Hi Bro Dan. I agree with your statement that says that our obedience shows that we are saved. That is in line with what I posted, but in a different way. Thanks for your input. Have a great evening.
In fact it is very sad, and it is happening in whole world, and the worst it to still come for all nations. Read what JESUS said and warning the whole world by His word: Luke 21:22-36. Take a look.
By the way, there is no effect without cause. See this one example below, among many other since ancient time:
2 Chronicles 36:14-16
14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.
15 And the Lord GOD of their fathers sent to them by His messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on his dwelling place:
16 But they mocked the messengers of GOD, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people,till THERE WAS NO REMEDY. (Now it is not and will not be different, THERE IS NO REMEDY, unfortunately.)
Romans 2:5-11
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment of GOD;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, ETERNAL life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, INDIGNATION and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with GOD.
2Peter 4:17-18
17 The time is come that Judgment must begin at the house of GOD: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of GOD?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
I do not want to create a debate, but you say do not go to the Greek, 1 John 5:7 a simple verse. I understand this verse is held in high regards and I say this in love, not to rebuke but to inspire true study for the truth. This verse is not in any Greek manuscripts before the 1500s, it was in the marginal notes and in the Latin translations.
I just want to inspire study for the truth, not a I am right you are wrong; the truth is what we are in search of, the true meaning. No need to reply to just study for your own understanding.
Always nice to hear from you. You state "Our obedience does not "save us"..
But I will say: Our obedience assures us that we are really saved.
It is through obedience, that we demonstrate our faith in Jesus, so we need to "overcome the world" and accomplish God's purpose.
What is the world? Secularism: As a philosophy, secularism seeks to interpret life based on principles derived solely from the material world, without recourse to religion. It shifts the focus from religion towards "temporal" and material concerns.
As we grow closer to God, we need to have a change of heart, and turn our backs on this world, which would mean releasing our attachment to the material world.
We have to bedoersand not hearers only
James 1:22
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
What does the Word of GOD say? The Word is GOD, self-executable. By the way, GOD calleth those things which be not as though they were-understand? Romans 4:17 and Hebrews 4:3. Take a look.
In my vision, and I'm sure of this, the day of Christ's return is the day 1.335 - Daniel 12:12. GOD said: 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Why GOD said that? Exactly 75 days after the END of the last week, week 70th Daniel 9:27, and 45 days after the END of the Abomination of Desolation.
The question is: How to know by the calendar what day the day 1335 will fall on? Impossible, for now. Anyway, get ready, because it's very close.
What does the Word of GOD say? The Word is GOD, I mean, is a Person, self-executable. Hebrews 1:1-3:
1 GOD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days (last two days or last 2.000 years) spoken unto us by His Son-JESUS-, whom GOD hath appointed heir of all things, by WHOM also He made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of His glory, and the EXPRESS IMAGE of GOD's PERSON (the Word made flesh), and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
According to the Word of GOD above we can see two Persons. GOD the Father, the Word, and GOD the Son, the Word made flesh. By the way, the Word made flesh-JESUS-, He said: I and my Father Are One- John 10:30. And John 14:8-10 reveals:
8 Philip saith unto JESUS, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?
The Word made flesh-JESUS-, He said: ...no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him- Matthew 11:27.
And John the Baptist,the angel of the Lord,said:No man hath seen GOD at any time,the only begotten Son,which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.
But who is the 3rd Person? What does the Word of GOD say, besides 1John 5:7?
JESUS said: When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you FROM the Father-the Word-,even the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father, HE shall testify of me-John:14:26
When he,the Spirit of truth,is come,he will guide you into all truth:for he shall not speak of himself;but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall He speak
Interesting question. No one knows the day of Christ's return and the end. Matthew 24:36.
The premise here is that God is waiting on someone or something, but maybe He isn't. There may not be any rush whatsoever. By the signs of our culture and society degrading into immorality and foolish acts of war by the US government it seems like the end will be soon, but we don't know. People have always been evil and corrupt, though. I don't know if its necessarily worse or if we just have more media access and coverage.
I don't think anything is waiting on satan, because he's nothing in the grand scheme of things. He will probably die in hell like all of his followers and I don't see anything bending around his schedule, instead what God wants to do- maybe until He is satisfied with the number of people saved or maybe other things. I don't know.
