Scripture with Scripture

[APAK]

The subject returns again. The inevitable subject of beliefs and their systems -and it always will...…………….we want to be in love with God for the right reasons and not for the wrong reasons right? We feel God's presence and we want to know that his words support our claim, that we truly love him, in our heart, mind and soul.

IMO, and as a summary, ‘the’ so-called Christian belief system is scripture-based, known in the heart, and presents to us knowledge, understanding, belief and then at least sustained faith in these four core pillars. Without these four checked off, salvation is surely in jeopardy -IMO. MY OPINION....as the spirit tells me.


1. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in who and why God, our Father, YHWH as the one and only, is our creator, that always loves us.

2. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in why God our Father created his only son, Jesus the Christ to reveal the gospel to mankind – the message of grace, love and eternal life that saves the human spirit or 'I am.' (No intention of mimicking God here)

3. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in why God our Father created his son, Jesus, to initially live and die for mankind’s spiritual separation from God’s (our Father) presence. Jesus lived on earth with one purpose, to please his Father with his love, for us, and then to die as the only acceptable innocent sacrifice for our spiritual imperfection– to complete the critical part of God’s plan of salvation for mankind.

4. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in spiritual conversion or being saved as a spiritual movement initially from God to a person, and not the other way around. God calls on us first, we do not call upon him for salvation. Once we accept this grace and the gift of saving faith and God’s spirit acknowledges our heartfelt request, God seals us with his presence forever. We now move forward in faith and cooperation with God together, to perfection as the image of Christ, as Christ is already in the image of God.

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me even on the 1st pillar. They want to change it to read Jesus is our creator and not God Almighty, to conform and pledge allegiance to their trinity model. They may as well say that Jesus and/or God Almighty created everything I suppose, although this would change scripture. So, I believe they won’t go that far I guess, but why not!?

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me on both the 2nd and 3rd pillars. For at least two reasons.


1. They want to change it to read Jesus was never created as he existed as/ or is God from the beginning by citing John 1:1-3 and 14 where they cannot really tell you it is really scriptural, or provide any depth of a commentary, only that is accepted by nearly everyone. And again, it of course conforms to the trinity model, and that makes them happy.

2. Jesus always existed and therefore was divine before he was ‘incarnated’ into a baby human boy. Incarnated from who? Take your pick. From himself or from God as they are the same thing they must say, which should be quite confusing to even any 4th dimensional space visitor.

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me on the 4th pillar. These are those that say your salvation can never be assured because you are not assured that the spirit of God stays in you/your heart if you sin, especially doing the very ‘bad ones.’ They also say, you have dominion (God gave it to us) over your mind and actions and it is carnal, having free-will and is King. So, according to them, you control whether you get tired of God’s spirit and eject him and then bring him back when you feel like it after saying you are sorry. I think that it quite a sorry argument in itself.

As you can see ‘we’ will never agree on a belief system if it is not inspired purely on the basis of the spirit of God. The spirit that enters or speaks in the heart to the mind for wisdom and understanding and the truth.

I'm just reporting my view here; God's view is something different altogether.

Yes, I love God dearly, he is my life. And I also want to be scripturally correct in my mind from my God, my creator's spirit that is working within me to complete me to perfection and glorification in the future.


Blessings,

APAK

 

[brakelite]

The subject returns again. The inevitable subject of beliefs and their systems -and it always will...…………….we want to be in love with God for the right reasons and not for the wrong reasons right? We feel God's presence and we want to know that his words support our claim, that we truly love him, in our heart, mind and soul.

IMO, and as a summary, ‘the’ so-called Christian belief system is scripture-based, known in the heart, and presents to us knowledge, understanding, belief and then at least sustained faith in these four core pillars. Without these four checked off, salvation is surely in jeopardy -IMO. MY OPINION....as the spirit tells me.


1. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in who and why God, our Father, YHWH as the one and only, is our creator, that always loves us.

2. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in why God our Father created his only son, Jesus the Christ to reveal the gospel to mankind – the message of grace, love and eternal life that saves the human spirit or 'I am.' (No intention of mimicking God here)

3. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in why God our Father created his son, Jesus, to initially live and die for mankind’s spiritual separation from God’s (our Father) presence. Jesus lived on earth with one purpose, to please his Father with his love, for us, and then to die as the only acceptable innocent sacrifice for our spiritual imperfection– to complete the critical part of God’s plan of salvation for mankind.

4. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in spiritual conversion or being saved as a spiritual movement initially from God to a person, and not the other way around. God calls on us first, we do not call upon him for salvation. Once we accept this grace and the gift of saving faith and God’s spirit acknowledges our heartfelt request, God seals us with his presence forever. We now move forward in faith and cooperation with God together, to perfection as the image of Christ, as Christ is already in the image of God.

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me even on the 1st pillar. They want to change it to read Jesus is our creator and not God Almighty, to conform and pledge allegiance to their trinity model. They may as well say that Jesus and/or God Almighty created everything I suppose, although this would change scripture. So, I believe they won’t go that far I guess, but why not!?

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me on both the 2nd and 3rd pillars. For at least two reasons.


1. They want to change it to read Jesus was never created as he existed as/ or is God from the beginning by citing John 1:1-3 and 14 where they cannot really tell you it is really scriptural, or provide any depth of a commentary, only that is accepted by nearly everyone. And again, it of course conforms to the trinity model, and that makes them happy.

2. Jesus always existed and therefore was divine before he was ‘incarnated’ into a baby human boy. Incarnated from who? Take your pick. From himself or from God as they are the same thing they must say, which should be quite confusing to even any 4th dimensional space visitor.

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me on the 4th pillar. These are those that say your salvation can never be assured because you are not assured that the spirit of God stays in you/your heart if you sin, especially doing the very ‘bad ones.’ They also say, you have dominion (God gave it to us) over your mind and actions and it is carnal, having free-will and is King. So, according to them, you control whether you get tired of God’s spirit and eject him and then bring him back when you feel like it after saying you are sorry. I think that it quite a sorry argument in itself.

As you can see ‘we’ will never agree on a belief system if it is not inspired purely on the basis of the spirit of God. The spirit that enters or speaks in the heart to the mind for wisdom and understanding and the truth.

I'm just reporting my view here; God's view is something different altogether.

Yes, I love God dearly, he is my life. And I also want to be scripturally correct in my mind from my God, my creator's spirit that is working within me to complete me to perfection and glorification in the future.


Blessings,

APAK

I agree with #1, disagree with #s 2,3,4, for reasons entirely different to the ones you suggested. You are saying something like honey is bad for you because its stored in a plastic bottle and if you eat plastic bottles you'll get sick.

 

[Enoch111]

They may as well say that Jesus and/or God Almighty created everything I suppose, although this would change scripture. So, I believe they won’t go that far I guess, but why not!?

Since Christians are to go as far as what the Bible clearly states, then yes, I would go that far and say that God the Father and God the Word created all things. Indeed the Father delegated creation to the Son, since He is "the Word" and God spoke all things into existence. I could provide all the relevant Scriptures, but would you believe them?

The Lord Jesus Christ in NOT a created being (as you mistakenly believe) since He is the Creator, who has existed from eternity past, and who has no beginning and no ending.

 

[APAK]

I agree with #1, disagree with #s 2,3,4, for reasons entirely different to the ones you suggested. You are saying something like honey is bad for you because its stored in a plastic bottle and if you eat plastic bottles you'll get sick.

Yeah brakelite, that's one of the main points I was attempting to make here. There are many variations in what I suggested (4 pillars) and even these can be different 'pillars' for someone's belief system.

Just one note on your analogy....you don't have to eat plastic bottles to ruin the 'honey' and make it toxic. Storing stuff in plastics at certain temps can bleed into the contents you want to 'save.'..and it might 'kill' you....

