The generation who came out of Egypt did indeed wander in the wilderness for 40 years and all but two out of two million plus perished in the wilderness .
Paul warns the church and every believer not to be like them " who entered not in because of unbelief".
It is worth noting that they did no work of God till they crossed Jordan .
The servant of Elijah did no work of God till he crossed Jordon .nor did the Lord himself till he crossed Jordon in baptism.
We rob ourselves or allow the devil to rob us when we believe the flesh rather than the Word of God .
For the ten spies saw the same things as the two faithful spies . But had forgotten what God had already done ,who it was who was with them and what he had promised for the future . They did not walk by faith ( in God) but by sight and a carnal mind and said we cannot go in .
The two faithful spies ,Joshua and Caleb saw the same things but in the true light of Gods presence power and provision and said we can .
Unbelief is not just not believing God it is believing another and wrong message.
"If we walk after the spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh "?
Or " Let not sin reign in your mortal flesh"?
For if sin reigns and rules you will obey .
If Christ reigns and rules you will obey Him.
What do you say to John in his first epistle that if we are children of God " We will not sin"?
The emphasis is on not sinning , bit IF we sin we have an advocate with the zFather .
Paul expressed the battle between the flesh and the spirit and we too often focus on that but forget the " thanks be unto God who gives us the victory".
Is it not also written " They that are His have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof"?
Too much 'humility ' is not a good thing .
Nor if truly humble can you at the same time be arrogant .
Indeed how can any man be arrogant if he truly has any lively knowledge of God?
You said "the first two times He/Jesus uses the verb "philo" whereas the third time He uses the verb "agapo".
I have it different.
Jesus asked Peter the first 2 times Simon son of Jonas "Agape thou me". And peter responded yes Lord thou knowest that I "phile thee both times.
The third time Jesus asks Simon son of Jonas phile thou me.
" He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, phile thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I phile thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
I don't believe Peter was grieved because Jesus asked Peter three times because Peter denied Jesus 3 times as some do.
I believe Peter was grieved because Jesus used phile the third time coming down to Peters ability express his Love.
Your reply is based off the assumption that I've seen that commercial. Sorry but I've haven't seen it.
You mentioned "Philia" means "friendship", "storge" means "affection", "eros" means "in love", "agape" means "love" in grk.
End quote.
That is also the way I define them..
However I wasn't defining them in my post, I was applying them and Identifying the source behind them in the English translated from the Greek.
You said Philia, storge, eros is not used for Love In modern grk only agape is used for "love". End quote.
Ok, well that's in the Greek, but in English all these words is translated Love, as you also acknowledged in John 21:15-19. "I will come back to that."
You went on to define agape and stated its used for man and also for God. I agree with that!
We see it used that way here in John 3:19.
( Men Love/agape darkness rather than light ) Men was totally given over to darkness unconditionally. That describes Love/Agape as a condition.
The shift is once saved and given the Holyspirit that love is unconditionally given over to light and the ability to "Love your brothern as I have loved you" as Jesus commanded.
" It's as you stated WE NEED GOD'S SPIRIT (to have the fruit of love and increase in it) and grace to grow in love. How far one rises in that scale is due to one's decision to go for it, using God's grace which is available to all believers."
The Love "FOR THE BROTHERN" I believe that is Gods spirit that CAUSES that! 1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That HE WHO LOVETH GOD LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO.
I'm not defining Agape as define love. I'm identifying the source and the define power giving us the ability to perform Gods Love to one another.
Thank you Gerald, I do enjoy reading your various posts. But just on the matter of, "How long did it take for the children of Isreal to go from Egypt to the promised land? I would hazard the thought that most if not all will say 40 years .I too once thought so", how do you understand Numbers 14:26-34, particularly verses 33 & 34. Is the mention of forty years only figurative?
I will try my best to answer who it is Satan will seduce once he is released for a short time after the 1,000 year reign. First let me say this. It won't be believers.
