So, how is it certain whether you agree with me in regards to the "tree," dualism subject, as what I said was in interrogative form. It is possible I'm not totally convinced either way. Either way I value your opinion, as it could confirm in a way i believe, which is helpful. It could also strengthen my thought system in the way it was leaning via what I may not agree with, i.e. was not convincing, which is ok.
This brings to mind another comment and question: At this time, I can conclude Adam and Eve were created/made without any knowledge of good as well as evil. Yet how could they even make a decision, let alone make an evaluation without some degree of knowledge of right and wrong?
To continue, it appears the effect of eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil favored gaining a ton of evil knowledge in contrast to good, made evident throughout the Bible's historical recordings of man. I cant help wondering, if God didn't create evil, why is He introducing something not His reality/truth to His perfect creation? If God doesn't create evil, then the only logical option left is He creates only the good, holy, unchanging, eternal, perfect, light, spirit, lovable, loving, and so on.
I'm in complete agreement that creating a being with a free will able to think apart from God does not make God evil. Actually, the Source is Love. We have the free will to choose to believe God is everything mentioned in the above paragraph, or just the opposite of all the above, or both. The first choice leads to a purely non dualistic thinking Mind; the second is impossible because however much we try, we don't have the power to make our Father fatherless. Every being born, save Jesus, has chosen the third option. What God did not create and what He isn't can only be in my own mind apart from His.
That's one of the funniest things I've heard in a while. I'm not sure if I could have contained myself from laughing. What would have topped it off is before you left, you pulled an envelope out of your back pocket and said "Excuse me pastor, but this letter just showed up in my back pocket from God, and He told me to get out of here and said to tell you that He does not communicate to us by phone!"
I might have stuck around just to see what "God told him." That had to be interesting!
Yes dear Delilah, it says glass mixed with fire in the prototype text. Glass had been invented many centuaries BC and Romans at that ime could manufacture very clean and transparent glassy objects.
What do we mean that we are saved by God's grace? We mean that salvation was offered to us through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. When is this salvation received by people? When we repent for the sins we have done and ask for God's forgiveness. If there is no repentance, is salvation still granted to people? No it is not. Again, in a condition of unrepentance is God's grace available to people? The answer is again no.
About water baptism. Is it a command from God? Yes it is. There are many verses throughout the Bible about that, I can not go through them but if you look to past discussions about water baptism you will find a lot of stuff, it has been discussed a lot lately. So if one does not want to be water baptized, is it considered disobedience to God's will? Is disobedience a sin? Is this sin forgiven if one doesn't repent and corrects himself? Is grace still available to him as long as one is in disobedience and unrepentance? We can agree, I think, that the answer is always no.
Is it considered as a man's work when obeying to God's commandments?
John 6:28-29 "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent"
So Jesus calls it a work to believe in Him, so what do you think of that, is it necessary for salvaion (to do the work of believing)? Yes it is, also obeying God's rules is necessary for salvation, whether one calls it a work or not.
John 15:9-10 "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love"
And I would like you to analyze to me the following verses:
Romans 2:6-7"Who will render to every man according to his deeds:To them who by patient continuance in well doing (good works) seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life"
You are right GiGi, we should not discourage anybody who wants to be baptized in water, nomatter whether we believe it is a matter of salvation or not. The early church in the Acts required everybody to be baptised in water, so we should do the same and encourage people to follow this practice.
It is about our conscience, it is to be pure, and you will not mess up, your words speak it is on your heart.
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
When we are baptized in water in the name of Jesus the Christ/Messiah we are, Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
If you choose to be baptized in water you will have no doubt Acts.24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Water baptism is a rehearsal when we go under, we die to sin and when we come up out of that water in a newness of life. It will be just like when we die and are buried, we will rise up out of the earth with an incorruptible new body.
God bless, go for it, I would love to be there, you will have no regrets or doubt in your conscience you will feel the glow.
In Matthew 12:36, Jesus is presenting a condition. He says, "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
The emphasis is the heart.
And then Jesus gives us the charge in Matthew 12:36. He says, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Right now, we have the ability to intercept (if you will), the frequency waves going through the air. You can go to different radio stations, ham operators, anything. It is all out there. It is buzzing around us right now. We can tap right in and listen to what people are saying.