P2 Continuation on verses thinking of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 23:7- 8 "And greeting in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."
Deuteronomy 18:15 "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken."
Colossians 1:22 "In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight."
WAs actually just thinking of you today! Glad to hear from you.
I agree that obeying God is part of our Christian walk from beginning to end. when we set our hearts on what God's way is, we receive the blessing of becoming more like Jesus when we then obey God's will. The other blessing of obeying God's will is that of losing our appetite to sin in the ways we previously were beholden to. Now that we are in Christ, we die to these sinful desires daily, moment by moment, putting to death the works of the flesh, as Paul teaches in Galatians 5:24.
Anyone who teaches that we do not need to live a godly life are teaching wrongly. The Spirit always leads us to obedience, not into sin. So, those who love God and walk according to the Spirit will walk in obedience. Our obedience does not "save us", only the person and work of Christ does that. But one who claims to be Christ's ought not live in disobedience as we have an obligation to live in godliness for our own sake and for the sake of our witness. If we truly desire to become like Jesus, having the mind of Christ and to live for Him, we will do so in obedience. One who claims to be Christ's and does not imitate Him and access the power from the Spirit to refuse sinful desires is fooling themselves as Jesus said in the Scripture you quoted that not all who call Him Lord will enter the kingdom of God, rather those who do the works He calls us to do.
"Bit of advice, don't go to the Greek. A simple verse to explain it all is 1 John 5:7"
The Holy Spirit never uses us to interpret Scriptures by the letter, even in Greek, it is very danger thinking from human perspective, a stumbling block, not from GOD's perspective- Matthew 16:22-23.
He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from above is above all. John 3:31
1John 3:1-3
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of GOD: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of GOD, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as e is pure.
My prayer request I'm a born again Christian and I understand you're safe through grace through faith there's so many other scripture in the Bible besides those two I'm okay living on the streets I'm okay going hungry I just want prayer that I keep my phone power up so I can feed my spirit yes I know I can read I hope Jesus Christ comes back because our countries headed down the wide road of life and please pray for all the other homeless people there are so many Jesus knows me he knows my heart I'm not perfect I do have love
An interpretation of chapter, 1 Corinthians 14. (PT 3).
Later the word barbarian was used to mean the uncivilized people at that time. Ancient Greeks used to be a bit racist about the other nations and looked down upon them, they were aware and very proud of their achievements during that time. Same as other nations during history.
Anyway what Paul means here is that if tongues are not be interpreted then we can not understand each other. That is why he suggests us to be zealous about gifts that they are actually beneficial for the edification of the church.
Verse 13, Here again Paul suggests that he who speaks in tongues, that they ask God to give them the interpretation as well. This doesn't mean that they suddenly understand that foreign language, but God puts words of interpretation in their mouth, similarly as He puts the unknown words in their mouth.
Verses 14. Here Paul says that when we pray in tongues our spirit prays but our mind doesn't take any part in the prayer since there isn't any understanding.
So how should we pray? Verses 15-17. Paul says both in Spirit (in tongues that I don't understand) but in understanding (with my mind) as well. How should we sing, praise God? Both in the Spirit and with our mind. Because if we only pray and sing in Spirit how could the other christians say Amen and give thanks to God since they don't understand anything? There is not any benefit to them. Paul always has in mind the function of the church as a whole here.
Verses 18-20. Paul says that he speaks tongues more than any other, but in a congregation he prefers to say 5 words that others understand rather than thousands of words in a language others don't have a clue what is about. So He asks us to be mature in mind.
To be cont. tomorrow. I wish you all a blessed night.
An interpretation of chapter, 1 Corinthians 14. (PT 2)
Prophesy is not in an unknown language (in grk tongue and language is the same word, ie "glosa"), but in the native language of people.
Verse 4. One who speaks in tongues edifies himself. Why? Because tongues are a sign that someone is filled with God's Spirit. And the Spirit when is in work inside a believer produces a fruit, the fruit of the Spirit. That person does not understand what they say in a foreign language but the Spirit inside them does a work, sanctification, so edification is taking place inside them. But the rest of people who hear him talking in an unknown tongue are not afected, nothing occurs to/inside them, the only thing they hear is unknown words.
