Gailee Question: does the Bible say that there is Woman Angels?
You are MountHoreb replying to a comment by "Gailee":
Angels are Spirits ( John 4:24) in Heaven Jesus explains at Matthew 22:29,30.
if you read about a women in heaven like Revelation 12:1,2 This is symbolic or illustrating the point revelation 1:1.
However, Angels can materialize into a human. or turn themselves into human flesh. we have an
example of the bad Angels who forsook their assigned positions in heaven to have sex with the beautiful woman
on earth. they "took wives" for themselves. according to Genesis 6 these angels are called "Sons of God" because they were created in heaven. Although Angels are either male nor female. descending to earth, angels have this ability. again these are angels who went evil or bad. who went against Jehovah ( Psalm 83:18) like Satan the serpent! Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians
A few examples of Good Angels who had a earthly assignment: Genesis 18 and 19 Chapters.
"Three Men" are materialized good angels. in verse 19 the angels in Sodom struck the mob of boys and old men
who wanted to have sex or lie down with them. so which means these mob of males saw these angels as Males.
There is no scripture that shows that that angels ever materialized into females. for the simple fact that Adam was created first as the Male. Eve was a helper to him, created so he will not be alone. Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:18; Genesis 5:1,2; Ephesians 5:23; 1 Timothy 2:13,14. However, women on earth are valuable to God also: Acts 2:17
so the overall point here is, No there is no woman in heaven, nor men, nor children. for they are
Luke 12:3 and Matthew 12:36 are eye opening; as we are to give account for everything said and nothing is secret to God.
I would like to say that I don't do any grumbling or complaining; but alas then I would be lying. Thankfully anything but blasphemy against the Spirit can be forgiven. As Jesus pointed out to the self-righteous Pharisees; these bad fruits come from within. And 2 Peter 2:21 makes it clear that it is better not to have known the truth than to become reprobate. The blood of Christ is our only hope as Jeremiah 17:9 shows how sick the heart is.
There are Post Millennialists who dispute this; but I don't believe anyone from the church age who is a believer will be at the Great White Throne Judgment. I DO have the opinion that since the verse indicates that those who aren't in the Book of Life are going to the lake of fire; there is room for those who physically survive the Millennial period to go through that as saved people and hence be translated into heaven without dying.
In any event; 1 Corinthians 3:15 indicates that one can make it into heaven and suffer loss. That would be analogous to losing rewards as Revelation 3:11 warns. Paul indicates how we run for the prize. Only a few gain great rewards; as would be indicated by those making 100 fold as opposed to 30 fold returns or others ( Mark 4:20). We should not be confined to just the saved and lost divisions when scripture gives us admonitions for certain crowns that those who persevere; are martyred or are pastors as well as other situations are given for faithfulness.
Matthew 6:19-21 shows us that our treasure is to be in heaven. And that means that He must trust us with earthly riches as well ( Luke 16:10-12) as a test; a prerequisite for heavenly riches. Our brothers in Christ that we support in the ministry will be able to enjoy the harvest with us (see John 4:37). That and personal witnessing are components of fulfilling the Great Commission to finish well.
To your comment now Jimbob. Your reference to the direct Words of the LORD ("Thus saith the LORD", and others): indeed, when such phrases are used, we know that the first recorders were compelled to write them down verbatim, or else the LORD would soon correct them (even as we see an example in Ezekiel 13:1-8). So here there is no problem. But what happens when these recorders such as Daniel, write down what they heard from those Babylonian kings? Do they need Divine Guidance to write, though certainly in need of God's Help to remember if the writing took place sometime after those events. So Divine Inspiration or even God's Word being wholly true & pure, must mean that God superintended over these recordings, ensuring that the recorders wrote exactly what God spoke or what they had seen or heard from others.
Now when it comes to translating the original writing to another language, it is true that God can still enable men, however much they might be lacking in some of the exacting skills to do the work, but the end product can only be the best that both language & abilities allow. A case in point but with a question first: how would you feel about the Bible (say the KJV) being translated into another language aside from English? I'm a little familiar with the Urdu Bible (the one used by Christians in Pakistan). When sharing from the Word & going through my message with my interpreter, I checked the verse 1 John 4:10 with him. I asked, 'What word would he use for 'propitiation' (a difficult seldom-used word) & what did that word mean to him & others? He said, 'the word in Urdu was 'kafara' & meant 'atonement'. I then asked if there could be any further meaning or thought to this word & he gave a definite No. I then explained to him the proper meaning of propitiation & he admitted that he had never heard of this explanation & there was no word in Urdu to describe the 'Anger of the LORD being turned aside or averted'. That was a fruitful time for all.
Yes, all this is Definity happening today. fo instance the book of Matthew 24 the rumors of wars and wars we can see that increasing Infront of eyes. Earth quick and many things.
in the book of John 4:181
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
hence, we see the raise of the false preacher but in droves.
So, all this is happening, and others will happen Amen.
Praying for your needs RicoUS. 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
GiGi mentioned John 3:26, "And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.".
Also John 3:22, "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized."
Also John 4:1-2, "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)"
So the understanding I have concurs with GiGi's. Jesus baptized his first disciples. then those baptized the next ones and so on.
GiGi it is important in the sence that if the apostles were baptized, so was Judas. But new birth precedes w/baptism, so Judas was saved. That is what all this discussion was all about.
Luke 14:31 gives us the hypothetical situation when we have 10000 men about to go to war with 20000. We have to decide whether to fight or seek a peace agreement. Given the very real odds against the armies of Israel; as well as God purposely reducing the size so that only His victory can be acknowledged (such as in Judges 7:2) we should carefully assess whether we are positioned to enter into spiritual warfare (such as Ephesians 6 describes).
Few would argue the importance of love as a virtue of prime importance being that God IS love (1 John 4:8). It is to be sought as 1 Corinthians 13:1 demonstrate how other giftings are subordinate to love and of course John 15:13 shows there is no greater love than laying down our life for our friends as demonsrated by our Lord and Savior Himself. I have discussed repentance in earlier posts on this subject. I thought it prudent to point out that we need to go beyond just acknowledgement of what scripture states is sin to the point where there is a revulsion and hatred within. After all; His Spirit is said to testify with our spirit ( Romans 8:16) that we are indeed His children. This sort of balances things out; we are to have Agape love where we love our enemies; also we are to truly hate sin whether it is within us; others or the whole world system. This encompasses the world; the flesh and the Devil. There seems to be a rather laccadasical approach when it comes to the enemy of our souls. Christ makes it perfectly clear as to his character but sadly when the seriousness of the matter of his deadly destructive rampage comes up almost always I seem to get a response that it is really no big deal. That is something frankly I find hard to swallow; given that God Himself will allow Satan to have authority over the whole world so that everyone who isn't written in the Book of Life will worship Antichrist and Satan by default. ( Rev. 13:8). That is coming soon.
Jesse, I guess I read in John 3:22 that it says he spent time with his disciples (the twelve) and baptized. S, I think this is when He baptized His disciples.
