Discuss Genesis 1 Page 22

As in the 1st day of the week through the 7th?

You're welcome Monte.

I hold the view Adam and Eve was created in Genesis 1:26-28.

But there may be more to the word till as Brother Ronald said.

He may have something there, , I haven't studied in that area but when time permits I will. I don't think it will change the order of mans creation but it may have great spiritual application.

God bless.

Hi Brother Ronald.

Thanks for that very great and informal reply!

I would like to share what I agree and disagree on.

However that doesn't make me right on all these events. I hold most of those views apart from Adam is a separate creature from Gen.1.

Here's one reason.

Genesis 5:1-2. seems to put them together. It connects Adam and Eve to Genesis 1:26-28. and also cover the use of the name Adam used for both Adam and Eve.

In Genesis 1. the writer is focused on the beginning. "creation of the whole earth including Man."

In Genesis 2. I believe he recounts the creation with the focus on man, the garden of Eden where he placed him and the dust from whence he came,

Therefore he refer to it as the field.

So this sequence and change of focus in Genesis 2 is to move us on to the next phase in Genesis 3. "The fall in Eden and the serpent"

I don't think you here anything about the Earth In Genesis 3. because the focus has changed to the field. Starting in ch 2, picking up here in Genesis 3:1.

AND AS FOR CREATING IN GEN 1. AND FORMING OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND IN GEN 2.

I believe the writer give more detail out of the creation of Adam putting focus on the dust of the ground because of what happens here. in Genesis 3:19. " In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

How would we interpret this verse without the details of Man/Adam creation in Genesis 2:7. if all we had was the account in Genesis 1:26-28.?

Now this one may sound silly, I understand there's a difference in creating and forming.

But what if you form something out of something you created? Then you have created both.

God created the dust he formed Adam out of. And he was just a big lump of dust until God breathed life in him.

Thanks again Brother.

God bless.

Thank you Grae. As I read in that passage & particularly 2 Kings 5:2-4, it was the maid who suggested to Naaman's wife for Naaman to go & visit a prophet in Samaria who would help him. I wasn't intimating that the maid spoke about going to the Jordan & dipping in it seven times, but that she suggested visiting the prophet (Elisha) who would tell him more.

"And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy."

It could well have been that God inspired the maid to say what she did, but I was simply stating the verse. Do you read it another way than I have?

Brother S Spencer

Part 2

The Hebrew word tledth means account, record, genealogy, history, These are the generations of, This is the account of, This is the history, etc. It usually comes with a name and it is usually asserted that tledth in Genesis introduces genealogical material which regularly, though not always, follows it.

This, of course, is problematic with Genesis 2:4 and 37:2 since no genealogy follows, and the subject matter covered by the heading appears to precede not follow its appearance. Does the heading, "these are the generations of the heavens and of the earth" precede or follow the subject matter?

Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. In Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. All the hosts of the earth would be all living beings including mankind, on the land, the air, and the waters. Then the seventh day God rests. Genesis 2:4 is after the seventh day and is a summation of Genesis 1, "in the day LORD God made the earth and heavens".

See part 3

Brother S Spencer

Part 3

We also see the animals on day 6 are of the erets (earth) and in chapter 2 the animals, beasts, of the -eh (field), not 'erets (earth) and fowls of the -eh (field), not of the water like on day 5. God formed, not made, or created of the ground or water as on days 5 and 6.

On day 3 "let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind", after its kind, no evolution. These were self-bearing plants to feed the beings God would create on days 5 and 6. In chapter 2 these were plants of the field, plants that had to be planted, tilled, and taken care of, a garden.

On day 5 the winged fowls the water brought forth abundantly. In chapter 2 out of the ground God yatsar, formed fowls for Adam to name. When Lord God formed Adam, he was placed in the garden to tend it and was all alone. In Hebrew custom naming someone or something indicated one's authority or ownership of that person/thing. It's the same when God renamed Abram to Abraham and Jacob to Israel. Eve was from Adam's rib. Could all that happen in a 24hr day like day six?

On day six, male and female and God told them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish (fill) the earth. Subdue it: and have dominion over everything. How could Adam and Eve do this from inside the garden of Eden when they were only given one command. If God told them after they were taken out of the garden, God could not have said what He said in Genesis 1:31, everything was very good.

