Deeper meanings in the Word

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

APAK

Well-Known Member
Feb 4, 2018
10,356
10,826
113
Florida
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I’m not against you; I’m for the body. We are not enemies. I don’t want to see you fail or be wrong. You are probably right. It’s simply questions. Do I have the fullness and power of the Godhead as Christ manifested...no, of course not but I tend to believe as a whole (joined as a body) we do with the head as lead. What Stephen manifested was for the body as a whole; obviously not for Stephen’s own glory because Stephen was stoned.

What amazes and confuses me are “words”. The Son of God said: John 10:37-38 “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. [38] But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”

“...though ye believe not me, believe the works:”

Do we expect them to believe our words without the works, when they didn’t believe His without the works?

2 Timothy 3:16-17
[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

“That the man of God may be perfect,” what man of God...Ephesians 4:12-13
[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

VictotyinJeus:

No worries sister….I was just concerned my view was not seen, whether you agreed with it or not. And I thought a rabbit trail was materializing/ emerging to no where.....my over-kill attitude..sorry for that...:)

Referring to John 10:36-38

Jesus was born without a sinful nature and given the ‘fullness’ of God’s power after his baptism. This is the ‘fullness’ necessary to carry out God’s will and do the tasks of God. This power given to God was not Christ's to use independently as he wished. Also, different from Stephen and others, Jesus' Father was speaking constantly within Jesus. Jesus could clearly hear him speak to him.

So, when Jesus was trying to convince people to believe that he was the son of God, and his power originated from his Father, he said,.. then believe in this power in terms of miracles that 'I will' do. Jesus was in God and God in him. He was ultimately saying believe in God who you know does miracles, and know of this history, and that I’m doing them through his power today.

Stephen was given a type of fullness of power as well to perform his tasks for God.

Because God was in Christ and Christ in him, then automatically Stephen was in Christ and Christ in him, as we are as believers.

You know a believer with a swath of the life or spirit of Christ and one with a chunk of his power and life are both still in Christ, although one is more 'into' Christ and Christ 'into' him/her. Now I want to be 'more' into Christ and he in me..... and then my fullness grows if God wills it for his purpose.

You know VIC you have brought up another very significant subject that involving grace, faith, fullness, power and the amount of spirit of Christ within you that God does ultimately controls. I like to say that this subject to justice to it is like creating one set of equations to explain the grand unified field theory of forces in the universe.....only this one is to explain the spiritual version of all forces and powers between what's in my heart to God's logos.

I always knew you were a deep thinker and I'm not ready to justice to this subject yet.....

Thanks for you comments to my post, they are always welcome by me...;);)

Bless you,


APAK
 

aspen

“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Apr 25, 2012
14,110
4,778
113
54
West Coast
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Have you ever read a verse in the bible and saw new meaning in it as if you were reading it for the first time? Even though you had read it many times before?

There are layers of meaning in the bible....especially in the OT....since the gospel was truly hidden at that time. But not so hidden that it can't be revealed by the Spirit and careful study.

i would like to list some of these verse and I hope others will contribute as well.

The goal is to encourage study of the bible for the purpose of edification, encouragement and general biblical understanding.

I think placing yourself in the shoes of every person in the passage or story is an effective way to understand the impact events had on the characters and new insight into how you view events in your own life.
 

Episkopos

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2011
14,007
21,591
113
66
Montreal
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
I think placing yourself in the shoes of every person in the passage or story is an effective way to understand the impact events had on the characters and new insight into how you view events in your own life.

Amen. Too many people see themselves as the winners in every bible scenario...rather than trying themselves by placing themselves in every verse whether good or bad.

I don't know how many people I have asked...do you see yourself as a possible failure (like one of the foolish virgins)...do you think it is possible? And mostly I get..."not me!" Whereas when Jesus said that one of them would betray Him...they all asked..."Lord, is it me?"

Scary implications to be sure.

So then we can only know ourselves by being open to not cover up a true appraisal of who we really are. And this will cause some pain as we consider what stuff we are made of. But it is a surefire way to be transformed by going to God with an accurate outlook and being aware of our real needs.
 

aspen

“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Apr 25, 2012
14,110
4,778
113
54
West Coast
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Amen. Too many people see themselves as the winners in every bible scenario...rather than trying themselves by placing themselves in every verse whether good or bad.

