Reading a bible verse out of context doesn't feed a hungry person or clothe the naked. No one can eat a bible or put on a book to ward off the cold.
My new book is out! "The Sum of All Possibilities in Christ"
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Reading a bible verse out of context doesn't feed a hungry person or clothe the naked. No one can eat a bible or put on a book to ward off the cold.
All true!
Love over law.
Sometime it takes two coats to keep the other person warm. That's love.
The widow with her 2 mites was praised by Jesus. Yet she still had nothing more to live on. I believe God cared for her needs, but that's only my speculation.
Law requires a tithe, but Jesus commended the one who gave all.
1 Corinthians 13:3 KJV
3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
"It profits me nothing." Another person may be warmed and fed, and therefore they are profited, but IF I do these without love, it profits me nothing. There is no gain by performing works of Law, only what we do out of love.
Once, God accepted the righteousness under the Law, now He commands all to repent and to believe in Jesus, receiving Him.
Others may eat, others may be warm, and that is a good thing, however I do not gain anything. Nothing!
Philippians 3:3-12 KJV
3) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4) Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5) Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6) Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7) But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
A little more context for you . . .
Something very key in this passage, "being made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." I think we are in agreement on this point, we have to be conformed to His death, that we may know the resurrection life.
Much love!
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quietthinker
Well-Known Member
Not to offend you Epi, however the title of your book does smack of arrogance.....particularly since it has 'All' in it.
The law doesn't specify which to give if there is a quality distinction. I think it has to do with keeping another person warm. Since we are able to give away our least favourite coat...or else our favourite coat...we see that there is being able to go beyond the letter of the law in blessing another person. There is the basic requirement and then there is the "cheerful giver" aspect that surely comes with a greater reward.
You’ve completely missed what I’m struggling with, but it’s okay.
I’m just going to go with the righteousness I, personally, am capable of on my own, has selfishness and the flesh mixed in with it. That’s all I, personally, could manage, and sometimes, I couldn’t even manage that and would not do the right thing, or would do the right thing while not right in my heart and attitude.
I’m okay with the thought that God accepts us if we do the right thing outwardly even if not inwardly.
Not to offend you Epi, however the title of your book does smack of arrogance.....particularly since it has 'All' in it.
Im really hoping that was some sort of joke that went over my head.
quietthinker
Well-Known Member
Not to offend you Epi, however the title of your book does smack of arrogance.....particularly since it has 'All' in it.
One of the main purposes of the book is to show the full range of what is possible in Christ. The Bible gives us that range...God is not holding out on us. He is not hiding the possibilities...He is both informing us and warning us. People are taught that to be "saved" is all there is to it. However, we can go beyond "saved" and be "saved" and still walk in eternal darkness. There are vessels both of honour AND dishonour in God's house. So then the "all " possibilities includes the wicked, the righteous, the filthy and the saints. That's four possibilities.
Listing all the possibilities may strike you as arrogant...but it should strike you as informative.
Would you prefer "The Sum of Some Possibilities in Christ? "
I am listing all the possibilities as per the words of God. Normally people ignore the warnings of God to settle on a good outcome for themselves and a bad outcome for whoever is not like them. Can you not see where the arrogance lies?
Read your extract.
Sounds like you are redefining the whole of theology and its foundations.
The problem with such a task is one book will not be big enough.
The church maybe varied in its expressions, the core messages still resound.
The Lord is strange to our ears. He sows His word in peoples heart and waits to see the fruit appear.
He seems less concerned about the issue of theology and more about love and its outworkings.
In the strangest of places I have found wisdom and blessing through sacrifice and desire.
So I am reluctant to judge or even suggest the church is divided, rather it is united in its aspirations
to follow Jesus, no matter how they interpret it.
So are you desiring to encourage people to seek Jesus deeper or preach your own interpretation of
scripture as the light others must accept?
On the effort front, I admire your desire to take such a task on, but I fear this reflects over ambition and
miss-understanding of many sincere believers and their teaching and following of Jesus.
God bless you
Oh I can’t take it anymore. I’m out of here. I had a real knot, so I spoke. I have no desire to watch this happen. Thanks for the book epi. It’s very good, despite men judging a book by its cover title and despite ProjectPeter 2.0 here.
It’s a stunningly good book. Any knot of my own doesn’t stop it being very, very good.
It’s a stunningly good book. Any knot of my own doesn’t stop it being very, very good.
Actually I'm trying to restore the whole counsel of God back into our collective understanding. This book provides an outline to the framework in which God is building His Church...and how He sees things...from HIS perspective...who is NOT a respecter of persons.