In John 4:1-2 It says that Jesus did not baptized, but the disciples. I take this to mean that He only baptized His disciples and then they baptized the others that came to be baptized.
I guess this interpretation may be reasonable because it is doubtful that He would have His disciples baptize others if He had not baptized them first.
So, maybe you can shed some light on this as far as Greek meaning.
If you take those verses you presented chronologically I believe it explains itself.
John 3:22-26. "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
For John was not yet cast into prison.
Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him."
Then in John 4:1-2 the Pharisees took notice of this but verse 2 explains it.
Vs 2. ( Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
John's ministry was about up.
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. John 1:6-8."
John was to present the one in the loins of Abraham prophesied to come into the world in the OT.
John the baptist baptism was for Israel to turn/repent from Judaism.
Luke 1:16-17.
Malachi 4:5-6.
He announced one coming for the lost sheep of Israel.
Also John 4:1-2 also says that Jesus baptized disciples and that His disciples also baptized. So I believe that Jesus baptized His called disciples and the disciples baptized other disciples.
John 4:22-23 speaks of Jesus baptizing when John the Baptist was baptizing also. John directed people towards Jesus saying, He must increase and I must decrease. Perhaps this was when Jesus baptized His disciples or maybe another time that Jesus was baptizing in water. Jesus set the example by being baptized, but also most likely did with baptizing the disciples and others as a regular practice.. Most likely the disciples had seen Him baptize others often or each other being baptized. So when He commanded them to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the disciples must have known well what He meant and how baptism was done.
This passage mirrors what our nation is going through. The USA was once famous for our vast fields and vineyards as Moab was. To prevent further ruin to our nation, we must return to the LORD GOD and to HIS worship in truth and in Spirit.
John 4: 24
Let us all turn our hearts to the LORD and HIS precepts, HIS promises and glorify HIM.
Only the true GOD can and will bring to pass what HE promised as HE has spoken. The ruin of our nation is at hand and there is no escape except through submission unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1 Timothy 2:1-3; 2 Chronicles 7:14, 15; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 10: 9-12; 12:1,2
The LORD make HIS face to shine upon all on this forum, and be gracious unto all who call on HIS name: Numbers 6:25
In the gospels we read the story of Judas. A disciple, an apostle, he baprized new believers in water like the rest ( John 4:2), he was given authority over the Spirit to perform miracles and healings ( Luke 9:6), cast out demons, he was sent by Jesus to preach salvation ( Matthew 10:5-15), he was told that he, together with the rest, in the Judgement will sit on a throne and judge the 12 tribes of Israel. But in the midtime Judas allowed his heart to love money more than Jesus and eventually his love for money led him to become Jesus' trator. Why? Because his heart deceived him. People who hold the belief that salvation can not be lost try to overcome Judas' example by saying that he wasn't actually saved. for that they use the verse in John 17:12, "While I (Jesus) was with them (the 12) in the world, I kept them in thy name (Saviour): those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." So a sinful man, not saved, was sent to preach salvation to Israel? Was given gifts of healing and performing miracles? A son of satan who casts out devils? Really? No, not really. What Jesus says is that he managed to save all but Judas because Judas took the decision for himself to become a traitor, a son of perdition, like the Scriptures said and so the prophesy was fulfilled. And something else. Even if Judas never betrayed Jesus, still the Jews would capture Him sometime, one way or another. Judas wasn't their only choise.
Another example of a man who let his heart deceive him is Demas, a companion of Paul during his ministry. But eventually he left Paul, 2 Timothy 4:10, "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; ...". Demas eventually loved the sinful world more than God and left Paul. Who was Demas? We don't really know. But we know that Paul was very strict when he selected his partners in the ministry.
Assurance of salvation series: Part 1-Just what is salvation?
Most of us are familiar with the verse in Romans 10:9-10 where we are told to confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts that Christ is Lord. I thought that I would focus on the second part since "confessional regeneration" as some Calvanists like to spin it today seems to be a rampant event. First; of course we have to assume that we are confessing the true Christ and not a New Age One; that is from a spirit that confesses that Christ indeed came in the flesh as opposed to the verse 1 John 4:3 that would cover any other errant one such as that He was just a great teacher; a Prophet or something to that affect. Truly He was the "I AM" ( John 8:56-59). That truth; as I have pointed out in previous posts proved that Peter knew with Divine Revelation such information ( Matt. 16:17). That gives us some understanding that with Judas Iscariot that likely wasn't revealed although it in not stated.
As stated earlier as well; the Calvanist likes to use the term "total depravity" describing the human soul state of unregenerate man. It is hard to argue with such logic when we see verses such as Psalm 58:3; and Isaiah 53:6; not to mention the progression toward the madness in Revelation 19; also reflected in Psalm 2.
I tend to think of our calloused hearts much like going to the dentist having our teeth cleaned. Most of us miss certain areas flossing; the plaque buildup requires major scraping; reflossing; and deep treatments with flouride while we marvel at the disgusting smelly crap that has built up in between our teeth despite what we considered adequate care. Maybe it is only me.
Or; we could look at C.S. Lewis quoting Edmond in the Narnia Series (not sure which one) where Christ was compared to a lion.
The character expected a mild peeling away of the dead skin; instead it penetrated like heart surgery. Such imagery also was given to Aslan as to how deep he had to be wounded for us.
I know many see these verses as you, but if I may just give another understanding of John 14:1-6, we have had discussions and I think we respect each other, and both love the word and the truth. This was just before Jesus was going to be crucified and He said, "I go and prepare a place for you". In verse 2 He said in my Father's house are many mansions.
The Greek word translated mansion is #3438 monai, meaning; an abiding dwelling place and this word is only used twice here and in John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Abode is the Greek word monia.
When Adam sinned God could not dwell in man, Jesus was on His way to shed His blood and undo what the first Adam did so that God could again through the Holy Spirit dwell in man. John 14:17Romans 8:11 1 John 4:15. In these verses, we can see the place prepared for us by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
I understand you look to be taken to heaven and I am just putting something out there that you may study. Jesus said I will come again, He was on earth when He said I will come again.
In the early Church, the requirement for salvation was the presence of God's Spirit dwelling within a person. Paul instructed, in Romans 8:9, "Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not of Him." In Romans 8:14, he wrote, "For as many as are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God."
And again, in Romans 8:16, he instructs that "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God." Also, in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul challenged the church at Corinth: "Examine yourselves, if you are in the faith; prove your own selves, or do you not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except you are reprobates?"
John, writing in 1 John 3:24 supported this same understanding: "And in this we know that He abides in us, from the Spirit whom He has given to us." He repeats this same truth, although worded somewhat differently, in 1 John 4:13, "In this we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit."
From the preceding scriptures, we see that salvation happens only when God's Spirit enters and remains in a person's spirit, thereby causing spiritual birth. Nothing in the Bible teaches that salvation is accomplished by the repetition of the Sinner's Prayer or through the performance of any other kind of human formula.
