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"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." James 1:3 KJV
God being all knowing. How long will the test or trying of faith last? When will the trying of your faith end? When will tests and trials end. It will last as long as God allows it to last. Why so long? Because God knows how much a believer an bear (even though the believer, themselves may not realize how much they can actually bear). The trying of our faith comes from God. He (God) created the test therefore He knows how long it should last. God created and administers all tests according to each ones ability. The testing of our faith comes from God. If the test lasts longer than we think it should then the believer needs to exam and question themselves as to why God saw fit to give a test that does not seem to end. A believer should be glad if God allows some relief or happy times during the trying of their faith and if the trying of faith lasts a long time or seems like it will never end then know that God is working things out for the good of the believer (you want to go to heaven right?). If a believer wants to see God's face in peace, a believer (with God's help) must endure to the end, wavering or wanting nothing (in other words you want to live a right according to the word of God), "be steadfast" "be unmovable" "continue in the faith" "be Christ minded" "focus on the things of God" God knows where a believer (or sinner is) at all times "he never sleeps nor slumbers" "the only wise God." It's not so much that the test is so trying it's that sinful flesh is so corrupt...and it will take the trying or testing of a believers faith to ensure a believer qualifies to exist in the presence of God, here on earth and then in eternity. "be still and know that He is God"
God wants all likeminded churches to come together for time is running out on us. How can we help accomplish this task? Following Gods will in my life, can I get a witness?
I would like to add to what Gigi has already shared.
You asked, "WHO is the CAUSE of suffering ?
I believe the cause of suffering goes back to the Garden of Eve.
All of God's creation was effected by the fall.
We suffer physically and emotionally.
And we suffer persecution because of our new birth.
We have a sin nature in this EARTHY TABERNACLE.
Romans 5:12 says "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:
Look at Romans 8:18-23.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
8:22 FOR WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CREATION GROANETH AND TRAVAILETH IN PAIN TOGETHER UNTIL NOW.
8:23 AND NOT ONLY THEY, BUT OURSELVES ALSO, WHICH HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, EVEN WE OURSELVES GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES, WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, TO WIT, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY.
We see what it will be like when all God's creation is redeemed in
As Sammi said, people cause much of the suffering by our mistreatment of others and ourselves.
But, like the earthquake in Turkey/Syria and many illnesses that people can acquire, it is God who allows the suffering from these "natural" disasters and diseases. He created the viruses, bacteria, etc. that have plagued mankind since the fall. He created the earth's topography both above and below ground and changes that cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc.
Satan likes to afflict people as well, which God allows. Job is an example of that.
We are , we cause ourselves to suffer by our own sinfulness and stupidity and , we inflict suffering on others with our own sinful behaviour and cold-heartedness .
Not only can they be but all, except Judas (that betrayed Jesus) are saints.! The apostles are the disciples of Jesus and all were canonized (made saints) with the exception of Judas. A saint is "anyone" who has led a virtuous life and or "martyred" for their faith and 'usually' has 'miracles' attached to them. Plus, anyone placing their life & trust in Jesus as Chris said. So if one truly believes, and only God knows the heart, can be a saint. He can weed out the false people saying & or acting holy.
Hi Linda. To remain true to the Bible, we find in numerous Scriptures, the word 'saint(s)' is used. You can type that word in the Search box & you can check out the verses.
The word 'saint' finds its root in the verb, 'to sanctify'. And this means 'to make Holy, to set apart'. So when we see it written in the Bible, we understand that it refers to the holy, separated ones to God, i.e. to Christians. You are a saint as you've placed your trust & life in Jesus. But the RC definition isn't correct, where they appoint some special persons to sainthood. This is not biblical.
In the commentary for James you refer to the apostle Paul as St. Paul. Do you believe the aostles can be saints, were do you find that in the bible? Is this a beief system for the church of Christ. For me it seems to be a view the catholic support.
If you want counsel like few others read the book of James .
Simple direct and to the point , you will not have a lot of questions, but answers after reading it . He was the first to be martyred. He must have been the most influential as well .
Even some of the reformers that left the Catholic Church struggled with James teaching , remember James was close to Jesus and got it very well right . Enjoy and put down those commentaries .