So, Satan will be bound for a thousand years. He will be cast into the bottomless pit, the ABUSSO, and shut up, a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more.
And after these things, it is necessary for him to be loosed for a short season.
So after the thousand years, we leave with Christ. And the people on the earth who are left over from the tribulation, who still are not saved, but they've been given this one thousand year opportunity to live under the rule of Christ with Satan bound, but when Satan is let loose, we will see that they will go back to serving Satan again.
I think it's a tragedy, but we have to understand that when a person is a rejecter of Christ, you could send him to heaven for a thousand years and say "Look how nice it is here," and when he comes back he's going to reject it. Nothing's going to impress him to be saved.
It's like the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man didn't want out. He only wanted to be comforted.
The reason he didn't want out was not because of the comparison between hell and heaven. It's because there's only one other place to be other than hell, and that's in the presence of Jesus Christ.
And for some people that's hell. They would prefer to be in hell, only comforted. They don't want to be with Christ. They are rejecters. And once a person's heart is a rejecter of Christ, you can't do anything about it.
Even living under perfect conditions, they still go back to serving Satan again.
this is an interesting conversation about being humbled. I think that in Philippians 4 when it says that Jesus humbled Himself it does mean that He submitted Himself to the Father and to the plan ordained before the foundation of the world to save mankind from sin. But I also think that Jesus uniquely humbled Himself by taking a human nature unto Himself so that He, being God, would function as a man on earth being fully directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He did not stop being God when he incarnated in human flesh, but the humanity veiled His divinity and glory. Jesus took upon Himself the nature of a creature though He created all things. So, to speak, this was a downgrade for the Son of God. It was a humiliation, as even perfect humanity is beneath Him and His divine dignity. But He take on perfect humanity anyway, for us and to honor the Father and to carry out His love gift to us in His sacrifice for our sin.
Some people think that when Mary conceived that God the Son joined Himself to the person conceived in Mary. This is not true. The church has consistently confessed that Jesus was only on person, the Divine Son of God, but that He added a human nature (not another person) to Himself. The miracle of the conception of the Son of God is truly amazing. We can see that the Son truly humbled Himself to be conceived in Mary and go through human development to enter the world He created by being birthed by Mary. He did not indwell another human's body. The Father prepared a human body for Him. So, He was fully human and fully God, but not two persons. Nor was His divine nature mixed with His human nature. These existed in a union that did not involve mixing of two nature to become one new nature. In uniting his nature with a human nature, Jesus accepted restrictions to how His life was expressed. This was a humbling decision.
He has forever united His divine nature to His human nature so that He will eternally be fully God and fully man.
If the bible does not specify then it is not for us to speculate & It shouldn'tatter anywho. They did what they did and God delt with them accordingly. We need to learn from this however so when God speaks to you I pray it takes less then 5 seconds to obey.
Again, we both agree in part. I think where we may differ is with the word generation (GENEA), where I understand Jesus to be referring to a race of people (Jews), and you say that you consider it as a time period which can not be indentified exactly.
I know you have a knowledge of the Greek language and I do appreciate that because it gives me an avenue of learning if I might need a better understanding of certain words.
The word in question is GENEA. In my studies, I am struggling to associate this word with time at all. Everything I have studied on this word tells me that Jesus was talking about a race of people, specifically the Jews, when He said this generation (GENEA) will not pass away until all these things be fulfilled.
Whether it be me in my own effort trying to humble myself before the Lord, or the Lord doing the humbling, I speak for myself here when I say that His humbling is far greater than anything I can do in the human, or in the flesh.
If I am humble before the Lord, am I to boast of my own fleshly effort, or do I give Him the credit? I have to give the Lord all the glory and credit for being humbled.
You see, I have to be able to differentiate between the flesh and the Spirit of Christ who lives in me. My flesh will never submit to the things of the Lord. My flesh wants nothing to do with Lord and is in a constant battle with the Spirit of Christ in me.