In addition to teaching that God is the sole source of salvation, the Bible also teaches that every saved person is kept by the power of God. Peter writes, in 1 Peter 1:5, that believers are, "The ones who are being kept in the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
There's a lot being said in those scriptures and also these!
John 15:18-21.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
IF YE WERE OF THE WORLD, THE WORLD WOULD LOVE HIS OWN: BUT BECAUSE YE ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD, THEREFORE THE WORLD HATETH YOU.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
They hated the Lord without a cause!! They hated him for telling the truth! John 8:42-47.
Galatians 4:16-20.
John 15:26.
John 16:12-15.
It shouldn't be surprising when we see hatred from the world and those of the world gravitate toward one of the other and those that are Christ gravitate toward one another!
Here's why!
John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
John 4:20-21.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 John 2:3-11.
If Christ spirit doesn't CAUSE you to Love one another then perhaps the world spirit and the father of lies stand in the way.
When the Spirit of truth is taken out of the way then the father of lies will be revealed.
"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Romans 5:8
" And God commanded HIs love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
1 John 4:16
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God; and God in him."
1 John 3:1
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:"
Romans 8:38
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height , nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Thinking on the love of God this morning. So, so good to know that His love is unfailing, eternal, freely poured into us by the Holy Spirit, and allows us to dwell in God and God to dwell in us.
Even in hardships and sufferings, God's love never fails. Even when enemies, mortal or spiritual war against us, His love never departs from us. Even when we are faithless, His love draws us back to faith. Even when we are discouraged and our hope wanes, His love breaks through these and uplifts us and sustains us.
There is so much to be thankful to God for, but His love stands out as so precious to me. Knowing that, before the foundation of the world, God made an everlasting covenant between the Persons of the Godhead to save mankind from sin as essential to His plan to create the universe and all creatures, mortal and physical. And this covenant was made out of the love that defines God so well. He loved us even before He made Adam and Eve. The elect of God was in mind when He created all things. In love, he determined to create a people for Himself to spend eternity with Himself to the praise of His glory which benefits us to the maximum degree.
My understanding: Due to the flood all of mankind today are descendants of Adam and Eve through the sons of Noah. We don't look alike but we have the same blood and the same skin, Acts 17:261 Cor. 15:39. Satan has twisted it so that we look at each other as different races when there is only one race created by God through His only begotten Son Jesus.
Today we see people as either Jews or Gentiles with the Gentiles of many religions. We see in Deut. 7:6 God said to Israel "God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth." If we look at what God said to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 "and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed," this is pointing to the coming of Jesus.
Israel was chosen by God for his plan of salvation as Jesus said to the woman at the well, John 4:21-24 how we worship the Father is about to change for salvation is of the Jews. Salvation came through Israel the chosen people, who today are called Jews came the chosen One, the Anointed One, the Messiah/Christ Jesus the Son of God. Through Him, all the families of the earth will be blessed. We also see this in Matt. 12:17-21Isaiah 42:1-4
Gal. 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Gal. 4:4-5 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Whosoever is in Jesus, the Chosen One, by Him becomes the chosen people of God Jew or Gentile. Matt. 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen. Matt. 20:161 Cor. 1:27Eph. 1:4 2 Thes. 2:13 Rev. 17:14. Jesus will return and reign and the chosen will reign with Him.
The testing of our souls is shown in 1 Peter 1:7. Resistance; struggles; trials and such are things we are promised if we live lives Godly in Christ Jesus. ( 2 Timothy 3:12). There are many verses which exhort us to gain wisdom; endure hardships; suffer persecutions and the like as Disciples of Christ. The testing of our faith produces the fruit of love; joy; peace; longsuffering; etc.
Discipleship should be an evidence of those who are growing in Christ; but sadly in many recent "revivals" we haven't seen much evidence of that at least in the long term.
It is true that growing in the Lord and fulfilling the Great Commission isn't a "spectator sport." That being said; it is often those behind the scenes such as prayer warriors that are doing much of the work ( 1 Cor. 3:6-8). This seemed to be the case even with Christ ( John 4:37-38); perhaps with the Disciples preaching with those the woman at the well spoke with in the area of the Samaritans after they came seeking Christ. There is too much concern with numbers and such; and whether people are made to feel comfortable enough to attend a church service. In reality nothing could be further than the truth; the Spirit should make them uncomfortable as the fear of God brings them to their knees; and the love of God reshapes their heart with a broken and contrite spirit ( Psalm 51). There is a way for the Word to pierce as a two edged sword to the thoughts and intentions of the heart ( Heb. 4:12). There is only one truth; but many ways the Lord will use to draw someone; it can be the still small voice and overwhelming love of God or the fear of God by boldly proclaiming our need for His blood to atone for us to avoid a fate of eternal damnation in hell. Ultimately both these concepts need to be understood as part of the character of God; if we love someone we must tell them the truth and of course The truth (Christ Himself) IS love (1 John 4:8).
Read Ephesians 4:32. When we truly are saved, we become a new creation in Christ. The old is passed away. We are forgiven. As Christians we are to be doers of the word. Jesus said in John 14:15, if you love me, keep my commandments.
1John 2:4
1John 4:20-21
The Lord is my Shepherd.
I am lifting you all up in prayer today. Jesus Christ is coming soon. We are living in the last of the last days, and hell is a real place of torment. Eternal. I don't want to go there and I don't want you to go there.
Matthew 10:28
Matthew 13:50
2Thessalonians 1:9
Psalms 145:20
Hebrews 10:26-31
So let Jesus work in your heart and life. No one can put Him there. You must see your need for Him and repent (stop sinning,stop hating,forgive,stop rejecting Christ) REPENT of YOUR own evil deeds, ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness.
Matthew 6:14-15
He paid for our sin with His life's blood when He was crucified on the cross.His gift of forgiveness is free. Please accept it. Repent and be baptized in water and the Holy Spirit.
HE IS COMING BACK SOON. If YOU are not ready, the Bible says you will be eternally lost. I would not wish Hell on my worst enemy. No, on the contrary. I want to spend eternity loving and worshiping Jesus Christ together with them.
( Matthew 5:44)
May the Lord richly bless you today in Christ Jesus!
Helpful tip; touch the verse addresses in red and they will open up. You won't have to look them up separately.
Direct quote from scripture: John 4:24 God is Spirit. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of Spirit is spirit. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I (Jesus) speak unto you are spirit, and they are life.
God is Spirit. Where in the scriptures does it say God, i.e. Creator, is Flesh; and they that worship Him must worship Him in FLESH and in truth? If Christ was born of flesh, then He wasn't born of God; nor would He be Spirit because Spirit would not be an option if Christ was created flesh. John 3:6 contains two opposite parts to its statement and clearly leaves no room that both options are simultaneously possible, nor that each entity can produce something other than what it is, or change back and forth, or be mixed together, which means coexist. John 6:63 is clear that the words Jesus speaks, which is truth, are spirit and life. NOT flesh and death, which would obviously be untruth.