Any scripture referring to "God Is", "I Am", etc., clarifies the infinite, eternal God. "God Is" reflects His omnipresence, i.e. He is
eternally everywhere. This should lead us to consider that if there is this Omnipresence, what room is there left for anything other than God/Omnipresence, Who is also omnipotent and omniscient? God Is; thus what opposes (the opposite of) Him "is not". God could never be (exist) as what opposes Him. This would render him something else. There is no compromise between what God is and what He is not (cannot be). God is the sole reality, and what is real always denies its opposite.
God is Light, not darkness. Bring darkness to light and the light will reveal the darkness, and what I thought was hidden in it is not there; not my reality. When light enters darkness the darkness is abolished. In similar manner, God is everything, and everything and nothing cannot coexist. The truth of one (God, Light, Everything) must make the falsity of its opposite ("Satan, darkness, nothing") perfectly unambiguous.
God Is. God is Love. The opposite of love is fear: yet What (God) is all encompassing can have no opposite. Love creates Itself and nothing but Itself. It is impossible for Love to create evil, and to do so would render God as capable of denying and opposing Himself: Impossible!
In regards to the trinity: The trinity in its Oneness transcends the sum of its parts.
Thanks for the effort in gathering these scriptures. Jesus is Lord and blessed by God Almighty. By his grace and mercy through faith I am saved and nothing can change that.
Some questions have no simple answer or specific scripture that clarifies the infinite, eternal God. Any question that speaks of the relationship between God the Father, Jesus the Christ and Holy Spirit cannot be easy. I have a mind, heart and spirit that longs to worship God with all my strength. I believe this is one of the ways that God created us in his image.
In this respect, God has separated us into 3 distinct personalities. Physical, mental and spiritual.
I am not sure why I put that question to the typewriter since we all must ponder the Holy Trinity of God during prayer, reading of the scripture and indeed day to day hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling his presence.
Dear Giannis, I so agree with you on these matters. We are not to despise, denigrate, or negate the teachings and faith of those who were alive during the beginning of the church age, nor through the centuries, as if we, in this time are so much wiser and correct in our beliefs. That is a very arrogant and prideful way of viewing ourselves in relation to those believers who have gone before us, the great crowd of witnesses, as Hebrews 1 states. You have spoken well in your reply to Ronnette here. There are many on this forum who dishonor those who lived out their faith in Jesus through such terrible persecution, hardships, and struggles with heresy over the centuries. We should have an attitude to learn from them. God placed them in the church by His election and gave us their writings and history to inherit the body of beliefs of the faith past down through the saints.
I am not saying that all that was taught in the early church centuries, the Middle Ages, the Enlightenment, nor in the past 500 years is absolutely correct. But there is much truth there, especially on the majors, as you state. These majors are the teachings that must be believed to be considered a practicing Christian. New believers, of course do not know all of these teachings yet, but those who read the word, learn from pastors, or other Christian teachers should know these teachings and believe them to be considered "in the faith". I am not going to itemize these teachings in this post, but I do recommend to others to study up on these "majors". And, yes, one's position of the exact timing of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection is not a major. But that He did die for us, was buried, and arose on the third day for us is absolutely a major and essential to a person's faith.
I do think it is good to learn about the timeline of Jesus' last Supper, sufferings, death, burial, and resurrection in order to have an explanation for those who question the veracity of the "majors" I mentioned above ...
There are important beliefs/doctrines in Christianity that are necessary for salvation like the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But there are many insignificant ones that if one believes it this way and somebody else otherwise, it doesn't really matter. The date Jesus was crucified is not of any importance, and probably we shouldn't have spent so much time on it. Whether you believe it was Thurday or Wednesday or Friday doesn't change anything in your spiritual life. When we say that the truth will set one free we mainly mean that the truth which is that Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins and resurrected for our justification will set us free of our sins and from spiritual death. We can not generalize it for any disagreement we have with others. When you say that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday, that of what has it set you free personally? So I think you understand. There is a verse in Romans that says that the kingdom of God is not food or drink but peace, love and righteousness in the Holly Spirit. If you eat meat or not, if you drink wine or not has not any positive or negative consequence in your spir. life. Another scripture says that in Christ circumsision or not circumsision is nothing but new creation (is important). This doesn't mean that we can do or believe anything we like but there are important and insignificant things in Christ. One has to, as you say, rightly divide these things.