The one who prophesies edifies not only him but the church as a whole. As said direct messages from God are for the edification, and exhortation, and comfort of all.
Verse 5. Paul wishes everybody to talk in tongues, ie to be filled with God's Spirit but he wishes even more that everybody prophesies so that the congregation as a whole is benefited. So when comparing those 2 gifts, obviously prophesy is more important in the congregation than tongues UNLESS there is somebody who can interprete those mysteries said in an unknown language and so the whole congregation is benefited since they understand now what is said.
In the following versew 6-9 Paul uses the example of musical instruments to make clear that tongues if not interpreted is like "... for ye shall speak into the air.". Nobody hears, nobody understands, no work done.
Verses 10-12. In V11 it says, "Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.". Here the word barbarian has to be understood as the ancients meant it to be. When Greeks heard other nationals talking in their languages at that time, all they were hearing was a continuous bar-bar-bar. So they called non Greeks as barbarians.
An interpretation of chapter, 1 Corinthians 14. (PT 1)
I would like to start from the last verse of ch. 12, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."
Ch. 12 is the chapter where the spiritual gifts to the church are described. It is the chapt. that describes the church as a body where each member has a dinstictive work to do, hence a talent/gift is given to everybody to work for Jesus through it. And it ends as above. The very obvious impression this verse gives is that the "more excellent way" which refers to Love/charity (as described in the following chapter, ie 13) is above all those gifts, so gifts are not essentiall really. This verse is mainly used by all those christians that claim that gifts are not necessary, only love is needed which is the best way. Back in my country there is a reborn church that has changed all words in the NT, instead of prophesy they write teaching
Then comes ch. 12 which is the chapter of Love.
And we go to the first verse of chapt. 14, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy."
So charity/Love doesn't kind of substitute the gifts. Gifts are essential and Paul advises us to desire them, especially the gift of
prophesying. Why prophesying and not talking in tongues? Verse 2, because the one who speaks in tongues does not talk to people because nobody understands him. Imagine somebody who talks say in Chinese in an English congregation. Who understands him? Nobody, not even him himself, so he talks to God what the Spirit gives him in Chinese, which as said are mysteries (unknown) to him and to everybody in the congregation.
Verse 3, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Prophesy is a direct message from God through people that God uses and gifts them, the prophets. Prophesy is not always about future events but as the verse says it is for "edification, and exhortation, and comfort." OF THE CHURCH.
Wonderful message of scriptural truth, and thanks for sharing. Hopefully, it will reach "a few special ones" that are sincerely open and desiring to recieve God's Spirit in them, because almost all Christains today don't want to hear that they need to stop sinning. When you show them the scripture about this - they just ignore it, or find excuses why it doesn't pertain to them.
They well tell you; This life is short and they want to enjoy it along with all of their worldly pleasures. They've been told by their pastors and others that Jesus paid for their sins, and now they have basically a free ticket to heaven. They will tell you that they already have their salvation and nothing that "they do" can change it.
Today, it's really an uphill battle winning souls to the truth, and convincing christians that they need to Obey God! They will call that works, and say that they don't have to do anything, because it is all in God's hands. They have taken the bible and reintreperted it to allow themselves the ability to remain seduced into living a worldly/sinful lifestyle, and still believe they will recieve salvation.
Express the need to them to follow God's Commandments, and they look at you like you like you are crazy! The devil has certainly been hard at work winning christains over in these times. God continues to send many messages to try to wake folks up - but as the world continues to deteriorate around us - they ignore these signs.
This verse summarizes: Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
The city was first established by people of Thasos, Greeks from a nearby island. It's initial name was Crenides. After Philip of Macedon conquered the place he renamed it after his name, Philippi ( in grk Philippoi, the -oi ending is plural). During the Roman times it became an important city and a Roman colony. It was colonised twice. The first time was by Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony after the battle of Philippi. The second time was again by Octavian Augustus after the battle of Actium. That second time retired Roman soldiers inhabited the city. During the Roman era was a one of the most important Roman cities in Greece. Later after the Roman era the city lost its initial glamour and became an unimportant town and was renamed its initial name, Crenides, as it is called since then. Today it is a small town. Not much has been left from those times. An ancient theatre, the acropolis of the city (a fortified hill), a prehistoric settlement, and some minor things.
