Christian Living is journey from one world to another, from being counted in the divine Will to be signs and wonders of being part of the light of the Lamb. It is called everlasting to everlasting. Consequently the everlasting covenant under seven days cover heaven, the earth and below as well presents us the hope of the gospel as well as our admittance in the Man who is life. "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven./And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled/ In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight" (Col.1:20-22) His humanity is taken over by his deity which is what the indwelling Spirit signifies. It also signifies our life is bound up with Christ. " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God./Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth./For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."(Col.3:1-4) In the sight of God our lives are henceforth in the Spirit. "but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." What does it amount to? We dwell either in the flesh or in the Spirit. If we walk under the Spirit of Christ we shall also appear with him glory. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
What does carnal mind do? Carnal mind shall know "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush" as knowing a dollar and make it work for you. It only requires carnal wisdom which however turns out to be devil's business. "but is earthly, sensual, devilish."(Jas.3:15)
Socialism at another age defended 'the end justified the means.' So proponents of this philosophy would have called Satan's challenge, to turn the stone into bread as positive; on the other hand building a class of super rich and enacting laws to protect them so in a tricked-down economy the man on the street shall benefit was an ideal for some; It is thus carnal mind has served Satan so much so the Spirit shows "and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." Seven heads of materialism, capitalism and similar isms. These are what carnal mind, which is devilish capable of. Whereas the Lamb reveal something else. "a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." This is what wisdom from heaven indicates. " But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy./ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." (Jas.3:17-18). When we consider the world we live in what is running the show? Is it not carnal mind with devil's agenda? " For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace./Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be./So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."(vv.6-9) In this context where shall we place the ministers of God who espouse 'prosperity theology'?
Satan tempted Jesus at the end of 40 days by a question that is at the root of the divine Holiness. His creation was not simply a burst of His Power and Wisdom but from deliberate exercise of the Word, which is also law. He named the earth. "And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good." The name for stone cannot be simply altered without injuring the holiness if it cam be bread at some of the times. The name is exact as His commandment is exact. Otherwise what point is to have the law of nature? Nature obeys the Law of God. Indirectly Satan was undermining the sovereignty of God. If man is able to eradicate hunger by turning stones where ever they may be found, why obey Law or God? Dosteovsky brings this out this problem in the Grand Inquisitor episode of the Brothers Karamazov. The name of Jesus became more excellent than every name because he obeyed the Law of his Father. The Word was God. Anything that brings down the holiness of God is a sin. So Jesus would not accept Satan's temptation.
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
Jesus explained what are the things of the flesh."Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." (Matt.6:31-33). In the seven days God and the Man have already settled the issue so by worrying over it merely exposes your lack of trust in the holiness of God.Further down we shall see St Paul asking, "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?"(v.32) First things first. Jesus Christ who of God has become righteousness is who placed his own life for our sakes so it is his righteousness that we need lay hold of. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
As many as are led by the Spirit requires the right soil in order to abound in the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus Christ is the true vine. Without it the indwelling Spirit is merely quenched.
John the Baptist was anointed from his mother's womb and having served as the voice in the wilderness, we see him practice utmost austerity in his own manner of living. He failed to see what Jesus was doing there among the harlots sinners and the lowest dregs in the society. He judged him by how own standards than by the Spirit. It is where those who are called in his Son go wrong. The Bible gives another case of the mighty Samson. He was called to live up to his vows. He simply failed and when in a crisis what do we read? "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him."
You do your conjecture in your interpretations and perhaps I do so to in some of what I say. I will look into this further, because I remember reading somewhere that the devil had been tempting Jesus all along, but at the end of the forty days, Satan tested Jesus in the three ways mentioned.
As to what Satan knew about Jesus, Scripture never says that he knew all about Jesus. God is able to hide knowledge from Satan and really, anyone He chooses to keep things hidden that others may know or have received revelation of. Satan does not know what is in people's minds. Scripture does not say that He does as far as I know. Satan knows Scripture to some extent, but most likely not accurately, especially when it comes to prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah, who the Messiah is when He arrives, and also what God's plan is. God is sovereign, present everywhere, able to know every thought, intention, words, and actions of every person. Satan does not have these traits because he does not have a divine nature. Only God is like this.
Anyway, Oseas, we differ on many things from my experience with you. I think that you spiritualize Scripture to fit your mindset most of the time. I don't think that this is how God wants us to learn Scripture. I do think some of Scripture is allegorical, but not every verse or story. I do appreciate your input on my post, however. Thanks for responding. I just don't want to get engaged in a big discussion with you at this time.
Although it is not that long since I read that article from that scholar about the word ANOTHEN, it is about a couple of months ago, I haven't saved it in my PC. Sometimes when I search things on the net, I go from a site to a site and at the end I end up in a completely different thing than the one that I was initially looking for. So, sorry I don't have the name of the author. If I find it in the future I will let you know. But I think if you search it on the net you will get some good information.
About the word ME in John 3:4 in the beginning of his question, it denotes doubt. It is like him saying "Can it be possible...?". In this way he is expressing his doubt on what Jesus said. To me this shows that he understood it as "again". But anyway either this or that doesn't make much difference. GBU
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
How can you come along side with those with fear and help them out of their fears?
My Respond:
In my days of living among the Christian Church community those who were Christian passed out gospel tracks with writings and scriptures which led people how to receive Jesus Christ as God as Saviour in repentance of sins and inviting them to learn about how to be saved and live in receiving Jesus Christ .I believe these too can be signs and in places , institutions that can change fear into confidence.
1 Peter 4:11 KJV
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Based in the Word of GOD,our Lord JESUS had already fasted 40 days.Mat.4:2:When JESUS had fasted forty days and forty nights,He was AFTERWARD an hungred.
Thus,we can see that the comment posted doesn't fit or applys not in any case you have conjectured in the first phrase of your post.
You said"you agree that eating is not a sin".Depend:Whom bread do you eat from?Scriptures explain:Prov.20:17Bread of deceit(BREAD OF THE LIE)is sweet to a man;but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.By the way, Satan is the father of lie-Jo.8:44.
In the other hand,JESUS said:Jo.6:32-34:
32-...Moses gave you not that bread from heaven;but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33For the bread of GOD is He which comes down from heaven,and gives life unto the world.
34Then said they unto JESUS,Lord,evermore give us this bread.
You said"Satan was testing JESUS out to see who He is,to learn more about Him,to see what His vulnerabilities may be".What does the Word of GOD say,GIGI? Ezekiel 28:3 reveals that Satan is wiser than Daniel;there is no secret that can hide from him.
