Understanding God’s election

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
I graduated with honors, yes.

After graduation I then discovered the pastor teacher who could teach in one hour more than most could teach in a year.
Bible college (not seminary) is only foundational.

Bible colleges were popping up in the 70's and 80's.
There were actually churches that actually systematically taught the Word of God, be it, correctly or not.


Would you like to also know the elementary school I attended as a boy?

I would much rather talk about a pastor-teacher who made corrections to some of the things I learned in Bible college.
He was a literal travelling seminary.

Billy Graham asked him to mentor him. Hal Lindsay and Chuck Swindoll were members of his congregation.
He was invited to give classes at universities and colleges.
His students were anywhere from high school graduates to professors!
Deep teaching when learned by grace gives one a perspicacity that exceeds beyond their normal human limitations.


And? By invite. He even gave a conference at MIT.

Yet, the average guy on the street also found themselves able to understand what they knew they could not have if it
depended upon their natural IQ. You know its by grace when that happens!

Take your pick of any Bible college in those days.... Its only a maternity ward.
Let's just say it was your Bible college.

Why not?
Transparency Shirely isn't your long suit, is it? :coffee:
 

rogerg

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2021
3,882
645
113
Maybe I got it wrong. Although, Genez and GWH both claim they studied [together] "under" R.B. Thieme. Where they studied, I don't know. Maybe one or both of them took online courses???
Not sure if you intended humor or not, but at the risk of me not being solemn enough, that was funny.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
So...you went to a Fundamentalist college. The last place I would ever want to be to receive an education, since Fundies bring an awful lot of baggage to their theological positions.
So you want me to name it so you can cast stones on it.

I see.
And, if anything, it was not from a fundy church.

But... If you want to cover what can be freely verified by others?

Go after my pastor if you wish.
That could lead to some constructive discussion.
That is why you only want to know where I attended God's elementary school.
You can't handle sound exegetical sound doctrinal teachings.
And, in your case...fundies make for an easy target for you.

Coward? Go after my pastor.
All his 50 years of teaching are freely available (no money asked for).
He taught six nights a week! From the Hebrew and Greek texts.

That kind of teaching is what many have prayed to God for...
But, not the lazy ones. Those who wish to make a niche for themselves within their very limited
area of knowledge which they find comfort in. For their own small world never challenges them
by exposing their dire deficiencies and need for growth.

I had to first learn how ignorant I was before I could learn God's Word.
I learned how stupid I was by being exposed to sound teaching, taught in a manner
that very few have the capacity and ability to present.

So be it. Stay where you are.
 
Dec 7, 2024
159
54
28
Maybe I got it wrong. Although, Genez and GWH both claim they studied [together] "under" R.B. Thieme. Where they studied, I don't know. Maybe one or both of them took online courses???
I don't presume that GWH is able to speak for Genez.
The odds of two individuals finding themselves on the same board having both claiming to be students at the same closed Bible college is near to impossible.

My thought is they are one and the same person. Especially if they posit the same arguments in debates regarding Scripture.

Genez never answered my question. What Bible college did he attend?

Rather, GWH answered and claimed both he and Genez attended the same college?
 
Dec 7, 2024
159
54
28
You are stuck with the nipple of a baby bottle in your mouth!
You guys never grow up.
Always talking about how you think you were born....
Never growing up and leaving the cradle.
I say this sincerely having read your vitriol in this thread alone and knowing you identify as Christian while publishing the example of what that means from within you as you write in defense and assurance of your understanding of God's words.

I pray and know in full assurance my Lord shall ever keep me from plummeting to the depths you display here.
I thank God for your presence. It serves as an example of where I would be without Him.

Your spirit and words are neither meat nor milk. They are bile.

And while I will no longer expose my eyes and mind to your words I will trust if it be His will, there is still blessed hope for you to find your way to His truth and life.

Goodbye.
 
Oct 19, 2024
1,853
449
83
Maybe I got it wrong. Although, Genez and GWH both claim they studied [together] "under" R.B. Thieme. Where they studied, I don't know. Maybe one or both of them took online courses???
I attended services, which were like seminary lectures in systematic theology, at a remote learning site augmented by reel-to-reel tapes (you heard me right :^) for two or three years.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
Maybe I got it wrong. Although, Genez and GWH both claim they studied [together] "under" R.B. Thieme. Where they studied, I don't know. Maybe one or both of them took online courses???

You did not have to be in the Church building to learn. Faith comes by hearing.
The epistles were letters written so others could hear them read to the congregations.

All his lessons were recorded and distributed to anyone wanting to learn.
NO MONEY ASKED FOR...
One of his students was a professor who taught ancient languages to Bible students
Professor - WWll - Harvard, where he worked as an interpreter for the USA.
He was one person that recommended I give RB Thieme a listen.

