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I would view this passage a lot like John 3:16. Because of tradition, you end up with "For God so loved the world..." The typical English reader sees the word "so" and interprets it to mean degree. It's what one means when he or she says "I love you so much!" In reality, it refers to the manner...

There is a ton that goes into all of this, but just a couple quick points. I get myself into trouble a bit here, but let me remark that I number the NLT, NRSV and RSV among my core 6-7 translations I refer to when I am trying to study the Bible. In fact, I like the NRSV for the most part as...

Welcome to the community! We generally accept anyone, but we must review all accounts to cut down on the spam and trolls. Our standards are pretty low, after all, because I'm still around! ;) Let us know if you have any questions.

And we could just as easily ask if these folks were deceived? You start going outside of the authority of Holy Scripture, and you will inundate yourself with what-ifs. Interpreting universal salvation in the Bible would require a shift in interpretation. That is fine if that's the route you...

I don't know about you or others here, but I've always viewed this little episode in Jude as commentary on how we are to deal with Satan. In light of passages like Psalm 75:6-7 and Deuteronomy 1:17, amongst many others, the final condemnation of the devil belongs to God as ultimate Judge...

This pope is a PR master, he's using the best marketing playbook. I really take no umbrage at the Vatican coming out in support of Theistic Evolution. Contrary to the claims made here, that is not a problem! How you specifically interpret Genesis does not necessarily change your interpretation...

Johnlove, I don't necessarily disagree with your, but your post never answers the question you posed on the first line of it. What does this showing look like? As an Administrator on this forum, I've had people claim all sorts of experiences from seeing Jesus in a dream or vision to receiving...

Always jumping to those straw men! It's funny that if you maintain general authority in Scripture, then you're always for a 100% literal interpretation. That's the straw boogeyman! Instead, the actual question I am proposing is that if you're willing to throw out every supernatural event...

Ananias and Sapphira seem to corroborate the notion that God does inflict punishment consistently from the Old to New Testament. Let's flip the field a bit and ponder this question. If indeed accounts such as those you speak of and the Ananias & Sapphire episode of Acts should be discounted or...

I'm reading through Dante, and I could not help but think of this thread several times. In Canto III, the inscription to hell reads: The problem is we only have the benefit of a rather shallow and encapsulated view of history coupled with the same contemporaneous perspective. We have no way to...

You're approaching this with the assumption that these viruses would show the molecular equivalent of a tag sporting "Designed by Wormtongue for Satan Ind." on them. I trust that there is some interesting genetics and biochemistry dynamics behind everything and quite beyond my area of study. I...

The idea that we alone are deciders of something like this is not in the New Testament. The most glaring example would be the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15:6-29. In the lead up to the council, there is a pretty clear indication of how a debate is decided because both sides claimed inspiration...

A good pastor made the remark that the Bible inverts the evil with good. In the case of the Roman soldier compelling one to travel a mile (Matthew 5:41), the command for us as Christians is to walk two. It sounds defiant, and it is, but it also served the purpose of flipping the situation on the...

It's an older distinction I don't hear as much of anymore, but I recall several older pastors talking about sins of omission compared with sins of commission. The former being things we neglect to do often through the error of not knowing enough and more or less being willfully ignorant. Sins of...

While there is no doubt that things are changing - and rapidly changing at that - here in America when it comes to the Church, I think this article has a bit of a point. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/19/all-aboard-the-uss-persecution-complex.html Normally, I find that Dr...

Closing this topic at request of the OP. Thanks for the participation!

And the determinant factor here is you, which seems a little flawed. The KJV folks seem to suggest that certain mistakes are permissible, but they are the arbiters. And this is what's funny, because the term is not derogatory. It's simply a statement of fact. KJVO people riff all "modern...

Mod Note: This topic has gone far enough. I cleaned up some of the posts, and contrary to some asserted opinions, we remove rule-breaking posts and unfortunately sometimes their responses that quote or break discussion from threads. I do apologize for those who simply replied and perhaps lost...

So do you have the Honda VTX 1300 because all the Calvinists get that or were you predestined to ride it? ;) (Hopefully you don't take me too serious in that!) Welcome aboard to Christianity Board!

I am not comfortable with calling it creation. I'd term it more corruption, which Satan would seem to do quite well in that category. He would not be necessarily creating anything new rather than attempting to destroy what God created. That distinction made, then I would be satisfied. With that...