Are we divine ???

[bbyrd009]

The point is...both pass away.

the point might be that 6 or 7 billion years will pass between the two occurrences, actually, but i don't have any beliefs one way or the other on that. Yes, someday in the inconceivably distant future, thousands of times longer than man has walked the earth--millions of times, i guess--the earth will be subsumed into a dying sun, yes.

But this is not what Christ meant by "the world is passing away," and saying that "both will pass away" is just avoiding the concept, and misrepresenting at best imo

and fwiw i don't have a problem with nihilists, ok, my objection is to conflating it with following Christ.

 

[ScottA]

the point might be that 6 or 7 billion years will pass between the two occurrences, actually, but i don't have any beliefs one way or the other on that. Yes, someday in the inconceivably distant future, thousands of times longer than man has walked the earth, the earth will be subsumed into a dying sun, yes.

and fwiw i don't have a problem with nihilists, ok, my objection is to conflating it with following Christ.

...Except that it is His word that declares it.

 

[bbyrd009]

...Except that it is His word that declares it.

sorry, i don't know what you mean by "it" there, and i don't think you know what God's Word is yet wadr;
if you are reading It, then i know you don't. The Bible is not the Word

 

[bbyrd009]

not meaning to be rude there, imo God's Word is as accessible to you as to anyone

and normally i could work with the Bible just fine, except in your case,
or in the case of anyone else who believes that they are somehow the Font of Truth

 

[amadeus]

I was naive enough to believe that a Christian forum would be, Christians sharing, believing, lifting each other up, praising God and so on...Each to be able to add to the body by what God has shown them, so we can be knit together...

After growing up as a Catholic and then coming really to the Lord in a church setting with people who I thought really knew God I was likewise very disappointed. The forum has some advantages over a physical church setting, but it is often a long ways from what we would or should really hope for in the Lord.

But that is most assuredly NOT what I found.....This reminds me more of like an old Roman Colosseum, being in the middle and a bunch of roaring lions coming at me, to tear me to pieces hahaha, with a few of the other believers here on the forum in this same position...........I know this is NOT what the Lord desires, and yet none of us can really get anywhere with it..A couple of us have been able to receive and give to one another, wonderful things, which help us put the bigger picture together....praise God, not all are so full of pride ( I know we all posses it ) that they don't have room for any new word or additional understanding, as if these others know 100% of all there is to and about God.....It is extremely unfruitful and in some cases very dangerous to ones soul.
How on earth are unbelievers going to come to Jesus, while a 'war' between the religious and the believing is still going ? Rather, it has gotten much worse on the one hand, but thankfully at least many have heard the call from the Lord to :" Come out of her, my people", she is a false bride and NOT the Bride of Christ....

We may have a purpose here for God and sometimes in fulfilling that purpose we may find that some would want to tear us to pieces spiritually if not physically. Some people we meet in other places, we probably should not invite to an open forum like this. That is why we need to be paying close attention to God. He knows what advice should be given in each situation. Too many presume that exactly the same words are needed for each person, but that is not so. It depends of exactly where a person is and what part of the Body of Christ the person is to be. Only God always knows exactly what is needed. We need to be hearing Him.

I would not like to lose contact with a couple of the people here, but I must say, I don't think I will stay much longer......Mostly it just stops me from doing things with my time which would be a lot more useful.

If you are gone from here you will certainly be missed, but you also must go where He leads you.

Anyway, thanks for all your great posts...I have thoroughly enjoyed them....I won't have to lose contact with you thankfully, so thank you for that....:)

Over the years I have lost touch with many good people I have met online as well as offline. More recently I have tried to do better in maintaining those communication lines. I am working on something now that David [ @mjrhealth ] requested: a testimony. When I send it to him it will also be addressed to you. Give God the glory!

 

[APAK]

I was naive enough to believe that a Christian forum would be, Christians sharing, believing, lifting each other up, praising God and so on...Each to be able to add to the body by what God has shown them, so we can be knit together...But that is most assuredly NOT what I found.....This reminds me more of like an old Roman Colosseum, being in the middle and a bunch of roaring lions coming at me, to tear me to pieces hahaha, with a few of the other believers here on the forum in this same position...........I know this is NOT what the Lord desires, and yet none of us can really get anywhere with it..A couple of us have been able to receive and give to one another, wonderful things, which help us put the bigger picture together....praise God, not all are so full of pride ( I know we all posses it ) that they don't have room for any new word or additional understanding, as if these others know 100% of all there is to and about God.....It is extremely unfruitful and in some cases very dangerous to ones soul.
How on earth are unbelievers going to come to Jesus, while a 'war' between the religious and the believing is still going ? Rather, it has gotten much worse on the one hand, but thankfully at least many have heard the call from the Lord to :" Come out of her, my people", she is a false bride and NOT the Bride of Christ....
I would not like to lose contact with a couple of the people here, but I must say, I don't think I will stay much longer......Mostly it just stops me from doing things with my time which would be a lot more useful.
Anyway, thanks for all your great posts...I have thoroughly enjoyed them....I won't have to lose contact with you thankfully, so thank you for that....:)

pia:

Have you considered that this is a forum of faith, where its contributors are operating at different levels of faith and maturity? And then who are we to judge what faith each one has been given?

