The mark of the beast:

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Keraz

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That is one of the strangest remarks coming from a Christian, although it would have been normal for a Jehovah's Witness.
No; it is quite normal and proper to say we never go to heaven. Jesus said just that in John 3:13 and in several other verses.
Out citizenship is held in heaven, in the Book of Life. That truth does not mean we go to live in heaven.

Earth is our home and we never leave it, Eventually God and therefore heaven, come to dwell with mankind on earth. Revelation 20:1-7
 
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bbyrd009

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and only God knows when too, huh
lol
Return to Me and I will return to you
Mark,
Please remind me what "passage" we were discussing?? I think we are talking about different things. All I will say is that there will be a NEW EARTH as well as a new Heaven. I also believe that Christians will inhabit it. I do not believe we ever go to Heaven. And, yes, I agree that the Western Christians, many, not all - are stuck in a rut, many for their whole Christian lives! Lax and only looking to God for what He can provide for THEM. They do not seek to go further...lazy. But, there is a remnant...
you maybe note that we all pretty much disagree on what "the meat of the Word is" anyway right
 

Nancy

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and only God knows when too, huh
lol
Return to Me and I will return to you

you maybe note that we all pretty much disagree on what "the meat of the Word is" anyway right

The way I see it is, we were separated at the FALL...He want's us to return to Him in HEART and FAITH and He will THEN return to us...seems pretty simple?

Milk of the Word = The basics of Christian teaching
Meat (or strong meat?) of the Word = More complex or deeper into the Words teachings...I dunno Mark, but that seems clear as day to me.
 

Nancy

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That is one of the strangest remarks coming from a Christian, although it would have been normal for a Jehovah's Witness.

The Bible says that the citizenship of Christians ("our citizenship") is in Heaven. But it looks like you are already renouncing that. Next you'll be telling us that you do not believe in the Resurrection/Rapture.

The inhabitants of the New Earth will be the redeemed nation of Israel and the saved nations surrounding it. But our eternal home is the New Jerusalem in Heaven, where Christ has prepared mansions for those who belong to Him.

Yes, Spiritually speaking our citizenship IS in Heaven but, the New Jerusalem will be coming "down from heaven" and we will be ever with Him. Heaven AND Earth will be united (On Earth as it is in heaven...) God will establish the NEW EARTH so that all who believed on Him will rule as kings and priests on the earth. BTW-I have read a different translation concerning "mansions"---"rooms"
Be nice!
 

VictoryinJesus

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Paul may very well have literally been bitten by a literal snake on his literal hand and shook it into a literal fire, I don't know

Maybe so as they were astonished who saw and were afraid. Christ taught by doing what He saw the Father doing. I’ve often considered what was the Father doing? Isn’t that the “greater” ...what the Spirit was doing? would it not have been Jesus manifested what He saw the Spirit doing but that (seen physically)wasn’t the greater...So that Paul was bitten and not hurt by the poison, fought with the serpent and shook it off in the fire for destruction. Is profitable in manifesting what the Son saw the Spirit doing: 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds

Maybe outward signs are fading away but that doesn’t mean the Father (Spirit)is still not doing the same today as He did before...
 
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bbyrd009

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The way I see it is, we were separated at the FALL...He want's us to return to Him in HEART and FAITH and He will THEN return to us...seems pretty simple?

Milk of the Word = The basics of Christian teaching
Meat (or strong meat?) of the Word = More complex or deeper into the Words teachings...I dunno Mark, but that seems clear as day to me.
That is also what I assumed for pretty much my whole life, Nancy, yes

Now, if you can justify that with “never eat meat again” then by all means do so I’d love to hear it
 

Davy

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? little kids are perfect, huh
an they aint trying to "perfect" squat are they
except maybe their service
they dont even know how to plow their own ground yet do they

Little kids will lie... and they don't even know they're doing it. They can get jealous of their siblings, show selfishness, etc. So no, little kids are not perfect. Innocent yes, but not perfect.
 