With that in mind, I have to ask myself, will my flesh ever submit to Gods humbling process. I have to say no. If I am to be humbled before the Lord, I have submit myself to Him and allow Him to humble me, therefore He receives all glory and honor.
I am to be humbled, not humble myself. And the only way I can be humbled is by submitting myself to His humbling process.
Hello Jesse. You are right, I don't mean a specific no. of years but still I consider it as a time period which can not be indentified exactly by a number since we don't know when the last people of that generation will die. So I think before that generation passes away the end will come (but we don't know when the last ones will pass away and how many years before their passing away the end comes), but again I may be wrong. To be honest I am thinking about your expanation as well. I hope I don't confuse you.
Some info about the word "agape". From your post I think you are reffering to a commercial on AmericanTV, I've seen it myself on internet. Well, do not rely on that.
"Philia" means "friendship", "storge" means "affection", "eros" means "in love", "agape" means "love" in grk. The first three terms are not used instead of love(or as love), but they are conditions/feelings DUE to love. In modern grk only the last one is used for "love". It doesn't matter where this love comes from (from God or man), the word is always the same, it is agape. There isn't another word used for God and another for man, it is the same, nomatter where this love comes from. So man has agape, God also has agape. The difference between man's love and God's love is not a difference in the nature of love(it is love, not something else), but in the "quantity" of it. If we use a scale for love starting from zero to infinity, God is in the upper end, His love is infinite, that's why we say that God is Love. God is indentified as love. Men are in the lower part of that scale and if we want to get higher on that scale we need God's Spirit (to have the fruit of love and increase in it) and grace to grow in love. How far one rises in that scale is due to one's decision to go for it, using God's grace which is available to all believers.
In ancient grk. the verb "philo" (which derives from "philia") is also used for one's love for their friends (this is not used in modern grk). In the incident described in John 21:15-19 Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. The first two times He uses the verb "philo" whereas the third time He uses the verb "agapo". A lot has been written about that, some try to see a difference and some just ignore it since it is the same, the same love, but for a friend. That is why I named it a "magic" word, since it seems English people find something extraordinary in the word agape, but it simply means love in grk, nothing more than that.
As you probably already know, since you know Greek, the word humbled used in Philippians 2:8 is the word TAPEINOO which means to make (become) low, or to humble.
With the believer, it shows humility and complete loneliness. This happens by being fully dependent on the Lord - dismissing reliance upon self (self-government) and emptying our carnal ego. This exalts the Lord as our all-in-all and prompts the gift of His fullness in us.
God emptied Himself. He came in the fullness of who God is, but He approached this earthly life like a slave.
If I can share this, if you're interested, notice at Verse 6. It begins with the word who. And there are three main verbs in this context. All the rest are participles.
While being in the form of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. That's point one.
But He made Himself of no reputation, or more literally emptied Himself. That's point two.
Having taken on the form of a servant, having been made in the likeness of men, explains what it means by Him emptying Himself.
Again a participle. And being found in fashion as a man, number three, He humbled Himself.
What does that mean?
Having become obedient unto death, and not just death, but the most shameful death that you could think of at that time, the death of the cross.
You see, he's illustrating in Christ. Look what God did to have fellowship with us. That's what the believer must do. And we can only do that through Christ.
The same Jesus that humbled Himself to come 2,000 years ago, actively lives in the lives of every believer, and He Himself lives out that same emptying and humbleness.
I agree all scripture is inspired by God, and I respect your understanding of this subject many accept that view. The line of Seth and the line of Cain or as you put it the righteous and unrighteous line.
Where my understanding comes from, is in all the verses the words sons of God in the Old Testament refer to angelic beings, Job 1:6; 2:1 context shows the sons of God are angels, also Job 38:7, says the sons of God shouted for joy when God created the earth, a man had not been created.
There are angels that God locked in the darkness for what they did that Peter and Jude witnessed that only Genesis 6 matches what Peter and Jude wrote.