Satan kews JESUS so well, and also HE knew all the people of Israel( John 8:44), Satan knew the people of Israel had reject JESUS, by the way, all the people of Israel had(and still have)a STONY HEART, having the own Satan as father, said JESUS- John 8:44.
That said, Satan challenged JESUS to transform the people of Israel in bread, saying to JESUS:If thou be the Son of GOD, COMMAND that these stones be made bread.
Paul Apostle said:1Co.10:16-17
16The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17For we being many ARE ONE BREAD,and one body:for we are all partakers of that one bread(body of Christ JESUS,our Lord)
Re.2:24-25
24But unto you I say,and unto the rest in Thyatira,as many as have not this doctrine,and which have not known the depths of Satan,as they speak;I will put upon you none other burden.
25But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
What is the righteousness of the law bur Christ Jesus? If we abide in him we walk the way as he set an example. 'Thy word is truth' and his promise to send the Spirit was to guide us and having the indwelling Spirit how can we run with the hounds and preach on Sundays as a hare? We are dead to the world. Our sufficiency is of God, "But of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Co.3:6)
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged./But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."(1 Co.11:31-32). The Spirit is the arbiter and it means walk circumspectly,"not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."(Ep.5:15-17)
" But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Our sufficiency is of the Man who signed on our behalf and the everlasting covenant bears the blood of the Lamb, for which reason when he walked the earth the Spirit gave him a sign, "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"( John 1:38) John did not have to know what he was in the divine Will, the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world in his humanity walked and he was there to testify. That was his role. Later John judging him from his own lifestyle questioned, "Do we look for another?' It elicited a summation of his role in the kingdom of God from the Word become flesh. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he".(Matt.11:11) That the scripture might be fulfilled explains the Messenger aspect linking him but in his failure it is the Man who settled the matter.
In the wilderness, turning stones into bread may have a been a sin if the Father had told Jesus to fast for 40 days. Breaking that fast by doing this miracle would be a sin of disobedience to the Father.
But I agree that eating is not a sin. And I agree that Satan was testing Jesus out to see who He is, to learn more about Him, to see what His vulnerabilities may be, and to make a small dent in Jesus' character to use against Him as the accuser.
Remember,the Word is GOD,GOD Himself,self-executing.
1Th.5:3-When they say,Peace and safety;then sudden destruction cometh upon them...and they shall not escape.
Amos 5:8-9-8 Seek him that makes the seven stars(by allegory 7 angels of the Gentile Church-Re.1:20)and Orion(Jewish Church-the remnant-Is.1:9& Amos 5:2-3),and turns the shadow of death into the morning,and makes the day dark with night:that calls for the waters of the sea(Gentile peoples/believers),and pours them out upon the face of the earth:The Lord is His name:9-That strengthens the spoiled against the strong,so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress
Soph.1:12-18
12And it shall come to pass at that time(the current time),that I will search Jerusalem with candles,and punish the men that are settled on their lees:that say in their heart,The Lord will not do good,neither will he do evil.
13Therefore their goods shall become a booty,and their houses a desolation(Mat.24:15-25):they shall also build houses,but not inhabit them;and they shall plant vineyards,but not drink the wine thereof.
14The great Day of the Lord is near,it is near,and hastes greatly(i.e.the 7th and last Day,or 7th and last millennium)even the voice of the Day of the Lord:the mighty man shall cry there bitterly( Revelation 6:13-17)
15That Day is a Day of wrath( Revelation 11:18),a Day of trouble and distress,a Day of wasteness and desolation,a Day of darkness and gloominess,a Day of clouds and thick darkness
16A Day of Trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities,and against the high towers
17And I will bring distress upon men,that they shall walk like blind men,because they have sinned against the Lord:and their blood shall be poured out as dust,and their flesh as the dung
18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the Day of the Lord's WRATH(the 7th);but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy:for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land
Outpouring of the Spirit is fulfilment of the everlasting covenant. 'Male and female created he them'. Power and Wisdom alike made man "In our image and after our likeness'. In v.27-28 we read thus "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." In his resurrection Jesus intended to reveal the Power aspect of God to the disciples; but without wisdom they would be as clueless as they were earlier. Peter would testify by what the Spirit in him has done, "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."(Ac.2:24)
"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment./Of sin, because they believe not on me;/Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;/Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." Of this last we see many proof. "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Apostle Peter rebuked the prince of this world that animated them. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people."(Ac.5:9,12). Apostles were created in the mould 'after our likeness" what they did were signs and wonders but what rendered these two words of the Spirit and the earth work seamlessly is the everlasting covenant. Exit the Son of man, enter Jesus Christ. So tarrying in Jerusalem was faith in action.
Condemning sin the flesh meant victory over it, leading to, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit".
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh"
Jesus in his humanity has a purpose; so has his deity which sets him right in the bosom of his Father. It is to the twelve he explains what he was there for. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."(John16:7). The everlasting covenant set the two worlds framed by the word of God where the world made to appear was void and without form at first shall decidedly shall become a city on a hill that cannot be missed. It speaks of his Alpha aspect and the female principle Wisdom crying out in the streets is the covenant sets up in seven days, the House where the Father has many mansions. The Jews rejected him, the true Light so in the Book of Jeremiah we have the prophet referring for the wicked and adulterous nation a bleak picture, 4:21-31. "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light." It is how Jesus Christ shall be and through the day decreed for the Son runs its course. Their wickedness shut out the true Light because they were ever held in thrall by the devil. So law of sin made the Law of Moses to none effect."The life was the light of men./And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." ( John 1:4-5). It is thus the Spirit put the words in the mouth of Jeremiah. The passage quoted above runs to the day of wrath and a point of time they shall see and mourn for their folly. "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."(Re.1:7)
Outpouring of the Spirit is fulfillment of the everlasting covenant. 'Male and female created he them'. (Ge.1:28)
Now lets go to Jesus' temptations in the wilderness. Was the first thing that satan asked Him to do, turn those stones into bread, a sin? If Jesus did actually that, would He had sinned? Was it something sinful? The answer is no, it wasn't a sin. So why did satan asked Him that? My thoughts (I don't say this is right, just my thoughts) is that it was for reconnaissance. He tried to figure out who was in front of him and what was Jesus capable for, he was trying to learn things about Him. Of course satan knew about Jesus' life, I believe he observed Him since His birth and knew all those prophesies in the Old Testament. but he had no clue what was God's mysterious plan for our salvation and I believe in the begining he was not sure who actually Jesus was, if He was God Himself, just that He was a son of God who was born supernaturally and who never sins. Maybe he understood everyting later on, apart from Jesus's crucifixtion being the way people are saved. You are right, if he knew he would had never led Jesus on the cross. For a time he thought he had won until he realized that he had actually lost. Who can take on God and win? And since satan can not hurt God he fights Him by trying to lead his creatures into hell with him. Like somebody who can not hurt a father but hurts his kids instead. So in that first temptation satan was also trying to get Jesus into a discussion with him to find out more about Him, to find maybe some volnurable sides of Him. And we know about the other two temptations, satan is not a fool, he soon realized that infront of him there was somebody whom he can not handle like the rest of the world. Jesus was something special. But he still fought against Him. I don't know why God never gave the fallen angels a way to be saved like humans. Maybe He knows that they will never ever repent. Maybe because they were in a position so close to Him, they were seeing His face and were talking to Him, that gives no room for excuses.