Davy

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oh jesus, ok
I came that you might have death, and more abundantly gotcha bro, ty

Of course He didn't say that as you well know, you being sarcastic. The fact that He wants us to enjoy our lives during this present world doesn't mean this is heaven, nor is it His eternal Kingdom to come in the next world. Thus your comparison for this world trying to use what He said there still doesn't support this present world.
 
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bbyrd009

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Of course He didn't say that as you well know, you being sarcastic. The fact that He wants us to enjoy our lives during this present world doesn't mean this is heaven, nor is it His eternal Kingdom to come in the next world. Thus your comparison for this world trying to use what He said there still doesn't support this present world.
OK Dave, ty
 

Nancy

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That is also what I assumed for pretty much my whole life, Nancy, yes

Now, if you can justify that with “never eat meat again” then by all means do so I’d love to hear it

"never eat meat again" No idea what you are getting at here! There is the meat of the Word and there is physical, tangible "meat". The only biblical passage I can think of is to not eat meat "if it makes your brother stumble"
 
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bbyrd009

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"never eat meat again" No idea what you are getting at here! There is the meat of the Word and there is physical, tangible "meat". The only biblical passage I can think of is to not eat meat "if it makes your brother stumble"
then i guess we have not arrived at the Scriptural def of meat yet eh?
i mean, "dont ever get into the juicy, real stuff in Scripture again?" you think?
 

Nancy

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then i guess we have not arrived at the Scriptural def of meat yet eh?
i mean, "dont ever get into the juicy, real stuff in Scripture again?" you think?

Okay Mark, what is YOUR scriptural definition of "meat"? Again, there is milk and there is meat...why complicate this?
 

Nancy

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so then, in that set of defs, if a brother is offended by "meat," you would never eat meat again?

I would not, not in front of my brother, nor would I have a beer around anyone who could stumble. That goes for anything I find to be permissible from God...food, drink, movies...ANYTHING that would make my brother stumble would never be done by me in front of them...too many occasions to make a brother stumble. AGAPE BABY!!!!! :D
 
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bbyrd009

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I would not, not in front of my brother, nor would I have a beer around anyone who could stumble. That goes for anything I find to be permissible from God...food, drink, movies...ANYTHING that would make my brother stumble would never be done by me in front of them...too many occasions to make a brother stumble. AGAPE BABY!!!!! :D
cool, it works on that level too :)
sort of
 
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bbyrd009

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anyway, fwiw this one might splain another way to perceive "meat," but one will kinda hafta read back a little i guess, dunno. There was a better one imo, see if i can find it
Pray in thy closet
My Spouse Does Not Like To Hear This.....

and i'm not speaking in riddles or trying to be coy on purpose in these ok, manna is the attitude of what is it? that little kids below a certain age display, as opposed to the attitude of he who says he knows (is full of crap, and surely does not know jack squat) does not yet know as he ought, imo, and meat = essentially "facts" or maybe even truth, something like that, even though the two rarely intersect i guess. Plain as i can say it, right there, hope it helps.

In Satan's Dialectic one speaks in facts;
if you want the truth, you have to ask a little kid :)
and there is no way to discern the diff...well, there is, ha
but thats another, much longer post i guess

this post contains no truth or facts ok, that i am aware of

"what is currently true will shortly be false"
(the first return is not me; the second is me figuring this out)

Dialectical Thinking: Chinese vs. Western Style — HCC Learning Web
 
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Bobby Jo

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... this post contains no truth or facts ...

Perhaps your attentions are incorrectly directed. Have you considered a different/better path???

-- Yeah thinking is difficult. Blathering is much easier. --
Bobby Jo
 

BARNEY BRIGHT

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My take on the first beast being wounded, fatally, is to provide a proof that this beast is supernatural, and not just a human, who is to be followed, and furthermore, directed worship to. He's the coming "son" of satan, who they worship and follow.