P1: Re-read some scriptures last evening and would like to write them here.
All of John Chapter 13 ; Chapter 14
John 1:4 "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
Colossians 1:15 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature."
Romans 8:32 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
Hebrews 1:8 "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
John 1:3 "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
Hebrews 1:3 "Who being the brightness of his glory and express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"
Romans 8:29 "For whom he did foreknowledge, he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren."
1 Corinthians 1:29 "That no flesh glory in his presence"
John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Luke 1:31 "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS."
Matthew 1:19 "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privileges."
Isaiah 53:1 "Who hat believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"
Philippians 2:5 - 6 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."
Hebrews 6:20 "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."
When God said that their sins were forgiven He didn't have in mind sacrifices of animals (which worked as a figure) that can not remove sins, but He had in mind Jesus' sacrifice that was going to take place at the proper time. That is why the OT saints weren't going to Heaven but into Hades into the center of earth in Abraham's bosom and they were kept there till Jesus' resurrection. After Jesus resurrected from the dead then and only then those souls were eligible to go to Heaven (which means that at that time were really forgiven) and since then they are kept under the altar in the Temple of God in Heaven, under Jesus' sacrifice that is. If Jesus' sacrifice had never taken place (an imaginary senario) then no human would ever go to Heaven, no matter how many thousands of animals were ever sacrificed every year. Abraham's bosom was a temporary place of comfort where souls were residing untill the remission of sins was to take place by Jesus' Blood.GBU
Reading you comment above ref. Joel 2:31, and Rev.6:12-17, and Matt.24:29-31concerning "The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes",
first of all I remember that "there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars". Once "the sun tuns dark" the woman will be in darkness(terrible), by the way, at "midnight there was(there will be)a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose(will arise), and trimmed(and will trim) their lamps.
And the foolish said(will say) unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out"; Matt.25:6-8. The lamps is gone out at midnight? In full midnight darkness, in a so perilous hour?
In the above comparison described, I am trying to highlight the issue of the sun becoming dark as prophesied. I don't see or interpret as being a physical phenomenon.
Based in Revelation 9:1-3&10&6 & 11-12
1 I saw a STAR fall from heaven unto the earth( Isaiah 14:12-14 combined with 2 Thess.2:3-4): and to HIM was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And HE opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the SUN and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter
I meant Exodus 25:13 written out caused the stumble.
Always seeking the truth. I love the truth.
Love your comment "blessings to all who seek the truth". Amen to that!!!!!
Greetings in Christ JESUS
In fact it is very sad, and it is happening in whole world, and the worst it to still come for all nations. Read what JESUS said and warning the whole world by His word: Luke 21:22-36. Take a look.
By the way, there is no effect without cause. See this one example below, among many other since ancient time:
2 Chronicles 36:14-16
14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.
15 And the Lord GOD of their fathers sent to them by His messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on his dwelling place:
16 But they mocked the messengers of GOD, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people,till THERE WAS NO REMEDY. (Now it is not and will not be different, THERE IS NO REMEDY, unfortunately.)
Romans 2:5-11
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment of GOD;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, ETERNAL life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, INDIGNATION and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with GOD.
2Peter 4:17-18
17 The time is come that Judgment must begin at the house of GOD: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of GOD?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
I do not want to create a debate, but you say do not go to the Greek, 1 John 5:7 a simple verse. I understand this verse is held in high regards and I say this in love, not to rebuke but to inspire true study for the truth. This verse is not in any Greek manuscripts before the 1500s, it was in the marginal notes and in the Latin translations.
I just want to inspire study for the truth, not a I am right you are wrong; the truth is what we are in search of, the true meaning. No need to reply to just study for your own understanding.
God bless,
RLW
Always nice to hear from you. You state "Our obedience does not "save us"..
But I will say: Our obedience assures us that we are really saved.
It is through obedience, that we demonstrate our faith in Jesus, so we need to "overcome the world" and accomplish God's purpose.
What is the world? Secularism: As a philosophy, secularism seeks to interpret life based on principles derived solely from the material world, without recourse to religion. It shifts the focus from religion towards "temporal" and material concerns.
As we grow closer to God, we need to have a change of heart, and turn our backs on this world, which would mean releasing our attachment to the material world.