I understand Matt.22:30 Mark 12:25 is taken angels do not procreate, Jesus said angels in heaven because of their spiritual being there is no need. Peter and Jude both said they kept not their first estate and left their own habitation, and they could not return and are now locked in the bottomless pit the same place Satan will be locked in for 1000 years.
So, my understanding of the term sons of God has two basic meanings. It refers to the angels, both good and bad, in the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, the phrase refers to believers in Jesus and through Him have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. By this adoption by Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God
It looks like we are in agreement, in part. I also do not believe Jesus meant a specific number of years when He said "this generation."
In fact, the word used (GENEA) has nothing to do with years at all. It has to do with a race, or kind of people.
When Jesus said this generation shall not pass, He was referring specifically about the Jewish race.
I am a little confused (not hard to do) by you saying you do not believe Jesus was speaking about a certain number of years, but in your explanation, you seem to be implying years, or a time frame.
But they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years. But over whom do these priests of God rule for those thousand years. Aren't the people who didn't accept Jesus and who were lost in another last? And when Satan is released again a thousand years, what people is he going to seduce.
I have been wearing glasses since my 40s I understand, thank the Lord tomorrow will be a great day with your new glasses. Satan the Hebrew word ha--n meaning adversary that in the OT this same word was translated as the adversary. So if that would be using the name metaphorically may someone better than me answer that.
My understanding I do not know if his name has ever been given, he is called Satan, the devil, the red dragon, the serpent, and Lucifer but Lucifer comes from a Latin word for the morning star the planet Venus, so I am not sure what his name really is, devil is good enough for me.
Why God would permit Satan access to heaven I cannot say it may have been in the stipulations when Satan and the other angels that rebelled had to still present themselves until all were fulfilled, it is not written.
I agree, God sees all, and we can talk, pray, and thank Him and He knows before we even do what we do when Daniel started praying God sent Gabriel with the answer before Daniel finished. But when it is all finished, we will not just talk to God from a distance He will be with us and we will see Him face to face on the new earth that he will create for us, Rev. 21:3 Rev:22:4.
alex 1939-Hiya Neville...God has his eyes on a special ppl which are the seed of Jesus...That New CREATURE ,An Israel of God Nothin availeth anything in Christ Jesus but a New CREATURE..Which is the H.G. The Children of Promise which is the gift of God to every body...Natural Israel are not the Children of Promise...They must be born again of an incorruptible seed as Jesus tells Nic. a Jew and all men...Jew and Gentile alike...Not Circumcision nor uncircumcision but only that New CREATURE.
..... Romans 9:8 That is They which are the Children of the flesh, These are not the Children of God...But the Children of Promise are counted for that good seed...Who are the Children of Promise ?...The H.G. Spirits as Jesus said that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit...Our new innerman is our fruit unto God the H.G...Behold mine elect in whom my soul is well pleased I have put my spirit on him he shall shew judgement unto the Gentiles...Its only the H.G. the gift of God that is Gods elect...These things are hid from the wise and prudent but revealed unto Babes and sucklings Jesus offspring...The contents of the book his words of LIFE...An Israel of God...The regeneration of the H.G....Is Jesus generation..Behold me and the Children the lord has given me...ok lemme go
I think it is a good thing to read the O,T. for understanding as well as the N.T. but it seems that you think differently. That is fine. You do not need to read what I write from the O.T. chapters I read and comment on. Yet, some may find it helpful. Have a blessed day, Texsis.
I truly agree with everything you said.
Amen!
God bless us all!
Amen in Jesus Mighty Name
Thank you. You have prayed a complete prayer for me.
I needed that so much. I read others' comments too and prayed for them, but I only have time to reply to you.
I will pray for you and others tonight too.
Marymay
Paul warns the church and every believer not to be like them " who entered not in because of unbelief".
It is worth noting that they did no work of God till they crossed Jordan .