Jesus said every idle word, that is, (every word that has nothing to do with the fruitfulness of Christ), everyone will give an account, because your words speak from out of your heart. So, there is going to be a judgment.
Matthew 12:37 gives us the principle for what Jesus is saying: "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."
Again, thank you for your encouraging kindness. Likewise, I have been blessed by the things you've shared. I've also learned a lot from your posts, mainly the things you share covering Old Testament. I have to admit, that is my weaker area of study, so what you share on OT is very helpful.
And yes, may the Lord continue to bless you, Henry, and Luke also!
Thanks for explaining this so plainly. We don't always get exactly what we ask for, but God always answers according to His good and perfect will. The emphasis is that He hears our prayers and answers them int he most wise and loving way because His ways re perfect.
Although I do not agree that the tree of knowledge was an introduction of dualism, in the classical sense of there being two equal eternal powers: good and evil, good being all that is spiritual, and evil being all that is physical, I do think your analysis of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is interesting. Its fruit was knowledge, not necessarily good and evil. I am not saying that knowledge is problematic in itself, but that this scenario with the commandment against taking in the fruit of this knowledge from God, the incoming into Adam and Eve that they could have such knowledge by eating the fruit of this tree, and the temptation and deception of the devil that took advantage of the enticement within Adam and Eve that the commandment and presence of this tree manifested in them.
I don't know where it says in Scripture but I recall where it says that man is capable of creating all kinds of evil (and new kinds as well). So, just as Satan was able to create evil within himself as well as his fallen angels, mankind was able to do so also. Both were created "able to sin". God, who is uncreated, is absolutely holy and pure and cannot create evil. But creating creatures with a mind that can have one's own thoughts apart from God and a will that can choose to disobey Him and turn from Him is not creating evil on God's part. It is creating a form of freedom and autonomy within these creatures. The holy angels in heaven have always used this freedom and autonomy to be in God's will and obey Him. They are able to sin, but choose not to. Mankind, on the other hand, after the fall of Adam and Eve, cannot not sin. It only takes one sin to fall. Every human person does this one sin whereby they are fallen and in need of redemption. God has always wanted to have a beings He has redeemed to spend eternity with Him. Humans are these beings. Fallen angels cannot be redeemed-they are the objects of God's wrath. Nice to hear from you again.
It is by God's grace. Something I can share is that in Ephesians 1:17, it says, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Here is the literal translation when taken from the Greek: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you, literally, (a spirit of wisdom and revelation), and literally, in the (full knowledge) of him:
There is an EPI in front of the word Gnosko. It is by God's grace and the indwelling or abiding (MENO/Permanent abiding) of His Spirit in us that brings us into that full knowledge!
The words are true whether you perform them or not.
God bless.
Church Epistles those who are born again
Ephesians 5:1-2. BE YE THEREFORE FOLLOWERS OF GOD, AS DEAR CHILDREN;
AND WALK IN LOVE, AS CHRIST ALSO HATH LOVED US, AND HATH GIVEN HIMSELF for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Isn't that amazing Love! Christ did this whilst we were yet sinners! Ye didn't say only if you straighten yourself up I will die for you.
He died in our place while we were yet sinning.
He made salvation possible for the worst sinners ever, To all who come to him!
Paul says "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
be ye therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ has also loved us and hath given himself. Ephesians 4:32-5:1-2.
Her we see Love, Mercy, forgiveness, kindness displayed by the Lord.
We can't achieve this on our own. This comes by being connected to the true vine! John 15.
This is NOT expected from the world but if you are a child of God you should be able to exhibit this, especially amongst brothern.
This is not saying you shouldn't rebuke an apparent apostate.
I'm saying a supposed brother shouldn't display hatred towards another brother over doctrine, especially when that doctrine holds truth.
It reminds me of John 8:43-47.
You may not agree with someone when they speak truth but the spirit in you want cause you to hate the one that speaks it! And likewise if they're not.
1 John 4:20.
God bless brother.
Thank you. Nice to hear from you also.
So, how is it certain whether you agree with me in regards to the "tree," dualism subject, as what I said was in interrogative form. It is possible I'm not totally convinced either way. Either way I value your opinion, as it could confirm in a way i believe, which is helpful. It could also strengthen my thought system in the way it was leaning via what I may not agree with, i.e. was not convincing, which is ok.