Another thing I would like to tell you is that the belief some have that all the millions of Christians that live now and the millions that lived in the past 2 th. years were useless really and had wrong beliefs and God chose us personally among those many millions to reveal His Truth is very dangerous. It's not only us in the faith. There are many millions of us who love God and look for the truth. Sorry to talk to you like this but I often find myself thinking in this way, and this is wrong. Again no offense meant. God bless you
20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
What a great Intelligent Designer God and author we have. The Bible has full of righteous and true information. We are all reading the same KJV Bible.
Romans 16:17-18
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
I did a thorough study on when Jesus died. It was very interesting that men follows the traditions of men. Paul already warned us in Colossians 2:8
I personally confirmed that Jesus died on Wednesday. Just as the pattern of a wonderful God has created a day, so understanding that a day starts in the evening and the morning Genesis 1:5. Then next a great God gave the Jews a great and only sign of Jonah 1:17 and Matthew 12:40 a prophetic sign of when Jesus will die, buried and resurrected for 3 days and 3 nights. Our God is such a great Intelligent Designer so that the true believers will not be deceived tossed to and fro ( Ephesians 4:14) by any so-called Religious Christian Deceivers. So by knowing this you will know who is lying to you and to stay away from this cult. Revelation 18:4
It was also a perfect match on the day of Passover and the Sabbath. Noticed the day Mary went to the tomb and her preparation of her spices. I will leave a room for you to study.
So anybody says Jesus died on Friday, it is fake news they are making you a merchandised 2 Peter 2:3; Revelation 18:11; Revelation 18:12 Stay away immediately if they do not listen to the truth. The truth will set you free. John 14:6. The greatest and intelligent thing God said is that there is no other interpretation in the word of God. So if you do not get it you must be a lost person and not saved or just not reading your Bible enough. I do want ALL to be saved 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. I just hate the Nicolaitans (2X) Revelations 2:6; Revelation 2:15. Beware of many modern Pharisees.
Main thing is that we true believers 1 John4:2-3; 2 John 1:7 should not be divided 1 Corinthians 1:10; Luke 11:17. We need each other Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12 & 20
We are truly in the last days. Psalms 2:1-12. God wants everybody to understand The Word of God. Many of you will not believe. It is expected. Many will meet Jesus in the cloud 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. See you soon.
James 1:18 Here the apostle reveals our spirit as being saved, by using two words, begat and firstfruits, both of which speak about the human spirit as being resurrected. When reading Psalms 2:7 and Hebrews 1:5 the word begat or begotten refers unto the day when God would resurrect the body of the Lord Jesus, thus creating the doctrine of resurrection in interpretation. Then in Leviticus 23 we are taught of the feast known as the firstfruits, the first feast happened on April 14 as the Passover, then the next feast called unleavened bread happened on April 15, finally on April the 16TH the feast of firstfruits took place. These three feats speak about Christ dying on Friday as our Passover, in the grave on Saturday as our unleavened bread, and rose the third day being Sunday, as our first fruits. It was the third day that God resurrected him, meaning the name reveals the resurrection. 1 Cor.15:23
James 1:21 Here is this verse the apostle now deals with the salvation of the soul as being separate from that of the spirit, for he insists that our soul will be saved by the engrafted word, not by faith without works in Calvary. Now we know that the only thing that was engrafted into every Christian on the day of salvation as an unconditional promise was the Ten Commandments in the heart, also known as the new covenant. For this reason he continues to teach in chapter 2 about this very thought and testified that faith without works is dead, meaning when it comes to saving our souls, rather we must have faith with works, from obeying with meekness the Ten Commandments written in the heart, he calls this the royal law and the law of liberty in James 2:8 and 2:12
Actually you are right that people didn't use punctuation marks at that time, they also used only capital letters. So all the scriptures were initially written in capital letters without punctuation. I have heard that before, that the position of the comma may be after the word today. But I am thinking when people actually started to use small letters and punctuation, didn't they write the specific verse so that it fits what they believed it was right? So that early time christians believed that the comma should be after the word 'thee'? As I see it, Jesus was for 3 days in Hades, in Abraham's bosom, in the heart of earth, He was not with Father God. After He was resurrected He showed Himself to the women who were present there, then ascended to Heaven to present Himself to Father God. Probably it was that time that (according to my beliefs) took all the souls of the saints from Abraham's bosom and carriied them to Paradise (under the altar).