James 3:11, 12 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a (grape) vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. The REASON this is truth is because in reality, the Mind of God can not and will not produce opposing, dualistic thoughts. A mouse can't produce mice and elephants. When thinking in terms of opposites (dualistic mind) we inevitably WILL have bitter (impure) thoughts and sweet (pure) thoughts, and of course project this insane way of thinking onto God. 1 John 4:8 says "God is Love." Where in scripture does it say, God is Hate? I don't require any more scripture to make the statement "Love creates Itself and nothing but Itself."
For now, I'll stick with Jesus APPEARED as a body, with the fullness of Christ Mind as One with His Mind; not His body. If we were frogs He would have appeared as a frog.
We see this in Revelation 12:11 which reads "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;
Through Christ's shed blood on the cross, He purchased us, and died for our sins. We are now the overcomers because Christ overcame Satan at the cross.
That's why John says in 1 John 4:4 that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world, and that we have already overcome the spirit of antichrist.
So they overcame him, in the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto death.
I think that's interesting. How far along do I love my life? Well, I'm willing to give it up right up to death. I mean, that might be a little too far.
In the book of Acts, as Paul was traveling towards Jerusalem, there were different prophecies given along the way that if Paul was going to go to Jerusalem, he was going to be persecuted and taken captive there.
And so the prophecies didn't say don't go. The prophecies just said you're going to face trouble. You're going to be imprisoned. You're going to be chained.
Because of those prophecies, the Christians tried to stop him from going. But Paul says to them "I don't count my life dear to myself. God has told me to go. If that's what awaits me, so be it!"
I think it is interesting that he says I don't count my life dear to myself. But that's the way we have a tendency to interpret some things that happen to us. That's because we love our lives too much.
Just think if someone came knocking on your door and asked are you a believer in Christ, and you said yes, and they said come on out here, you're next to be put to death. They do not love their lives unto death.
I consider what you are saying is on the the right track, not that I'm the authority on truth, or that you need my or anyone's approval. Yet, I would consider going deeper into what you are touching on regarding, "When God and His Kingdom is spiritual."
With the focus on "spiritual", or spirit, in John 4:24 we have the statement, "God is Spirit". Therefore, He is not flesh. John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Therefore, He did not create flesh. John 6:63 states, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. Therefore, it is the spirit which is life, rendering the flesh as NOTHING.
God creates in His Own Likeness. Is it not reasonable that if God is Spirit, and perfect and eternal, which I'm certain all Christians agree, how can we arrive at the unreasonable conclusion that He creates flesh or that anything He creates is something other than perfect and eternal? It is reasonable also to conclude that if something is created perfect, and then becomes imperfect, for whatever REASON, including sin, then it could not have been created perfect in its original creation.
The word "reason" is often used in the Bible; commonly as a noun. In Isaiah 1:18 it is used as verb. Is it is not then reasonable to conclude that God created our mind to use REASON to understand what is obvious? The "devil is afraid of the obvious that arrives through reasonable thinking, since obviousness is the essential characteristic of reality, or truth. The rest i.e. anything pertaining to the flesh, profiteth nothing, does not matter, counts for nothing.
Perhaps all of our conceived and perceived problems arise from what should be considered the "root of all evil", is the authority problem. Is our Author the Creator of Spirit which creates eternal spirit and life? Or is our author flesh that made flesh which is not eternal? Can't be both.
Consider that the KJV uses the word sleep for being dead awaiting Christ's return.
"Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;" Psalms 13:3 KJV
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thessalonians 4:14 KJV
"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." John 11:11 KJV
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 KJV
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11 KJV
The Bible talks about a "day" of judgment, rather than people being judged sporadically.
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 KJV
And it says no one escapes judgment- people often think they skip this for some reason despite what the Bible says:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
So, when these verses are put together it seems like all will be judged on the same day (also consistent with the vision in Revelation) and that people won't go to heaven until they're first judged, and it then makes sense where it says the dead will rise to meet Jesus in the air. So, to me it all seems logical, what happens. Despite all this evidence in God's word, many people still prefer to believe something else that makes them feel good, however.
Thanks for responding and sorry for such a delay on my response back. I normally can't engage until the weekend due to my work schedule.
Here's my view on this.
We are the light of the world, (The oil filled Lamps.)
In 1 Thessalonians 5:3-5. we see this light mentioned in the believers in connection with the Day of the Lord. (As already established; "Not to be mistaken for the tribulation! but what is interesting is "If" the Holyspirit is taken out of the way/Removed and no longer restraining, then the children of light would become as those who sleep in the night!
He that comforts us, enlighten us and keeps us is no longer doing it and by nature we love Darkness. John 3:19.
Jesus says he will never leave us comfortless. John 14:16-20.
John 15:19. Because of this verse we should see it is not a worldly entity that desires or even capable of restraining evil.
We have three enemies that pushes back against Holiness, Our flesh, the world and the prince of the two, "Satan"
We have one source that empowers, but yet "PERMITS" That's the Holyspirit. We see the involvement and power of the Holyspirit shepherding his Church against these three enemies.
Romans 8:9-15. (The flesh)
1 John 4:4. (Satan)
John 14:16-20. (The World.).
2 Thessalonians 2:1-7. The subject here is the Thessalonians thought the day of the Lord was at hand! Paul says that day shall not come, except there come a apostasy first, and that man of sin be revealed. Paul goes on to say; Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
He is refering to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. He is reminding them.
By the context of 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, they knew the order of events Paul was telling them. 1st The rapture. 2nd The man of sin revealed. 3rd the day of the Lord. (Wherefore comfort one another with these words.)
The Church is removed and the Holyspirit operates as it did in the Old Testament.
Gailee Question: does the Bible say that there is Woman Angels?
You are MountHoreb replying to a comment by "Gailee":
Angels are Spirits ( John 4:24) in Heaven Jesus explains at Matthew 22:29,30.
if you read about a women in heaven like Revelation 12:1,2 This is symbolic or illustrating the point revelation 1:1.
However, Angels can materialize into a human. or turn themselves into human flesh. we have an
example of the bad Angels who forsook their assigned positions in heaven to have sex with the beautiful woman
on earth. they "took wives" for themselves. according to Genesis 6 these angels are called "Sons of God" because they were created in heaven. Although Angels are either male nor female. descending to earth, angels have this ability. again these are angels who went evil or bad. who went against Jehovah ( Psalm 83:18) like Satan the serpent! Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians
A few examples of Good Angels who had a earthly assignment: Genesis 18 and 19 Chapters.
"Three Men" are materialized good angels. in verse 19 the angels in Sodom struck the mob of boys and old men
who wanted to have sex or lie down with them. so which means these mob of males saw these angels as Males.