Gooday bro,

APAK

 

[amadeus]

It is hard!!!! Right now my biggest scripture searches deal with tongues as a personal prayer language and dreams(which dreams I believe, but I want to learn to interpret.).

I have never had that interpretation of tongues, but my wife has. I remember when she first started to do it, there was no doubt in my mind that it was real because she would sometimes quote a verse of scripture verbatim which I knew she did not have memorized.

Tongues I go back and forth on, because I was raised a whole lot different. A lot on how JIF believes. Then in Teen Challenge I was introduced and prayed over for Baptism of the Holy Spirit when I was 22. About 12 years ago. But I only started praying in them last month again when I had a dream about it...it is sort of confusing, because I want scripture to confirm dreams, not the other way around. But it is a bit of a grey area. Especially when I can see both ways of looking at the scripture.

This being able to see it both ways is a good thing and hopefully will give you incentive to really hear from God on it. People who disagree on such a point will not necessarily be lost on either side so long as their heart remains right with the Love/Charity part. Charity is the most important thing as I believe it. If you are in one church they'll push you one way while in another they'll push in the opposite direction. This is the trouble with man. Even a good and sincere minister may push when he should simply wait on the Lord. No matter what anyone says, we need to learn to wait on the Lord:

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

(And please don't debate tongues and derail this thread. )

Even as you say...!

but this is where the Spirit comes in and I know I will be lead in the Truth. I have decided to pray for now in them, because it actually is helping me pray more in English. As long as I am growing in Christ, and I see good fruits in my life and others, perhaps not knowing all the facts and being the most knowledgeable in explaining why I believe scripture a certain way at least right away, is okay.

Yes, where we are in the moment with the Lord is what matters in the moment. Later on the Lord may move us or have us move... but that should be according to His time... not ours:

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"Ecc 3:1

 

[Helen]

Just one note on your analogy....you don't have to eat plastic bottles to ruin the 'honey' and make it toxic. Storing stuff in plastics at certain temps can bleed into the contents you want to 'save.'..and it might 'kill' you....

Now ain't that the truth!!
Don't you feel that all strife and arguments start when we ( the plastic bottle) leak our plastic belief system into the honey..thus poisoning the "honey" that we try to feed to others!!

Who of us sees with the perfect eye?
But, nevertheless we will always have those on here who tell us that they for sure do 'see perfectly' , and their plastic container does not leak into the honey....

I like that @brakelite I got some miles out of your plastic bottle

 

[OzSpen]

So, maybe we should stop doing it? They love Jesus and try to show it the only way they have been taught... just like the rest of us. It doesn't mean any of us have a "lock" on being correct.

Willie,

My comment was addressed to you. When you or anybody creates a description of anything or anyone that is not accurate, it is fallacious reasoning in the form of a straw man fallacy.

That's what you did. Why can't you own up?

Oz

 

[OzSpen]

Okay.... And that often ends up being 'teaching' right or wrong according to 'our' belief system.
"Right or Wrong " (as I see it...) is not God's goal for us at all...
..God's goal is Life...not right or wrong ( = the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil)
It is the carnal man who is hung up on what is right or wrong...God always focusses on "What is LIFE-giving.."

ByGrace,

Paul warned about right or wrong in teaching:

29 I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears (Acts 20:29-31 NET).​

The many warnings in the NT clearly indicate that God is 'hung up on what is right or wrong'. In my understanding, God does not always focus on the life-giving. That's only part of the message. The other part is warning to continue in the path of truth and not to fall for the messages of false prophets and false teachers.

Oz

 

[Mjh29]

The subject returns again. The inevitable subject of beliefs and their systems -and it always will...…………….we want to be in love with God for the right reasons and not for the wrong reasons right? We feel God's presence and we want to know that his words support our claim, that we truly love him, in our heart, mind and soul.

