[TrevorL]

This is my first Post after registering recently. My main aim in joining is to discuss the Bible and the Gospel of Christ. I hope to learn by interaction with other believers. I have a special interest in various books of the Bible, such as Psalms, Isaiah and Galatians and if I see any discussion on these I would at least read and possibly discuss what is on this thread.

I enjoy collecting books and have an extensive library of general interest books, but also like Bible reference books and similar resources.

Kind regards
Trevor

[Alan Swallows Waiting for Email Confirmation]

Guten morgen, mate!

I'm new here too. Welcome. Have you looked at the Bible in a year forum? I don't think they've got up to Galatians yet but you'll find some enlightening commentary on the Psalms and Isaiah in there.

Anyway I'm always happy to discuss the Bible with people.

BTW what church is it you go to?

[Back against wall]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

This is my first Post after registering

Welcome young lady. Which part of Austria are you from exactly?

Brother BAW.

The introduction forum Attention Unsaved Trash: This the ONLY subforum you can start threads in. Here is where you introduce yourself. Tell us what church you go to and what your favorite Bible verse is and how you came to find Jesus.

[Youth Minister Harry]

Well Howdy Howdy Hoo there Trevor! How old are you? What grade are you in? Do you like sports? I enjoy water sports myself. Welcome to God's Favorite Forums™! I just KNOW Christ Jesus led you here with an important purpose! Hallelujah!

[I Man Rastafari]

Greetings Trevor. I am also Trevor and I am from an island too. I am not at my home of Jamaica as I have come here to Babylon to advance my education. These Baptists are white people and they keep this web site for communications between Christians. I am Christian and Rastafari. Are you a Christian? I have heard that people from your country are criminals who were sent to your island as a prison by the English. What crimes have you committed? Is it customary for Christians in your country to stop criminal activity when they become Christians or do they continue? These questions are of interest to me because I am conducting a study of white people while I am in Babylon.

Jah Guide
Trevor

[TrevorL]

Greetings Alan, BAW, YMH and Trevor (IMR),

I appreciate your responses.

Originally Posted by Alan Swallows

I'm new here too. Welcome. Have you looked at the Bible in a year forum? I don't think they've got up to Galatians yet but you'll find some enlightening commentary on the Psalms and Isaiah in there.

Anyway I'm always happy to discuss the Bible with people.

BTW what church is it you go to?

I will look at the Bible in a year forum – sounds interesting. I do not belong to a “church” as such, but fellowship with those of like mind, who believe the Gospel of Christ. Salvation is by belief of this gospel and through the Name of Jesus Christ Romans 1:1-3,16-17, Acts 4:7-12, 8:5,12.

Originally Posted by Back against wall

Welcome Tell us … what your favorite Bible verse is and how you came to find Jesus.

Galatians 2:20 (KJV): 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
I came to Jesus gradually in my teenage years and beyond and despite many failures and shortcomings have continued.

Originally Posted by Youth Minister Harry

Well Howdy Howdy Hoo there Trevor! How old are you? What grade are you in? Do you like sports? I enjoy water sports myself. Welcome to God's Favorite Forums™! I just KNOW Christ Jesus led you here with an important purpose! Hallelujah!

Much older than your Post seems to indicate. I allowed my age to be displayed, but it does not seem to appear.

Originally Posted by I Man Rastafari

Greetings Trevor. I am also Trevor and I am from an island too. I am not at my home of Jamaica as I have come here to Babylon to advance my education. These Baptists are white people and they keep this web site for communications between Christians. I am Christian and Rastafari. Are you a Christian? I have heard that people from your country are criminals who were sent to your island as a prison by the English. What crimes have you committed? Is it customary for Christians in your country to stop criminal activity when they become Christians or do they continue? These questions are of interest to me because I am conducting a study of white people while I am in Babylon.

One of my ancestors was a convict going back to 1805, but others that I have heard of were free settlers or migrants on my mother’s side, and my father lost contact with his father when he was 5 (WW1), and his mother when he was 8. He was fostered eventually at the age of 15 to work on a farm for an older couple during the depression and was blessed physically and eventually spiritually.

Kind regards
Trevor

[Cranky Old Man]

Welcome to God's favorite forum! I am glad to see you take the Bible very serious.

I have to say I am surprised you have been able to find a quiet spot and access the internet between all those gay orgies.

[Alan Swallows Waiting for Email Confirmation]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

I will look at the Bible in a year forum – sounds interesting. I do not belong to a “church” as such, but fellowship with those of like mind, who believe the Gospel of Christ.

As a lay pastor of a small home church, I can understand the need to break away from the mainstream when it gets so corrupted with liberal theology that it's just like, "I can't do this anymore!" Was that what it was like for you?

[TrevorL]

Greetings again Alan,

Originally Posted by Alan Swallows

As a lay pastor of a small home church, I can understand the need to break away from the mainstream when it gets so corrupted with liberal theology that it's just like, "I can't do this anymore!" Was that what it was like for you?