There is no scripture that shows that that angels ever materialized into females. for the simple fact that Adam was created first as the Male. Eve was a helper to him, created so he will not be alone. Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:18; Genesis 5:1,2; Ephesians 5:23; 1 Timothy 2:13,14. However, women on earth are valuable to God also: Acts 2:17
so the overall point here is, No there is no woman in heaven, nor men, nor children. for they are
all angels in heaven as JESUS SAID.
I HOPE These scriptures help. Thanks.
I would like to say that I don't do any grumbling or complaining; but alas then I would be lying. Thankfully anything but blasphemy against the Spirit can be forgiven. As Jesus pointed out to the self-righteous Pharisees; these bad fruits come from within. And 2 Peter 2:21 makes it clear that it is better not to have known the truth than to become reprobate. The blood of Christ is our only hope as Jeremiah 17:9 shows how sick the heart is.
There are Post Millennialists who dispute this; but I don't believe anyone from the church age who is a believer will be at the Great White Throne Judgment. I DO have the opinion that since the verse indicates that those who aren't in the Book of Life are going to the lake of fire; there is room for those who physically survive the Millennial period to go through that as saved people and hence be translated into heaven without dying.
In any event; 1 Corinthians 3:15 indicates that one can make it into heaven and suffer loss. That would be analogous to losing rewards as Revelation 3:11 warns. Paul indicates how we run for the prize. Only a few gain great rewards; as would be indicated by those making 100 fold as opposed to 30 fold returns or others ( Mark 4:20). We should not be confined to just the saved and lost divisions when scripture gives us admonitions for certain crowns that those who persevere; are martyred or are pastors as well as other situations are given for faithfulness.
Matthew 6:19-21 shows us that our treasure is to be in heaven. And that means that He must trust us with earthly riches as well ( Luke 16:10-12) as a test; a prerequisite for heavenly riches. Our brothers in Christ that we support in the ministry will be able to enjoy the harvest with us (see John 4:37). That and personal witnessing are components of fulfilling the Great Commission to finish well.
To your comment now Jimbob. Your reference to the direct Words of the LORD ("Thus saith the LORD", and others): indeed, when such phrases are used, we know that the first recorders were compelled to write them down verbatim, or else the LORD would soon correct them (even as we see an example in Ezekiel 13:1-8). So here there is no problem. But what happens when these recorders such as Daniel, write down what they heard from those Babylonian kings? Do they need Divine Guidance to write, though certainly in need of God's Help to remember if the writing took place sometime after those events. So Divine Inspiration or even God's Word being wholly true & pure, must mean that God superintended over these recordings, ensuring that the recorders wrote exactly what God spoke or what they had seen or heard from others.
Now when it comes to translating the original writing to another language, it is true that God can still enable men, however much they might be lacking in some of the exacting skills to do the work, but the end product can only be the best that both language & abilities allow. A case in point but with a question first: how would you feel about the Bible (say the KJV) being translated into another language aside from English? I'm a little familiar with the Urdu Bible (the one used by Christians in Pakistan). When sharing from the Word & going through my message with my interpreter, I checked the verse 1 John 4:10 with him. I asked, 'What word would he use for 'propitiation' (a difficult seldom-used word) & what did that word mean to him & others? He said, 'the word in Urdu was 'kafara' & meant 'atonement'. I then asked if there could be any further meaning or thought to this word & he gave a definite No. I then explained to him the proper meaning of propitiation & he admitted that he had never heard of this explanation & there was no word in Urdu to describe the 'Anger of the LORD being turned aside or averted'. That was a fruitful time for all.
Yes, all this is Definity happening today. fo instance the book of Matthew 24 the rumors of wars and wars we can see that increasing Infront of eyes. Earth quick and many things.
in the book of John 4:181
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
hence, we see the raise of the false preacher but in droves.
So, all this is happening, and others will happen Amen.
GiGi mentioned John 3:26, "And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.".
Also John 3:22, "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized."
Also John 4:1-2, "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)"
So the understanding I have concurs with GiGi's. Jesus baptized his first disciples. then those baptized the next ones and so on.
GiGi it is important in the sence that if the apostles were baptized, so was Judas. But new birth precedes w/baptism, so Judas was saved. That is what all this discussion was all about.
GBU
Luke 14:31 gives us the hypothetical situation when we have 10000 men about to go to war with 20000. We have to decide whether to fight or seek a peace agreement. Given the very real odds against the armies of Israel; as well as God purposely reducing the size so that only His victory can be acknowledged (such as in Judges 7:2) we should carefully assess whether we are positioned to enter into spiritual warfare (such as Ephesians 6 describes).
Few would argue the importance of love as a virtue of prime importance being that God IS love (1 John 4:8). It is to be sought as 1 Corinthians 13:1 demonstrate how other giftings are subordinate to love and of course John 15:13 shows there is no greater love than laying down our life for our friends as demonsrated by our Lord and Savior Himself. I have discussed repentance in earlier posts on this subject. I thought it prudent to point out that we need to go beyond just acknowledgement of what scripture states is sin to the point where there is a revulsion and hatred within. After all; His Spirit is said to testify with our spirit ( Romans 8:16) that we are indeed His children. This sort of balances things out; we are to have Agape love where we love our enemies; also we are to truly hate sin whether it is within us; others or the whole world system. This encompasses the world; the flesh and the Devil. There seems to be a rather laccadasical approach when it comes to the enemy of our souls. Christ makes it perfectly clear as to his character but sadly when the seriousness of the matter of his deadly destructive rampage comes up almost always I seem to get a response that it is really no big deal. That is something frankly I find hard to swallow; given that God Himself will allow Satan to have authority over the whole world so that everyone who isn't written in the Book of Life will worship Antichrist and Satan by default. ( Rev. 13:8). That is coming soon.
In John 4:1-2 It says that Jesus did not baptized, but the disciples. I take this to mean that He only baptized His disciples and then they baptized the others that came to be baptized.
I guess this interpretation may be reasonable because it is doubtful that He would have His disciples baptize others if He had not baptized them first.
So, maybe you can shed some light on this as far as Greek meaning.
Jesus certainly was overseeing some baptizing.
If you take those verses you presented chronologically I believe it explains itself.
John 3:22-26. "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
For John was not yet cast into prison.
Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him."
Then in John 4:1-2 the Pharisees took notice of this but verse 2 explains it.
Vs 2. ( Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
John's ministry was about up.
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. John 1:6-8."
John was to present the one in the loins of Abraham prophesied to come into the world in the OT.
John the baptist baptism was for Israel to turn/repent from Judaism.
Luke 1:16-17.
Malachi 4:5-6.
He announced one coming for the lost sheep of Israel.
God bless.
Is John 4:22-23 your intended scripture?
Perhaps you meant another.
God bless.
Also John 4:1-2 also says that Jesus baptized disciples and that His disciples also baptized. So I believe that Jesus baptized His called disciples and the disciples baptized other disciples.