I cannot help but see you in your words you desire something like a ‘55 plus’ living community. You see kids and children around that interfere with your rest and leisure time, and they should not be allowed here. It is not a ’55 plus' community, it is a mixed family group. You would be hard pressed to find an exclusive ‘mature’ believers chat room environment.

I believe folks here are themselves and want to share their spiritual worth, with honestly and openness. It may seem like a Roman Coliseum at times although there is no ripping apart of flesh if you can overlook that personalities communicate differently than ourselves and might not meet our expectations of information exchange.

I’m a new member here and I have already scoped out personalities, best ones to the annoying ones. It is no problem for me to overlook many things people say. I look for what their intentions are over time, the ‘sound’ or ‘tone’ of their writings. If I ‘feel’ the love and sincerity. And if they are sharing and not hogging the exchange.

Now in a more formal Bible study environment, people tend to be more ‘quiet’ and show more courtesy. It would seem edifying, and uplifting, although this can be disguised as just putting up with each other. Any way this is also a debate forum that is meant to be lively and spontaneous at times. It is not the classroom Bible study room setting by any means.

Now I grant you we could do with more discipline and become more empathetic and patient with others – showing more love. And to even apply Bible study rules of interpretation which I find lacking in many places.

I'm on another Christian site that I do not want to contribute for fear of reprisal. I might upset someone's pride or some blind-sighted Christian impropriety; by the micro-managed staff members especially. They seem to be on every thread or start 50 percent of the new ones. I've already figured that site out. It is not a warm site at all. You feel like any post you make might get scrutinized or squelched or might get you banned off the site. Everyone there is so nice and polite. I would rather be on this site.

Bless you,


APAK

 

[Dcopymope]

not sure what Pia dislikes about this post, maybe the denial of special rev? I'd say that it is possible to get to a place where you are not being judgemental about these types, after all they have been deceived too, likely in a worse way than most people? Speaking generally, you gotta know that is like a defense mechanism run amok or something right

I'm really not sure either, and I really don't care what she dislikes about it when it comes down to it. Maybe its me adhering to the only 'revelation' that is to be trusted, the Bible, that is what the "I Know God" characters would have a problem with. Yes, the denial of special revelation, you know, from people who believe they are special. John says there is blood in heaven, the "I know God" creature says otherwise pretending to know better than John. The Bible says that the life of the flesh is in the blood and we are saved by the blood atonement of Jesus, the "I know God" creature will say the opposite claiming its just "representational".......

......In what way is a man of faith supposed to respond to this? Do you seriously expect me to play nice with such foolishness in a debate forum of all things?? Spare me.

(Hebrews 9:11-15) "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; {12} Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. {13} For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: {14} How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? {15} And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."

 

[bbyrd009]

In what way is a man of faith supposed to respond to this? Do you seriously expect me to play nice with such foolishness in a debate forum of all things?? Spare me.

well, i would say that one should pay attention to what gets their goat, as that is usually a clue to where they are spiritually.
i like to (secretly, not admitting to myself even) think that i am some kind of Oracle, and i can tell this because ppl who Oracle bug me the most, etc.

so, what is the problem? are those who oracle the problem, in my case? how could they be the problem, if i am not compelled to believe them? Sure, they might be inferring that someone else, someone maybe newer to seeking should listen to them, but then what is that to me? You can't cheat an honest man iow

 

[Dcopymope]

well, i would say that one should pay attention to what gets their goat, as that is usually a clue to where they are spiritually.
i like to (secretly, not admitting to myself even) think that i am some kind of Oracle, and i can tell this because ppl who Oracle bug me the most, etc.

There are lots of people on this site alone who have pumped themselves up to believe they are all that and a bag of cheeto's, but they only expose themselves. All you have to do is let them run their fat mouth. When they start contradicting what is plainly stated in the word of God, elevating themselves and their own little "revelation" above what Paul, John and the rest of them witnessed and wrote about, then you'll know what their deal really is.

 

[ScottA]

sorry, i don't know what you mean by "it" there, and i don't think you know what God's Word is yet wadr;
if you are reading It, then i know you don't. The Bible is not the Word

not meaning to be rude there, imo God's Word is as accessible to you as to anyone

and normally i could work with the Bible just fine, except in your case,
or in the case of anyone else who believes that they are somehow the Font of Truth

You are not making any sense.

The bible is a written record of what God has revealed to men, good for teaching and correction, etc. regarding God.

But that is not the worst of what you have said... If you have a problem with anyone who is a font of Truth - then you don't just have a problem with me, but with all prophets and even with Jesus (the Word).