Going now to the angels. Satan has also free will. In his foolishness because of his superior status as the top angel he thought he could had been like God. He said, I think it is in Ezekiel, thay he wanted to be like, equal to God. Of course he was not that fool to wish to be better than God, just equal to Him. So this again shows that although somebody can be in a sinless state they can still choose to go another direction than the one God wishes for them to go. But what God could had done, but didn't do, was that He could immediately had sent satan away from Heaven without giving him the time and opportunity to approach and deceive other angels too. But He didn't do so. Why not? Because He wanted to give all the angels a choise, the opportunity to "choose", either to go with satan or remain with Him. So He let things get on until the angels had chosen sides.
So it is not a matter of winning or loosing for God, God is always a victor, but a matter of getting things straight in His Kingdom. If you remember the story in John's gospel when Jesus said that if one doesn't eat His flesh and drinks His blood can not be saved, many disciples turned away. Why didn't Jesus say clearly what He meant and avoid them going away? Because it was His plan so that His disciples will show what they actually had in their heart. Some said He was a fool. That was not something they decided that time. It was in their heart and it came out as a result of His words. Jesus just shook things up. It was their time to choose. With him or away from Him.
It is always a matter of choise for everybody on this earth. People will be condemned not because they are sinners (we were given a way out of sin) but because they will choose not take advantage of Jesus' sacrifice. The ones who choose to be with God in this life, they will be with God in the other life too ,and the ones who do not want Him here they will not be with Him there either.
Very interesting posts about God being the victor in anything in the world, both physical and spiritual. I would like to share some thoughts of mine about God and His plan for humans. Angels as well.
There is no doubt that God is above all. He is infinite, without any measure, in every aspect. He is the uppermost limit of everything. Everything that exists was created by Him and He is in control of everything. He knows beforehand everything that will happen in the future so that puts Him always a step ahead of everybody else. It is like someone who plays a game of chess against a computer that "thinks" a million moves ahead. There is no way one can beat it.
So why did God create humans and angels able to sin, although they were made sinless? The answer lays in the phrase "free will". Where God can not intervene is our own free will, because if He had done so then we would had been something like robots or programmed computers, but not free personalities. So it was inevitable that since we, as well as angels, have free will, then we can choose what to do, to go this way or to go that way. So was God forced somehow because of the specific circumastances to "loose" the game? No, actually that was how He wanted things to go. He wanted in our own free will to choose him. Our choise not to be something compalsory because we were forced to go His way but because we decided in our own free will to follow Him. And how was that going to be done? By offering people a choise, the opportunity to choose. How can that be done? By puting a temptetation(maybe choise is a better word) infront of us. So He gave Adam and Eve a choise. To choose whether to obey Him and not eating from the tree in the garden or disobey him and sin. So He Himself created that tree and He Himself placed it in the garden of Eden. It was His plan to do so, but definitely it was His will that Adam and Eve wouldn't disobey His commandement, although He knew the outcome.
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Every term can create a stream of associations for example law of the Spirit of life connect with this verse:"In him was life; and the life was the light of men." It sets its course to the light of Lamb. This light is what the law of the Spirit offers to whosoever takes its follows its lead. This is what freedom means. On the other law of sin as we have seen may be a covering cherub can wear it but the iniquity the spirit of pride breeds children of wrath, the route Judas Iscariot took. Jesus refers to him as the son pf perdition ( John 17:12) 'That the scripture might be fulfilled'' at the end of this prayer tells God had called Judas and also entrusted him under his watch. Judas had responsibility to choose life. He had free will. But in denying his deity he chose the law of sin. Thus he made hiself the servant to sin.
The house with seven pillars are thus built up where Jesus Christ of God has become wisdom (1 Co.1:30) The stone laid creates pillars as the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus build us up. " Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God," The message to church in Philadelphia is about life and a new name fitting with the new heaven and new earth. Thus the entire Bible is fitted within two book ends: The House with seven pillars and 'the temple of my God.'
RED APPLE TREATY 4 ME ONLY - In Reply - 6 months ago
Edited
I pray to God for those with unwavering faith, not steadfast, or in prayer God will help them, people in position of power, office, laws, governments, to accept God, (Christianity) listen to God, even be healed and saved.
Daniel 6:2, 3 which was Daniel excellency of spirit also shown in Daniel 1:17 ,10,11,14 which is Daniel deliverance,16,20,21,22 which is a plus added to you and positive difference, 23 Which is result evident My interpetation : "(token ) Psalm 112:3 KJV "Not to be in state of hunger, depression, poverty"
,27,28 KJV.
I believe Jesus Christ God as the Father and made in his image Genesis 1:27 KJV his son, to be blessed which is a plus My interpetation evident "(token ) Not to be in state of hunger, depression, poverty" and to have what I say and want "( Psalm 112:3 KJV) of his New Convenant I am a Christian that practices reading my Holy Bible and praying bringing God glory and God's deliverance. which is a plus added to me to receive blessings and being a positive difference Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV 1 John 3:2 KJV my faith believing confirmed in me holy the identity Christian that allows me to be shown to have no challenges in relations in life .
Treat others as you want to be treated confirming yourself in the image of God. That God exists. You and your thoughts becoming existence/like God Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV, Genesis 1:27 KJV his son, daughter, or children.
John 6:19 - So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
The other Gospel writers tell us that they thought they saw a ghost. In fact, one Greek translation used PHANTASMA. They thought He was a phantom ghost. And they were afraid.
John 6:44 - No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The word "draw" isn't the drawing that I depict when I put my hand out to draw. In the Greek text, it is a word that means to drag. The same word was used of Lot. If you remember, as he was leaving town, he didn't want to go, and he hesitated.
It was the faithfulness of God that took him by the hand and dragged him out of the city. That is the faithfulness of God. Even in our hesitations, He'll drag us. I guess you might say that "Christianity is a drag!"