These scriptures are about two different events and chapter 2 was not merely to fill in the details that are presented in Genesis 1.

I could write more but I hope this shows my understanding and like I said before the bloodline of Adam and Seth was on the ark in Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Eve is still the mother of all living because everyone living today comes from Adam and Eve.

God bless,

RLW

SONS OF GOD.

This is a term used as a direct creation of God.

There is only 3 in scripture that was created that bares this title

1) Angels.

Genesis 6:2.

Job 1:6.

2) Adam.

Luke 3:38.

We're not a "direct" creation. We're sons of Adam until Born again.

3) Those in Christ.

John 1:12.

We are a NEW creation in Christ.

That's why it's called a new birth. "Born again" properly translated, "Born from above."

With Adam being the first Man/Adam created, And then sinned, sin passed on to ALL Men, "Only if ALL Men came after Adam. The ONLY way redemption is available to ALL.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12.

To redeem, is to buy back!

When the Law came everyone in Adam spiritually died.

I believe physical death came by Adams transgression, spiritual death came by the giving of the law.

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Romans 5:15.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 1 Corinthians 15:45-49.

If there were people created before Adam how can they be bought back when Adam transgression has no effect on them being they were never "In" Adam.

Note: Acts 17:26.

Genesis 5:1-2. connects Genesis 1:26-28.

and Genesis 2:7. and also cover the use of the name Adam used for both Adam and Eve.

God bless.

The young maids wise suggestion was not hers . Give God the glory . Elisha the prophet of the God of Israel told Naaman what to do and it didn't say in the law of Moses that someone with leprosy was to bathe seven times in the Jordan River . All this came from Elisha , therefore it game from God , give God the glory and thanks . Always .If I am wrong in any of this I apologise , I just go by what it actually says in the Bible .

U may like to read the whole of 2nd Kings Ch 5 and then read Acts Ch 9 and c how these two chapters tie together .

The advice that Naaman received , was not from the female servant , it was from the prophet Elisha , who was a prophet of God for sure . So really the advice was devine . V 13 of 2nd Kings Ch 5 is very significant I think . Could it possibly relate to us in any way ? The whole chapter is a foreshadow of the new covenant in Christ I believe . The gentiles , of which Naaman was one , r permitted to receive direct intervention from the God of Israel . Previously God was only considered to b the God of Israel .

Hi Lou. We're not told of how the Syrians dealt with leprosy, whether they even had a separate colony for them. Leprosy isn't highly infectious - but it is, when there is constant contact with the leper or transmission of bodily fluids. In any case, at that time, maybe not a lot was known about the disease, so people who were not incapacitated because of it, still moved around in society until they were homebound. With Naaman, it appeared that he was still able to function in his military duties, but with the signs of the leper there with the nerves being affected, it may have concerned him & the young maid gave that wise suggestion to him. As well, the Syrians & other nations, had never received a law from God in what to do in the event of leprosy being noticed in a person.

Hi Brother Ronald.

Part 1 of 5.

Genesis 1:26-28.

Do these verses suggest there were more than two people on earth at this point? No, since this is day six, mankind was the first couple (Adam and Eve). In Genesis 1:26, "man" (dm, is without the article, i.e., anarthrous) refers to mankind because, after using the singular "dm," it says "let them (plural) have dominion . . ." Then in Genesis 1:27, "the man" (hdm, with the article, i.e., arthrous) is used, which is followed by " . . . in the image of God he created him (singular)," then "male and female, he created them (plural)." In Genesis 2:7-8, 15-16, 18-23, 25, 3:9 12, 22, 24, and 4:1, the arthrous "hdm" is used and refers to the individual first man, Adam. Then in Adam's genealogy, Genesis 5:1-5, it is always anarthrous "dm." In Genesis 5:1, "dm" (twice) refers to the first man because it refers to "him." In Genesis 5:2, it refers to "male and female . . . them," who were "called "dm" when they were created. So "dm" refers to both male and female, but they were the first two humans (Adam and Eve).