IMO, and as a summary, ‘the’ so-called Christian belief system is scripture-based, known in the heart, and presents to us knowledge, understanding, belief and then at least sustained faith in these four core pillars. Without these four checked off, salvation is surely in jeopardy -IMO. MY OPINION....as the spirit tells me.


1. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in who and why God, our Father, YHWH as the one and only, is our creator, that always loves us.

2. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in why God our Father created his only son, Jesus the Christ to reveal the gospel to mankind – the message of grace, love and eternal life that saves the human spirit or 'I am.' (No intention of mimicking God here)

3. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in why God our Father created his son, Jesus, to initially live and die for mankind’s spiritual separation from God’s (our Father) presence. Jesus lived on earth with one purpose, to please his Father with his love, for us, and then to die as the only acceptable innocent sacrifice for our spiritual imperfection– to complete the critical part of God’s plan of salvation for mankind.

4. Understanding, knowledge, belief and faith in spiritual conversion or being saved as a spiritual movement initially from God to a person, and not the other way around. God calls on us first, we do not call upon him for salvation. Once we accept this grace and the gift of saving faith and God’s spirit acknowledges our heartfelt request, God seals us with his presence forever. We now move forward in faith and cooperation with God together, to perfection as the image of Christ, as Christ is already in the image of God.

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me even on the 1st pillar. They want to change it to read Jesus is our creator and not God Almighty, to conform and pledge allegiance to their trinity model. They may as well say that Jesus and/or God Almighty created everything I suppose, although this would change scripture. So, I believe they won’t go that far I guess, but why not!?

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me on both the 2nd and 3rd pillars. For at least two reasons.


1. They want to change it to read Jesus was never created as he existed as/ or is God from the beginning by citing John 1:1-3 and 14 where they cannot really tell you it is really scriptural, or provide any depth of a commentary, only that is accepted by nearly everyone. And again, it of course conforms to the trinity model, and that makes them happy.

2. Jesus always existed and therefore was divine before he was ‘incarnated’ into a baby human boy. Incarnated from who? Take your pick. From himself or from God as they are the same thing they must say, which should be quite confusing to even any 4th dimensional space visitor.

Now, I know that there are many that do not agree with me on the 4th pillar. These are those that say your salvation can never be assured because you are not assured that the spirit of God stays in you/your heart if you sin, especially doing the very ‘bad ones.’ They also say, you have dominion (God gave it to us) over your mind and actions and it is carnal, having free-will and is King. So, according to them, you control whether you get tired of God’s spirit and eject him and then bring him back when you feel like it after saying you are sorry. I think that it quite a sorry argument in itself.

As you can see ‘we’ will never agree on a belief system if it is not inspired purely on the basis of the spirit of God. The spirit that enters or speaks in the heart to the mind for wisdom and understanding and the truth.

I'm just reporting my view here; God's view is something different altogether.

Yes, I love God dearly, he is my life. And I also want to be scripturally correct in my mind from my God, my creator's spirit that is working within me to complete me to perfection and glorification in the future.


Blessings,

APAK

This was very well put, thank you for posting!

 

[Willie T]

Willie,

My comment was addressed to you. When you or anybody creates a description of anything or anyone that is not accurate, it is fallacious reasoning in the form of a straw man fallacy.

That's what you did. Why can't you own up?

Oz

You plainly said things they believe are not in the Bible. Does that not mean they must be, then, going somewhere else to just "pull them out of" wherever they wish? And I said we should not try to claim that since they get their ideas from what THEY feel are just as Scriptural writings God handed down as we think the particular ones we limit our selection to are. There is no human, "right or wrong" to it... that is STRICTLY to be something we cannot assume to take out of God's hands, as though WE are the ones to do the deciding for them.

 

[Episkopos]

Judge by the power of a new life in Christ. Jesus said...I came to bring you life...and eternal kind of life that is in the light...His eternal light.

This is a difficult thing we have embarked on...to follow Christ. First, there is something that God does...give us a new spiritual birth. Then (2nd) there is something we must do...go to Him. Then step 3... He finishes the work of grace. If we have trouble repeat step 2....as many times as necessary to arrive at step 3.