John 6:45 - It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
You know who God's people are? They are the people who are taught by God. Literally, God taught is what it says. Even though somebody might be standing up front and talking, and using scripture, we are taught by God inside our own heart and inside our own spirit, not from outside.
The Lord can and He does speak to people's hearts from listening to other people, from reading the Word, from reading a commentary, or reading an article. But God's people are God taught.
John 5:3 - In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
From the word "waiting," all the way through to the end of Verse 4, those sections of scriptures are not found in some manuscripts.
But it is with the Textus Receptus for the King James. It tells us what they were waiting for. So, you have all these different people, waiting for the moving of the water.
John 5:10 - The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
This is just general information, but whenever you see the term "the Jews" plural in the text, it is not making reference to Jewish people, but Jewish leadership. The Jews were the leadership of the Jews, plural term. The Jews said to him, it is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry your bed.
John 5:18 - Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Again, the term "the Jews" means the religious leaders.
John 6:1 - After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
Again, it starts out with META TOUTA. After these things, (the things of Chapter 5), right afterwards, we have the succession of events.
John 6:7 - Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth, two hundred DENARII (two hundred days wages) of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may take a little.
So even if we had 200 days wages and purchased bread and gave everybody one piece, there wouldn't be enough.
John 4:48 - Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Notice the "ye" in the text? It denotes plural, not just you, but everybody else that comes up to me, they come up to me because they see the signs, and you won't believe unless you see signs. And so, the nobleman's going to tell Him "Well that's probably true, but if you come down, you can heal him. So, Jesus sees that he is still not going to understand that the Lord can just speak the word. Jesus doesn't need to be there!
John 5:1 - After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Period of time:
It begins by saying "After this," META TOUTA in the Greek, and it means right after the incidents of Chapter 4, that there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Some manuscripts have "The Feast" of the Jews, meaning that it is Passover. Anyways, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. It was one of the three feasts that all Jewish males 20 and over were required to be at when these feasts are held in Jerusalem every year. So, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem at the feast.
John 5:2 - Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market, and in the Greek text is literally the sheep gate, and they are keeping the sheep in there for the Passover sacrifice. But anyway, near this sheep gate is a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Bethesda means house of mercy. It plays a big part. John does not put in things just to give us information. It all has a part in the story and in the message.
John 3:34 - For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Very important verse! Literally, that second part of the verse is that God has poured out His Spirit in its fullness upon Christ. He is all God! The principle is that He's the only one that has and speaks the words of God. In Colossians 2:9, Paul tells us that in Jesus is all of the Godhead in bodily form. Everything there is of God and bodily form! God did not pour out His Spirit by measure but rather in His fullness.
John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Two words in Verse 36:
He that believes on the Son, right now, has everlasting life. And he that believeth not, and that word is a different word. The "believeth not" is what is translated without persuasion. The one who believes has everlasting life right now.
But the one who has refused the persuasion of the Son (future tense), shall not see life, but (present tense), the wrath of God is abiding on him. If you refuse the persuasion of God's Spirit about Jesus Christ, you will continue to die in your sins.
John 4:4 - And he must needs go through Samaria.
"Must needs" is a Greek word (EDEI) that means He was bound. It was a plan. It was necessary that He goes through Samaria. He had an appointment with this woman.
John 4:46 - So, Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
So, Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman (BASOLIKOS), from the word king, and it means to be in some kind of royal court or office.
John 3:21 - But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
But he that does truth, literally the one who practices the truth is continually coming to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are worked in God.
The one who has a heart for the Lord comes to the light and basically says show me what is of me, and what is of God. I just want to do the things of God. What's the truth? I don't want to hide, just manifest to me the truth. Two different kinds of people!
And from this text, I can say to you, and it answers all the questions and problems that we have about preaching the Gospel. What about those people that never hear? What about the people that can't read?
What about those who don't have a Bible? They have never heard the Gospel message before. According to Jesus, everybody is going to be judged by how they responded to the light. That's it!
In John 1:9, we read in the Logos Hymn that the light enlightens every person coming into the world. So, it is not words. At some point and some time, God's Spirit as a Spiritual light manifests Himself to a person's heart or spirit. And that person will either be receptive to the light, or they are going to want to get away from the light. It won't involve words. It won't be because of the English language or Greek or Hebrew or anything else. It's the light!
When He shines His light into our darkness, how do we respond? We are either drawn to the light, or we want to get away from the light. That's based on a heart condition, not on what I believe or don't believe in my head. It's the light!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on John 3:3. I looks like we both agree that the word (ANOTHEN) means "from above." However, what we differ on is Nicodemus' understanding of what Jesus was telling him, and which way the word ANOTHEN should be translated in this verse. It makes sense what you said, and I can see how one would not see the words "from above" just by going off Nicodemus' response in Verse 4.
His response is odd. No one, especially Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin and the master teacher of Israel would think that a person can enter back into their mother's womb and be physically born again. But Jesus wasn't talking about being born again physically. Jesus is saying that a person must be born from above, a Spiritual birth that only comes from above.
What's interesting is that in the Greek text, it expects the answer no in John 3:4. Nicodemus was looking for Jesus to confirm that He was not talking about a second physical birth or being born again.
When I see ANOTHEN in John 3:3, I see the words "from above." This same word is used in in Verses 7 and 31. Did Nicodemus truly believe that Jesus was saying a person must be born again by entering back into their mother's womb? Obviously, Nicodemus misunderstood what Jesus was telling him, as Jesus says in Verse 7, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born from above."
Nicodemus is confused because he asks Jesus "How can these things be?" It makes more sense that Jesus is telling him that a person must be born from above, meaning that every person must experience a spiritual birth from heaven, that is, the source of it is from heaven, not from man. It's a spiritual birth, a birth "from above," which Jesus is telling him he must experience if he wants to see the kingdom of God.
I am interested in reading what this scholar/theologian you mentioned had to say on this. Can you please share his name with me so I can read what he had to say? Thanks again brother!
RED APPLE TREATY 4 ME ONLY - In Reply - 6 months ago
Continued: Daniel 6:22 KJV
that allows me to be shown to have no challenges in relations in life .
Ways you can have unwavering faith, steadfast having strength and God's protection ( Psalms 121:1-8 KJV) ( Daniel 12:1-4 KJV, ), God protects you fighting and defending for you and his anger is on adversity. Are to allow God attributes ( Galatians 5:22 KJV )to come within you receiving them mind, body, soul and spirit.
Treat others as you want to be treated confirming yourself in the image of God Genesis 1:27 KJV becoming his son daughter, or children.
Love and trust the Lord
Practice humility to God and in God.
Surround yourself and be in surroundings with goldy influences of (Christian- practices , a place , institution.)