I attend a lay fellowship meeting, and this is also in contact and fellowship with other similar meetings, but each has its own particular characteristics. We have visiting speakers from some of these that are selected carefully. There is some ebb and flow of people and ideas, but my particular meeting attempts to maintain reasonable standards in all aspects in a warm and friendly manner.

I am not one of our appointed speakers, except in recent years I gave half a Bible Class on Psalm 8 and a full Bible Class on Isaiah 12 though I spent a fair amount of time on Isaiah 1-12, 40-53 as an introduction. Psalm 8 is my favourite Psalm and Isaiah 6 is now my favourite chapter as I find it interesting and challenging. Psalm 8 and Isaiah 6 are quoted and expounded in the NT, and this exposition is thus Divinely inspired and an understanding of both the OT and NT usage helps to fill out the picture.

My parents brought me up in my present fellowship, but I have tested or tasted various other groups and churches, but found no real satisfaction in these. I also attended a lunch-time Bible meeting with a Catholic (for a short time), a Baptist and 3 Pentecostals over a few years. My view of fellowship is very personal, taking say Isaiah 6 as an example, where one has to be reconciled and at one with God, and seriously humbled by this contact with the Holiness of the Divine and God’s purpose and work in the earth. This fellowship with God once established on a personal basis is then shared with others who have similar beliefs and dedication to the things of God.

Kind regards
Trevor

[Alan Swallows Waiting for Email Confirmation]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

Psalm 8 and Isaiah 6 are quoted and expounded in the NT, and this exposition is thus Divinely inspired and an understanding of both the OT and NT usage helps to fill out the picture.

You're right. Most people find it perplexing that someone could go around healing the sick and raising the dead and yet not make much of an impression. Jesus quoted Isaiah 6 to explain why. God had blinded people to His miracles so that they wouldn't be converted or healed.

John 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
John 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
John 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Lucky we're special enough to see the truth.

[Dr Laurence Niles]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

This is my first Post after registering recently. My main aim in joining is to discuss the Bible and the Gospel of Christ. I hope to learn by interaction with other believers. I have a special interest in various books of the Bible, such as Psalms, Isaiah and Galatians and if I see any discussion on these I would at least read and possibly discuss what is on this thread.

I enjoy collecting books and have an extensive library of general interest books, but also like Bible reference books and similar resources.

Kind regards
Trevor

Welcome to God's favourite forum! We are one of the friendliest forums on the Inter Nets (and for my money, the best).

It's always nice to hear from people from a different culture (I was very sorry to hear about Falco's death: a real tragedy to music).

What are your country's stance on the tricky subject of the homersexualistically oriented agenda?

We are plagued with them.

YIC

[Alphonse Alban]

Guten Tag and willcommen!

How do you feel about that your famous countryman has started going crazy on his golden years?

Here’s the text of Schwarzenegger’s head-on challenge to his doubters:


I see your questions.
Each and every time I post on my Facebook page or tweet about my crusade for a clean energy future, I see them.
There are always a few of you, asking why we should care about the temperature rising, or questioning the science of climate change.
I want you to know that I hear you. Even those of you who say renewable energy is a conspiracy. Even those who say climate change is a hoax. Even those of you who use four letter words.
I’ve heard all of your questions, and now I have three questions for you.
Let’s put climate change aside for a minute. In fact, let’s assume you’re right.
First – do you believe it is acceptable that 7 million people die every year from pollution? That’s more than murders, suicides, and car accidents – combined.
Every day, 19,000 people die from pollution from fossil fuels. Do you accept those deaths? Do you accept that children all over the world have to grow up breathing with inhalers?
Now, my second question: do you believe coal and oil will be the fuels of the future?
Besides the fact that fossil fuels destroy our lungs, everyone agrees that eventually they will run out. What’s your plan then?
I, personally, want a plan. I don’t want to be like the last horse and buggy salesman who was holding out as cars took over the roads. I don’t want to be the last investor in Blockbuster as Netflix emerged.
That’s exactly what is going to happen to fossil fuels.


http://www.businessinsider.com.au/i-...change-2015-12

Arnold a hippie! Who would have thought that he believes the lies of the lieberal media. Of course oil is harmless and it can't run out. God will aways create some more if needed.

[James Hutchins]

Welcome Trevor (I can call you Trevor, as I figured that is your name, right?)
So Trevor, while I can appreciate a man making choices in life, liking a porterhouse over a Filet, I cannot get my head around any person thinking that one part of the Bible is better than another or carries more significance. Perhaps I missed the section in the KJV where it states "The following is optional."

How many sons have been expressed from the loins of your wife?
What do you do about the ongoing abo problem?
Whne did you realize it was Jesus touching you and relieving all that pent up angst? I was about 12 and having His grip on my hardened soul, pulling the demons from within me in an eruption of feverish glory was indescribable.