John 4:22-23 speaks of Jesus baptizing when John the Baptist was baptizing also. John directed people towards Jesus saying, He must increase and I must decrease. Perhaps this was when Jesus baptized His disciples or maybe another time that Jesus was baptizing in water. Jesus set the example by being baptized, but also most likely did with baptizing the disciples and others as a regular practice.. Most likely the disciples had seen Him baptize others often or each other being baptized. So when He commanded them to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the disciples must have known well what He meant and how baptism was done.
John 4: 24
Let us all turn our hearts to the LORD and HIS precepts, HIS promises and glorify HIM.
Only the true GOD can and will bring to pass what HE promised as HE has spoken. The ruin of our nation is at hand and there is no escape except through submission unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1 Timothy 2:1-3; 2 Chronicles 7:14, 15; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 10: 9-12; 12:1,2
The LORD make HIS face to shine upon all on this forum, and be gracious unto all who call on HIS name: Numbers 6:25
April 15, 2023
Assurance of salvation, cont.
In the gospels we read the story of Judas. A disciple, an apostle, he baprized new believers in water like the rest ( John 4:2), he was given authority over the Spirit to perform miracles and healings ( Luke 9:6), cast out demons, he was sent by Jesus to preach salvation ( Matthew 10:5-15), he was told that he, together with the rest, in the Judgement will sit on a throne and judge the 12 tribes of Israel. But in the midtime Judas allowed his heart to love money more than Jesus and eventually his love for money led him to become Jesus' trator. Why? Because his heart deceived him. People who hold the belief that salvation can not be lost try to overcome Judas' example by saying that he wasn't actually saved. for that they use the verse in John 17:12, "While I (Jesus) was with them (the 12) in the world, I kept them in thy name (Saviour): those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." So a sinful man, not saved, was sent to preach salvation to Israel? Was given gifts of healing and performing miracles? A son of satan who casts out devils? Really? No, not really. What Jesus says is that he managed to save all but Judas because Judas took the decision for himself to become a traitor, a son of perdition, like the Scriptures said and so the prophesy was fulfilled. And something else. Even if Judas never betrayed Jesus, still the Jews would capture Him sometime, one way or another. Judas wasn't their only choise.
Another example of a man who let his heart deceive him is Demas, a companion of Paul during his ministry. But eventually he left Paul, 2 Timothy 4:10, "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; ...". Demas eventually loved the sinful world more than God and left Paul. Who was Demas? We don't really know. But we know that Paul was very strict when he selected his partners in the ministry.
Most of us are familiar with the verse in Romans 10:9-10 where we are told to confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts that Christ is Lord. I thought that I would focus on the second part since "confessional regeneration" as some Calvanists like to spin it today seems to be a rampant event. First; of course we have to assume that we are confessing the true Christ and not a New Age One; that is from a spirit that confesses that Christ indeed came in the flesh as opposed to the verse 1 John 4:3 that would cover any other errant one such as that He was just a great teacher; a Prophet or something to that affect. Truly He was the "I AM" ( John 8:56-59). That truth; as I have pointed out in previous posts proved that Peter knew with Divine Revelation such information ( Matt. 16:17). That gives us some understanding that with Judas Iscariot that likely wasn't revealed although it in not stated.
As stated earlier as well; the Calvanist likes to use the term "total depravity" describing the human soul state of unregenerate man. It is hard to argue with such logic when we see verses such as Psalm 58:3; and Isaiah 53:6; not to mention the progression toward the madness in Revelation 19; also reflected in Psalm 2.
I tend to think of our calloused hearts much like going to the dentist having our teeth cleaned. Most of us miss certain areas flossing; the plaque buildup requires major scraping; reflossing; and deep treatments with flouride while we marvel at the disgusting smelly crap that has built up in between our teeth despite what we considered adequate care. Maybe it is only me.
Or; we could look at C.S. Lewis quoting Edmond in the Narnia Series (not sure which one) where Christ was compared to a lion.
The character expected a mild peeling away of the dead skin; instead it penetrated like heart surgery. Such imagery also was given to Aslan as to how deep he had to be wounded for us.
Advocate 1 John 2:1
Shephard & Bishop of souls I Peter 2:25
Man of sorrows Isa 53.3
Judge Acts 10:42
Faithful and True Witness Rev 3:14
Head of the Church Eph 5:23
Rock 1 Corth 10:4
High Priest Heb 6:20
Master Matt 8:19
Living Water John 4:10
Rose of Sharon Song of Solomon 2:1
Alpha and Omega Rev 22:13
Lamb of God John 1:29 Messiah Daniel 9:25
Mediator I Tim 2:5
Teacher John 3:2
Author and Finisher of our Faith Heb 12:2
Image of the invisible God Col 1:15
Everlasting Father Isa 9:6
The Word John 1:1
Holy One Mark 1:24
Light of the world John 8:12
Lion of the tribe of Judah Rev 5: 5
LORD OF LORDS I Tim 6:15
The Beloved Eph 1:6
Carpenter Mark 6:3 The Almighty Rev 21:
Shiloh Gen 49:10
The Way, the Truth and The Life John 14:16
Bright and Morning Star Rev 22:16
Good Shepherd John 10:11
Son of Man Matt 20:28
Only Begotten Son John 3:16
King Of Kings 1 Tim 6:15
Prince of Peace Isa 9:6
Bridegroom Matt 9:15
Dayspring Luke 1:78
Saviour of the world Eph 5:23
Immanuel Luke 1:78 & Matt 1:23
Wonderful Counselor Isa 9:6
I AM John 8:58
The Door John 10:9
The True Vine John 15:1
King of the Jews Mark 15:26
Prophet Matt 21:11
Redeemer Job 19:25
Saviour Isa 45:15 , John 42:2, 1 Tim 4:10
The Amen Rev 3:14
The Living God
Anchor Heb 6:19
The BRANCH Zech 6:12
Bread of Life John 6:15
The Resurrection & Life John 11.25
The Living God, who is the Saviour of all men,
I know many see these verses as you, but if I may just give another understanding of John 14:1-6, we have had discussions and I think we respect each other, and both love the word and the truth. This was just before Jesus was going to be crucified and He said, "I go and prepare a place for you". In verse 2 He said in my Father's house are many mansions.
The Greek word translated mansion is #3438 monai, meaning; an abiding dwelling place and this word is only used twice here and in John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Abode is the Greek word monia.
When Adam sinned God could not dwell in man, Jesus was on His way to shed His blood and undo what the first Adam did so that God could again through the Holy Spirit dwell in man. John 14:17 Romans 8:11 1 John 4:15. In these verses, we can see the place prepared for us by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
I understand you look to be taken to heaven and I am just putting something out there that you may study. Jesus said I will come again, He was on earth when He said I will come again.
God bless,
RLW
(Part 2):
In the early Church, the requirement for salvation was the presence of God's Spirit dwelling within a person. Paul instructed, in Romans 8:9, "Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not of Him." In Romans 8:14, he wrote, "For as many as are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God."
And again, in Romans 8:16, he instructs that "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God." Also, in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul challenged the church at Corinth: "Examine yourselves, if you are in the faith; prove your own selves, or do you not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except you are reprobates?"