Thanks Ronald, as you said we haven't come into agreement but I have also enjoyed the conversation.
Well, I am thinking, maybe then I will not get to meet you in Heaven before rapture, I was hoping to make a coffee for us!!!!!!!Joke
I'm probably older but I am not tired, ha ha. I have enjoyed our conversation but looks like we come to a point we are not going to agree. That is ok, I felt I listed scripture that went with my understanding. Just one or two more things and it is ok if you don't reply, and I do not mean anything about not replying.
The thief hanging next to Jesus that asked Jesus to remember him when He come into His kingdom. First punctuation was not used and depending on the comma would change what was said. I say unto you, Today or I say unto you today, another question, why capitalize the t in today after a comma?
If Jesus and the thief went to heaven that day, why did Jesus tell Mary do not touch me for I have not ascended to my Father in John 20:17? Three days later. He ascended and presented Himself to His Father as the Firstfruits of those who slept and then returned. This was the same time the Priest waved the sheaf of the Firstfruits to be accepted by God before they could partake of the first harvest, the same with Jesus He could not be touched until He presented Himself to God.
The Old Testament is all the early church had and if we claim that all Scripture is inspired by God if what is said in the old should not change in the new. The definition of death in the old is the same in the new, the new cannot contradict the old if both are inspired by God.
The spirit is what goes back to God, without the spirit we are dead, in scripture it is called sleep. No spirit no breath and no more communication with God. The soul is us and is buried in death until resurrection.
"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body"
d. My opinion about spirit, soul, body. The spirit is us, our personality, thoughts, emotions etc. The soul is where our spirit is placed/located. Spirit and soul are nseparable and immortal. The physical body is a vehicle that is used by our spirit/soul to live in this physical world and it is of course mortal. If soul and not spirit is us, then where is God's, angels', demons' personality/life/emotions are located since they don't have souls.
e. Now about ancient philosophy, yes there have been attemps from the very begining to compromise philosophy with christianity. But those attemps in the early times failed. Also attempts were made by the Gnostics (Eastern beliefs) to enter christianity. Gnosis in greek means Knowledge, so the gnostics were people that claimed that they had some kind of a deeper and mysterious knowledge that ordinary believers didn't have. But we know that Paul as well as the other apostles fought all these. Jesus in Revelation gives warnings to churches to avoid those. You are right about St Augustin and others in the 2nd and 3rd centuaries AD that made attempts to import philosophy into christianity but never really succeded. In contrast to those, christianity wrongly took many things from Judaism, like the priests and temples and all those things that are still present in Catholicism and Orthodoxy.
f. Acts 20:7-10 is about the story of that young man who was sleeping during Paul's teaching and fell down from the first floor dead. In verse 10 says "And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him." But the greek text says "soul" not 'Life". His soul was in him. Why? Was there a case that the soul would be out of him, if soul simply dies?
Many other things can be said, but I think I may have tired you.
God being all knowing. How long will the test or trying of faith last? When will the trying of your faith end? When will tests and trials end. It will last as long as God allows it to last. Why so long? Because God knows how much a believer an bear (even though the believer, themselves may not realize how much they can actually bear). The trying of our faith comes from God. He (God) created the test therefore He knows how long it should last. God created and administers all tests according to each ones ability. The testing of our faith comes from God. If the test lasts longer than we think it should then the believer needs to exam and question themselves as to why God saw fit to give a test that does not seem to end. A believer should be glad if God allows some relief or happy times during the trying of their faith and if the trying of faith lasts a long time or seems like it will never end then know that God is working things out for the good of the believer (you want to go to heaven right?). If a believer wants to see God's face in peace, a believer (with God's help) must endure to the end, wavering or wanting nothing (in other words you want to live a right according to the word of God), "be steadfast" "be unmovable" "continue in the faith" "be Christ minded" "focus on the things of God" God knows where a believer (or sinner is) at all times "he never sleeps nor slumbers" "the only wise God." It's not so much that the test is so trying it's that sinful flesh is so corrupt...and it will take the trying or testing of a believers faith to ensure a believer qualifies to exist in the presence of God, here on earth and then in eternity. "be still and know that He is God"
God wants all likeminded churches to come together for time is running out on us. How can we help accomplish this task? Following Gods will in my life, can I get a witness?
