The Wonders of the kingdom of God.

[charity]

Yes, that is the presentation episkopos makes. But what he teaches does not match Scripture. His teaching is what? again, I'll say, he can correct me if I'm wrong about what he says, my understanding is . . .

1) All people are forgiven all sins and reconciled to God by Jesus' death, and none will enter eternal torment.
2) Of "reconciled humanity" some may be born again, and these have then the opportunity to become sufficiently righteous to actually be saved, though I can't figure out exactly what he means by "saved". I think it has to do with gaining to the upper castes.
3) Of these "born again" some will be - the "faithful", and a few of them - the "saints".
4) All humanity will be reformed into this eternal caste system, with, under God of course, the "Saints", then the "Faithful" below them, and everybody else below them.
5) Rebirth only buys you a ticket into the race, winning the race, through "getting your own righteousness", buys you your spot in the eternal kingdom.

- And this is nothing like what the Bible itself states. But then, Episkopos considers the Bible a 'dead book', and that he, by virtue of his 'visitations from God', is able to interpret it for the rest of us, and we should all actually listen to him, not the Bible.
- Again, I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth, I'm just summarising, as best I can, what I understand of his beliefs. I welcome his corrections, should I be misunderstanding him.

Hello @marks,

I hope Episkopos will respond, and set the record straight concerning these points you observed and itemised, for it is a fearsome list of errors.

In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[marks]

But we grow enough to be able to remain in that place if and when we are invited into that heavenly place.

Again, our walk is by faith, and not by sight, so encouraging others to seek after the seeing of the eyes, and the hearing of the ears, and the touch of the senses, is contrary to what the Bible teaches.

Much love!

 

[marks]

Hello @marks,

I hope Episkopos will respond, and set the record straight concerning these points you observed and itemised, for it is a fearsome list of errors.

In Christ Jesus
Chris

He's got a long record of not responding to me. I can't blame him. I wouldn't want to be teaching as he does faced with questions I ask. But then I think that's why he tends to respond with what I can only describe as meanness.

Much love!

 

[marks]

Then, if He sees fit to allow me to reach this higher calling, I will gladly accept it. It is not that I haven't been praying about these things like, constantly! Ha! And, He will not shut His children off if we ask. He has taken away all of my outward sin habits...drinking, drugging, smoking and much more. Those were the things, way back when, that I thought would NEVER leave me yet, they were the first things to go and, I now am left with doing a lot of spiritual warfare with thoughts that satan's fiery arrows keep shooting in my mind. Everything gets better spiritually, with myself anyhow, as His knowledge is given to me. I already know that His grace is VERY and FULLY sufficient for me, no matter what, only took me a couple decades to understand it! I have let go of everything not of Him in my life Epi, and now I only wait on Him to fill those now empty spaces with His glory and His plans for me...and He sure is storing His will inside me because that is ALL I want. ♥

Hi Nancy,

I think this really describes the life God outlines for us in the Bible. We don't suffer from emptiness, Christ has made us full, and that fulness will overwhelm more and more of our lives as we go.

Much love!

 

[marks]

But I'm a guy who doesn't mind having my views challenged...as long as they are backed up by the word and their own experience.

Is that so?

 

[marks]

Question: Do I need to feel good about myself when exposed to the truth?

Feelings are irrelevant, though many people feel many different things. Some get angry.

 

[marks]

Isn't it better to judge ourselves now rather than to be judged later by God?

1 Corinthians 4
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Actually, you are not a qualified judge of yourself. Or, at least God inspired Paul to write that Paul was not a qualified judge of himself. More to the point. You? You can answer that question I suppose.

Much love!

 

[marks]

If we would depart from iniquity and seek the Lord now....would we not be shown God's pleasure in His gifting of grace?

So then you want to buy God's grace with your good behavior.

It is by God's grace that we can have good behavior. We need to keep the cart following the horse.

Much love!

 

[Nancy]

Hi Nancy,

I think this really describes the life God outlines for us in the Bible. We don't suffer from emptiness, Christ has made us full, and that fulness will overwhelm more and more of our lives as we go.

Much love!

Yes Marks,
That fullness seems to be given to each of us more and more as we grow in knowing Him. All I WANT in this life and the next is Christ Life! Amen!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

post #200 was very disingenuous.

 

[marks]

Yes Marks,
That fullness seems to be given to each of us more and more as we grow in knowing Him. All I WANT in this life and the next is Christ Life! Amen!

Unfortunately I can only give One Like.

Much love!

 

[marks]

post #200 was very disingenuous.

That was my post. How so?

dis·in·gen·u·ous
/ˌdisənˈjenyo͞oəs/

Learn to pronounce

adjective
adjective: disingenuous
not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
"this journalist was being somewhat disingenuous as well as cynical"
synonyms: dishonest, deceitful, underhand, underhanded, duplicitous, double-dealing, two-faced, dissembling, insincere, false, lying, untruthful, mendacious; More

How am I being diengenuous by calling attention to someone else's post?