We have to bedoersand not hearers only
James 1:22
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
GBU
I was actually thinking of you today. I am glad to hear from you.
I often wonder about those who have been frequent posters in the past when we haven't heard from them. Aways happy when people post.
In my vision, and I'm sure of this, the day of Christ's return is the day 1.335 - Daniel 12:12. GOD said: 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Why GOD said that? Exactly 75 days after the END of the last week, week 70th Daniel 9:27, and 45 days after the END of the Abomination of Desolation.
The question is: How to know by the calendar what day the day 1335 will fall on? Impossible, for now. Anyway, get ready, because it's very close.
GOD BLESS YOU, AND ALL
Greetings in Christ JESUS
What does the Word of GOD say? The Word is GOD, I mean, is a Person, self-executable. Hebrews 1:1-3:
1 GOD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days (last two days or last 2.000 years) spoken unto us by His Son-JESUS-, whom GOD hath appointed heir of all things, by WHOM also He made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of His glory, and the EXPRESS IMAGE of GOD's PERSON (the Word made flesh), and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
According to the Word of GOD above we can see two Persons. GOD the Father, the Word, and GOD the Son, the Word made flesh. By the way, the Word made flesh-JESUS-, He said: I and my Father Are One- John 10:30. And John 14:8-10 reveals:
8 Philip saith unto JESUS, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?
The Word made flesh-JESUS-, He said: ...no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him- Matthew 11:27.
And John the Baptist,the angel of the Lord,said:No man hath seen GOD at any time,the only begotten Son,which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.
But who is the 3rd Person? What does the Word of GOD say, besides 1John 5:7?
JESUS said: When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you FROM the Father-the Word-,even the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father, HE shall testify of me-John:14:26
When he,the Spirit of truth,is come,he will guide you into all truth:for he shall not speak of himself;but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall He speak
Interesting question. No one knows the day of Christ's return and the end. Matthew 24:36.
The premise here is that God is waiting on someone or something, but maybe He isn't. There may not be any rush whatsoever. By the signs of our culture and society degrading into immorality and foolish acts of war by the US government it seems like the end will be soon, but we don't know. People have always been evil and corrupt, though. I don't know if its necessarily worse or if we just have more media access and coverage.
I don't think anything is waiting on satan, because he's nothing in the grand scheme of things. He will probably die in hell like all of his followers and I don't see anything bending around his schedule, instead what God wants to do- maybe until He is satisfied with the number of people saved or maybe other things. I don't know.
Matthew 23:7- 8 "And greeting in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."
Deuteronomy 18:15 "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken."
Colossians 1:22 "In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight."
P3 to follow later-
WAs actually just thinking of you today! Glad to hear from you.
I agree that obeying God is part of our Christian walk from beginning to end. when we set our hearts on what God's way is, we receive the blessing of becoming more like Jesus when we then obey God's will. The other blessing of obeying God's will is that of losing our appetite to sin in the ways we previously were beholden to. Now that we are in Christ, we die to these sinful desires daily, moment by moment, putting to death the works of the flesh, as Paul teaches in Galatians 5:24.
Anyone who teaches that we do not need to live a godly life are teaching wrongly. The Spirit always leads us to obedience, not into sin. So, those who love God and walk according to the Spirit will walk in obedience. Our obedience does not "save us", only the person and work of Christ does that. But one who claims to be Christ's ought not live in disobedience as we have an obligation to live in godliness for our own sake and for the sake of our witness. If we truly desire to become like Jesus, having the mind of Christ and to live for Him, we will do so in obedience. One who claims to be Christ's and does not imitate Him and access the power from the Spirit to refuse sinful desires is fooling themselves as Jesus said in the Scripture you quoted that not all who call Him Lord will enter the kingdom of God, rather those who do the works He calls us to do.
Greetings in Christ JESUS
Perfect. Perfect.
"Bit of advice, don't go to the Greek. A simple verse to explain it all is 1 John 5:7"
The Holy Spirit never uses us to interpret Scriptures by the letter, even in Greek, it is very danger thinking from human perspective, a stumbling block, not from GOD's perspective- Matthew 16:22-23.
He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from above is above all. John 3:31
1John 3:1-3
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of GOD: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of GOD, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as e is pure.