Published and spoken Word by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY
Christian Living is journey from one world to another, from being counted in the divine Will to be signs and wonders of being part of the light of the Lamb. It is called everlasting to everlasting. Consequently the everlasting covenant under seven days cover heaven, the earth and below as well presents us the hope of the gospel as well as our admittance in the Man who is life. "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven./And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled/ In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight" (Col.1:20-22) His humanity is taken over by his deity which is what the indwelling Spirit signifies. It also signifies our life is bound up with Christ. " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God./Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth./For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."(Col.3:1-4) In the sight of God our lives are henceforth in the Spirit. "but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." What does it amount to? We dwell either in the flesh or in the Spirit. If we walk under the Spirit of Christ we shall also appear with him glory. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
What does carnal mind do? Carnal mind shall know "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush" as knowing a dollar and make it work for you. It only requires carnal wisdom which however turns out to be devil's business. "but is earthly, sensual, devilish."(Jas.3:15)
Socialism at another age defended 'the end justified the means.' So proponents of this philosophy would have called Satan's challenge, to turn the stone into bread as positive; on the other hand building a class of super rich and enacting laws to protect them so in a tricked-down economy the man on the street shall benefit was an ideal for some; It is thus carnal mind has served Satan so much so the Spirit shows "and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." Seven heads of materialism, capitalism and similar isms. These are what carnal mind, which is devilish capable of. Whereas the Lamb reveal something else. "a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." This is what wisdom from heaven indicates. " But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy./ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." (Jas.3:17-18). When we consider the world we live in what is running the show? Is it not carnal mind with devil's agenda? " For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace./Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be./So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."(vv.6-9) In this context where shall we place the ministers of God who espouse 'prosperity theology'?
Satan tempted Jesus at the end of 40 days by a question that is at the root of the divine Holiness. His creation was not simply a burst of His Power and Wisdom but from deliberate exercise of the Word, which is also law. He named the earth. "And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good." The name for stone cannot be simply altered without injuring the holiness if it cam be bread at some of the times. The name is exact as His commandment is exact. Otherwise what point is to have the law of nature? Nature obeys the Law of God. Indirectly Satan was undermining the sovereignty of God. If man is able to eradicate hunger by turning stones where ever they may be found, why obey Law or God? Dosteovsky brings this out this problem in the Grand Inquisitor episode of the Brothers Karamazov. The name of Jesus became more excellent than every name because he obeyed the Law of his Father. The Word was God. Anything that brings down the holiness of God is a sin. So Jesus would not accept Satan's temptation.
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
Jesus explained what are the things of the flesh."Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." (Matt.6:31-33). In the seven days God and the Man have already settled the issue so by worrying over it merely exposes your lack of trust in the holiness of God.Further down we shall see St Paul asking, "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?"(v.32) First things first. Jesus Christ who of God has become righteousness is who placed his own life for our sakes so it is his righteousness that we need lay hold of. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
As many as are led by the Spirit requires the right soil in order to abound in the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus Christ is the true vine. Without it the indwelling Spirit is merely quenched.
John the Baptist was anointed from his mother's womb and having served as the voice in the wilderness, we see him practice utmost austerity in his own manner of living. He failed to see what Jesus was doing there among the harlots sinners and the lowest dregs in the society. He judged him by how own standards than by the Spirit. It is where those who are called in his Son go wrong. The Bible gives another case of the mighty Samson. He was called to live up to his vows. He simply failed and when in a crisis what do we read? "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him."
Thanks again and God bless you!
You do your conjecture in your interpretations and perhaps I do so to in some of what I say. I will look into this further, because I remember reading somewhere that the devil had been tempting Jesus all along, but at the end of the forty days, Satan tested Jesus in the three ways mentioned.
As to what Satan knew about Jesus, Scripture never says that he knew all about Jesus. God is able to hide knowledge from Satan and really, anyone He chooses to keep things hidden that others may know or have received revelation of. Satan does not know what is in people's minds. Scripture does not say that He does as far as I know. Satan knows Scripture to some extent, but most likely not accurately, especially when it comes to prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah, who the Messiah is when He arrives, and also what God's plan is. God is sovereign, present everywhere, able to know every thought, intention, words, and actions of every person. Satan does not have these traits because he does not have a divine nature. Only God is like this.
Anyway, Oseas, we differ on many things from my experience with you. I think that you spiritualize Scripture to fit your mindset most of the time. I don't think that this is how God wants us to learn Scripture. I do think some of Scripture is allegorical, but not every verse or story. I do appreciate your input on my post, however. Thanks for responding. I just don't want to get engaged in a big discussion with you at this time.
Although it is not that long since I read that article from that scholar about the word ANOTHEN, it is about a couple of months ago, I haven't saved it in my PC. Sometimes when I search things on the net, I go from a site to a site and at the end I end up in a completely different thing than the one that I was initially looking for. So, sorry I don't have the name of the author. If I find it in the future I will let you know. But I think if you search it on the net you will get some good information.
About the word ME in John 3:4 in the beginning of his question, it denotes doubt. It is like him saying "Can it be possible...?". In this way he is expressing his doubt on what Jesus said. To me this shows that he understood it as "again". But anyway either this or that doesn't make much difference. GBU
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
How can you come along side with those with fear and help them out of their fears?
My Respond:
In my days of living among the Christian Church community those who were Christian passed out gospel tracks with writings and scriptures which led people how to receive Jesus Christ as God as Saviour in repentance of sins and inviting them to learn about how to be saved and live in receiving Jesus Christ .I believe these too can be signs and in places , institutions that can change fear into confidence.
1 Peter 4:11 KJV
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Published by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY
Based in the Word of GOD,our Lord JESUS had already fasted 40 days.Mat.4:2:When JESUS had fasted forty days and forty nights,He was AFTERWARD an hungred.
Thus,we can see that the comment posted doesn't fit or applys not in any case you have conjectured in the first phrase of your post.
You said"you agree that eating is not a sin".Depend:Whom bread do you eat from?Scriptures explain:Prov.20:17Bread of deceit(BREAD OF THE LIE)is sweet to a man;but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.By the way, Satan is the father of lie-Jo.8:44.
In the other hand,JESUS said:Jo.6:32-34:
32-...Moses gave you not that bread from heaven;but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33For the bread of GOD is He which comes down from heaven,and gives life unto the world.
34Then said they unto JESUS,Lord,evermore give us this bread.
You said"Satan was testing JESUS out to see who He is,to learn more about Him,to see what His vulnerabilities may be".What does the Word of GOD say,GIGI? Ezekiel 28:3 reveals that Satan is wiser than Daniel;there is no secret that can hide from him.
