29 Jun 19
@thinkofone saidBecause it isn't Biblical.
Most Christians would disagree with what I wrote.
It is truly remarkable how far Christianity has drifted from the gospel preached by Jesus while He walked the Earth. So far that the underlying concepts that serve as the foundation for Christianity are almost the antithesis of what Jesus preached. It's a self-serving system of beliefs.
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29 Jun 19
@Rajk999
You're the one who spouts of "ex church Christian" with no justification of such a term in the word of God.
How is it possible for a Christian not to be a constituent of at least the universal church ?
You boast of being an "ex church Christian". Are you also an "ex member of the Body of Christ" ?
29 Jun 19
2 edits
@deepthought saidI believe in God, I believe the attributes of God are as described to us in scripture. He is all knowing, therefore there isn't a single particle in the entire universe He isn't completely aware of it in total, where He doesn't know all about it, how it interacts with all other parts of the universe, and so on. I believe He is all powerful there isn't anything that resist Him including the whole of the universe. I believe He is good, which means there isn't anything about Him that would make Him either more good or less therefore it is perfection and He is always like that. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever nothing about Him changes. He is totally just, He will only do justice and not over look any wickedness or evil. He is love, not just that He is loving, and this means He will always look to the good of others. He is merciful, He desires the rescue of all those in need, all of us, since we are so broken and dead in our sins. God is Spirit, He is eternal, in time and space, nothing is impossible for Him except that which goes against His nature. He will act that will lessen His nature of goodness, justice, love, mercy! He will always be in total harmony with Himself, in all He says, and does.
Is this why you believe the literal truth of the Genesis stories?
Because He is eternal He is not bound as we are to time, for example we are stuck in this little sliver of time we call now. This small period of time whose beginning is in the same place as its ending, its unquantifiable. We see all through this, past, present, and future, while God is not like that, His thoughts are not like ours. What we can call impossible isn't for God. When He looks at the universe there isn't anything that is moving to fast or slow to escape Him including where it all was, is, and will be.
Why would Genesis be difficult for God? I think billions of years would be worthless to Him, they could be real I freely admit that, but don't see any reason they are necessary.
29 Jun 19
2 edits
@sonship saidHe can speak for himself but reading much of what he has written over the years he strikes me as someone who sees (truthfully) that some without Christ are without a doubt much more moral (humanly speaking, I agree completely too) than some who profess Christ. I don't think he can reconcile that in truth as he sees it, therefore he misses the truth and power of the gospel completely.
@Rajk999
You're the one who spouts of "ex church Christian" with no justification of such a term in the word of God.
How is it possible for a Christian not to be a constituent of at least the universal church ?
You boast of being an "ex church Christian". Are you also an "ex member of the Body of Christ" ?
29 Jun 19
1 edit
@kellyjay saidYes you are right. We've been going around and around with Rajk forever and he either truly don't understand the "works" part or he doesn't care or he is lazy....
You have no idea what faith means if that is what you think. Changing the words to mean what you want so they suit your doctrine, again.
So many read a few scriptures that do say one thing and they think that's it. "That's all I'll do as that scripture says to do this". But they refuse to acknowledge the ten other scriptures that explain there is more to it.
29 Jun 19
2 edits
@kellyjay saidWhen you say Jesus didn't say what He did, yes that is changing the text by removing the authorship and giving it to another.
When you say Jesus didn't say what He did, yes that is changing the text by removing the authorship and giving it to another. You still cannot get away from the fact it is scripture and therefore all binding when the Holy Spirit writes out the Word of God, you have shown yourself able to ignore many scriptures that don't suit you, like you do in Genesis and elsewhere.
Once again your ignorance has led you draw a false conclusion. Given your track record, there's probably no point in asking you to acknowledge your mistake.
Evidently you are unaware that the original Greek texts were written without punctuation. None whatsoever: No periods to indicate the end of a sentence and, pertinent to the discussion here, no quotation marks.
As such, it's a judgement call as to when Jesus stops talking and the narrator begins. For example, in the NIV Jesus stops talking after 3:15, the NASB has Jesus stop talking after 3:21 and the KJV gives no indication as to when Jesus stops talking.
The following should give you an idea of how the determination can be made:
Dear Dr. Bock,
Can you explain why various translations of the Bible differ on whether John 3:16 is a direct quote of Jesus or a comment of the narrator of the Gospel?
many thanks. GBU.
The answer is that there is a judgment about where Jesus words stop in John 3 as he is dialoging with Nicodemus. (Sometimes editors determine the red in red letter Bibles to say where Jesus is speaking, rather than the speaker being clearly named in the text.) Some go as far with Jesus speaking as 3:21. However the phrasing in v 16-- "one and only Son" [also in v 18] -- is more Johannine than the language of Jesus (see John 1:14, 18). Jesus speaks of himself as simply the Son in John (e.g, John 5:19) or as Son of Man (vv 13-14). The light-darkness contrast later in the unit also fits in this category. So it is likely John 3:16-21 are the comments of John on the significance of what Jesus said to Nicodemus.