This brings to mind another comment and question: At this time, I can conclude Adam and Eve were created/made without any knowledge of good as well as evil. Yet how could they even make a decision, let alone make an evaluation without some degree of knowledge of right and wrong?
To continue, it appears the effect of eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil favored gaining a ton of evil knowledge in contrast to good, made evident throughout the Bible's historical recordings of man. I cant help wondering, if God didn't create evil, why is He introducing something not His reality/truth to His perfect creation? If God doesn't create evil, then the only logical option left is He creates only the good, holy, unchanging, eternal, perfect, light, spirit, lovable, loving, and so on.
I'm in complete agreement that creating a being with a free will able to think apart from God does not make God evil. Actually, the Source is Love. We have the free will to choose to believe God is everything mentioned in the above paragraph, or just the opposite of all the above, or both. The first choice leads to a purely non dualistic thinking Mind; the second is impossible because however much we try, we don't have the power to make our Father fatherless. Every being born, save Jesus, has chosen the third option. What God did not create and what He isn't can only be in my own mind apart from His.
Peace be with you.
God Is
his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having ... harps of God, WE WIN.
It's the last plagues the seven angels had filled up with the wrath of God;
I wish I could have been there brother. I would have went up and said I was from the phone company!
Law. The age of Grace started day of pentecost, which was end of law
Which Paul covers grace given freely but that doesn't imply do whatever
You want sin or broken fellowship is sin. But no amount of works
Under the law can cleanse us from all unrighteousness that includes
Water baptism. Personally if some one wants to be baptised in water ok
If that helps them in their head get born again spiritually. But I'll stick with
Romans 10: 9+10 and believing that in the heart don't see any water there.
God bless and I'm done discussing this.
Originally was Jesus Christ called too. Also in Ephesians Chapter 4:3-6
Pretty much explains things. The book of Acts Is transition record of
The Birthday of Church of God in Age of Grace. Not of works from all
Judeasm legalism which Peter and a few others didn't get what Paul
Was sharing Galatians 2:1-16. In ending in Acts Chapter 1:verses 4+5
John truly baptised with water but (in contrast) ye shall absolute tense
Be baptized with the holy ghost. So this sets one above the other so
It's your privilege to believe what you will. I know people who have done both
And I know people who were never water baptized and they are born again
How do I know that their fruits. Now I'm on to a different topic God Bless.
Up from different occupations and I quote ministered the spirit of education
And carpentry and mechanics and others. Just observed we were invited
By a friend that said he is spiritually on fire he just didn't understand the source!
I ask him why He never opened the bible and after no answer then I said then
How do you know it's God Working? The end.
That's one of the funniest things I've heard in a while. I'm not sure if I could have contained myself from laughing. What would have topped it off is before you left, you pulled an envelope out of your back pocket and said "Excuse me pastor, but this letter just showed up in my back pocket from God, and He told me to get out of here and said to tell you that He does not communicate to us by phone!"
I might have stuck around just to see what "God told him." That had to be interesting!
Let's talk about grace and works
What do we mean that we are saved by God's grace? We mean that salvation was offered to us through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. When is this salvation received by people? When we repent for the sins we have done and ask for God's forgiveness. If there is no repentance, is salvation still granted to people? No it is not. Again, in a condition of unrepentance is God's grace available to people? The answer is again no.
About water baptism. Is it a command from God? Yes it is. There are many verses throughout the Bible about that, I can not go through them but if you look to past discussions about water baptism you will find a lot of stuff, it has been discussed a lot lately. So if one does not want to be water baptized, is it considered disobedience to God's will? Is disobedience a sin? Is this sin forgiven if one doesn't repent and corrects himself? Is grace still available to him as long as one is in disobedience and unrepentance? We can agree, I think, that the answer is always no.
Is it considered as a man's work when obeying to God's commandments?
John 6:28-29 "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent"
So Jesus calls it a work to believe in Him, so what do you think of that, is it necessary for salvaion (to do the work of believing)? Yes it is, also obeying God's rules is necessary for salvation, whether one calls it a work or not.
John 15:9-10 "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love"
And I would like you to analyze to me the following verses:
Romans 2:6-7"Who will render to every man according to his deeds:To them who by patient continuance in well doing (good works) seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life"
It is about our conscience, it is to be pure, and you will not mess up, your words speak it is on your heart.