The servant of Elijah did no work of God till he crossed Jordon .nor did the Lord himself till he crossed Jordon in baptism.
We rob ourselves or allow the devil to rob us when we believe the flesh rather than the Word of God .
For the ten spies saw the same things as the two faithful spies . But had forgotten what God had already done ,who it was who was with them and what he had promised for the future . They did not walk by faith ( in God) but by sight and a carnal mind and said we cannot go in .
The two faithful spies ,Joshua and Caleb saw the same things but in the true light of Gods presence power and provision and said we can .
Unbelief is not just not believing God it is believing another and wrong message.
So it was also with Eve.
What do you say then to the scriptures :-
"If we walk after the spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh "?
Or " Let not sin reign in your mortal flesh"?
For if sin reigns and rules you will obey .
If Christ reigns and rules you will obey Him.
What do you say to John in his first epistle that if we are children of God " We will not sin"?
The emphasis is on not sinning , bit IF we sin we have an advocate with the zFather .
Paul expressed the battle between the flesh and the spirit and we too often focus on that but forget the " thanks be unto God who gives us the victory".
Is it not also written " They that are His have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof"?
Too much 'humility ' is not a good thing .
Nor if truly humble can you at the same time be arrogant .
Indeed how can any man be arrogant if he truly has any lively knowledge of God?
Here's the word generations in Hebrew pulled from Genesis 5:1.
Hebrew:
Transliteration: tledh tledh
Pronunciation: {to-led-aw'} to-led-aw'
Definition: From H3205; (plural only) {descent} that {is} family; (figuratively) history: - {birth} generations.
And here it is in greek.
Greek:
Transliteration: genea
Pronunciation: ghen-eh-ah'
Definition: From (a presumed derivative of) G1085; a generation; by implication an age (the period or the persons): - age generation nation time.
(The period of the persons.)
I didn't see that!
I always took it as the age of ALL those living at that time.
But the time period for the Jews does fit the context of the Chapter.
And it fits the view that the main focus of this period is on Israel.
GB.
I said I would come back to John 21:15-19.
You said "the first two times He/Jesus uses the verb "philo" whereas the third time He uses the verb "agapo".
I have it different.
Jesus asked Peter the first 2 times Simon son of Jonas "Agape thou me". And peter responded yes Lord thou knowest that I "phile thee both times.
The third time Jesus asks Simon son of Jonas phile thou me.
" He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, phile thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I phile thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
I don't believe Peter was grieved because Jesus asked Peter three times because Peter denied Jesus 3 times as some do.
I believe Peter was grieved because Jesus used phile the third time coming down to Peters ability express his Love.
Well that explains it.
Your reply is based off the assumption that I've seen that commercial. Sorry but I've haven't seen it.
You mentioned "Philia" means "friendship", "storge" means "affection", "eros" means "in love", "agape" means "love" in grk.
End quote.
That is also the way I define them..
However I wasn't defining them in my post, I was applying them and Identifying the source behind them in the English translated from the Greek.
You said Philia, storge, eros is not used for Love In modern grk only agape is used for "love". End quote.
Ok, well that's in the Greek, but in English all these words is translated Love, as you also acknowledged in John 21:15-19. "I will come back to that."
You went on to define agape and stated its used for man and also for God. I agree with that!
We see it used that way here in John 3:19.
( Men Love/agape darkness rather than light ) Men was totally given over to darkness unconditionally. That describes Love/Agape as a condition.
The shift is once saved and given the Holyspirit that love is unconditionally given over to light and the ability to "Love your brothern as I have loved you" as Jesus commanded.
" It's as you stated WE NEED GOD'S SPIRIT (to have the fruit of love and increase in it) and grace to grow in love. How far one rises in that scale is due to one's decision to go for it, using God's grace which is available to all believers."
The Love "FOR THE BROTHERN" I believe that is Gods spirit that CAUSES that! 1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That HE WHO LOVETH GOD LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO.