Satan kews JESUS so well, and also HE knew all the people of Israel( John 8:44), Satan knew the people of Israel had reject JESUS, by the way, all the people of Israel had(and still have)a STONY HEART, having the own Satan as father, said JESUS- John 8:44.
That said, Satan challenged JESUS to transform the people of Israel in bread, saying to JESUS:If thou be the Son of GOD, COMMAND that these stones be made bread.
Paul Apostle said:1Co.10:16-17
16The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17For we being many ARE ONE BREAD,and one body:for we are all partakers of that one bread(body of Christ JESUS,our Lord)
Re.2:24-25
24But unto you I say,and unto the rest in Thyatira,as many as have not this doctrine,and which have not known the depths of Satan,as they speak;I will put upon you none other burden.
25But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
What is the righteousness of the law bur Christ Jesus? If we abide in him we walk the way as he set an example. 'Thy word is truth' and his promise to send the Spirit was to guide us and having the indwelling Spirit how can we run with the hounds and preach on Sundays as a hare? We are dead to the world. Our sufficiency is of God, "But of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Co.3:6)
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged./But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."(1 Co.11:31-32). The Spirit is the arbiter and it means walk circumspectly,"not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."(Ep.5:15-17)
" But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Our sufficiency is of the Man who signed on our behalf and the everlasting covenant bears the blood of the Lamb, for which reason when he walked the earth the Spirit gave him a sign, "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"( John 1:38) John did not have to know what he was in the divine Will, the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world in his humanity walked and he was there to testify. That was his role. Later John judging him from his own lifestyle questioned, "Do we look for another?' It elicited a summation of his role in the kingdom of God from the Word become flesh. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he".(Matt.11:11) That the scripture might be fulfilled explains the Messenger aspect linking him but in his failure it is the Man who settled the matter.
Thanks for your reply.
I would like to comment on just one thing.
In the wilderness, turning stones into bread may have a been a sin if the Father had told Jesus to fast for 40 days. Breaking that fast by doing this miracle would be a sin of disobedience to the Father.
But I agree that eating is not a sin. And I agree that Satan was testing Jesus out to see who He is, to learn more about Him, to see what His vulnerabilities may be, and to make a small dent in Jesus' character to use against Him as the accuser.
I will pray for you today.
1Th.5:3-When they say,Peace and safety;then sudden destruction cometh upon them...and they shall not escape.
Amos 5:8-9-8 Seek him that makes the seven stars(by allegory 7 angels of the Gentile Church-Re.1:20)and Orion(Jewish Church-the remnant-Is.1:9& Amos 5:2-3),and turns the shadow of death into the morning,and makes the day dark with night:that calls for the waters of the sea(Gentile peoples/believers),and pours them out upon the face of the earth:The Lord is His name:9-That strengthens the spoiled against the strong,so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress
Soph.1:12-18
12And it shall come to pass at that time(the current time),that I will search Jerusalem with candles,and punish the men that are settled on their lees:that say in their heart,The Lord will not do good,neither will he do evil.
13Therefore their goods shall become a booty,and their houses a desolation(Mat.24:15-25):they shall also build houses,but not inhabit them;and they shall plant vineyards,but not drink the wine thereof.
14The great Day of the Lord is near,it is near,and hastes greatly(i.e.the 7th and last Day,or 7th and last millennium)even the voice of the Day of the Lord:the mighty man shall cry there bitterly( Revelation 6:13-17)
15That Day is a Day of wrath( Revelation 11:18),a Day of trouble and distress,a Day of wasteness and desolation,a Day of darkness and gloominess,a Day of clouds and thick darkness
16A Day of Trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities,and against the high towers
17And I will bring distress upon men,that they shall walk like blind men,because they have sinned against the Lord:and their blood shall be poured out as dust,and their flesh as the dung
18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the Day of the Lord's WRATH(the 7th);but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy:for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land
Get ready
Outpouring of the Spirit is fulfilment of the everlasting covenant. 'Male and female created he them'. Power and Wisdom alike made man "In our image and after our likeness'. In v.27-28 we read thus "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." In his resurrection Jesus intended to reveal the Power aspect of God to the disciples; but without wisdom they would be as clueless as they were earlier. Peter would testify by what the Spirit in him has done, "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."(Ac.2:24)
"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment./Of sin, because they believe not on me;/Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;/Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." Of this last we see many proof. "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Apostle Peter rebuked the prince of this world that animated them. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people."(Ac.5:9,12). Apostles were created in the mould 'after our likeness" what they did were signs and wonders but what rendered these two words of the Spirit and the earth work seamlessly is the everlasting covenant. Exit the Son of man, enter Jesus Christ. So tarrying in Jerusalem was faith in action.
Condemning sin the flesh meant victory over it, leading to, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit".
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh"
Jesus in his humanity has a purpose; so has his deity which sets him right in the bosom of his Father. It is to the twelve he explains what he was there for. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."(John16:7). The everlasting covenant set the two worlds framed by the word of God where the world made to appear was void and without form at first shall decidedly shall become a city on a hill that cannot be missed. It speaks of his Alpha aspect and the female principle Wisdom crying out in the streets is the covenant sets up in seven days, the House where the Father has many mansions. The Jews rejected him, the true Light so in the Book of Jeremiah we have the prophet referring for the wicked and adulterous nation a bleak picture, 4:21-31. "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light." It is how Jesus Christ shall be and through the day decreed for the Son runs its course. Their wickedness shut out the true Light because they were ever held in thrall by the devil. So law of sin made the Law of Moses to none effect."The life was the light of men./And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." ( John 1:4-5). It is thus the Spirit put the words in the mouth of Jeremiah. The passage quoted above runs to the day of wrath and a point of time they shall see and mourn for their folly. "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."(Re.1:7)
Outpouring of the Spirit is fulfillment of the everlasting covenant. 'Male and female created he them'. (Ge.1:28)
Now lets go to Jesus' temptations in the wilderness. Was the first thing that satan asked Him to do, turn those stones into bread, a sin? If Jesus did actually that, would He had sinned? Was it something sinful? The answer is no, it wasn't a sin. So why did satan asked Him that? My thoughts (I don't say this is right, just my thoughts) is that it was for reconnaissance. He tried to figure out who was in front of him and what was Jesus capable for, he was trying to learn things about Him. Of course satan knew about Jesus' life, I believe he observed Him since His birth and knew all those prophesies in the Old Testament. but he had no clue what was God's mysterious plan for our salvation and I believe in the begining he was not sure who actually Jesus was, if He was God Himself, just that He was a son of God who was born supernaturally and who never sins. Maybe he understood everyting later on, apart from Jesus's crucifixtion being the way people are saved. You are right, if he knew he would had never led Jesus on the cross. For a time he thought he had won until he realized that he had actually lost. Who can take on God and win? And since satan can not hurt God he fights Him by trying to lead his creatures into hell with him. Like somebody who can not hurt a father but hurts his kids instead. So in that first temptation satan was also trying to get Jesus into a discussion with him to find out more about Him, to find maybe some volnurable sides of Him. And we know about the other two temptations, satan is not a fool, he soon realized that infront of him there was somebody whom he can not handle like the rest of the world. Jesus was something special. But he still fought against Him. I don't know why God never gave the fallen angels a way to be saved like humans. Maybe He knows that they will never ever repent. Maybe because they were in a position so close to Him, they were seeing His face and were talking to Him, that gives no room for excuses.