And yes, more books are in the planning stage to follow up on the details that are not fully fleshed out in this book.
If you were to read the entire book you would see how God has more than one way of dealing with His people and people in general. There is only a clarification of so many divided partisan opinions that divide the Body.
You may be happy with a divided Church. Thankfully, more and more believers are coming to the conclusion that the devil is loose in our congregations dividing the Body at his will. How can he do this? Through the uncrucified flesh of the religiously ambitious.
It is not ambitious to expose the lies that people have come to see as the truth. I don't expect many to find the doorway into Christ nor the path of eternal life. God in His mercy has allowed for the righteousness of those who are both humble and fear the Lord. God's ways are beyond what any one denomination can conjure up. This book opens that avenue up...and others...according to the words that come from His mouth. If we have ears to hear ...then we will hear Him.
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Actually I'm trying to restore the whole counsel of God back into our collective understanding. This book provides an outline to the framework in which God is building His Church...and how He sees things...from HIS perspective...who is NOT a respecter of persons.
And yes, more books are in the planning stage to follow up on the details that are not fully fleshed out in this book.
If you were to read the entire book you would see how God has more than one way of dealing with His people and people in general. There is only a clarification of so many divided partisan opinions that divide the Body.
You may be happy with a divided Church. Thankfully, more and more believers are coming to the conclusion that the devil is loose in our congregations dividing the Body at his will. How can he do this? Through the uncrucified flesh of the religiously ambitious.
It is not ambitious to expose the lies that people have come to see as the truth. I don't expect many to find the doorway into Christ nor the path of eternal life. God in His mercy has allowed for the righteousness of those who are both humble and fear the Lord. God's ways are beyond what any one denomination can conjure up. This book opens that avenue up...and others...according to the words that come from His mouth. If we have ears to hear ...then we will hear Him.
Every new movement starts with a vision of something new.
Each one has claimed a better revelation than the one going before.
If you look at the discussions between Peter and Paul about how much Jewish details one should keep etc.
the body was not harmonious even then. Paul expressed the desire as a body we should be of one mind and spirit.
A key phrase you used "expose the lies" is a problem.
"I don't expect many to find the doorway into Christ" suggests you are preaching to the unsaved.
"God's ways are beyond what any one denomination can conjure up" is a common distancing technique, those guys
over there are claiming exclusive and divided views of God. This ignores that rather than being inclusive your
suggestion is another exclusive approach, out of the church a few will listen to Gods message, ie creating another
division.
Jesus strikes me as saying simple things. I am the teacher, listen and put into effect my words and I will dwell with you.
No matter the church affiliation, people can do this. My heart is people just need more of Jesus, and to ask of themselves
to do what He is calling them to do.
The problem has never been a lack of words, or even the right preacher, its simply putting everything into action.
The catch is from the time of Jesus and the cross till now His Spirit has been saving people. For this to be true and
real, whatever the form of church and truth, it was enough for people to find God. And those who are instruments of
His ministry deserve respect and their due, so I honour the people of God and those who hold up His name in reverence
and praise, no matter the way, because if God honours them, I will honour them,
God bless you
You are reasoning from a previous conditioning and using the word "unsaved" from a religious perspective. There are layers to the meaning of words in the Bible that you are not aware of. Are you presently saved from the power of sin? The gospel is about freedom FROM sin...not freedom IN sin. You are not seeing the distinction between inheriting life at a future time and entering into resurrection life at the present time. And because people believe as they were taught to...very very few will move INTO Christ to be where He is at the present time...while still in mortal bodies.
Have you ever heard the expression..."If you died today would you go to heaven?"
1. Heaven is for the living not the dead. The time to enter into heaven is right now.
2. There is no future heaven for those who inherit life...just a new Earth to dwell upon in a new age.
3. People are taught in the religious institutions to be arrogant and throw away humility...and assume and presume upon their standing with God...through indoctrination. We are to say...the Lord willing...not...I will do such and such because of my beliefs. Many many will weep and gnash their teeth (be angry) because their smug beliefs will have proven to be their downfall. Just like many many Jews are rejected...so too many many Christians will also suffer rejection. Why? Because they refused knowledge and wisdom. Study your bible more closely WITHOUT assuming the warnings are for others.
You have it exactly backwards. I am destroying any possible division since the truth is not based on a creed or a belief system. ALL denominations are the same...they seek to divide the Body. The truth brings people together in humility and the fear of the Lord...something that all denominations have forsaken. The religious nature of the outer man demands special privileges for adhering to a set of beliefs. But the truth is to wait on the Lord for His approval and empowering.