If we love as He loved...sacrificially (able to suffer) then we know that Jesus is in us. We are doing well. But how do we know we have reached step 3?

We know that in Him is no sin or darkness whatsoever. Whoever abides in Him cannot sin. By this we know if we have also entered into Him. We can't bring in darkness and sin into Christ with us. Otherwise Jesus would indeed have sin and darkness in Him. Eternal life is to enter into Him by faith...His faith. This is step 3. Many are called (step 1) but few are chosen (step 3)

Why? ..........A lack of step 2...a lack of going to God.

The foolish virgins were told to go where the oil is sold in order to fill their lamps because their oil had run out. They had no oil because they neglected to go to God for it. Now they are told to go where the oil is sold and buy some for themselves.

What is the cost?

Everything!

Does that mean the fullness of grace costs something? Well, we need to be empty first before we can be filled...so then it costs the loss of everything we have.

The foolish virgins indeed had something in their lamps...but it wasn't oil. It wasn't holy. It wasn't combustible to give off His light.


1 John 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Greek here for "cannot" is "not possible".

How can this be?

If Jesus has no sin IN Him and we are IN Him...then it isn't possible for sin to grow there or be added in.

If we are filled with the Spirit then rivers of living water are flowing out of us from within. If a cup is filled to overflowing there is no more room to add anything to it.

Think about it....the will of God is very difficult...even for they who have received grace (initially). Jesus did say the way is narrow...yet we usually forget to take that into consideration. If Jesus says it's difficult...then it REALLY is. If anything, Jesus can handle more difficulties than most people (or all) so we should be very attentive to when He says "difficult." (I'm not trying to be difficult here.. )

Now I know this will stir up some opposition....but it is the truth and the only real marker for a life that is IN Christ. We need to go further to discover the fullness which is available in Christ.

If we begin by saying..."I am already fully in Christ and now I'm just looking for a way to back up that premise"...then we can't possibly love the truth (unless of course we have been crucified and now walk in His resurrection life). We mustn't put ourselves before the truth.

But if we truly love the truth...we will put the truth before our own safety or assurances. We will trust God with where we are presently...and look to Him for guidance into more of Him.

And this is how we advance in the Spirit...and no other way.The real difficulty is in not saying..."I have arrived"...before God says so. We will be surprised just how far God takes things.

As little spiritual children we may constantly ask..."Are we there yet?" The journey is indeed far. Or maybe we have been told..."you are already there"...when clearly we are not. But we need to learn real patience to not declare things before their time. We need to be careful to not go about only "half-baked." We need to be fully crucified to the flesh that the flesh not declare itself as "saved"...in order to avoid death. After all, no one's "old man" wants to die. But the good news is not for him.

So it is quite easy to see where we are at if we listen to the word...and compare things with the word. Scripture with scripture. The bible indeed interprets itself. But let's look at the harder sounding verses...please.


I am saying...let's go to God together (we are members one of another) in order to get His fullness. Can a person say...I don't need to go to God because I'm saved already!??

If a person is so saved, instead of irritation (or even anger)... why not humour the seeker of God and take along that person into their daily visiting with God? As in...ok you believe you need to go to God for the fullness....but I already have that fullness without having to go to God.

But if a person is trying to avoid the seeking of God ...calling it " works based salvation"...since for them going to God is a chore...how can the point of the gospel be reconciliation and relationship with God?

All will agree that going to God is good. But what if we NEED to go to God. Many will become offended at that. But doesn't the need to go to God help us to push through in our seeking?

 

[faithfulness]

Judge by the power of a new life in Christ. Jesus said...I came to bring you life...and eternal kind of life that is in the light...His eternal light.

This is a difficult thing we have embarked on...to follow Christ. First, there is something that God does...give us a new spiritual birth. Then (2nd) there is something we must do...go to Him. Then step 3... He finishes the work of grace. If we have trouble repeat step 2....as many times as necessary to arrive at step 3.