I'm not defining Agape as define love. I'm identifying the source and the define power giving us the ability to perform Gods Love to one another.
We can't do it on our own. Men Love darkness.
GBU.
I will try my best to answer who it is Satan will seduce once he is released for a short time after the 1,000 year reign. First let me say this. It won't be believers.
So, Satan will be bound for a thousand years. He will be cast into the bottomless pit, the ABUSSO, and shut up, a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more.
And after these things, it is necessary for him to be loosed for a short season.
So after the thousand years, we leave with Christ. And the people on the earth who are left over from the tribulation, who still are not saved, but they've been given this one thousand year opportunity to live under the rule of Christ with Satan bound, but when Satan is let loose, we will see that they will go back to serving Satan again.
I think it's a tragedy, but we have to understand that when a person is a rejecter of Christ, you could send him to heaven for a thousand years and say "Look how nice it is here," and when he comes back he's going to reject it. Nothing's going to impress him to be saved.
It's like the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man didn't want out. He only wanted to be comforted.
The reason he didn't want out was not because of the comparison between hell and heaven. It's because there's only one other place to be other than hell, and that's in the presence of Jesus Christ.
And for some people that's hell. They would prefer to be in hell, only comforted. They don't want to be with Christ. They are rejecters. And once a person's heart is a rejecter of Christ, you can't do anything about it.
Even living under perfect conditions, they still go back to serving Satan again.
I hope this helps?
this is an interesting conversation about being humbled. I think that in Philippians 4 when it says that Jesus humbled Himself it does mean that He submitted Himself to the Father and to the plan ordained before the foundation of the world to save mankind from sin. But I also think that Jesus uniquely humbled Himself by taking a human nature unto Himself so that He, being God, would function as a man on earth being fully directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He did not stop being God when he incarnated in human flesh, but the humanity veiled His divinity and glory. Jesus took upon Himself the nature of a creature though He created all things. So, to speak, this was a downgrade for the Son of God. It was a humiliation, as even perfect humanity is beneath Him and His divine dignity. But He take on perfect humanity anyway, for us and to honor the Father and to carry out His love gift to us in His sacrifice for our sin.
Some people think that when Mary conceived that God the Son joined Himself to the person conceived in Mary. This is not true. The church has consistently confessed that Jesus was only on person, the Divine Son of God, but that He added a human nature (not another person) to Himself. The miracle of the conception of the Son of God is truly amazing. We can see that the Son truly humbled Himself to be conceived in Mary and go through human development to enter the world He created by being birthed by Mary. He did not indwell another human's body. The Father prepared a human body for Him. So, He was fully human and fully God, but not two persons. Nor was His divine nature mixed with His human nature. These existed in a union that did not involve mixing of two nature to become one new nature. In uniting his nature with a human nature, Jesus accepted restrictions to how His life was expressed. This was a humbling decision.
He has forever united His divine nature to His human nature so that He will eternally be fully God and fully man.
That order is " Let us make man in our image ." And was created out of the dust of the earth .
Eve the woman was created from the body of the man .
" Male and female made He THEM"
Who in marriage become one .
What follows is in that same order . God does not create a man with a woman inside him .
Nor did he create a woman with a man inside of her . They are quite separate.
Biologically they are quite separate and it's written far deeper than any surgeon can cut .
Nor is the creation of man repeated nor indeed the woman .
It shouid also be noted that while man was created in the image of God,he is born in the image of his father Adam.
Wee are MAN kind because every seed brings forth fruit after its own kind ..
Because of the fall and of sin the image of God is lost or. So marred it is no longer recognised .
Hence the " you MUST be born again " of corruptible but of the incorruptible seed which is the Word of God .
By that law that every seed will bring forth fruit after its own kind ,a corrupted seeds only bring forth corrosion unto death
The same law applying to the incorruptible seed will bring forth righteousness unto life .
And it is by their fruits you shall know them . Be anyone male or female.