Again you are not making any distinction between the guests at the wedding feast and the Bride of Christ. Such a lack of understanding will cause many to forego on either destiny. "My people are cut off from lack of knowledge."
Does that sound like the "unsaved" to you?
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@Episkopos Congratulations on finishing a Christian book 
. I know it can be tough to see a project to finish. When I was younger I wrote and illustrated some children's books and they were tough to finish.
. I know it can be tough to see a project to finish. When I was younger I wrote and illustrated some children's books and they were tough to finish.My friend I have no conditioning. I just hear Jesus saying simple things.
Critical thinking tells me it is you who wish to impose your conditioning or view on to my perspective and claim it is the real meaning.
What I have discovered is Jesus is the simple truth, it is us who put up barriers or start to invent conditioning...sin makes us complicated and self justifying, rather than open and repentant.
By the way this is my heart talking not some church formula, just Jesus and me,
God bless you
Emotional context not literal...most of our sharing is emotional context.
We will never be in heaven, we will be on a new earth with God dwelling with us.
In an emotional sense this is heaven, so the summary is to be in heaven. Equally most believers know the first steps, and follow their fellowship and worship. That is daily life, and a few go deeper. Jesus explained that is enough, you fed me, visited me in prison, helped me.
Things are simpler than some see and yet impossible for the lost.
God bless you
We will never be in heaven, we will be on a new earth with God dwelling with us.
In an emotional sense this is heaven, so the summary is to be in heaven. Equally most believers know the first steps, and follow their fellowship and worship. That is daily life, and a few go deeper. Jesus explained that is enough, you fed me, visited me in prison, helped me.
Things are simpler than some see and yet impossible for the lost.
God bless you
Wow. Is my book that compelling that you feel imposed upon?
Actually you have very little to go on with the book sample. You have made up your mind quickly and without enough knowledge and understanding of what I'm presenting. Many will do the very same thing with the way they read the Bible. Can you warn these to be more careful? No. Once the outer man latches on to a religious idea...it takes a lot to liberate them. People rely on what they have always relied on their whole lives...their own understanding.
Wow. Is my book that compelling that you feel imposed upon?
Actually you have very little to go on with the book sample. You have made up your mind quickly and without enough knowledge and understanding of what I'm presenting. Many will do the very same thing with the way they read the Bible. Can you warn these to be more careful? No. Once the outer man latches on to a religious idea...it takes a lot to liberate them. People rely on what they have always relied on their whole lives...their own understanding.
Have you ever wondered my friend why scripture is so small and yet so large?
The sermon on the mount is only 1 sheet of A4.
The words of Jesus are put only into 4 gospels.
You think this is what amount to religious ideas, or not enough.
Jesus called His words eternal, never ending, true here and now and throughout heaven.
Do you know how profound that actually is?
I would be happy if you reflected on Jesus and scriptures revelation and chimed with my heart.
But clearly without your insight I am lost.
Jesus criticised the Pharisees for not loving God. He did not hold them to account for being religious, but rather
hypocrites who taught true things and then did not follow them themselves.
What many "new" teachers bring is an emotional elation that trumps truth, that brings a different reality.
They need this because they do not know "the truth will set you free"
God bless you
On the subject of what I have to go on, the emotional intent of a movement is enough to know its meaning.
If the source of revelation is one individual, with a unique view, that can only be got through them, they have become
Gods oracle of reality and insight. It is a common theme at the start of all new movements or groups, and unfortunately
normally reside in the conviction they bring and the belief their followers have in their view of truth.
This is why Jesus called us to only call Him teacher, because through the Holy Spirit He is the source of our authority
and direction. Chillingly Jesus said simply His sheep listen to Him alone and not to other authorities.
So I know His sheep will listen to Jesus because they love Him, and that is the eternal elect calling of the Kingdom of
Heaven.
I suspect you do not agree, which is your choice my friend, and that's where I leave it and wish you well,
God bless you
If the source of revelation is one individual, with a unique view, that can only be got through them, they have become
Gods oracle of reality and insight. It is a common theme at the start of all new movements or groups, and unfortunately
normally reside in the conviction they bring and the belief their followers have in their view of truth.
This is why Jesus called us to only call Him teacher, because through the Holy Spirit He is the source of our authority
and direction. Chillingly Jesus said simply His sheep listen to Him alone and not to other authorities.
So I know His sheep will listen to Jesus because they love Him, and that is the eternal elect calling of the Kingdom of
Heaven.
I suspect you do not agree, which is your choice my friend, and that's where I leave it and wish you well,
God bless you
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