In Genesis 5:3-5, "dm" clearly refers to the first man, Adam, who fathered Seth and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 2

Before looking at the text of Genesis 2, it is first necessary to establish the context of the narrative. Genesis 2 is a more detailed account of the creation of mankind on the sixth day of creation and not a secondary and contradictory account of creation to Genesis 1 nor a sequel chapter to it.

This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens . . . . ( Genesis 2:4.

See part 2.

Was Naaman so infected with leprosy that he avoided being put in a leper colony or was it not looked down upon by the Arabs in the same way that the Jews considered leprosy?

Brother Ronald.

Part 5 of 5.

In Genesis 2:22, Adam finally meets the one who corresponds to him, that the LORD God built to be a helper for him. After meeting the woman, Adam says, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she [this one] shall be called woman, because she [this one] was taken out of man" ( Genesis 2:23). In Hebrew the three occurrences of the demonstrative pronoun this (zt) in verse 23 show Adam's exclamation of the one who rightly corresponds to him. The fact that the woman (i) came from the man () shows that they are made of the same stuff. Adam goes on to name his wife "Eve" because she is to become the mother of all the living ( Genesis 3:20).

Most importantly, in Matthew 19:4-5 Jesus quotes from Genesis 1 and 2 as referring to the same people to make a theological point on marriage. By combining Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 in this way, he in no way regarded them as separate, contradictory accounts of creation. Jesus understood the "male and female" of Genesis 1:27 as "the man" (Adam) and "the woman" (Eve) of Genesis 2:24. Genesis 2 is the beginning of the history of mankind on day six of creation week.

There is no hint whatsoever in Genesis 2 of a group of pre-existing people from whom God elects the first couple, Adam and Eve. Rather it talks about the supernatural formation of the first man (Adam) and the supernatural "building" of the first woman (Eve). The Bible makes it clear: all mankind came from the first man that God created (cf. Acts 17:26).

By Simon Turpin of AiG-UK

Material for research.

God bless.

Brother Ronald.

Part 3.

Genesis 6:17, 7:15, 22), which is "a clear indication of life-and thereby the lifeless body became a living soul, a living being. Adam consists then of the material (dust) and immaterial (breath of life). It was not until the LORD God breathed into Adam that he became a living creature (as Paul also indicates in 1 Corinthians 15:45: "the first man Adam became a living soul").

This means that you cannot place minutes, hours, days, or years between those two acts as they are distinct, inseparable, essentially simultaneous sides of the one creative event.

The forming of the man from the dust of the ground shows that the LORD God formed the body almost immediately without intermediate processes. The act of formation and impartation (the breath of life) are two distinct but inseparable acts-two sides of one creative act. This means that you cannot place minutes, hours, days, or years between those two acts as they are distinct, inseparable, essentially simultaneous sides of the one creative event. This, therefore, rules out the idea that man developed from a lower form of a pre-existing hominid. If Adam was not the first man and there were other hominids prior to him, then it raises the question: in what sense was he the first man ( 1 Corinthians 15:45)?

The ground was not only the place of Adam's creation but also his home, and because of his later disobedience, it would become his grave ( Genesis 2:15; 3:19). Adam's value is seen not in what he was made from but rather in the unique way God formed him (cf. Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3--4, 139:13-14). The man the LORD God formed is called Adam ( Genesis 2:20; 3:17; cf. 5:1), who is the only human at this point as he is alone, which is not good ( Genesis 2:18. ), until God makes a helper who corresponds to him

( Genesis 2:18-22).

See part 4.

Hi Chris.

Adam and Eve was the only two humans God directly created, What we see in Genesis 1:26-28. and Genesis 2:7. is a re-account focusing on the creation of Man.

Here in Genesis 4:16-17. we have the account in question.

"And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

AND CAIN KNEW HIS WIFE; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch."

In verse 17 it says " and Cain knew his wife " Notice what it doesn't say , Cain taken a wife out of the land of Nod. It doesn't say that.

I believe Cain already had a wife when he slew Abel. The scripture doesn't tell us how old they were, We know they wasn't babies offering sacrifices to the Lord. Centuries could have passed by. Cain married one of his relatives.

I hope this helps.

God bless.