I would like to add to what Gigi has already shared.
You asked, "WHO is the CAUSE of suffering ?
I believe the cause of suffering goes back to the Garden of Eve.
All of God's creation was effected by the fall.
We suffer physically and emotionally.
And we suffer persecution because of our new birth.
We have a sin nature in this EARTHY TABERNACLE.
Romans 5:12 says "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:
Look at Romans 8:18-23.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
8:22 FOR WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CREATION GROANETH AND TRAVAILETH IN PAIN TOGETHER UNTIL NOW.
8:23 AND NOT ONLY THEY, BUT OURSELVES ALSO, WHICH HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, EVEN WE OURSELVES GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES, WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, TO WIT, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY.
We see what it will be like when all God's creation is redeemed in
Revelation 21:1-4.
I hope this helps.
God bless.
As Sammi said, people cause much of the suffering by our mistreatment of others and ourselves.
But, like the earthquake in Turkey/Syria and many illnesses that people can acquire, it is God who allows the suffering from these "natural" disasters and diseases. He created the viruses, bacteria, etc. that have plagued mankind since the fall. He created the earth's topography both above and below ground and changes that cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc.
Satan likes to afflict people as well, which God allows. Job is an example of that.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The word 'saint' finds its root in the verb, 'to sanctify'. And this means 'to make Holy, to set apart'. So when we see it written in the Bible, we understand that it refers to the holy, separated ones to God, i.e. to Christians. You are a saint as you've placed your trust & life in Jesus. But the RC definition isn't correct, where they appoint some special persons to sainthood. This is not biblical.
1Corinthians 11:17-34, 1Corinthians 1, 1John 1,
Here are some scriptures on fellowship of Believers hopefully these are helpful
Simple direct and to the point , you will not have a lot of questions, but answers after reading it . He was the first to be martyred. He must have been the most influential as well .
Even some of the reformers that left the Catholic Church struggled with James teaching , remember James was close to Jesus and got it very well right . Enjoy and put down those commentaries .
Any scripture referring to "God Is", "I Am", etc., clarifies the infinite, eternal God. "God Is" reflects His omnipresence, i.e. He is
eternally everywhere. This should lead us to consider that if there is this Omnipresence, what room is there left for anything other than God/Omnipresence, Who is also omnipotent and omniscient? God Is; thus what opposes (the opposite of) Him "is not". God could never be (exist) as what opposes Him. This would render him something else. There is no compromise between what God is and what He is not (cannot be). God is the sole reality, and what is real always denies its opposite.
God is Light, not darkness. Bring darkness to light and the light will reveal the darkness, and what I thought was hidden in it is not there; not my reality. When light enters darkness the darkness is abolished. In similar manner, God is everything, and everything and nothing cannot coexist. The truth of one (God, Light, Everything) must make the falsity of its opposite ("Satan, darkness, nothing") perfectly unambiguous.
God Is. God is Love. The opposite of love is fear: yet What (God) is all encompassing can have no opposite. Love creates Itself and nothing but Itself. It is impossible for Love to create evil, and to do so would render God as capable of denying and opposing Himself: Impossible!
In regards to the trinity: The trinity in its Oneness transcends the sum of its parts.
Peace.
God Is
Some questions have no simple answer or specific scripture that clarifies the infinite, eternal God. Any question that speaks of the relationship between God the Father, Jesus the Christ and Holy Spirit cannot be easy. I have a mind, heart and spirit that longs to worship God with all my strength. I believe this is one of the ways that God created us in his image.
In this respect, God has separated us into 3 distinct personalities. Physical, mental and spiritual.
I am not sure why I put that question to the typewriter since we all must ponder the Holy Trinity of God during prayer, reading of the scripture and indeed day to day hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling his presence.
Again, thanks for the effort.
Love in the brotherhood of Christ.
John 17, Please read whole chapter, Isaiah 11:1,2, John 3:16, Matthew 10:32,33,
Ephesians 4:30, Luke 11:13, Ephesians 1:1-13, Ephesians 1:17-23, Matthew 24:35,36,
John 14:26, John 16:7,
Hopefully these are helpful
Many of the books in the New Testament distinctly separate God and the Lord Jesus in their greetings. I have often wondered why.