Pasted from <http://blogs.bible.org/node/487>
29 Jun 19
@kellyjay saidThe fact of the matter is that it boils down to it doesn't agree with YOUR interpretation of the Bible. But you've repeatedly shown that facts and truth mean little to nothing to you.
Because it isn't Biblical.
29 Jun 19
@thinkofone saidWhat facts? I don't alter the text by saying when you read this, you must realize it is really something else instead. That is you and a few others here that cannot let the Word speak for itself.
The fact of the matter is that it boils down to it doesn't agree with YOUR interpretation of the Bible. But you've repeatedly shown that facts and truth mean little to nothing to you.
29 Jun 19
@thinkofone saidSo you say.
When you say Jesus didn't say what He did, yes that is changing the text by removing the authorship and giving it to another.
Once again your ignorance has led you draw a false conclusion. Given your track record, there's probably no point in asking you to acknowledge your mistake.
Evidently you are unaware that the original Greek texts were written without p ...[text shortened]... ificance of what Jesus said to Nicodemus.
Pasted from <http://blogs.bible.org/node/487> [/quote]
29 Jun 19
@chaney3 saidIn the OP you asked for interpretations of the meaning of the word "belief". I give you a synopsis of what "belief" means within the context of the gospel preached by Jesus.
Sharing some personal info about what works you're doing seems fine to me. It's easy to "lecture" others about what they should be doing, according to the bible, but the "lecturer" should back it up with some examples.....unless they're living a hypocritical life.
As a way to avoid addressing the gospel preached by Jesus, some choose to deflect via ad hominems as Suzianne did here.
People either believe the words spoken by Jesus or they don't. Seems like many Christians don't.
29 Jun 19
@sonship saidWhat is the universal church and where is it in the bible?
@Rajk999
You're the one who spouts of "ex church Christian" with no justification of such a term in the word of God.
How is it possible for a Christian not to be a constituent of at least the universal church ?
You boast of being an "ex church Christian". Are you also an "ex member of the Body of Christ" ?
29 Jun 19
@thinkofone saidYou don't it seems as well. If you did you would be fine with acknowledging things like Jesus was sent by God or not. You have ways you judge others but don't hold yourself up to the same standards.
In the OP you asked for interpretations of the meaning of the word "belief". I give you a synopsis of what "belief" means within the context of the gospel preached by Jesus.
As a way to avoid addressing the gospel preached by Jesus, some choose to deflect via ad hominems as Suzianne did here.
People either believe the words spoken by Jesus or they don't. Seems like many Christians don't.
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29 Jun 19
1 edit
He can speak for himself but reading much of what he has written over the years he strikes me as someone who sees (truthfully) that some without Christ are without a doubt much more moral (humanly speaking, I agree completely too) than some who profess Christ. I don't think he can reconcile that in truth as he sees it, therefore he misses the truth and power of the gospel completely.
You may be right.
Paul warned that you may think you stand better than others. But you yourself can fall. It is actually humbling to fail. It is humbling to notice that all those upon whom you looked down your nose at, you really should feel quite at home with. Are you better?
"Brothers, even if a man is overtaken in some offense, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, looking to yourself lest you also be tempted." (Gal. 6:1)
Instead of separating quickly from those who do not rise to your standard, there is the need to restore in love, realistic that you YOURSELF could be tempted and fall too.
So we find a few brothers and sisters we can trust, and confess out weaknesses to one another that we may pray for one another and be healed by empowering grace.
"Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The petition of a righteous man avails much in its working." (James 5:16)
29 Jun 19
@kellyjay saidThe fact of the matter is that the original Greek text of the Bible doesn't assign authorship.
So you say.
Whether or not you believe this doesn't alter this fact.
Once again you're wrong. Once again you lack the maturity and integrity to admit it.
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29 Jun 19
I wrote a thread called "Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself". What I tried to convey there was that isolated, independent and alone you lack support that God wants you to have by being knit together with other believers. Because being knit together and builded with other believers meets God's desire to BUILD up the Body practically.
Grace does not only come vertically. Grace has to come horizontally through other believers who love one another.
You know I follow the ministry of Witness Lee. You know he spoke a lot about the local church. You may not know that he spoke much about what he called "the vital group". That is a small group of trusting believers meeting together to mutually support one another. This is very important.
Other Christians teachers have referred to "Cell groups". The concept is about the same - not a church but a small group meeting of two or three or more meeting in the name of the Lord with His presence.