John, writing in 1 John 3:24 supported this same understanding: "And in this we know that He abides in us, from the Spirit whom He has given to us." He repeats this same truth, although worded somewhat differently, in 1 John 4:13, "In this we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit."
From the preceding scriptures, we see that salvation happens only when God's Spirit enters and remains in a person's spirit, thereby causing spiritual birth. Nothing in the Bible teaches that salvation is accomplished by the repetition of the Sinner's Prayer or through the performance of any other kind of human formula.
In addition to teaching that God is the sole source of salvation, the Bible also teaches that every saved person is kept by the power of God. Peter writes, in 1 Peter 1:5, that believers are, "The ones who are being kept in the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
There's a lot being said in those scriptures and also these!
John 15:18-21.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
IF YE WERE OF THE WORLD, THE WORLD WOULD LOVE HIS OWN: BUT BECAUSE YE ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD, THEREFORE THE WORLD HATETH YOU.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
They hated the Lord without a cause!! They hated him for telling the truth! John 8:42-47.
Galatians 4:16-20.
John 15:26.
John 16:12-15.
It shouldn't be surprising when we see hatred from the world and those of the world gravitate toward one of the other and those that are Christ gravitate toward one another!
Here's why!
John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
John 4:20-21.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 John 2:3-11.
If Christ spirit doesn't CAUSE you to Love one another then perhaps the world spirit and the father of lies stand in the way.
When the Spirit of truth is taken out of the way then the father of lies will be revealed.
God bless.
Romans 5:5
"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Romans 5:8
" And God commanded HIs love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
1 John 4:16
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God; and God in him."
1 John 3:1
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:"
Romans 8:38
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height , nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Thinking on the love of God this morning. So, so good to know that His love is unfailing, eternal, freely poured into us by the Holy Spirit, and allows us to dwell in God and God to dwell in us.
Even in hardships and sufferings, God's love never fails. Even when enemies, mortal or spiritual war against us, His love never departs from us. Even when we are faithless, His love draws us back to faith. Even when we are discouraged and our hope wanes, His love breaks through these and uplifts us and sustains us.
There is so much to be thankful to God for, but His love stands out as so precious to me. Knowing that, before the foundation of the world, God made an everlasting covenant between the Persons of the Godhead to save mankind from sin as essential to His plan to create the universe and all creatures, mortal and physical. And this covenant was made out of the love that defines God so well. He loved us even before He made Adam and Eve. The elect of God was in mind when He created all things. In love, he determined to create a people for Himself to spend eternity with Himself to the praise of His glory which benefits us to the maximum degree.
How precious is our election!
My understanding: Due to the flood all of mankind today are descendants of Adam and Eve through the sons of Noah. We don't look alike but we have the same blood and the same skin, Acts 17:26 1 Cor. 15:39. Satan has twisted it so that we look at each other as different races when there is only one race created by God through His only begotten Son Jesus.
Today we see people as either Jews or Gentiles with the Gentiles of many religions. We see in Deut. 7:6 God said to Israel "God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth." If we look at what God said to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 "and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed," this is pointing to the coming of Jesus.
Israel was chosen by God for his plan of salvation as Jesus said to the woman at the well, John 4:21-24 how we worship the Father is about to change for salvation is of the Jews. Salvation came through Israel the chosen people, who today are called Jews came the chosen One, the Anointed One, the Messiah/Christ Jesus the Son of God. Through Him, all the families of the earth will be blessed. We also see this in Matt. 12:17-21 Isaiah 42:1-4
Gal. 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Gal. 4:4-5 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Whosoever is in Jesus, the Chosen One, by Him becomes the chosen people of God Jew or Gentile. Matt. 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen. Matt. 20:16 1 Cor. 1:27 Eph. 1:4 2 Thes. 2:13 Rev. 17:14. Jesus will return and reign and the chosen will reign with Him.
God bless,
RLW
The testing of our souls is shown in 1 Peter 1:7. Resistance; struggles; trials and such are things we are promised if we live lives Godly in Christ Jesus. ( 2 Timothy 3:12). There are many verses which exhort us to gain wisdom; endure hardships; suffer persecutions and the like as Disciples of Christ. The testing of our faith produces the fruit of love; joy; peace; longsuffering; etc.
Discipleship should be an evidence of those who are growing in Christ; but sadly in many recent "revivals" we haven't seen much evidence of that at least in the long term.
It is true that growing in the Lord and fulfilling the Great Commission isn't a "spectator sport." That being said; it is often those behind the scenes such as prayer warriors that are doing much of the work ( 1 Cor. 3:6-8). This seemed to be the case even with Christ ( John 4:37-38); perhaps with the Disciples preaching with those the woman at the well spoke with in the area of the Samaritans after they came seeking Christ. There is too much concern with numbers and such; and whether people are made to feel comfortable enough to attend a church service. In reality nothing could be further than the truth; the Spirit should make them uncomfortable as the fear of God brings them to their knees; and the love of God reshapes their heart with a broken and contrite spirit ( Psalm 51). There is a way for the Word to pierce as a two edged sword to the thoughts and intentions of the heart ( Heb. 4:12). There is only one truth; but many ways the Lord will use to draw someone; it can be the still small voice and overwhelming love of God or the fear of God by boldly proclaiming our need for His blood to atone for us to avoid a fate of eternal damnation in hell. Ultimately both these concepts need to be understood as part of the character of God; if we love someone we must tell them the truth and of course The truth (Christ Himself) IS love (1 John 4:8).
More upcoming in part 4.
Read Ephesians 4:32. When we truly are saved, we become a new creation in Christ. The old is passed away. We are forgiven. As Christians we are to be doers of the word. Jesus said in John 14:15, if you love me, keep my commandments.
1John 2:4
1John 4:20-21
The Lord is my Shepherd.
I am lifting you all up in prayer today. Jesus Christ is coming soon. We are living in the last of the last days, and hell is a real place of torment. Eternal. I don't want to go there and I don't want you to go there.
Matthew 10:28
Matthew 13:50
2Thessalonians 1:9
Psalms 145:20
Hebrews 10:26-31
So let Jesus work in your heart and life. No one can put Him there. You must see your need for Him and repent (stop sinning,stop hating,forgive,stop rejecting Christ) REPENT of YOUR own evil deeds, ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness.
Matthew 6:14-15
He paid for our sin with His life's blood when He was crucified on the cross.His gift of forgiveness is free. Please accept it. Repent and be baptized in water and the Holy Spirit.
HE IS COMING BACK SOON. If YOU are not ready, the Bible says you will be eternally lost. I would not wish Hell on my worst enemy. No, on the contrary. I want to spend eternity loving and worshiping Jesus Christ together with them.
( Matthew 5:44)
May the Lord richly bless you today in Christ Jesus!
Helpful tip; touch the verse addresses in red and they will open up. You won't have to look them up separately.