Additionally, I have wondered why, if these 2 are separated, is the Holy Spirit left out of these greetings?
I am not saying that all that was taught in the early church centuries, the Middle Ages, the Enlightenment, nor in the past 500 years is absolutely correct. But there is much truth there, especially on the majors, as you state. These majors are the teachings that must be believed to be considered a practicing Christian. New believers, of course do not know all of these teachings yet, but those who read the word, learn from pastors, or other Christian teachers should know these teachings and believe them to be considered "in the faith". I am not going to itemize these teachings in this post, but I do recommend to others to study up on these "majors". And, yes, one's position of the exact timing of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection is not a major. But that He did die for us, was buried, and arose on the third day for us is absolutely a major and essential to a person's faith.
I do think it is good to learn about the timeline of Jesus' last Supper, sufferings, death, burial, and resurrection in order to have an explanation for those who question the veracity of the "majors" I mentioned above ...
There are important beliefs/doctrines in Christianity that are necessary for salvation like the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But there are many insignificant ones that if one believes it this way and somebody else otherwise, it doesn't really matter. The date Jesus was crucified is not of any importance, and probably we shouldn't have spent so much time on it. Whether you believe it was Thurday or Wednesday or Friday doesn't change anything in your spiritual life. When we say that the truth will set one free we mainly mean that the truth which is that Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins and resurrected for our justification will set us free of our sins and from spiritual death. We can not generalize it for any disagreement we have with others. When you say that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday, that of what has it set you free personally? So I think you understand. There is a verse in Romans that says that the kingdom of God is not food or drink but peace, love and righteousness in the Holly Spirit. If you eat meat or not, if you drink wine or not has not any positive or negative consequence in your spir. life. Another scripture says that in Christ circumsision or not circumsision is nothing but new creation (is important). This doesn't mean that we can do or believe anything we like but there are important and insignificant things in Christ. One has to, as you say, rightly divide these things.
Another thing I would like to tell you is that the belief some have that all the millions of Christians that live now and the millions that lived in the past 2 th. years were useless really and had wrong beliefs and God chose us personally among those many millions to reveal His Truth is very dangerous. It's not only us in the faith. There are many millions of us who love God and look for the truth. Sorry to talk to you like this but I often find myself thinking in this way, and this is wrong. Again no offense meant. God bless you
Correction:
2 Peter 1:20-21
20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
What a great Intelligent Designer God and author we have. The Bible has full of righteous and true information. We are all reading the same KJV Bible.
Romans 16:17-18
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
I personally confirmed that Jesus died on Wednesday. Just as the pattern of a wonderful God has created a day, so understanding that a day starts in the evening and the morning Genesis 1:5. Then next a great God gave the Jews a great and only sign of Jonah 1:17 and Matthew 12:40 a prophetic sign of when Jesus will die, buried and resurrected for 3 days and 3 nights. Our God is such a great Intelligent Designer so that the true believers will not be deceived tossed to and fro ( Ephesians 4:14) by any so-called Religious Christian Deceivers. So by knowing this you will know who is lying to you and to stay away from this cult. Revelation 18:4
It was also a perfect match on the day of Passover and the Sabbath. Noticed the day Mary went to the tomb and her preparation of her spices. I will leave a room for you to study.
So anybody says Jesus died on Friday, it is fake news they are making you a merchandised 2 Peter 2:3; Revelation 18:11; Revelation 18:12 Stay away immediately if they do not listen to the truth. The truth will set you free. John 14:6. The greatest and intelligent thing God said is that there is no other interpretation in the word of God. So if you do not get it you must be a lost person and not saved or just not reading your Bible enough. I do want ALL to be saved 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. I just hate the Nicolaitans (2X) Revelations 2:6; Revelation 2:15. Beware of many modern Pharisees.
Main thing is that we true believers 1 John4:2-3; 2 John 1:7 should not be divided 1 Corinthians 1:10; Luke 11:17. We need each other Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12 & 20
We are truly in the last days. Psalms 2:1-12. God wants everybody to understand The Word of God. Many of you will not believe. It is expected. Many will meet Jesus in the cloud 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. See you soon.