GBU
Going now to the angels. Satan has also free will. In his foolishness because of his superior status as the top angel he thought he could had been like God. He said, I think it is in Ezekiel, thay he wanted to be like, equal to God. Of course he was not that fool to wish to be better than God, just equal to Him. So this again shows that although somebody can be in a sinless state they can still choose to go another direction than the one God wishes for them to go. But what God could had done, but didn't do, was that He could immediately had sent satan away from Heaven without giving him the time and opportunity to approach and deceive other angels too. But He didn't do so. Why not? Because He wanted to give all the angels a choise, the opportunity to "choose", either to go with satan or remain with Him. So He let things get on until the angels had chosen sides.
So it is not a matter of winning or loosing for God, God is always a victor, but a matter of getting things straight in His Kingdom. If you remember the story in John's gospel when Jesus said that if one doesn't eat His flesh and drinks His blood can not be saved, many disciples turned away. Why didn't Jesus say clearly what He meant and avoid them going away? Because it was His plan so that His disciples will show what they actually had in their heart. Some said He was a fool. That was not something they decided that time. It was in their heart and it came out as a result of His words. Jesus just shook things up. It was their time to choose. With him or away from Him.
It is always a matter of choise for everybody on this earth. People will be condemned not because they are sinners (we were given a way out of sin) but because they will choose not take advantage of Jesus' sacrifice. The ones who choose to be with God in this life, they will be with God in the other life too ,and the ones who do not want Him here they will not be with Him there either.
See pt 3
Very interesting posts about God being the victor in anything in the world, both physical and spiritual. I would like to share some thoughts of mine about God and His plan for humans. Angels as well.
There is no doubt that God is above all. He is infinite, without any measure, in every aspect. He is the uppermost limit of everything. Everything that exists was created by Him and He is in control of everything. He knows beforehand everything that will happen in the future so that puts Him always a step ahead of everybody else. It is like someone who plays a game of chess against a computer that "thinks" a million moves ahead. There is no way one can beat it.
So why did God create humans and angels able to sin, although they were made sinless? The answer lays in the phrase "free will". Where God can not intervene is our own free will, because if He had done so then we would had been something like robots or programmed computers, but not free personalities. So it was inevitable that since we, as well as angels, have free will, then we can choose what to do, to go this way or to go that way. So was God forced somehow because of the specific circumastances to "loose" the game? No, actually that was how He wanted things to go. He wanted in our own free will to choose him. Our choise not to be something compalsory because we were forced to go His way but because we decided in our own free will to follow Him. And how was that going to be done? By offering people a choise, the opportunity to choose. How can that be done? By puting a temptetation(maybe choise is a better word) infront of us. So He gave Adam and Eve a choise. To choose whether to obey Him and not eating from the tree in the garden or disobey him and sin. So He Himself created that tree and He Himself placed it in the garden of Eden. It was His plan to do so, but definitely it was His will that Adam and Eve wouldn't disobey His commandement, although He knew the outcome.
See pt 2
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Every term can create a stream of associations for example law of the Spirit of life connect with this verse:"In him was life; and the life was the light of men." It sets its course to the light of Lamb. This light is what the law of the Spirit offers to whosoever takes its follows its lead. This is what freedom means. On the other law of sin as we have seen may be a covering cherub can wear it but the iniquity the spirit of pride breeds children of wrath, the route Judas Iscariot took. Jesus refers to him as the son pf perdition ( John 17:12) 'That the scripture might be fulfilled'' at the end of this prayer tells God had called Judas and also entrusted him under his watch. Judas had responsibility to choose life. He had free will. But in denying his deity he chose the law of sin. Thus he made hiself the servant to sin.
The house with seven pillars are thus built up where Jesus Christ of God has become wisdom (1 Co.1:30) The stone laid creates pillars as the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus build us up. " Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God," The message to church in Philadelphia is about life and a new name fitting with the new heaven and new earth. Thus the entire Bible is fitted within two book ends: The House with seven pillars and 'the temple of my God.'
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
I pray to God for those with unwavering faith, not steadfast, or in prayer God will help them, people in position of power, office, laws, governments, to accept God, (Christianity) listen to God, even be healed and saved.
Daniel 6:2, 3 which was Daniel excellency of spirit also shown in Daniel 1:17 ,10,11,14 which is Daniel deliverance,16,20,21,22 which is a plus added to you and positive difference, 23 Which is result evident My interpetation : "(token ) Psalm 112:3 KJV "Not to be in state of hunger, depression, poverty"
,27,28 KJV.
I believe Jesus Christ God as the Father and made in his image Genesis 1:27 KJV his son, to be blessed which is a plus My interpetation evident "(token ) Not to be in state of hunger, depression, poverty" and to have what I say and want "( Psalm 112:3 KJV) of his New Convenant I am a Christian that practices reading my Holy Bible and praying bringing God glory and God's deliverance. which is a plus added to me to receive blessings and being a positive difference Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV 1 John 3:2 KJV my faith believing confirmed in me holy the identity Christian that allows me to be shown to have no challenges in relations in life .
Treat others as you want to be treated confirming yourself in the image of God. That God exists. You and your thoughts becoming existence/like God Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV, Genesis 1:27 KJV his son, daughter, or children.
John 6:19 - So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
The other Gospel writers tell us that they thought they saw a ghost. In fact, one Greek translation used PHANTASMA. They thought He was a phantom ghost. And they were afraid.
John 6:44 - No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The word "draw" isn't the drawing that I depict when I put my hand out to draw. In the Greek text, it is a word that means to drag. The same word was used of Lot. If you remember, as he was leaving town, he didn't want to go, and he hesitated.
It was the faithfulness of God that took him by the hand and dragged him out of the city. That is the faithfulness of God. Even in our hesitations, He'll drag us. I guess you might say that "Christianity is a drag!"