Beautiful story.Jacobs well was in Genesis,it was old, Jesus shows up there to get a drink..rest is history..
word of warning to anyone who reads this,Beware of believing Inaccurate teachings,homilys from a human.
come on here or pick up the Bible and Confirm what they said is True,Called 'Trying the spirit'
just experienced it over this chptr.
when someone says about the Bible that isnt true,wether its intentional or not
is the anti Christ spirit
it will physically/spiritually infect a person just because they unknowingly believed something that wasn't True
if something isnt True,then what is it
Christ is the Truth,you can believe him 100%
Direct quote from scripture: John 4:24 God is Spirit. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of Spirit is spirit. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I (Jesus) speak unto you are spirit, and they are life.
God is Spirit. Where in the scriptures does it say God, i.e. Creator, is Flesh; and they that worship Him must worship Him in FLESH and in truth? If Christ was born of flesh, then He wasn't born of God; nor would He be Spirit because Spirit would not be an option if Christ was created flesh. John 3:6 contains two opposite parts to its statement and clearly leaves no room that both options are simultaneously possible, nor that each entity can produce something other than what it is, or change back and forth, or be mixed together, which means coexist. John 6:63 is clear that the words Jesus speaks, which is truth, are spirit and life. NOT flesh and death, which would obviously be untruth.
James 3:11, 12 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a (grape) vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. The REASON this is truth is because in reality, the Mind of God can not and will not produce opposing, dualistic thoughts. A mouse can't produce mice and elephants. When thinking in terms of opposites (dualistic mind) we inevitably WILL have bitter (impure) thoughts and sweet (pure) thoughts, and of course project this insane way of thinking onto God. 1 John 4:8 says "God is Love." Where in scripture does it say, God is Hate? I don't require any more scripture to make the statement "Love creates Itself and nothing but Itself."
For now, I'll stick with Jesus APPEARED as a body, with the fullness of Christ Mind as One with His Mind; not His body. If we were frogs He would have appeared as a frog.
God Is
Peace
We see this in Revelation 12:11 which reads "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;
Through Christ's shed blood on the cross, He purchased us, and died for our sins. We are now the overcomers because Christ overcame Satan at the cross.
That's why John says in 1 John 4:4 that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world, and that we have already overcome the spirit of antichrist.
So they overcame him, in the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto death.
I think that's interesting. How far along do I love my life? Well, I'm willing to give it up right up to death. I mean, that might be a little too far.
In the book of Acts, as Paul was traveling towards Jerusalem, there were different prophecies given along the way that if Paul was going to go to Jerusalem, he was going to be persecuted and taken captive there.
And so the prophecies didn't say don't go. The prophecies just said you're going to face trouble. You're going to be imprisoned. You're going to be chained.
Because of those prophecies, the Christians tried to stop him from going. But Paul says to them "I don't count my life dear to myself. God has told me to go. If that's what awaits me, so be it!"
I think it is interesting that he says I don't count my life dear to myself. But that's the way we have a tendency to interpret some things that happen to us. That's because we love our lives too much.
Just think if someone came knocking on your door and asked are you a believer in Christ, and you said yes, and they said come on out here, you're next to be put to death. They do not love their lives unto death.
Hope this helps!
I consider what you are saying is on the the right track, not that I'm the authority on truth, or that you need my or anyone's approval. Yet, I would consider going deeper into what you are touching on regarding, "When God and His Kingdom is spiritual."
With the focus on "spiritual", or spirit, in John 4:24 we have the statement, "God is Spirit". Therefore, He is not flesh. John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Therefore, He did not create flesh. John 6:63 states, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. Therefore, it is the spirit which is life, rendering the flesh as NOTHING.
God creates in His Own Likeness. Is it not reasonable that if God is Spirit, and perfect and eternal, which I'm certain all Christians agree, how can we arrive at the unreasonable conclusion that He creates flesh or that anything He creates is something other than perfect and eternal? It is reasonable also to conclude that if something is created perfect, and then becomes imperfect, for whatever REASON, including sin, then it could not have been created perfect in its original creation.
The word "reason" is often used in the Bible; commonly as a noun. In Isaiah 1:18 it is used as verb. Is it is not then reasonable to conclude that God created our mind to use REASON to understand what is obvious? The "devil is afraid of the obvious that arrives through reasonable thinking, since obviousness is the essential characteristic of reality, or truth. The rest i.e. anything pertaining to the flesh, profiteth nothing, does not matter, counts for nothing.
Perhaps all of our conceived and perceived problems arise from what should be considered the "root of all evil", is the authority problem. Is our Author the Creator of Spirit which creates eternal spirit and life? Or is our author flesh that made flesh which is not eternal? Can't be both.
God Is
Peace
Consider that the KJV uses the word sleep for being dead awaiting Christ's return.
"Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;" Psalms 13:3 KJV
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thessalonians 4:14 KJV
"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." John 11:11 KJV
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 KJV
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11 KJV
The Bible talks about a "day" of judgment, rather than people being judged sporadically.
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 KJV
And it says no one escapes judgment- people often think they skip this for some reason despite what the Bible says:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
So, when these verses are put together it seems like all will be judged on the same day (also consistent with the vision in Revelation) and that people won't go to heaven until they're first judged, and it then makes sense where it says the dead will rise to meet Jesus in the air. So, to me it all seems logical, what happens. Despite all this evidence in God's word, many people still prefer to believe something else that makes them feel good, however.
Thanks for responding and sorry for such a delay on my response back. I normally can't engage until the weekend due to my work schedule.
Here's my view on this.
We are the light of the world, (The oil filled Lamps.)
In 1 Thessalonians 5:3-5. we see this light mentioned in the believers in connection with the Day of the Lord. (As already established; "Not to be mistaken for the tribulation! but what is interesting is "If" the Holyspirit is taken out of the way/Removed and no longer restraining, then the children of light would become as those who sleep in the night!
He that comforts us, enlighten us and keeps us is no longer doing it and by nature we love Darkness. John 3:19.
Jesus says he will never leave us comfortless. John 14:16-20.
John 15:19. Because of this verse we should see it is not a worldly entity that desires or even capable of restraining evil.
We have three enemies that pushes back against Holiness, Our flesh, the world and the prince of the two, "Satan"
We have one source that empowers, but yet "PERMITS" That's the Holyspirit. We see the involvement and power of the Holyspirit shepherding his Church against these three enemies.
Romans 8:9-15. (The flesh)
1 John 4:4. (Satan)
John 14:16-20. (The World.).
2 Thessalonians 2:1-7. The subject here is the Thessalonians thought the day of the Lord was at hand! Paul says that day shall not come, except there come a apostasy first, and that man of sin be revealed. Paul goes on to say; Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
He is refering to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. He is reminding them.
By the context of 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, they knew the order of events Paul was telling them. 1st The rapture. 2nd The man of sin revealed. 3rd the day of the Lord. (Wherefore comfort one another with these words.)
The Church is removed and the Holyspirit operates as it did in the Old Testament.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 parallels with Matthew 24:15.
GB.