There is no online courses!
He taught line upon line from many books. He simply taught the Bible.
It was not "a course."
It became a lifetime endeavor for those finding themselves wanting to grow with our daily bread.

As one Marine recruiter told me after giving him a few lessons to listen to....

.............. "I never heard anything like this before!"

And, proof of that?
Was shown when I learned he had all the branches of the Military come to his office (in his building)
and listen to those messages. The Army, Navy, Airforce, Coast Guard... all sat and listened.

This was no ordinary teacher.

Rufus you have no idea what you are missing!
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
So you want me to name it so you can cast stones on it.

I see.
And, if anything, it was not from a fundy church.

But... If you want to cover what can be freely verified by others?

Go after my pastor if you wish.
That could lead to some constructive discussion.
That is why you only want to know where I attended God's elementary school.
You can't handle sound exegetical sound doctrinal teachings.
And, in your case...fundies make for an easy target for you.

Coward? Go after my pastor.
All his 50 years of teaching are freely available (no money asked for).
He taught six nights a week! From the Hebrew and Greek texts.

That kind of teaching is what many have prayed to God for...
But, not the lazy ones. Those who wish to make a niche for themselves within their very limited
area of knowledge which they find comfort in. For their own small world never challenges them
by exposing their dire deficiencies and need for growth.

I had to first learn how ignorant I was before I could learn God's Word.
I learned how stupid I was by being exposed to sound teaching, taught in a manner
that very few have the capacity and ability to present.

So be it. Stay where you are.
"Cast stones" at your college? That poor institution must be a delicate little thing. I bet you even consider yourself to be a hero for being so protective of it. Just make sure that you don't smother it to death while its under your wing. :rolleyes:
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
What are we told about mockery? :(
If I may, I find your post to be unkind. We do not gain anything in a debate if we seek to hurt someone's feelings by making fun of them.

Please consider my words are offered with love and respect.
Well at least I know you are not with him...

Nice to see some self policing.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
"Cast stones" at your college? That poor institution must be a delicate little thing. I bet you even consider yourself to be a hero for being so protective of it. Just make sure that you don't smother it to death while its under your wing. :rolleyes:
I have my reasons....

You are not one of them.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
"Cast stones" at your college? That poor institution must be a delicate little thing. I bet you even consider yourself to be a hero for being so protective of it. Just make sure that you don't smother it to death while its under your wing. :rolleyes:
Diagnosis...

Schoolyard bully syndrome.



Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:2​
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
You did not have to be in the Church building to learn. Faith comes by hearing.
The epistles were letters written so others could hear them read to the congregations.

All his lessons were recorded and distributed to anyone wanting to learn.
NO MONEY ASKED FOR...
One of his students was a professor who taught ancient languages to Bible students
Professor - WWll - Harvard, where he worked as an interpreter for the USA.
He was one person that recommended I give RB Thieme a listen.

There is no online courses!
He taught line upon line from many books. He simply taught the Bible.
It was not "a course."
It became a lifetime endeavor for those finding themselves wanting to grow with our daily bread.

As one Marine recruiter told me after giving him a few lessons to listen to....

.............. "I never heard anything like this before!"

And, proof of that?
Was shown when I learned he had all the branches of the Military come to his office (in his building)
and listen to those messages. The Army, Navy, Airforce, Coast Guard... all sat and listened.

This was no ordinary teacher.

Rufus you have no idea what you are missing!
Yeah, I do! I attended Florida Bible College for two years when it was in Hollywood Beach -- a Fundie college if there ever was one! Freewillers and dispens flourished there. My real growth came after I left that place.
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
3,050
411
83
Diagnosis...

Schoolyard bully syndrome.


Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:2​
Oh...so you took psychology courses there, too? I bet they called you Dr. Shrink Wrap. :coffee:
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,432
535
113
Yeah, I do! I attended Florida Bible College for two years when it was in Hollywood Beach -- a Fundie college if there ever was one! Freewillers and dispens flourished there. My real growth came after I left that place.
And, much of my growth also after I left.
Though the school was anti-fundy in many ways.
Many came out of fundy backgrounds and were glad to find a place to grow beyond it.
Yet, it was still too fundy for my needs.

And, you are free to think as you do towards free willers.

They did not understand why they had free will granted to them by grace.
Its easy to do...
And, neither do you understand how God granted you to free will by grace.
That is why we must be saved by grace.
For, grace frees up our imprisoned will.

Merry Christmas....
 
Jan 13, 2016
17,167
3,699
113
So, Peter in first epistle was writing it to "service"?

God chose Israel to his chosen nation, didn't he? He chose Abraham to bring forth that nation, didn't he? And he chose Issac over Ishmael to inherit the promises God gave to his father, didn't he? And he chose Jacob over Esau. And God chose to raise up ungodly servants, as well, didn't he? He chose Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, etc.
God chose that specific line to carry forth the promised seed of Genesis 3:15. They served God’s purpose according to the seed.