John 6:45 - It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
You know who God's people are? They are the people who are taught by God. Literally, God taught is what it says. Even though somebody might be standing up front and talking, and using scripture, we are taught by God inside our own heart and inside our own spirit, not from outside.
The Lord can and He does speak to people's hearts from listening to other people, from reading the Word, from reading a commentary, or reading an article. But God's people are God taught.
John 5:3 - In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
From the word "waiting," all the way through to the end of Verse 4, those sections of scriptures are not found in some manuscripts.
But it is with the Textus Receptus for the King James. It tells us what they were waiting for. So, you have all these different people, waiting for the moving of the water.
John 5:10 - The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
This is just general information, but whenever you see the term "the Jews" plural in the text, it is not making reference to Jewish people, but Jewish leadership. The Jews were the leadership of the Jews, plural term. The Jews said to him, it is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry your bed.
John 5:18 - Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Again, the term "the Jews" means the religious leaders.
John 6:1 - After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
Again, it starts out with META TOUTA. After these things, (the things of Chapter 5), right afterwards, we have the succession of events.
John 6:7 - Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth, two hundred DENARII (two hundred days wages) of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may take a little.
So even if we had 200 days wages and purchased bread and gave everybody one piece, there wouldn't be enough.
John 4:48 - Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Notice the "ye" in the text? It denotes plural, not just you, but everybody else that comes up to me, they come up to me because they see the signs, and you won't believe unless you see signs. And so, the nobleman's going to tell Him "Well that's probably true, but if you come down, you can heal him. So, Jesus sees that he is still not going to understand that the Lord can just speak the word. Jesus doesn't need to be there!
John 5:1 - After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Period of time:
It begins by saying "After this," META TOUTA in the Greek, and it means right after the incidents of Chapter 4, that there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Some manuscripts have "The Feast" of the Jews, meaning that it is Passover. Anyways, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. It was one of the three feasts that all Jewish males 20 and over were required to be at when these feasts are held in Jerusalem every year. So, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem at the feast.
John 5:2 - Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market, and in the Greek text is literally the sheep gate, and they are keeping the sheep in there for the Passover sacrifice. But anyway, near this sheep gate is a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Bethesda means house of mercy. It plays a big part. John does not put in things just to give us information. It all has a part in the story and in the message.
John 3:34 - For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Very important verse! Literally, that second part of the verse is that God has poured out His Spirit in its fullness upon Christ. He is all God! The principle is that He's the only one that has and speaks the words of God. In Colossians 2:9, Paul tells us that in Jesus is all of the Godhead in bodily form. Everything there is of God and bodily form! God did not pour out His Spirit by measure but rather in His fullness.
John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Two words in Verse 36:
He that believes on the Son, right now, has everlasting life. And he that believeth not, and that word is a different word. The "believeth not" is what is translated without persuasion. The one who believes has everlasting life right now.
But the one who has refused the persuasion of the Son (future tense), shall not see life, but (present tense), the wrath of God is abiding on him. If you refuse the persuasion of God's Spirit about Jesus Christ, you will continue to die in your sins.
John 4:4 - And he must needs go through Samaria.
"Must needs" is a Greek word (EDEI) that means He was bound. It was a plan. It was necessary that He goes through Samaria. He had an appointment with this woman.
John 4:46 - So, Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
So, Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman (BASOLIKOS), from the word king, and it means to be in some kind of royal court or office.
John 3:21 - But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
But he that does truth, literally the one who practices the truth is continually coming to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are worked in God.
The one who has a heart for the Lord comes to the light and basically says show me what is of me, and what is of God. I just want to do the things of God. What's the truth? I don't want to hide, just manifest to me the truth. Two different kinds of people!
And from this text, I can say to you, and it answers all the questions and problems that we have about preaching the Gospel. What about those people that never hear? What about the people that can't read?
What about those who don't have a Bible? They have never heard the Gospel message before. According to Jesus, everybody is going to be judged by how they responded to the light. That's it!
In John 1:9, we read in the Logos Hymn that the light enlightens every person coming into the world. So, it is not words. At some point and some time, God's Spirit as a Spiritual light manifests Himself to a person's heart or spirit. And that person will either be receptive to the light, or they are going to want to get away from the light. It won't involve words. It won't be because of the English language or Greek or Hebrew or anything else. It's the light!
When He shines His light into our darkness, how do we respond? We are either drawn to the light, or we want to get away from the light. That's based on a heart condition, not on what I believe or don't believe in my head. It's the light!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on John 3:3. I looks like we both agree that the word (ANOTHEN) means "from above." However, what we differ on is Nicodemus' understanding of what Jesus was telling him, and which way the word ANOTHEN should be translated in this verse. It makes sense what you said, and I can see how one would not see the words "from above" just by going off Nicodemus' response in Verse 4.
His response is odd. No one, especially Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin and the master teacher of Israel would think that a person can enter back into their mother's womb and be physically born again. But Jesus wasn't talking about being born again physically. Jesus is saying that a person must be born from above, a Spiritual birth that only comes from above.
What's interesting is that in the Greek text, it expects the answer no in John 3:4. Nicodemus was looking for Jesus to confirm that He was not talking about a second physical birth or being born again.
When I see ANOTHEN in John 3:3, I see the words "from above." This same word is used in in Verses 7 and 31. Did Nicodemus truly believe that Jesus was saying a person must be born again by entering back into their mother's womb? Obviously, Nicodemus misunderstood what Jesus was telling him, as Jesus says in Verse 7, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born from above."
Nicodemus is confused because he asks Jesus "How can these things be?" It makes more sense that Jesus is telling him that a person must be born from above, meaning that every person must experience a spiritual birth from heaven, that is, the source of it is from heaven, not from man. It's a spiritual birth, a birth "from above," which Jesus is telling him he must experience if he wants to see the kingdom of God.
I am interested in reading what this scholar/theologian you mentioned had to say on this. Can you please share his name with me so I can read what he had to say? Thanks again brother!
Blessings!
that allows me to be shown to have no challenges in relations in life .
Ways you can have unwavering faith, steadfast having strength and God's protection ( Psalms 121:1-8 KJV) ( Daniel 12:1-4 KJV, ), God protects you fighting and defending for you and his anger is on adversity. Are to allow God attributes ( Galatians 5:22 KJV )to come within you receiving them mind, body, soul and spirit.
Treat others as you want to be treated confirming yourself in the image of God Genesis 1:27 KJV becoming his son daughter, or children.
Love and trust the Lord
Practice humility to God and in God.
Surround yourself and be in surroundings with goldy influences of (Christian- practices , a place , institution.)
Published and spoken Word by REDAPPLETREATY4MEONLY