James 1:21 Here is this verse the apostle now deals with the salvation of the soul as being separate from that of the spirit, for he insists that our soul will be saved by the engrafted word, not by faith without works in Calvary. Now we know that the only thing that was engrafted into every Christian on the day of salvation as an unconditional promise was the Ten Commandments in the heart, also known as the new covenant. For this reason he continues to teach in chapter 2 about this very thought and testified that faith without works is dead, meaning when it comes to saving our souls, rather we must have faith with works, from obeying with meekness the Ten Commandments written in the heart, he calls this the royal law and the law of liberty in James 2:8 and 2:12
Actually you are right that people didn't use punctuation marks at that time, they also used only capital letters. So all the scriptures were initially written in capital letters without punctuation. I have heard that before, that the position of the comma may be after the word today. But I am thinking when people actually started to use small letters and punctuation, didn't they write the specific verse so that it fits what they believed it was right? So that early time christians believed that the comma should be after the word 'thee'? As I see it, Jesus was for 3 days in Hades, in Abraham's bosom, in the heart of earth, He was not with Father God. After He was resurrected He showed Himself to the women who were present there, then ascended to Heaven to present Himself to Father God. Probably it was that time that (according to my beliefs) took all the souls of the saints from Abraham's bosom and carriied them to Paradise (under the altar).
Thanks Ronald, as you said we haven't come into agreement but I have also enjoyed the conversation.
Well, I am thinking, maybe then I will not get to meet you in Heaven before rapture, I was hoping to make a coffee for us!!!!!!!Joke
God bless you Ronald.
I'm probably older but I am not tired, ha ha. I have enjoyed our conversation but looks like we come to a point we are not going to agree. That is ok, I felt I listed scripture that went with my understanding. Just one or two more things and it is ok if you don't reply, and I do not mean anything about not replying.
The thief hanging next to Jesus that asked Jesus to remember him when He come into His kingdom. First punctuation was not used and depending on the comma would change what was said. I say unto you, Today or I say unto you today, another question, why capitalize the t in today after a comma?
If Jesus and the thief went to heaven that day, why did Jesus tell Mary do not touch me for I have not ascended to my Father in John 20:17? Three days later. He ascended and presented Himself to His Father as the Firstfruits of those who slept and then returned. This was the same time the Priest waved the sheaf of the Firstfruits to be accepted by God before they could partake of the first harvest, the same with Jesus He could not be touched until He presented Himself to God.
The Old Testament is all the early church had and if we claim that all Scripture is inspired by God if what is said in the old should not change in the new. The definition of death in the old is the same in the new, the new cannot contradict the old if both are inspired by God.
The spirit is what goes back to God, without the spirit we are dead, in scripture it is called sleep. No spirit no breath and no more communication with God. The soul is us and is buried in death until resurrection.
"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body"
I have enjoyed this.
God bless,
RLW.
Ronald
d. My opinion about spirit, soul, body. The spirit is us, our personality, thoughts, emotions etc. The soul is where our spirit is placed/located. Spirit and soul are nseparable and immortal. The physical body is a vehicle that is used by our spirit/soul to live in this physical world and it is of course mortal. If soul and not spirit is us, then where is God's, angels', demons' personality/life/emotions are located since they don't have souls.
e. Now about ancient philosophy, yes there have been attemps from the very begining to compromise philosophy with christianity. But those attemps in the early times failed. Also attempts were made by the Gnostics (Eastern beliefs) to enter christianity. Gnosis in greek means Knowledge, so the gnostics were people that claimed that they had some kind of a deeper and mysterious knowledge that ordinary believers didn't have. But we know that Paul as well as the other apostles fought all these. Jesus in Revelation gives warnings to churches to avoid those. You are right about St Augustin and others in the 2nd and 3rd centuaries AD that made attempts to import philosophy into christianity but never really succeded. In contrast to those, christianity wrongly took many things from Judaism, like the priests and temples and all those things that are still present in Catholicism and Orthodoxy.
f. Acts 20:7-10 is about the story of that young man who was sleeping during Paul's teaching and fell down from the first floor dead. In verse 10 says "And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him." But the greek text says "soul" not 'Life". His soul was in him. Why? Was there a case that the soul would be out of him, if soul simply dies?
Many other things can be said, but I think I may have tired you.
God Blessings