The scriptures tell us that those who worship idols are worshipping Satan and his demons. The scriptures tell us that in prophecy nations or kingdoms are referred to as beasts. The scriptures also tell us Satan is the ruler of the nations. So I don't find it hard to believe that the beast with the seven heads to represent
characteristics of the four beasts of Daniel’s vision . . . Accordingly, this first beast [of Revelation] represents the combined forces of all political rule opposed to God in the world.” This observation is affirmed by Revelation 13:7, which says of the beast: “Authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.”*

In scripture 666 is said to be “a man’s number,” or as The Amplified Bible puts it, “a human number.” This expression could not refer to an individual human, for Satan—not any man—has authority over the beast. (Luke 4:5, 6; 1 John 5:19;Revelation 13:2, 18) Rather, the beast’s having “a human number,” or mark, suggests that it is a human entity, not spirit or demon, and that it therefore manifests certain human traits. What might they be? The Bible answers, saying: “All [humans] have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) The beast’s having “a human number,” therefore, indicates that governments reflect the fallen human condition, the mark of sin and imperfection.

The number seven, is often used to symbolize that which is complete, or perfect, in God’s eyes.

Six is one short of seven. Would it not be a fitting symbol of something imperfect, or defective, in God’s eyes? Yes, indeed! (1 Chronicles 20:6, 7) Moreover, six repeated three times, as 666, powerfully stresses that imperfection. That this is the correct view is supported by the fact that 666 is “a human number,” as we have considered. Thus, the beast’s record, its “human number,” and the number 666 itself all point to one unmistakable conclusion—gross shortcoming and failure in the eyes of Jehovah.

Immediately after disclosing the number 666, Revelation mentions 144,000 followers of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who have his name and the name of his Father, Jehovah, written on their foreheads. These names identify the bearers as belonging to Jehovah and to his Son, about whom they proudly bear witness. Likewise, those having the mark of the beast proclaim their servitude to the beast. Thus, the mark, whether on the right hand or on the forehead, figuratively speaking, is a symbol that identifies its bearer as one who gives worshipful support to the beastlike political systems of the world. Those having the mark give to “Caesar” that which rightly belongs to God. (Luke 20:25;Revelation 13:4, 8; 14:1) How? By giving
worshipful honor to the political state, its symbols, and its military might, to which they look for hope and salvation. Any worship that they render the true God is merely lip service.

In contrast, the Bible urges us: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs. His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish.” (Psalm 146:3, 4) Those who heed that wise counsel are not disillusioned when governments fail to deliver on their promises or when charismatic leaders fall from grace.—Proverbs 1:33.

This does not mean that true Christians sit back and do nothing about mankind’s plight. On the contrary, they actively proclaim the one government that will solve mankind’s problems—God’s Kingdom, which they represent.—Matthew 24:14.

When on earth, Jesus made God’s Kingdom the main theme of his preaching. (Luke 4:43) In his model prayer, sometimes called the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught his followers to pray for that Kingdom to come and for God’s will to be done here on earth. (Matthew 6:9, 10) The Kingdom is a government that will rule over the entire earth, not from some earthly capital, but from heaven. Hence, Jesus called it “the kingdom of the heavens.”—Matthew 11:12.

Who is better suited to be King of that Kingdom than Jesus Christ, the one who died for his future subjects? (Isaiah 9:6, 7; John 3:16) Soon this perfect Ruler, now a mighty spirit person, will hurl the beast, its kings, and its armies into “the fiery lake that burns with sulphur,” a symbol of complete destruction. But that is not all. Jesus will also get rid of Satan, something that no human could ever do.—Revelation 11:15; 19:16, 19-21; 20:2, 10.

God’s Kingdom will bring peace to all its obedient subjects. (Psalm 37:11, 29; 46:8, 9) Even sorrow, pain, and death will be no more. What a glorious prospect for those who remain free of the mark of the beast!—Revelation 21:3, 4.