Later the word barbarian was used to mean the uncivilized people at that time. Ancient Greeks used to be a bit racist about the other nations and looked down upon them, they were aware and very proud of their achievements during that time. Same as other nations during history.
Anyway what Paul means here is that if tongues are not be interpreted then we can not understand each other. That is why he suggests us to be zealous about gifts that they are actually beneficial for the edification of the church.
Verse 13, Here again Paul suggests that he who speaks in tongues, that they ask God to give them the interpretation as well. This doesn't mean that they suddenly understand that foreign language, but God puts words of interpretation in their mouth, similarly as He puts the unknown words in their mouth.
Verses 14. Here Paul says that when we pray in tongues our spirit prays but our mind doesn't take any part in the prayer since there isn't any understanding.
So how should we pray? Verses 15-17. Paul says both in Spirit (in tongues that I don't understand) but in understanding (with my mind) as well. How should we sing, praise God? Both in the Spirit and with our mind. Because if we only pray and sing in Spirit how could the other christians say Amen and give thanks to God since they don't understand anything? There is not any benefit to them. Paul always has in mind the function of the church as a whole here.
Verses 18-20. Paul says that he speaks tongues more than any other, but in a congregation he prefers to say 5 words that others understand rather than thousands of words in a language others don't have a clue what is about. So He asks us to be mature in mind.
To be cont. tomorrow. I wish you all a blessed night.
Prophesy is not in an unknown language (in grk tongue and language is the same word, ie "glosa"), but in the native language of people.
Verse 4. One who speaks in tongues edifies himself. Why? Because tongues are a sign that someone is filled with God's Spirit. And the Spirit when is in work inside a believer produces a fruit, the fruit of the Spirit. That person does not understand what they say in a foreign language but the Spirit inside them does a work, sanctification, so edification is taking place inside them. But the rest of people who hear him talking in an unknown tongue are not afected, nothing occurs to/inside them, the only thing they hear is unknown words.
The one who prophesies edifies not only him but the church as a whole. As said direct messages from God are for the edification, and exhortation, and comfort of all.
Verse 5. Paul wishes everybody to talk in tongues, ie to be filled with God's Spirit but he wishes even more that everybody prophesies so that the congregation as a whole is benefited. So when comparing those 2 gifts, obviously prophesy is more important in the congregation than tongues UNLESS there is somebody who can interprete those mysteries said in an unknown language and so the whole congregation is benefited since they understand now what is said.
In the following versew 6-9 Paul uses the example of musical instruments to make clear that tongues if not interpreted is like "... for ye shall speak into the air.". Nobody hears, nobody understands, no work done.
Verses 10-12. In V11 it says, "Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.". Here the word barbarian has to be understood as the ancients meant it to be. When Greeks heard other nationals talking in their languages at that time, all they were hearing was a continuous bar-bar-bar. So they called non Greeks as barbarians.
I would like to start from the last verse of ch. 12, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."
Ch. 12 is the chapter where the spiritual gifts to the church are described. It is the chapt. that describes the church as a body where each member has a dinstictive work to do, hence a talent/gift is given to everybody to work for Jesus through it. And it ends as above. The very obvious impression this verse gives is that the "more excellent way" which refers to Love/charity (as described in the following chapter, ie 13) is above all those gifts, so gifts are not essentiall really. This verse is mainly used by all those christians that claim that gifts are not necessary, only love is needed which is the best way. Back in my country there is a reborn church that has changed all words in the NT, instead of prophesy they write teaching
Then comes ch. 12 which is the chapter of Love.
And we go to the first verse of chapt. 14, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy."
So charity/Love doesn't kind of substitute the gifts. Gifts are essential and Paul advises us to desire them, especially the gift of
prophesying. Why prophesying and not talking in tongues? Verse 2, because the one who speaks in tongues does not talk to people because nobody understands him. Imagine somebody who talks say in Chinese in an English congregation. Who understands him? Nobody, not even him himself, so he talks to God what the Spirit gives him in Chinese, which as said are mysteries (unknown) to him and to everybody in the congregation.
Verse 3, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Prophesy is a direct message from God through people that God uses and gifts them, the prophets. Prophesy is not always about future events but as the verse says it is for "edification, and exhortation, and comfort." OF THE CHURCH.