Again, we both agree in part. I think where we may differ is with the word generation (GENEA), where I understand Jesus to be referring to a race of people (Jews), and you say that you consider it as a time period which can not be indentified exactly.
I know you have a knowledge of the Greek language and I do appreciate that because it gives me an avenue of learning if I might need a better understanding of certain words.
The word in question is GENEA. In my studies, I am struggling to associate this word with time at all. Everything I have studied on this word tells me that Jesus was talking about a race of people, specifically the Jews, when He said this generation (GENEA) will not pass away until all these things be fulfilled.
I wanted to also say Amen to you in saying "Jesus truly is the only way." I agree completely. We can do nothing without Him!
Whether it be me in my own effort trying to humble myself before the Lord, or the Lord doing the humbling, I speak for myself here when I say that His humbling is far greater than anything I can do in the human, or in the flesh.
If I am humble before the Lord, am I to boast of my own fleshly effort, or do I give Him the credit? I have to give the Lord all the glory and credit for being humbled.
You see, I have to be able to differentiate between the flesh and the Spirit of Christ who lives in me. My flesh will never submit to the things of the Lord. My flesh wants nothing to do with Lord and is in a constant battle with the Spirit of Christ in me.
With that in mind, I have to ask myself, will my flesh ever submit to Gods humbling process. I have to say no. If I am to be humbled before the Lord, I have submit myself to Him and allow Him to humble me, therefore He receives all glory and honor.
I am to be humbled, not humble myself. And the only way I can be humbled is by submitting myself to His humbling process.
Some info about the word "agape". From your post I think you are reffering to a commercial on AmericanTV, I've seen it myself on internet. Well, do not rely on that.
"Philia" means "friendship", "storge" means "affection", "eros" means "in love", "agape" means "love" in grk. The first three terms are not used instead of love(or as love), but they are conditions/feelings DUE to love. In modern grk only the last one is used for "love". It doesn't matter where this love comes from (from God or man), the word is always the same, it is agape. There isn't another word used for God and another for man, it is the same, nomatter where this love comes from. So man has agape, God also has agape. The difference between man's love and God's love is not a difference in the nature of love(it is love, not something else), but in the "quantity" of it. If we use a scale for love starting from zero to infinity, God is in the upper end, His love is infinite, that's why we say that God is Love. God is indentified as love. Men are in the lower part of that scale and if we want to get higher on that scale we need God's Spirit (to have the fruit of love and increase in it) and grace to grow in love. How far one rises in that scale is due to one's decision to go for it, using God's grace which is available to all believers.
In ancient grk. the verb "philo" (which derives from "philia") is also used for one's love for their friends (this is not used in modern grk). In the incident described in John 21:15-19 Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. The first two times He uses the verb "philo" whereas the third time He uses the verb "agapo". A lot has been written about that, some try to see a difference and some just ignore it since it is the same, the same love, but for a friend. That is why I named it a "magic" word, since it seems English people find something extraordinary in the word agape, but it simply means love in grk, nothing more than that.
GBU
As you probably already know, since you know Greek, the word humbled used in Philippians 2:8 is the word TAPEINOO which means to make (become) low, or to humble.
With the believer, it shows humility and complete loneliness. This happens by being fully dependent on the Lord - dismissing reliance upon self (self-government) and emptying our carnal ego. This exalts the Lord as our all-in-all and prompts the gift of His fullness in us.
God emptied Himself. He came in the fullness of who God is, but He approached this earthly life like a slave.
If I can share this, if you're interested, notice at Verse 6. It begins with the word who. And there are three main verbs in this context. All the rest are participles.
While being in the form of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. That's point one.
But He made Himself of no reputation, or more literally emptied Himself. That's point two.
Having taken on the form of a servant, having been made in the likeness of men, explains what it means by Him emptying Himself.
Again a participle. And being found in fashion as a man, number three, He humbled Himself.
What does that mean?
Having become obedient unto death, and not just death, but the most shameful death that you could think of at that time, the death of the cross.