If we love as He loved...sacrificially (able to suffer) then we know that Jesus is in us. We are doing well. But how do we know we have reached step 3?

We know that in Him is no sin or darkness whatsoever. Whoever abides in Him cannot sin. By this we know if we have also entered into Him. We can't bring in darkness and sin into Christ with us. Otherwise Jesus would indeed have sin and darkness in Him. Eternal life is to enter into Him by faith...His faith. This is step 3. Many are called (step 1) but few are chosen (step 3)

Why? ..........A lack of step 2...a lack of going to God.

The foolish virgins were told to go where the oil is sold in order to fill their lamps because their oil had run out. They had no oil because they neglected to go to God for it. Now they are told to go where the oil is sold and buy some for themselves.

What is the cost?

Everything!

Does that mean the fullness of grace costs something? Well, we need to be empty first before we can be filled...so then it costs the loss of everything we have.

The foolish virgins indeed had something in their lamps...but it wasn't oil. It wasn't holy. It wasn't combustible to give off His light.


1 John 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Greek here for "cannot" is "not possible".

How can this be?

If Jesus has no sin IN Him and we are IN Him...then it isn't possible for sin to grow there or be added in.

If we are filled with the Spirit then rivers of living water are flowing out of us from within. If a cup is filled to overflowing there is no more room to add anything to it.

Think about it....the will of God is very difficult...even for they who have received grace (initially). Jesus did say the way is narrow...yet we usually forget to take that into consideration. If Jesus says it's difficult...then it REALLY is. If anything, Jesus can handle more difficulties than most people (or all) so we should be very attentive to when He says "difficult." (I'm not trying to be difficult here.. )

Now I know this will stir up some opposition....but it is the truth and the only real marker for a life that is IN Christ. We need to go further to discover the fullness which is available in Christ.

If we begin by saying..."I am already fully in Christ and now I'm just looking for a way to back up that premise"...then we can't possibly love the truth (unless of course we have been crucified and now walk in His resurrection life). We mustn't put ourselves before the truth.

But if we truly love the truth...we will put the truth before our own safety or assurances. We will trust God with where we are presently...and look to Him for guidance into more of Him.

And this is how we advance in the Spirit...and no other way.The real difficulty is in not saying..."I have arrived"...before God says so. We will be surprised just how far God takes things.

As little spiritual children we may constantly ask..."Are we there yet?" The journey is indeed far. Or maybe we have been told..."you are already there"...when clearly we are not. But we need to learn real patience to not declare things before their time. We need to be careful to not go about only "half-baked." We need to be fully crucified to the flesh that the flesh not declare itself as "saved"...in order to avoid death. After all, no one's "old man" wants to die. But the good news is not for him.

So it is quite easy to see where we are at if we listen to the word...and compare things with the word. Scripture with scripture. The bible indeed interprets itself. But let's look at the harder sounding verses...please.


I am saying...let's go to God together (we are members one of another) in order to get His fullness. Can a person say...I don't need to go to God because I'm saved already!??

If a person is so saved, instead of anger... why not humour the seeker of God and take along that person into their daily visiting with God? As in...ok you believe you need to go to God for the fullness....but I already have that fullness without having to go to God.

But if a person is trying to avoid the seeking of God ...calling it " works based salvation"...since for them going to God is a chore...how can the point of the gospel be reconciliation and relationship with God?

All will agree that going to God is good. But what if we NEED to go to God. Many will become offended at that. But doesn't the need to go to God help us to push through in our seeking?

Thank you for this! It is life-giving and practical, especially for some of us "half-baked"!

 

[Episkopos]

Thank you for this! It is life-giving and practical, especially for some of us "half-baked"!

We are all in this together. I see spiritual advancement as a team sport. We are up against all the other generations...and not in competition with each other. I think if we realized our need of each other we would pull together to do better than we possibly could on our own. The church is meant to edify the brethren.

