Bible Discussion Thread

 
  • Onyekachukwu Ogechi Levinus Alaka on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    Jesus gave a detailed discourse about the Bread of Life to the same multitude who had just partaken of the five barley loaves and two small fishes. Throughout His ministry, Jesus was teaching the people that He had been sent from God to carry out the will of the Father. He taught that He alone is able to satisfy the hungry soul and provide for our bodily needs. He was proclaiming to be the promised Messiah, Who had come in fulfilment of Scripture. Jesus wanted to show... that just as He was able to heal all their sicknesses and provide for their physical needs, He is also the One Who could heal the broken soul, release them from the slave-market of sin, bind up their emotional distresses, bring inner peace and joy to their heart. Jesus alone is the One that can supply the spiritual food, every one of us so desperately needs. Jesus often used the natural to illustrate a spiritual truth, and the feeding of their bodies with food, was used as a demonstration of what He could do for them in the spiritual realm. Jesus referred to Himself as 'the Bread of Life' to emphasise the lesson He wanted them to learn. 'I am the bread of life", He told them. "No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever thirst again.

    Jesus told this crowd the truth, when He called Himself 'the Bread of Life'.. for in Him was Life. In Him was Life everlasting. He was the Giver of Life, and He is the Sustainer of Life. When He referred to Himself as 'the Bread of Life', He was meaning spiritual Life - eternal Life. He came to bring hope for the lost, joy for the sorrowing, strength for the weak and encouragement for the downhearted. And He came to supply spiritual food for the hungry soul. Jesus came down to earth from heaven, to breathe new life into those who were dead in their sin and estranged from God.

    The Lord Jesus did not simply come to sustain their physical life but to give eternal life, and this was the vital message. And so be it.
  • Kay - In Reply on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    See you there, hapily, gratefully, smiling and crying (for joy) at the same time. His church, his bride, New Jerursalem, we who wait for him, love him, receive his words and obey them. We have little time left here so Lord, teach us to number our days and apply our hearts to wisdom. Hold that fast til he comes and keep praying to escape all the things that are coming upon this world and be found by him living in joy. But how, with the terrors and hatred that will be coming at all of us from everyone, everywhere as these very last days are here. I'm still trying to love my enemies that pursue and make prey out of me, but my natural reaction is to hate them. Stephen and Jesus are our examples, love and pray for those who persecute you. God will perfect that which concerns us. Be strong. See you there. Love you.
  • Chris - In Reply on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    Amen indeed. You've shared Great Truths of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ Who also said, "because I live, ye shall live also." Jn 14:19. The fact that He gave His Life for us all by His death & then rose to resurrection Life for our justification, gave the full meaning to what He said to the people, how He lived His Life before the people, & His willingness to lay it down for each of them & us. No other self acclaimed prophet of the religions of the world has done or could ever do what Jesus has done: their bodies remain in the grave - the Lord Jesus arose & is the Lord of Glory ever living to make intercession for us.
  • Greg - In Reply on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    Chris,

    When you say "their bodies lie in the grave" do you believe that only Jesus is in heaven.

    If that is true, how do we understand what happened with the rich man and Lazarus?
  • Chris - In Reply on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    Greg, from what is revealed to us in Scripture about the rich man & Lazarus as well as what we understand about death & the destiny of the spirit, I have to understand that upon their death, their physical bodies remained in the grave & what Jesus described was their spirits (whether embodied by another substance or not), were present & active in Hades. I understand that their bodies are still in the grave (or, entombed) awaiting the general resurrection.

    Mt 27:52,53: I understand speaks of a limited resurrection (of the saints) which pertained to the signs given when our Saviour died & then arose from His grave. We're not told what happened to 'those saints', whether transported into Heaven at Christ's Ascension or lived for a while again till their 'second' death. Maybe, in a similar way to the other Lazarus, Jesus' friend & Mary & Martha's brother, who was raised back to life & then died a second time.

    So, in respect to the 'self acclaimed prophets of the religions': I specifically targeted them as those who claim that they brought God's message & subsequently received a great following of people, yet their bodies were no more different to ours, suffering the same fate in death, their bodies still lie in the grave & their spirits departing & awaiting the same fate in judgement. Therefore, to your: "When you say "their bodies lie in the grave" do you believe that only Jesus is in heaven", I understand, post Ascension, no physical body from the Earth is presently in Heaven or Hell, but their spirits are in that place appointed to them awaiting reward or final judgement. As well, I don't subscribe to 'soul sleep'. How do you see it?
  • Greg - In Reply on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    Chris,

    Concerning "where do our souls go after we die."

    I see it basically the same way you do.

    I try to always make it a point to use Scripture to back up Scripture (as you do); otherwise, I don't have much to say.

    I use the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to justify that our bodies return to dust, and our "spirit returns to God Who gave it" ( Ecclesiastes 12:7).

    I am hoping and praying that I am on the right side of the gulf waiting with Abraham and Lazarus and the others that have made it ( Luke 16:26).
  • Chris - In Reply on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    Greg, I have every confidence, based on God's Word, that all who belong to the Lord will be saved as we are eternally secure in Him. Ephesians is one letter that fills the believer with such joy & assurance to his position IN CHRIST.

    I think of Eph 2:5,6:"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved); And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus". This is NOW - not in the future.

    All of Ephesians chapter 1.

    Eph 3:11,12: "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him."

    These are all portions (& many more) to remind us that our full salvation (in our redemption, position in Christ both now & after our departure from this Earth) are already accomplished for us in God's eternal Plan. This is that "sure hope" that fades not away - this is that confidence in Him that He is True & is faithful to the Promises He has given us. Our faith just takes hold of Him in simplicity & trust that He will do all that He has declared.

    We should not be in wonder or doubt: our position IN CHRIST now, doesn't, yea cannot alter through to eternity: one could say, that for the believer, our eternity has already commenced, except we still walk by faith until that coming day when we shall see Him face to Face & proclaim the story: "we are here Lord, Saved by Grace, only by Your Grace".

    The Lord be with your spirit Greg, & make your joy & confidence full & ever present.
  • Kay - In Reply on John 6:38 - 3 years ago
    We are seated with Christ in the heavens with him as soon as we are saved where we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The dead who know nothing at all (psalms) are all those who died before Christ came. Some came out of their graves immediately when Christ was crucified and the earthquake happened. The others will be resurrected when he returns, but we who are saved by his blood go to be with him immediately, exactly as he said it to the believer who was crucified right next to him. Today, you will be with me in paradise. That paradise, the New Heavens, IS Jesus, and is inside of HIM, where no evil can enter in. It is finished. Thank you victorious Lord Jesus, my God and savior.



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