You see, he's illustrating in Christ. Look what God did to have fellowship with us. That's what the believer must do. And we can only do that through Christ.
The same Jesus that humbled Himself to come 2,000 years ago, actively lives in the lives of every believer, and He Himself lives out that same emptying and humbleness.
He doesn't give me the ability. He does it!
I agree all scripture is inspired by God, and I respect your understanding of this subject many accept that view. The line of Seth and the line of Cain or as you put it the righteous and unrighteous line.
Where my understanding comes from, is in all the verses the words sons of God in the Old Testament refer to angelic beings, Job 1:6; 2:1 context shows the sons of God are angels, also Job 38:7, says the sons of God shouted for joy when God created the earth, a man had not been created.
There are angels that God locked in the darkness for what they did that Peter and Jude witnessed that only Genesis 6 matches what Peter and Jude wrote.
I understand Matt.22:30 Mark 12:25 is taken angels do not procreate, Jesus said angels in heaven because of their spiritual being there is no need. Peter and Jude both said they kept not their first estate and left their own habitation, and they could not return and are now locked in the bottomless pit the same place Satan will be locked in for 1000 years.
So, my understanding of the term sons of God has two basic meanings. It refers to the angels, both good and bad, in the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, the phrase refers to believers in Jesus and through Him have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. By this adoption by Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God
Thanks for your reply,
God bless,
RLW
GB
It looks like we are in agreement, in part. I also do not believe Jesus meant a specific number of years when He said "this generation."
In fact, the word used (GENEA) has nothing to do with years at all. It has to do with a race, or kind of people.
When Jesus said this generation shall not pass, He was referring specifically about the Jewish race.
I am a little confused (not hard to do) by you saying you do not believe Jesus was speaking about a certain number of years, but in your explanation, you seem to be implying years, or a time frame.
Am I just misunderstanding you?
Difficult questions, please can you explain.
I have been wearing glasses since my 40s I understand, thank the Lord tomorrow will be a great day with your new glasses. Satan the Hebrew word ha--n meaning adversary that in the OT this same word was translated as the adversary. So if that would be using the name metaphorically may someone better than me answer that.
My understanding I do not know if his name has ever been given, he is called Satan, the devil, the red dragon, the serpent, and Lucifer but Lucifer comes from a Latin word for the morning star the planet Venus, so I am not sure what his name really is, devil is good enough for me.
Why God would permit Satan access to heaven I cannot say it may have been in the stipulations when Satan and the other angels that rebelled had to still present themselves until all were fulfilled, it is not written.
I agree, God sees all, and we can talk, pray, and thank Him and He knows before we even do what we do when Daniel started praying God sent Gabriel with the answer before Daniel finished. But when it is all finished, we will not just talk to God from a distance He will be with us and we will see Him face to face on the new earth that he will create for us, Rev. 21:3 Rev:22:4.
God bless,
RLW
..... Romans 9:8 That is They which are the Children of the flesh, These are not the Children of God...But the Children of Promise are counted for that good seed...Who are the Children of Promise ?...The H.G. Spirits as Jesus said that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit...Our new innerman is our fruit unto God the H.G...Behold mine elect in whom my soul is well pleased I have put my spirit on him he shall shew judgement unto the Gentiles...Its only the H.G. the gift of God that is Gods elect...These things are hid from the wise and prudent but revealed unto Babes and sucklings Jesus offspring...The contents of the book his words of LIFE...An Israel of God...The regeneration of the H.G....Is Jesus generation..Behold me and the Children the lord has given me...ok lemme go
The 10 commandments say, "Thou shall not kill". So this means even ourselves. Do you have other concerns or questions about suicide ?
I think it is a good thing to read the O,T. for understanding as well as the N.T. but it seems that you think differently. That is fine. You do not need to read what I write from the O.T. chapters I read and comment on. Yet, some may find it helpful. Have a blessed day, Texsis.