 

[Helen]

Judge by the power of a new life in Christ. Jesus said...I came to bring you life...and eternal kind of life that is in the light...His eternal light.

This is a difficult thing we have embarked on...to follow Christ. First, there is something that God does...give us a new spiritual birth. Then (2nd) there is something we must do...go to Him. Then step 3... He finishes the work of grace. If we have trouble repeat step 2....as many times as necessary to arrive at step 3.

If we love as He loved...sacrificially (able to suffer) then we know that Jesus is in us. We are doing well. But how do we know we have reached step 3?

We know that in Him is no sin or darkness whatsoever. Whoever abides in Him cannot sin. By this we know if we have also entered into Him. We can't bring in darkness and sin into Christ with us. Otherwise Jesus would indeed have sin and darkness in Him. Eternal life is to enter into Him by faith...His faith. This is step 3. Many are called (step 1) but few are chosen (step 3)

Why? ..........A lack of step 2...a lack of going to God.

The foolish virgins were told to go where the oil is sold in order to fill their lamps because their oil had run out. They had no oil because they neglected to go to God for it. Now they are told to go where the oil is sold and buy some for themselves.

What is the cost?

Everything!

Does that mean the fullness of grace costs something? Well, we need to be empty first before we can be filled...so then it costs the loss of everything we have.

The foolish virgins indeed had something in their lamps...but it wasn't oil. It wasn't holy. It wasn't combustible to give off His light.


1 John 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Greek here for "cannot" is "not possible".

How can this be?

If Jesus has no sin IN Him and we are IN Him...then it isn't possible for sin to grow there or be added in.

If we are filled with the Spirit then rivers of living water are flowing out of us from within. If a cup is filled to overflowing there is no more room to add anything to it.

Think about it....the will of God is very difficult...even for they who have received grace (initially). Jesus did say the way is narrow...yet we usually forget to take that into consideration. If Jesus says it's difficult...then it REALLY is. If anything, Jesus can handle more difficulties than most people (or all) so we should be very attentive to when He says "difficult." (I'm not trying to be difficult here.. )

Now I know this will stir up some opposition....but it is the truth and the only real marker for a life that is IN Christ. We need to go further to discover the fullness which is available in Christ.

If we begin by saying..."I am already fully in Christ and now I'm just looking for a way to back up that premise"...then we can't possibly love the truth (unless of course we have been crucified and now walk in His resurrection life). We mustn't put ourselves before the truth.

But if we truly love the truth...we will put the truth before our own safety or assurances. We will trust God with where we are presently...and look to Him for guidance into more of Him.

And this is how we advance in the Spirit...and no other way.The real difficulty is in not saying..."I have arrived"...before God says so. We will be surprised just how far God takes things.

As little spiritual children we may constantly ask..."Are we there yet?" The journey is indeed far. Or maybe we have been told..."you are already there"...when clearly we are not. But we need to learn real patience to not declare things before their time. We need to be careful to not go about only "half-baked." We need to be fully crucified to the flesh that the flesh not declare itself as "saved"...in order to avoid death. After all, no one's "old man" wants to die. But the good news is not for him.

So it is quite easy to see where we are at if we listen to the word...and compare things with the word. Scripture with scripture. The bible indeed interprets itself. But let's look at the harder sounding verses...please.


I am saying...let's go to God together (we are members one of another) in order to get His fullness. Can a person say...I don't need to go to God because I'm saved already!??

If a person is so saved, instead of irritation (or even anger)... why not humour the seeker of God and take along that person into their daily visiting with God? As in...ok you believe you need to go to God for the fullness....but I already have that fullness without having to go to God.

But if a person is trying to avoid the seeking of God ...calling it " works based salvation"...since for them going to God is a chore...how can the point of the gospel be reconciliation and relationship with God?

All will agree that going to God is good. But what if we NEED to go to God. Many will become offended at that. But doesn't the need to go to God help us to push through in our seeking?