Hello Chris,

Good question. Open your heart to GOD ALMIGHTY & allow Jesus CHRIST to be you're savior. The HOLY Spirit will guide you & teach you all truth. John 3:16-17,

Genesis 1:26-28, GOD created, multiple men & women to fill the earth, subdue tak dominion over the fish of the sea, cattle, birds of the air .

Then HE formed Man & breathed Life into him: Genesis 2:7, this is a special account because of the details Genesis 2:8,9,15, interesting that this man was alone, Gen 2:18-24 note: Genesis 4:16, they were already cast out of the garden, Cain left the 'Presence of the LORD'' it appears he left the Holy to dwell with the other men & women in a land called Nod. HOLY means set apart, Gen 4:17, then they built a city & named it. So Nod already existed. Then you have: Genesis 4:23-24 why isn't the killed man mentioned? If it was of the same parents? Therefore proving these are the other men & women Genesis 5:1-2, Genesis 4:26, Enoch the HOLY seed begins to call on GOD, "Son's of GOD" Gen 6:1-6, "Son of GOD" Jesus CHRIST Luke 3:23-38, Enos = Enoch, Romans 8:14.

Please don't believe evil lies. GOD says & our spirit testifys sin & perversion bad: Leviticus 20:17, & GOD doesn't lead us to sin : James 1:12-27, note: James 1:13-14,

Study for yourself & GOD will help you see truth.

Hey Monte,

God's name is written Elohim translated God, meaning strength, power, and God as the creator. Sometimes Elohim refers to plural gods, as in "You shall have no other gods before me" Deut. 5:7. At other times the referent is singular, God, as in "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" Genesis 1:1.

In Genesis 2:4-3:24 Gods' name is YHVH Elohim translated LORD God, YHWH is the true God's personal name meaning God who brings into existence, God who originates, God as the originator and shows his intimate and personal relationship with mankind. The personal God who rules over Israel, and at the same time the one and only God who rules over all.

Many to most accept Adam and Eve are the male and female on day six. The most obvious differences and mostly discussed are the order of creation and the manner through which man and woman come into existence. Then the question where Cain got his wife. The account on the sixth day, God created man, male and female in his image he created them. In chapter 2 God formed man, placed the man in the Garden of Eden, then He created animals and birds, then woman and it is interpreted as being in day 6.

If you are studying this, regardless of your understanding, all people on earth today are descendants of Adam and Eve due to the flood. There are two words you may look at that are in the six days the word earth and chapter two the word field. Plants of the earth day 3 plants of the field chapter 2. Birds, fowls from the water on day five, out of the ground fowls' chapter 2, Beast of the earth day 6, beasts of the field chapter 2.

There is more but may this help.

God bless,

RLW

Hi Monte.

Viewing your question it appears you're not asking about the creation of Adam but why the writer uses Elohim in Ch 1 and yehvh Elohim in Ch 2 vs 7. That's a good question, It appears as though there are two separate creation stories. Genesis 1 follows the seven days of creation in a chronological, organized manner. But in Genesis 2, the narrative seems to take a step back and focuses on the day God created man.

I believe the emphasis on the name change in Genesis 1:26. Elohim is used because the focus is on the Godhead in creation so he uses words like "us and our"

And God said, Let "US" make man in "OUR" image, after "OUR LIKENESS": and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

We do know there is one God as the Bible confirms throughout scripture. However I believe these name changes are significant.

Touching on the creation of Man

In Genesis 2:1-9. I believe he gives a

re-account of Genesis 1 with the emphasis on what he formed man out of "the ground" And most Important the breath of life when he breath into his nostrils. Therefore he uses Yehvh Elohim.

If you noticed Adam wasn't the thing was in focus, There is a emphasis on everything else that comes from the ground. And how it was watered!

Adam/Man was put in the Garden from where he was formed to keep it. And it yielded it its fruit.

When Adam sinned he was cast out of the Garden and God spoke this

Genesis 3:17-19.

It's interesting how God uses the rain, the land when speaking of blessings and cursing. ( Famine)

We see this creation of Adam as being the one created in Ch 1 and Ch 2 as one account in 1 Corinthians 15:45. THERE'S OUR FIRST ADAM/MAN. ( Genesis 1.)

