@Hiddenthings, maybe you just dont see it, but let me say one thing, adress it a little more fully (according to how I am seeing things on my end). Lets just use a simple one.
When I posted (added caps for emphasis)
Proverbs 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I WILL pour out my spirit unto you, I will MAKE KNOWN MY WORDS unto you.
Luke 24:45 Then OPENED HE their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
You responded to HIS opening their understanding with
Psalm 119:130 (KJV): "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."
It's not enough just to read or hear it, it must be understood.
Obviously I don't disagree with the scripture, and I added to your verse on an open door of utterance as far as an entrance can be shown this way also
Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Missing the point, you begin doing what you do, expanding into other areas and in pretense ask
What does it mean? Mystery of Christ? What does in bonds mean?
Picking up on the same patern of what you do, I said at this point
"Me and you are not speaking, scriptures only"
To which, you reply (as I would have expected)
"So you cannot give a reason of the hope?" Understood.
Which is according to what I had already pointed out to you (in Post #64 ) concerning to your response to AJ ,"
Right there is where you had no answer." (which I felt was repeatedly, revealing)
And you also added,
If you can't open the door and you won't let others open the door for you then I guess you are stuck.
And there it is, you believe I cannot open the door (when Christ opens the door) but also that I won't let others (meaning you) open the door (for me) since you believe yourself to be someone I need to open a door for me.
You respond to what you said to AJ, which again was "
Right there is where you had no answer."
This way,
If you are referring to Jane's reply
we have been discussing the subject for 3 months now and still she resist's its truth.
Me,
But there is no three long months of back and forth with you and I when I decide I am not going to head down a road of three months of back and forth with you, you very first response is
"So you cannot give a reason of the hope? Understood."
Me, that did not take three months to arrive there.
And that's what I mean about your MO, its apparent its what you are seeking for after a long string of questions (which can last up to 3 months with you ) one you have used for the defense for yourself in this.
So I respond in post #122 posting the entire context of "the mystery of Christ" which includes the very mention of "the hope" (you are now seeking a further answer for). All this following your first derailing question on Col 4:3 in post #118. That is how you begin though, the context is "an entrance" or "a door" and derails into "what is the Mystery of Christ" in that verse? Which you will just use to expand further into questions upon more questions, seeking for and/or where another choses to stop engaging with you. And in this case, you have thought enough ahead into your next question which would be "according to the hope" as it relates to the "Mystery of Christ" itself which makes it all the more obvious in your very question.
Again,
"So you cannot give a reason of the hope? Understood."
You already know where you are going with your line of questioning even before the first is answered completely.
And not desiring to engage with you on this level of endless questioning, will be equated with the typical ""
Right there is where you had no answer."
MO
Its obvious what you are doing.
So here (as I posted in #122) the full context
Highlighting it, the hope according to the Mystery of Christ (which was posted in part) and then in the fullest sense) since you were going to take it there (according to your own line of questioning)
Just so the same is not lost on anyone
Ephes 3:3
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Ephs 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge
in the mystery of Christ)
Ephes 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,
as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Ephes 3:6
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Ephes 3:7
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
Ephes 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given,
that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Ephes 3:9
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is
of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which
was kept secret since the world began,
Romans 16:26
But now is made manifest,
and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith
Col 1:25
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Col 1:26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
The above response is after my initial response, to the entrance of his words, to which I added the following only
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Col 4:3
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Col 4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
So I added Col 4:3 to your verse, then you asked about "the Mystery of Christ" in it (but not yet the hope, that was still in the backround) and when I decided not to play your game, you had responded already knowing what you were going to ask behind the mystery of Christ question ( which was according to the hope)
"So you cannot give a reason of the hope? Understood."
Which is why I state the obvious about how disengenous, and antagonistic you show yourself to be.
And you reply to me pointing this out this way
Wow - you give long meaningless replies when they are not called for...
It was actually appropriate,
But when it come to not coughing up the entire text to answer your own post according to "the mystery of Christ" only when you say? (Again, if I havent written it out enough)
"So you cannot give a reason of the hope? Understood"
But then you reply to my very provision of the texts in this manner....
....but when the subject is of importance you run to copy and paste.
Can't you even see how calculating and dishonest this is?
Then your last response is a little laughable, you respond flattering yourself
"It seems like you're conflicted, you recognize that I speak truth and present well-reasoned points,"
And regardless of your own self flattery here, it would be dishonest of me to deprive you of some well reasoned points on certain things, when I think you may have had one I would acknowledge the same. But that doesn't mean I don't think you can be somewhere off in left field in other areas.
But you add,
yet when it comes time to engage, you pull back (shrink), perhaps out of fear of losing ground or something similar.
My response,
That would be disengaging with you on your own grounds, but for me to remain in His words would not be losing ground, to depart from them would be.
You have basically stated your destination (its not some secret) your mode of questioning has shown to be a means to get there, or simply to ask questions till the cows come home untill the answers stop coming, where you can exclaim as you did with another, "Right there is where you had no answer." or simply in a provoking
others in the backhanded way typical of you, " So you cannot give a reason of the hope? Understood."
There are many other examples on this board similar to this.
It reveals more about you then others