Wonderful message of scriptural truth, and thanks for sharing. Hopefully, it will reach "a few special ones" that are sincerely open and desiring to recieve God's Spirit in them, because almost all Christains today don't want to hear that they need to stop sinning. When you show them the scripture about this - they just ignore it, or find excuses why it doesn't pertain to them.
They well tell you; This life is short and they want to enjoy it along with all of their worldly pleasures. They've been told by their pastors and others that Jesus paid for their sins, and now they have basically a free ticket to heaven. They will tell you that they already have their salvation and nothing that "they do" can change it.
Today, it's really an uphill battle winning souls to the truth, and convincing christians that they need to Obey God! They will call that works, and say that they don't have to do anything, because it is all in God's hands. They have taken the bible and reintreperted it to allow themselves the ability to remain seduced into living a worldly/sinful lifestyle, and still believe they will recieve salvation.
Express the need to them to follow God's Commandments, and they look at you like you like you are crazy! The devil has certainly been hard at work winning christains over in these times. God continues to send many messages to try to wake folks up - but as the world continues to deteriorate around us - they ignore these signs.
This verse summarizes: Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
GBU
A bit of history about the city of Philippi.
The city was first established by people of Thasos, Greeks from a nearby island. It's initial name was Crenides. After Philip of Macedon conquered the place he renamed it after his name, Philippi ( in grk Philippoi, the -oi ending is plural). During the Roman times it became an important city and a Roman colony. It was colonised twice. The first time was by Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony after the battle of Philippi. The second time was again by Octavian Augustus after the battle of Actium. That second time retired Roman soldiers inhabited the city. During the Roman era was a one of the most important Roman cities in Greece. Later after the Roman era the city lost its initial glamour and became an unimportant town and was renamed its initial name, Crenides, as it is called since then. Today it is a small town. Not much has been left from those times. An ancient theatre, the acropolis of the city (a fortified hill), a prehistoric settlement, and some minor things.
Any advice before I try again?
Patience is a virtue!
Thank you, God Bless our faithfulness.
Carleton
All of John Chapter 13 ; Chapter 14
John 1:4 "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
Colossians 1:15 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature."
Romans 8:32 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
Hebrews 1:8 "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
John 1:3 "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
Hebrews 1:3 "Who being the brightness of his glory and express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"
Romans 8:29 "For whom he did foreknowledge, he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren."
1 Corinthians 1:29 "That no flesh glory in his presence"
John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Luke 1:31 "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS."
Matthew 1:19 "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privileges."
Isaiah 53:1 "Who hat believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"
Philippians 2:5 - 6 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."
Hebrews 6:20 "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."
P2 follows
When God said that their sins were forgiven He didn't have in mind sacrifices of animals (which worked as a figure) that can not remove sins, but He had in mind Jesus' sacrifice that was going to take place at the proper time. That is why the OT saints weren't going to Heaven but into Hades into the center of earth in Abraham's bosom and they were kept there till Jesus' resurrection. After Jesus resurrected from the dead then and only then those souls were eligible to go to Heaven (which means that at that time were really forgiven) and since then they are kept under the altar in the Temple of God in Heaven, under Jesus' sacrifice that is. If Jesus' sacrifice had never taken place (an imaginary senario) then no human would ever go to Heaven, no matter how many thousands of animals were ever sacrificed every year. Abraham's bosom was a temporary place of comfort where souls were residing untill the remission of sins was to take place by Jesus' Blood.GBU
Greetings in Christ JESUS
Reading you comment above ref. Joel 2:31, and Rev.6:12-17, and Matt.24:29-31concerning "The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes",
first of all I remember that "there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars". Once "the sun tuns dark" the woman will be in darkness(terrible), by the way, at "midnight there was(there will be)a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose(will arise), and trimmed(and will trim) their lamps.
And the foolish said(will say) unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out"; Matt.25:6-8. The lamps is gone out at midnight? In full midnight darkness, in a so perilous hour?
In the above comparison described, I am trying to highlight the issue of the sun becoming dark as prophesied. I don't see or interpret as being a physical phenomenon.
Based in Revelation 9:1-3&10&6 & 11-12
1 I saw a STAR fall from heaven unto the earth( Isaiah 14:12-14 combined with 2 Thess.2:3-4): and to HIM was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And HE opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the SUN and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter
GOD BLESS