Excellent post. Thank you for that....

 

[faithfulness]

We are all in this together. I see spiritual advancement as a team sport. We are up against all the other generations...and not in competition with each other. I think if we realized our need of each other we would pull together to do better than we possibly could on our own. The church is meant to edify the brethren.

After sharing your post with a sister, she replied, "So beautifully put! No...we are not in competition...but moving together as one man! Beautiful!"

 

[Mjh29]

We are all in this together. I see spiritual advancement as a team sport. We are up against all the other generations...and not in competition with each other. I think if we realized our need of each other we would pull together to do better than we possibly could on our own. The church is meant to edify the brethren.

I agree. This is why doctrine is so important. A team cant win if they are all running different plays, or if they cant even agree what the play is. We are the army of God, and as such we need to be a well oiled machine if we are to stand up to Satan and his worldly forces.

Do we have to agree upon EVERYTHING? Certainly not. However, there should be core beliefs that the church of God must needs hold to with the utmost steadfastness, to me they would be as follows:
1.) Jesus is God, the 2nd person of the Trinity, not created, but exsisting from eternity; born to the virgin Mary, and perfect and obedient unto death
2.) The Scriptures are the infallible word of God, and the tool of salvation.

Things of this sort must be vehemently defended.

 

[Small Fish]

How often do we base out theology on just a few verses, without regarding what the rest if the Scriptures. Many a false belief has been based on one verse that is misinterpreted. A philosophy of mine has always been to compare Scriptures with Scriptures. Especially on this forum, I have seen a spike in the amount of "opinions" that are being passed of as equal to Scripture, people who claim inspiration that the Bible clearly states are impossibilities. I would like to have a calm, meaningful discussion on the following questions.

1.) Can we agree that the Scriptures take precedence over our own personal opinions or traditions?

2.) Do we search the Scriptures diligently to support our beliefs?

3.) What are the basic doctrines of the Bible that you must hold to in order to be a Christian, according to the Scriptures?

I agree Scripture must agree with Scripture from Genesis to Revelation or else your revelation is wrong but...

I don't think that is enough. You can have it all worked out in your head like the Scribes and Pharisees yet still miss the Word when it comes. As they did with Jesus and crucified Him.

Matthew 11:27
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

 

[Mjh29]

I agree Scripture must agree with Scripture from Genesis to Revelation or else your revelation is wrong but...

I don't think that is enough. You can have it all worked out in your head like the Scribes and Pharisees yet still miss the Word when it comes. As they did with Jesus and crucified Him.

Matthew 11:27
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

I would first like to welcom you to the site! I pray that God blesses you and that we can learn much from His Word through this group study!

I totally agree! Although, to me, I see our culture as almost a parallel. The Pharisees made the Scriptures say what they wanted to justify themselves, even as Jesus called them out on it! I just wish that the church of God would care less about feelings and more about truth, otherwise we will become like the Pharisees.

 

[Small Fish]

I would first like to welcom you to the site! I pray that God blesses you and that we can learn much from His Word through this group study!

I totally agree! Although, to me, I see our culture as almost a parallel. The Pharisees made the Scriptures say what they wanted to justify themselves, even as Jesus called them out on it! I just wish that the church of God would care less about feelings and more about truth, otherwise we will become like the Pharisees.

Thank you very much. They did not really like me on the "Christian Forum" so I hope it will go better here. Apparently I don't qualify as a Christian for not agreeing with the trinity doctrine.

I see our culture as almost a parallel. The Pharisees made the Scriptures say what they wanted to justify themselves, even as Jesus called them out on it! I just wish that the church of God would care less about feelings and more about truth, otherwise we will become like the Pharisees.

Very true. As the old saying goes, "history repeats itself"

And I have not found another place where this saying is more true than in the Word of God. Same spirits, just different faces.

 

[Triumph1300]

Apparently I don't qualify as a Christian for not agreeing with the trinity doctrine.

Well......I experienced the same thing.