Then we go to Romans 5:12. we see that same Adam sin as mentioned in Genesis ch 2 and ch 3.

I hope this helps.

God bless.

Paul talked about being taken to the 3rd heaven in his vision or actually being taken he said he did not know but he saw heaven and describes as the 3rd heaven. Jesus told the thief today you shall be with me in paradise. Some say the air from the earth to the atmosphere is the 1st heaven from the atmosphere to heaven is the 2nd and beyond that is the 3rd heaven. The Catholic's believe in purgatory, and some equate paradise with that as being the same. We know upon Christ return the dead in Christ will be raised from the dead but so will the lost souls as well. Do we go to heaven when we die we know our bodies don't but what about our sours and our spirit? The belief is our spirit that God breathed into Adam that we all have that gives us life returns to God, but our soul which is us sleeps and the Bible often refers to death as sleep in both the old and new testaments. Genesis 1:8And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. look at verses 6&7 6And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

7And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. the firmament he called heaven? So if you go beyond Heaven you'll find water? notice Heaven is capitalized a place.

Psalms 49:15

"But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah." implies our soul is in the grave. Ecclesiastes 9:10

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

Psalms 30:3

"O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit."

Ecclesiastes 3:21

"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"

That's all I got,

King James Version (KJV)

It's interesting that you're noticing the differences, I'm guessing you've read Genesis before & studying or reading again or just very observant.

John 1:1-5, Revelation 4:10-11, Colossians 1:12-23, Ephesians 3:9, Revelation 10:1-7,

Note: Isaiah 42:1-12, Isaiah 42:23, compare: the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke & John,

There is a difference I believe because it seems to point out that man Adam being put into the Garden, symbolic of the Church. To tend it, where GOD seems to already have given the Genesis 1:27-28 'created female & males, direction to multiply & subdue take dominion over the earth & creatures land & sea. Genesis 2:7-8, Genesis 5:1-3, interestingly it is the lineage of Seth the Jesus comes through : Luke 3:23-38

1Corinthians 15:45, 1Corinthians 15:42-47, Genesis 2:15, Genesis 2:18-24,

A person put over someone elses property, affairs, upkeep etc. Trusted with but belonging to another. Here are biblical examples. Genesis 1:26-30, Romans 14:12, In the Church: Hebrews 13:17, Titus 1:7,

Genesis 15:2, Gen 43:19,

Luke 16:1-15, Matthew 20:1-16, Luke 12:36-48,

Prophetic parable about Jesus & the religious Rulers of the time: Matthew 21:28-46, Luke 20:9-20, 'husbandman being "stewad" of the vineyard'

Hopefully these are helpful.

Jocelynne,

I am wondering if you feel that you received the answers you desired from your post?

I have prayed for you and I am confident that God will lead you to the answers. This can certainly come from reading the Bible.

As some have mentioned, being sure of being a Christian believer is vital. So, please go to the link on this site mentioned by Mishael.

You can google questions or topics and read from Christian sites to find some information that may explain some of your questions.

Got QuestionsDOTcom is a good site.

Christian Archeology is another.

Keep asking questions on here.

We want to help you, so, hearing from you will allow us to converse more with you.

Poor thing and honestly what most people think they know is gossip not gospel. they just repeat what was taught to them. There weren't people back then, your kidding right. maybe you should study history there is actual proof of it documented and it includes Chistian's the Greeks, Hebrews, Israel, Jewish people and nations, ruins of them as well all which line up with the Bible. Go travel to the middle east and see it. Like Jesus told Thomas stick your hand in my side and the holes in my hand if you don't believe I rose from the dead thus the saying: doubting Thomas was born, two things (1) it's faith, faith in things you can see is not faith, faith is believing of the unseen, like God, you say you believe in God, well guess what so does satan and it will no more help satan then it will you. Hebrews 11:1

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Ok (2) 2 Corinthians 13:12 Study to show thyself approved unto God and not your family study and then tell you, got that now look here John 14:26

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." and

Now one is anointed by the Holy Ghost 1 John 2:27

"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

Did you read that, (and ye not that any man teach you)

If you believe in God then read the Bible, read it like any other book, like a history book and learn what it says, about the people places and events that took place it has amazing accounts in it of real men and their lives and journeys

I can testify that people believe some dumb things about the Bible, Jesus called them traditions of men and fables Good luck

King James Version (KJV)

Thanks GiGi.

