What does it mean to be born again?

[Johann]

So there's nothing to convict the Jews that they may have got it wrong.

Incorrect

We are not here to CONVICT the Jews, or anyone, matter of fact.
Stay on the subject under discussion, whatever that is.

J.

 

[Laurina]

The truth is embedded in their own scriptures. It takes someone to point them out. God backs up the truth.

But one must understand where they are to find them. I mean that more from a spiritual perspective, of course.

An Amen is needed here!!

 

[Laurina]

The genuine believer IN Christ exhibits the fruit of the Spirit.

Gal_5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Eph_5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth

Shalom
J.

Is this what I have (and everyone else who reads this thread has) been seeing???

 

[Episkopos]

Is this what I have (and everyone else who reads this thread has) been seeing???

Seeing yes...in print...but not experiencing. A lot of religious ideology is in laid out in theory...but not borne out in experience. I think people are believing something is...even though it isn't.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Incorrect


Stay on the subject under discussion, whatever that is.

J.

You are not allowed to tell the man, and especially in his own thread, what he may and may not discuss.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Thank you @Lizbeth you are standing for truth, as it is written in Scriptures, great to be with you, working side by side.
J.

I don’t know how she could have been any clearer in saying she was addressing everyone, no matter who…

 

[Episkopos]

I marvel at the genius of God. He is able to kick start a people that were not a people (Gentiles) by giving them a new spiritual beginning. But, rather than be different from the Jews who prided themselves on their natural status...the Gentiles followed the exact same course.

In either case only a remnant were able to resist the temptation to see themselves as being special. It is God who is special. Not us.

With a New Covenant comes a higher expectation to have a greater humility and a greater fear of the Lord. But like the Israelites in the wilderness, there is a tendency for the carnal mind to go exactly against the will of God, by misappropriating what is meant to destroy the flesh...in order to build it up further.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

you have lost all credibility, with me, and the other members

And you hit that point months ago.

 

[Johann]

Seeing yes...in print...but not experiencing. A lot of religious ideology is in laid out in theory...but not borne out in experience. I think people are believing something is...even though it isn't.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/868772584347126725/

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Failure to see the difference between called and chosen. It’s a thing!

 

[Johann]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/868772584347126725/

Calvin said it well Epi, since you are in denial of the Scriptures and advocate the impossibility of brothers and sisters to walk in freedom in Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit. Casting doubts on the reality of the scriptural promises, even the passage I posted is being spurned as "on paper" but not in reality.

What is left to discuss? The scriptures--Cross--death and resurrection of Messiah--the Holy Spirit--Pauline doctrines?

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Calvin said it well Epi, since you are in denial of the Scriptures

Translation: if you do not interpret and understand scripture exactly as I was taught, you deny scripture.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Casting doubts on the reality of the scriptural promises, even the passage I posted is being spurned as "on paper" but not in reality.

He has not cast doubts on the reality of the promises of God. He has cast doubt on a lot of your ideas and your insistence that your thoughts are Gods thoughts.
Ideas do not automatically equal reality. After all, some men have the idea that they are Napoleon. Or Jesus himself.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I believe flawed theology has a HUGE part in keeping people out of the Kingdom of God

Absolutely!

 

[stunnedbygrace]

what you described as Jesus's CROSS is 'whipping boy" nonsense

This might come as a shock to you but your perceptions of what people say or mean to say is flawed. You know, that whole “let us confuse their language” thing? And that was me putting it nicely and not stating that you misrepresent others on purpose.

 

[Lizbeth]

Ok, I didn't explain myself well.....when I said "flesh is flesh in believer and non-believer" what I needed to add was if a believer leads/responds with his/her flesh (as does a non-believer) it will be seen and identified as flesh....and what is a "believer" doing when leading with the flesh?!? .....acting as a non-believer!?!? That's how I understood it. (Sorry, I'm new here and I need to learn better how to express myself in writing.)

I think all flesh is the same, but how I see is that God views and deals with believers differently from non-believers. A believer who messes up in some way, as we all do at times ( as James wrote "we offend in many ways all"), is still a believer and child of God. The Lord treats us and deals with us as sons, rather than enemies. (Unless someone becomes completely reprobate and falls away.)

 

[Lizbeth]

You just can’t hear me. Your indoctrination of leaven prevents it. There would be no point in explaining it to you again right now. You absolutely cannot hear and will just keep on insisting that something not being said IS being said.
View attachment 30136

It's always possible I misunderstood, something. If so why don't you just attempt to clarify instead of making derogatory assumptions. What I seem to see with Episkopos is that he often argues from one side of an equation instead of reconciling both sides. We need the whole counsel of God, not just one side or the other of things which only appear to be contradictory to the carnal mind, but can and need to be reconciled by the Holy Spirit. So I just reminded you both of another side of the equation, and do with it what you will.

 

[Episkopos]

Calvin said it well Epi, since you are in denial of the Scriptures and advocate the impossibility of brothers and sisters to walk in freedom in Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit. Casting doubts on the reality of the scriptural promises, even the passage I posted is being spurned as "on paper" but not in reality.

What is left to discuss? The scriptures--Cross--death and resurrection of Messiah--the Holy Spirit--Pauline doctrines?

I'm advocating a gospel according to power....not dogma. Anyone can pick up a bible, read something, and then be encouraged to claim it for oneself....by "beliefs" . But faith is an altogether different thing. One doesn't move a mountain by reading about it.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Believers are loved as sons, unbelievers are not. There is partiality, but it is not on the same level as humans being respecters of persons....God's ways are higher than ours.

Do not hold your faith in Jesus with an attitude of personal favoritism/partiality/respect of some persons over some other persons. Because there is no partiality with God and it is not hearers of the law who are righteous but doers of the law. Maintain the principles you were taught without bias or esteem of persons, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. If you makes distinctions among yourselves havent you become judges with evil motives? To show partiality is not good - a man will do wrong for a piece of bread and a person with an evil eye hurries after gain to himself. The wisdom from above is impartial and sincere. Malcontents follow their own sinful desires/evil eye and show partiality and favoritism to themselves to gain advantage.

There are many more, but my hand is tired. Oh, one more - You shall not be partial in judgement. This is a bit like rita when she earlier said: this applies to everyone, no matter who you are. And someone asked, do you mean me…? So “you shall not be partial in judgement“ means that you don’t put your finger on the scale in partiality. NOT EVEN PARTIALITY FOR SELF!!

 

[Episkopos]

It's always possible I misunderstood, something. If so why don't you just attempt to clarify instead of making derogatory assumptions. What I seem to see with Episkopos is that he often argues from one side of an equation instead of reconciling both sides.

Quite the opposite. I'm against reading the SELF into an equation...because the SELF is biased towards self-preservation. Jesus said if we seek to save our lives, we will lose them. So then the motivation to read oneself into the good sounding verses is obviously the flesh trying to preserve itself rather than going to the cross. It's a very human thing to do.

We need the whole counsel of God, not just one side or the other of things which only appear to be contradictory to the carnal mind, but can and need to be reconciled by the Holy Spirit. So I just reminded you both of another side of the equation, and do with it what you will.

The other side of the equation of justification by the faith OF Christ, is human righteousness in receiving the things of God with humility and the fear of the Lord. Anyone who has known me for years knows how much I stress this.