 

[stunnedbygrace]

By making it look like it was his answer to her. You do things in a "crocodile smile" type of way. Next you will start shrieking about how he called you a dog, as you always like to tell that lie too.

 

[marks]

By making it look like it was his answer to her. You do things in a "crocodile smile" type of way. Next you will start shrieking about how he called you a dog, as you always like to tell that lie too.

"Making it look like" would be you projecting your first impression onto me, as if that were my intent. Not a very good way to engender understanding and communication, imo.

Frame how you want, and denigrate me however you want, you do that whenever you want.

Or you could respond to my content, instead of constantly disparaging me.

But that would be much more difficult, easier just to sling mud.

I simply posted two comments together for contrast. make of it what you will. But it sure shows the heart of the speaker, does it not? I think that's what irritates you most.

Shrieking, crocodile smiling, anything else you want to add?

Anyone can click the link to see what posts I'm quoting. Or, you can just vilify me. Again, that's a lot easier, isn't it?

 

[Nancy]

So then you want to buy God's grace with your good behavior.

It is by God's grace that we can have good behavior. We need to keep the cart following the horse.

Much love!

Episkopos said: ↑
If we would depart from iniquity and seek the Lord now....would we not be shown God's pleasure in His gifting of grace?

Hi Marks,
I believe Epi does have a good point here because we ARE to depart from iniquity. God hates sin, cannot and will not ever accept it. If we are new creatures IN Christ, then we strive to please Him as Jesus did and God said He was well pleased by His Son.
Gods grace to me is:
"This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:22-24).
Now, don't hate me because I love the both of you!

 

[marks]

If everybody could just get off this Insult Bandwagon we could maybe have some real discussion.

 

[marks]

I believe Epi does have a good point here because we ARE to depart from iniquity.

Hi Nancy,

Of course we are to depart from sin. But because we've been made holy, not so that we can become holy. This isn't about making ourselves righteous, it's about living the righteousness God has made us to be.

Now, don't hate me because I love the both of you!

Something I don't think people understand here is that I do in fact love episkopos. And the others here. Now, I'm not enamoured to what he's doing. But the man himself? I want well for him. I want to engage him in discussion to hopefully share with him some very good news that it doesn't seem that he understands. I want him to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and not something false.

I doubt that he will ever receive it from me, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to give up.

And just the same, I want others here to know the true, and not the false. And when I look at the confusion he spreads, its a problem.

Jesus was quite blunt with many people. But do you suppose that meant He didn't love them? Not that I'm Jesus. But I do want the best for the man.

Much love!

 

[Waiting on him]

In fact, the very thought that one must become more holy to enter into Christ is a bit absurd. There are not various degrees of holiness, like, oh man, I wish I could be as holy as you but I'm only a little bit holy right now. That's absurd. No one seeks or strives for a holiness of their own. They seek to be found in Christ, where holiness is.
And in Him is no sin. How have we come to this place where men claim they are holy while sinning, holy in spite of sinning. Why on earth would you insist on such absurdity? It is nonsensical. And where is taking the lower seat in THAT??

Hi Nancy,

Of course we are to depart from sin. But because we've been made holy, not so that we can become holy. This isn't about making ourselves righteous, it's about living the righteousness God has made us to be.



Something I don't think people understand here is that I do in fact love episkopos. And the others here. Now, I'm not enamoured to what he's doing. But the man himself? I want well for him. I want to engage him in discussion to hopefully share with him some very good news that it doesn't seem that he understands. I want him to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and not something false.

I doubt that he will ever receive it from me, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to give up.

And just the same, I want others here to know the true, and not the false. And when I look at the confusion he spreads, its a problem.

Jesus was quite blunt with many people. But do you suppose that meant He didn't love them? Not that I'm Jesus. But I do want the best for the man.

Much love!

of course your not Christ, but to be a Christian is to be Christ like.

 

[Waiting on him]

See Nancy your humility is true humility, it’s not false humility. I hear it in your posts, this to me is Christ like.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

"Making it look like" would be you projecting your first impression onto me, as if that were my intent. Not a very good way to engender understanding and communication, imo.

Frame how you want, and denigrate me however you want, you do that whenever you want.

Or you could respond to my content, instead of constantly disparaging me.

But that would be much more difficult, easier just to sling mud.

I simply posted two comments together for contrast. make of it what you will. But it sure shows the heart of the speaker, does it not? I think that's what irritates you most.

Shrieking, crocodile smiling, anything else you want to add?

Anyone can click the link to see what posts I'm quoting. Or, you can just vilify me. Again, that's a lot easier, isn't it?

Its far from a first impression. And for the umpteenth time, I understand passive aggression because I grew up in a family steeped in it.