I have to sign off for a moment, I'm out of town working using the cell phone again.

God bless.

Hello S. Spencer,

Thanks for such a good post. I completely agree with you. We were referring to different situations. We are called to be loving in every situation. I also concur that voicing differing viewpoints or correcting errors on this site is what we should be doing and I for one never do so as if I am yelling at anyone, and I have not felt that others were yelling either. It is just so hard in writing to get your tone of voice, attitude of heart, and loving feelings (all of these being affects) into words written even though we make the best effort. Not knowing those who read posts on this forum, we just cannot assume negative things about people who post things we may not agree with or like. And the poster cannot assume that other readers will understand the affects behind the words of the poster. That is why we are to look to the best interest of others and to think the best of others on here and in other interactions. These are part of loving one another. It is always easier to accept encouraging words than words we do not agree with or counter our view. But these do cause us to re-examine our thinking according to the Word of God and prayer for God to correct or affirm our viewpoint. And in discussing Christian topics, there are "majors" and "minors" , some being more essential to Christian belief than others. We pray for the wisdom to tell the difference.

S. spencer, I so appreciate you and your contribution on this forum. being rather new here I do not know a lot of the "history" of this forum. So. those who have been here longer are a big help to me. We speak the truth in love on here as best we can. I have read on a few other supposedly Christian forums and this was not the case. So, I appreciate what happens here. It is edifying.

Have a wonderful day. Here in the Northwest it is trying to be sunny, but at least it is dry and will be for the rest of the week. I do pray that everyone that went through that huge storm weathered it well.

Amen GiGi.

Well spoken IF the question was How do you respond in love if you feel you are mistreated.

But when asked "How do you give gods love too people?" Gods love can only be given by the Spirit, and how a person receives it may depend on whether that person is a believer or not. We are to be ambassadors for Christ and the world didn't receive him well. Not even his own.

After praying the spirit may move you to rebuke a heresy which we ALL do.

But if the recipient is a believer he/she will respond differently than nonbelievers.

Paul rebuked Peter, But I'm sure it was with scripture and in love. It's hard to express this love on a site and not compromise truth. When one is rebuked using scriptures we must examine the scriptures and not imagine being yelled at.

Gods love, holiness, and truth. isn't always pleasant to the recipient. Jesus never ceased from loving. Jesus never ceased from truth. And the truth got him on the Cross. John 8:40. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

That same Spirit of truth should be in a believer expressed in Love.

God bless.

Dear Liz,

Most people can remember a while back the slogan, "What Would Jesus Do?" or WWJD. This was catchy and popular but a bumper sticker of this does not witness well if you cut someone off on the freeway or exceed the speed limit. So, I think it is a good idea to keep this slogan in mind when we encounter others. We should make a practice of pausing a moment and asking oneself this question. Wait for the Spirit to remind you of what our Lord would do in a situation. And then, do it.

For me, especially when someone mistreats me or speaks harshly to me, etc. I take a moment and pray, Lord teach me to love this person. Tell me what the loving thing to do or say is in this moment (or the next time I see this person). If I have regular contact with this person, I pray for him/her and ask God to increases His love in me for this person. In a prayer I resolve to treat such a person

Charity and it a manifestation of love and not love itself. Jesus said when you do unto one of the lest of these you do it unto me. 1 Corinthians 13:13

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

1 Corinthians 16:14

"Let all your things be done with charity."

Colossians 3:14

"And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

2 Thessalonians 1:3 | View whole chapter | See verse in context

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

1 Peter 4:8

"And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

Someone once told me to be an ambassador of Jesus to all those we bump into and converse with.

It helps to study the Bible so you can answer some of the questions people ask us. Like, how do you ask Jesus to save you?

Or why does bad things happen to good people?"

If they want to tear down the church and rant about how mean God is, you can excuse yourself if you want to. (I have a doctor appt at 3pm). If the Holy Spirit is not dealing with that person__sometimes our short conversation will harden their hearts. Be sensitive.