 

[amadeus]

:) Well he certainly wasn't as gentle as a dove with the Pharisees now...was he? I'll be gentle when the situation actually warrants it.

But Jesus knew exactly what was in the hearts of those people. How many of us know the hearts of every person we encounter here on this forum or elsewhere? If we do not, should we go ahead and mistreat and abuse them? I would think not.

Remember what the apostle Paul was doing to Christians before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus? Perhaps one of those you choose to attack and destroy now will become one God will later be calling to do a work like Paul. None of us may now be like Jesus, but some us may be like Paul. What did Paul need? It was provided by someone who was listening to God rather than someone who presumed he needed to die because of his evil works...

 

[Dcopymope]

But Jesus knew exactly what was in the hearts of those people. How many of us know the hearts of every person we encounter here on this forum or elsewhere? If we do not, should we go ahead and mistreat and abuse them? I would think not.

Remember what the apostle Paul was doing to Christians before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus? Perhaps one of those you choose to attack and destroy now will become one God will later be calling to do a work like Paul. None of us may now be like Jesus, but some us may be like Paul. What did Paul need? It was provided by someone who was listening to God rather than someone who presumed he needed to die because of his evil works...

So me sticking to the word of God and taking exception to anyone claiming to know better than what is written is considered "mistreatment", or am I missing something here???

...............Yeah, God chose Paul, but lets not forget that not even he could explain what he saw or even where he went if, or if he went anywhere at all when he was "caught up in the spirit" on his way to Damascus. Yet, the "I Know God" characters are here pretending they know better than him. They will contradict every word written and take whatever has been demystified about the supernatural as revealed to the apostles by God, and do the contrary. Screw Paul when he states Jesus entered the holy place of the Father by his own blood for our redemption. According to the "I know God" creature, the blood is just figure of speech, or allegorical, you see, they know better than Paul, the man Jesus Christ chose..........

.

 

[amadeus]

So me sticking to the word of God and taking exception to anyone claiming to know better than what is written is considered "mistreatment", or am I missing something here???

You already know what your treatment is or is not. You can walk along your own pathway[as every man is allowed to do], but don't believe that walking it the way Jesus wants you to walk it is important? More important even than being right to wrong in the specifics of scripture or doctrine.

...............Yeah, God chose Paul, but lets not forget that not even he could explain what he saw or even where he went if, or if he went anywhere at all when he was "caught up in the spirit" on his way to Damascus.

The "not even he" means what? Paul was just a man and he knew only what God shared with him. Likewise it is with any man who has met with God. God may have shared more or different things with one than with another. We should be slow to be critical because someone else's experience with God is different than our own.

Yet, the "I Know God" characters are here pretending they know better than him. They will contradict every word written and take whatever has been demystified about the supernatural as revealed to the apostles by God, and do the contrary. Screw Paul when he states Jesus entered the holy place of the Father by his own blood for our redemption. According to the "I know God" creature, the blood is just figure of speech, or allegorical, you see, they know better than Paul, the man Jesus Christ chose..........

.

If any of these "I know God" characters you mention really do know God, you may be missing out on something important... to you.

If they are false prophets then leave them in God's very capable hands. If on the other hand they have encounter Him and speak truth, where does that leave you. There really is a time to be silent and a time to speak. Remember what Gamaliel said:

"And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." Acts 5:35-39

 

[Dcopymope]

If they are false prophets then leave them in God's very capable hands.

Thanks for the advice, Jesus Christ said there will be many false prophets in the last days, so I think I'll do just that. If you know the Bible and let it speak for itself, it won't take much to spot them when you see them.

 

[Dcopymope]

not meaning to be rude there, imo God's Word is as accessible to you as to anyone

and normally i could work with the Bible just fine, except in your case,
or in the case of anyone else who believes that they are somehow the Font of Truth

Not according to the "I know God" characters. You have to be special, because the knowledge of God is only for a select few, kind of like what a Gnostic would tell you. And boy do I smell the stench of Gnosticism on here and else where a mile away.

 

[ScottA]

If you know the Bible and let it speak for itself, it won't take much to spot them when you see them.

That is a false premise. The pharisees knew the scriptures but could not even spot Christ.

The point is...that was never how things actually work, now or then. No, "spirit and truth", is the proper way.

 

[Dcopymope]

That is a false premise. The pharisees knew the scriptures but could not even spot Christ.

The point is...that was never how things actually work, now or then. No, "spirit and truth", is the proper way.

...........According to you I have don't the "spirit of truth".

 

[bbyrd009]

and imo pretty obviously the Pharisees knew the words in the Torah, but did not understand them. either.

 

[bbyrd009]

If you have a problem with anyone who is a font of Truth - then you don't just have a problem with me...

rofl, ok then. But you might review what an oracle is, for your own good

 

[Dcopymope]

rofl, ok then. But you might review what an oracle is, for your own good

We should probably just start calling him "the oracle", but than again, that would only catapult his ego into the stratosphere, so maybe not.