can create out of nothing, and knows everything about everything, including what everyone is thinking and feeling, and the future. Our reality is in the mind of the Father because that is the only way that He can have all those qualities and power. He is the Father because He is the Father of our reality and everything in it. The Father, who has always existed, must have created many different realities, and ours is just one of many. In our reality with nothing in it and nothing happening, there is no concept of time. When He placed a living, thinking, willful, and feeling being in it and called him His Son, time begain because there is now a time before, during, and after this event. The Father interacts with the realities that He creates through His Holy Spirit, which in Isaiah 63: 9-10 is referred to as "the angel of His presence". Angel because it can be sent, and where the Holy Spirit is, the Father is. In our reality, the Father fills (indwells) His Son with His Holy Spirit so that the Father resides (is present) in the Son's being. The Son has his own mind, feeling, and will, but because he loves the Father, he surrenders his will to the Father. The Son is the image of the invisible God in our reality because the Father is in him and he obeys the Father. Col 1: 15-17 The Father, through His Holy Spirit that is in His Son, creates everything that is in our reality. In 1 Cor 15: 27, because the Father loves His Son, all creation in our reality is placed under the Son's feet, which makes the Son Lord and God of all creation in our reality, but the Father is the Lord and God of all realities. If you think of the Holy Spirit as a portal through which the Father can enter the being indwelled, scripture starts making sense.
The Holy Spirit is a portal through which the Father can enter the being indwelled in order to communicate with, speak through, motivate, and empower to perform His will.
When Jesus ascended back to the Father to get glorified, he received a glorified body made up of the spiritual souls of those chosen by the Father to fill this body. The person gets baptized in the name of the Father when the Father fills the person with such extreme repentance that he turns to God for forgiveness. The person is baptized in the name of the Son when he puts his faith and trust in Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. When Jesus baptizes him in the name of the Holy Spirit, he receives a portal through which the Son can enter his being, along with the Father who resides in the Son. That is when the person is born again. Together, they change the person's motivation for living from love of self first to love of God first and all others as he loves himself. That is how we get perfected. When the motivation for every thought and action is loving God by trying to do His will, and loving our neighbors through our actions, we will have been perfected because we would be devoid of any negative thoughts and feelings. John 13: 33-35, John 14: 23
With all this in mind, let's explore scripture to see if my explanation about the Holy Spirit makes sense.
Col 1: 24-29 The mystery that Paul is referring to is that God's glory is His Holy Spirit. The hope of glory is the hope of the portal through which Christ can enter our beings. John 14: 20
Eph 2: 18 Through Christ in us, we have direct access to both the Son and the Father who is in the Son. John 14: 6
John 14: 7-11 The Father, who is in Jesus's being through the Holy Spirit that descended on him during John's water baptism, speaks directly through Jesus to Philip. Luke 4:1, John 12: 49-50, and John 17: 8
John 14: 13 The Father is glorified in the Son because when the Son enters a being through the Holy Spirit, so does the Father, who is in him. When we pray to the Father in Jesus's name to bless a loved one with the Holy Spirit, he will do it.
Describing the HS as a portal, door, doorway or gate works for me, but we need to add Matthew 7:7, John 10:7-9, 14:6 and Revelation 3:20 to the Scriptural support.
Hello Mikael. As I see it, I can not see that the Bible is written by a God. It is written by failable humans like you and me. Thus; we should be sceptical to the the claims written in this library called "the Bible" and we should handle the claims as sceptical as any claims whatsoever.
Yes, what we know as the Bible is a library written by various humans, and some parts seem more inspired by God than others,
but Paul found all of the OT canon of Scriptures to be profitable (2Tim. 3:16-17), although he recommended testing claims (1Thes. 5:21).
I find the Bible to be the best collection of writings purporting to convey God's will to humanity. As I say in Lesson 1 of our website:
While conducting a comprehensive comparison of theistic religions is not my desire, I think any open-minded truthseeker who compares the NT teachings of Jesus and Paul with the founding scriptures of other religions will reach the same conclusion as I have: The NT is the most credible canon or collection of writings purporting to be a communique from God. The NT hope for heaven is based on evidence in support of Jesus’ claim to be Messiah/Christ, which includes: the prophecy or foreshadowing of His life (in various OT scriptures, including IS 53 and PS 22, and by the sacrificial system), the purpose of His death (as explained in the NT, such as Heb. 7:18-10:18), and the probability or credibility of His resurrection (in history as recorded by the last chapters of the Gospels and Rom. 1:3-4).
Christianity qualified OT theism, which emphasized God’s love for some people (descendants of Abraham), with a UMI to love everyone by reflecting His love, beginning with God and continuing with one-self and one’s neighbors (whether Jew or Gentile) and even including one’s enemies (per Matt. 22:37-39 & 5:44). The best reason to hope in God is Christ. Paul calls those who have saving faith/cooperate with God’s will the spiritual or righteous children of Abraham (Rom. 3:28-30 & 4:9-16).
The Propensity Principle (PP) points out that until proof is provided in the future at the eschaton, humanity’s existential need and desire for eternal life and ultimate justice (the duo of desirables or DOD) make it logical for truthseekers to have a propensity to hope and believe a God who provides the DOD exists, to determine the most credible revelation of God’s requirement for attaining heaven, and to cooperate with His revealed will. IOW, it seems logical–given the existential facts of death and imperfect justice–that an unbiased truthseeker would have a propensity to hope the Christian view is correct, because there is no better (credible and desirable) way of attaining the DOD than NT theism.
5. When words from God are sought, the NT teachings of Jesus and Paul seem to be the most highly inspired when compared with other scriptures (including the OT), because its concept of one God as the just and all-loving Judge (rationale for morality) is spiritually highest or most advanced, and the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus is most credible.
6. Thus, it is appropriate or wise to believe in the NT God and to accept Jesus as God’s Messiah.
Atheists deny the validity of this argument, but in the absence of disproof, I find the decision to reject the biblical gospel of salvation from selfishness, spiritual death, and a miserable destiny to be illogical or foolish. This is why all truthseekers should agree on NT theism now rather than assume atheism is an unlucky guess.
As someone has said, heaven is like a vision of water in the desert: the scoffer will surely die where he/she is, while the believer will live if right. Again, however, this analogy should be viewed in terms of comparison shopping and logic rather than of blind faith and fear. True love for God is evoked by His love for humanity and is a reflection of His loving Holy Spirit (1John 4:7-12); it cannot be coerced, although it can be imitated (2Cor. 11:14 calls Satan an “angel of light”). Heaven may not be a mirage!
Grace and peace to my fellow truthseekers and Christian siblings on CC.
Thanks to everyone who is seeking the best answers to questions about ultimate reality and destiny.
Humble attitudes, agreement about the essential Gospel truth and congenial discussion is a positive witness for Christ.
However, discernment is needed regarding whether it is fruitful to argue endlessly with dogmatic denominations.
Otherwise, I look forward to another year of enjoyable interaction with you as I complete my first year on CC.