I don't know how many people I have asked...do you see yourself as a possible failure (like one of the foolish virgins)...do you think it is possible? And mostly I get..."not me!" Whereas when Jesus said that one of them would betray Him...they all asked..."Lord, is it me?"

Scary implications to be sure.

So then we can only know ourselves by being open to not cover up a true appraisal of who we really are.

Yes! I believe this is a great way to meditate on the scriptures........even just experiencing the negative emotions of the characters helps empathy
 
  • Like
Reactions: Helen and Episkopos

Episkopos

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2011
14,007
21,591
113
66
Montreal
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
Yes! I believe this is a great way to meditate on the scriptures........even just experiencing the negative emotions of the characters helps empathy


This is exactly right. We need to feel what others feel...and put ourselves in their place...even if it doesn't fit. I think we stand more of a chance to rise above the negatives in this way. And we can appreciate the troubles of others. If we look to understand others...then I think God will help us. We will be treated as we treat others. As we have sown so shall we reap.
 

Enoch111

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2018
17,682
16,014
113
Alberta
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
Too many people see themselves as the winners in every bible scenario
But isn't that what God expects from Christians?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Rom 8:37)

So what does "we are more than conquerors" mean other that "we are more than winners"?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Helen

Episkopos

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2011
14,007
21,591
113
66
Montreal
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
But isn't that what God expects from Christians?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Rom 8:37)

So what does "we are more than conquerors" mean other that "we are more than winners"?

Actually being a conqueror is not the same as just thinking you are. We are talking about the ability to see just how we're doing in truth...so we can get there.
 

Jun2u

Well-Known Member
Mar 6, 2014
1,083
362
83
76
Southern CA.
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
According to Scripture we are to believe -- by faith -- that we are more than conquerors THROUGH CHRIST. That is exactly what I quoted.


I concur for that is exactly what you conveyed in post #47.
 

Episkopos

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2011
14,007
21,591
113
66
Montreal
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
According to Scripture we are to believe -- by faith -- that we are more than conquerors THROUGH CHRIST. That is exactly what I quoted.


But that isn't the meaning of the verse you quoted. We are to BE more than conquerors...not just believe we are. There is just too much room otherwise for the very human foible of self-delusion. This is not the power of positive thinking at work...but power....the grace from heaven to overcome all things.

Otherwise a person can sin...and believe he didn't.

Or as Bono said in a song... "I don't believe in the gun that just went off in my hand."
 
  • Like
Reactions: aspen

Taken

Well-Known Member
Feb 6, 2018
27,449
14,862
113
United States
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I know one thing that inspired me the first time I heard it was when there was a sermon on the love chapter.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬7 NASB

The pastor had said to try putting your name in where it said "love" and see how many of these attributes you have. This really brought fruitful application in my life, but I got to say, I am still not a very patient person.

I have heard the one defining one liner of the meaning of LOVE to be:
Doing what is RIGHTEOUS for the OTHER Person, REGARDLESS of the consequences.

God Bless,
Taken
 
  • Like
Reactions: Enoch111 and Helen

VictoryinJesus

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2017
10,585
8,431
113
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
i would like to list some of these verse and I hope others will contribute as well.

Genesis 9:20-23
[20] And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: [21] And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. [22] And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. [23] And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

Habakkuk 2:15-16
[15] Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him , and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! [16] Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

Shame for glory: For me it means: woe to one that purposely looks on another’s nakedness(Spirit nakedness) to glory in it which is shame. 1 Corinthians 5:6
[6] Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Judge (examine) your own foreskin...are you circumcised in the heart? If not, a shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. Matthew 7:3
[3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
 

Frank Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2017
1,459
2,842
113
80
Ouachita Mountains
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
What you are describing is the living word. Looking onto the page of the Bible is like looking onto the surface of rippling water. Ever the same but ever changing.

God can take any scripture and speak it in a way that is directed exactly to your present question, trouble, affliction.

It is the quickened word crackling with the power of God. Each word a servant to God awaiting orders.
 
  • Like
Reactions: faithfulness