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
When we are baptized in water in the name of Jesus the Christ/Messiah we are, Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
If you choose to be baptized in water you will have no doubt Acts.24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Water baptism is a rehearsal when we go under, we die to sin and when we come up out of that water in a newness of life. It will be just like when we die and are buried, we will rise up out of the earth with an incorruptible new body.
God bless, go for it, I would love to be there, you will have no regrets or doubt in your conscience you will feel the glow.
RLW
Of communication is over I don't like confusion.
In Matthew 12:36, Jesus is presenting a condition. He says, "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
The emphasis is the heart.
And then Jesus gives us the charge in Matthew 12:36. He says, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Right now, we have the ability to intercept (if you will), the frequency waves going through the air. You can go to different radio stations, ham operators, anything. It is all out there. It is buzzing around us right now. We can tap right in and listen to what people are saying.
Jesus said every idle word, that is, (every word that has nothing to do with the fruitfulness of Christ), everyone will give an account, because your words speak from out of your heart. So, there is going to be a judgment.
Matthew 12:37 gives us the principle for what Jesus is saying: "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."
Hopefully this helps!
Required for being born again by grace. Read Ephesians 4:5 one baptism
I didn't write book.
Gentiles in the same body of Christ the Church of God and His Teacher was
Jesus Christ. It is written
Just says Paul Aries and be baptised water never mentioned so I'll stick with
Scripture and not add.
Very early doctrinal beliefs and again she never ask about water she just
Ask about baptism and their were both types individually done or together.
Also Pauls doctrine never stated different just His was specifically given by
Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:11+12 also Colossians 1:25-29 that's the scripture
So I'll go with scripture. This needs no reply or defence.
And when the pastor walked up to the podium he picked up a telephone and
Said he was listening to what God wanted Him to teach, funny thing was he
Never opened the bible so you tell me. You can't make this stuff up. P.S.
Never went back no profit.
Again, thank you for your encouraging kindness. Likewise, I have been blessed by the things you've shared. I've also learned a lot from your posts, mainly the things you share covering Old Testament. I have to admit, that is my weaker area of study, so what you share on OT is very helpful.
And yes, may the Lord continue to bless you, Henry, and Luke also!
Truth be known
Thanks for explaining this so plainly. We don't always get exactly what we ask for, but God always answers according to His good and perfect will. The emphasis is that He hears our prayers and answers them int he most wise and loving way because His ways re perfect.
Although I do not agree that the tree of knowledge was an introduction of dualism, in the classical sense of there being two equal eternal powers: good and evil, good being all that is spiritual, and evil being all that is physical, I do think your analysis of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is interesting. Its fruit was knowledge, not necessarily good and evil. I am not saying that knowledge is problematic in itself, but that this scenario with the commandment against taking in the fruit of this knowledge from God, the incoming into Adam and Eve that they could have such knowledge by eating the fruit of this tree, and the temptation and deception of the devil that took advantage of the enticement within Adam and Eve that the commandment and presence of this tree manifested in them.
I don't know where it says in Scripture but I recall where it says that man is capable of creating all kinds of evil (and new kinds as well). So, just as Satan was able to create evil within himself as well as his fallen angels, mankind was able to do so also. Both were created "able to sin". God, who is uncreated, is absolutely holy and pure and cannot create evil. But creating creatures with a mind that can have one's own thoughts apart from God and a will that can choose to disobey Him and turn from Him is not creating evil on God's part. It is creating a form of freedom and autonomy within these creatures. The holy angels in heaven have always used this freedom and autonomy to be in God's will and obey Him. They are able to sin, but choose not to. Mankind, on the other hand, after the fall of Adam and Eve, cannot not sin. It only takes one sin to fall. Every human person does this one sin whereby they are fallen and in need of redemption. God has always wanted to have a beings He has redeemed to spend eternity with Him. Humans are these beings. Fallen angels cannot be redeemed-they are the objects of God's wrath. Nice to hear from you again.
It is by God's grace. Something I can share is that in Ephesians 1:17, it says, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Here is the literal translation when taken from the Greek: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you, literally, (a spirit of wisdom and revelation), and literally, in the (full knowledge) of him:
There is an EPI in front of the word Gnosko. It is by God's grace and the indwelling or abiding (MENO/Permanent abiding) of His Spirit in us that brings us into that full knowledge!
Thanks my brother!