[TrevorL]

Greetings again Alan, and Greetings Dr Laurence Niles, Alphonse Alban and James Hutchins,

Originally Posted by Alan Swallows

You're right. Most people find it perplexing that someone could go around healing the sick and raising the dead and yet not make much of an impression. Jesus quoted Isaiah 6 to explain why. God had blinded people to His miracles so that they wouldn't be converted or healed.

Yes John 12 is a strong link with Isaiah 6, and it is significant that Isaiah 53, the end result of the process started in Isaiah 6 is also united here in John’s record. I believe that the Jews failure to see and hear and their hardness of heart were a gradual process. The following is a suggestion of this process of decline and hardening:
1. Their failure to listen and respond to such teaching as Matthew 5-7.
2. Their failure to properly respond and be humbled by the miracles Matthew 11:20-24.
3. Their failure to seek the meaning of the parables and respond in a teachable way Matthew 13:10-16.
4. Their failure to respond in a single-minded way at the end of his public ministry as detailed in John 12, in contrast to the sincere response of the Greeks.
5. The fullness of their rejection when they crucified our Lord.
6. The failure of most of the Jews at Rome to respond Acts 28.

Lucky we're special enough to see the truth.

I believe that a similar process happened in Isaiah’s day and despite appearances is happening today. I was a bit disappointed at some of the comments on Isaiah 6 in the Bible in a year forum.

Dr Laurence: Concerning your question, the Scriptures give a comparison between the life and choices of Abraham and Lot. I would prefer to be in the company and fellowship of Abraham. Some of my favourite verses were given to Abraham after Lot separated from him, and Paul’s comments are significant:
Genesis 13:14-15 (KJV): 14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Galatians 3:8,16,26-29 (KJV): 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 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. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Also the comments by Paul in Romans 1 are appropriate. I also believe that we should move out of the negative environment of Romans 7 whenever possible and replace it with the Romans 8 environment, especially considering and espousing the basis, the teaching and all-embracing sentiments of Romans 8:1-3.

Originally Posted by Alphonse Alban

How do you feel about that your famous countryman has started going crazy on his golden years?

The title of this thread has been altered or corrupted only in the last few Posts #11-13 and also appears now in Post #1. But if you look at the earlier Posts #2-10 they state the original thread title “Greetings from Australia”. Possibly the Administrators or Moderators could correct this.

Originally Posted by James Hutchins

So Trevor, while I can appreciate a man making choices in life, liking a porterhouse over a Filet, I cannot get my head around any person thinking that one part of the Bible is better than another or carries more significance. Perhaps I missed the section in the KJV where it states "The following is optional."

I read the entire Bible and seek to grow in understanding, but over the years I have come to understand some portions better than others. Perhaps this selection has been because of my limited capacity or dedication, but if I asked you to give a brief but comprehensive summary of Psalm 8, Isaiah 6 and Galatians could you respond. Take an obscure feature: Why did the Seraphim cover his face with one pair of wings, his feet with another pair of wings and with the other pair fly? Most probably you could ask me how I understand other portions of the Scriptures and I would have difficulty.

What do you do about the ongoing abo problem?
Whne did you realize it was Jesus touching you and relieving all that pent up angst? I was about 12 and having His grip on my hardened soul, pulling the demons from within me in an eruption of feverish glory was indescribable.

The reserve land of a few acres near us was granted to a local tribe and the government built them a duplex housing, and a family or two of Aboriginal descent has occupied this some ten years ago. They have been good neighbours. My contact and involvement and identification with Jesus was and is a gradual process and I could list a few defining moments in my teen years and a few times of crisis and failure. I was baptised by immersion in water at 21 years after a belief and confession of the gospel Acts 8:5,12.

Kind regards
Trevor

[Alan Swallows Waiting for Email Confirmation]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

Yes John 12 is a strong link with Isaiah 6, and it is significant that Isaiah 53, the end result of the process started in Isaiah 6 is also united here in John’s record. I believe that the Jews failure to see and hear and their hardness of heart were a gradual process. The following is a suggestion of this process of decline and hardening:
1. Their failure to listen and respond to such teaching as Matthew 5-7.
2. Their failure to properly respond and be humbled by the miracles Matthew 11:20-24.
3. Their failure to seek the meaning of the parables and respond in a teachable way Matthew 13:10-16.
4. Their failure to respond in a single-minded way at the end of his public ministry as detailed in John 12, in contrast to the sincere response of the Greeks.
5. The fullness of their rejection when they crucified our Lord.
6. The failure of most of the Jews at Rome to respond Acts 28.

Are we reading the same Bible?

John 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Who is He? It's God who blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so they couldn't believe.

I propose the following process of decline and hardening:

1. Jesus spoke in parables so that people wouldn't understand. He did not want their sins to be forgiven.
   
   

   Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
   Mark 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

2. God hardened people's hearts so that they wouldn't believe the miracles of Jesus because He didn't want to heal them (John 12:39-40).
   
3. After blinding people to the truth right in front of them, God will punish them for eternity for not seeing it.
   
   

   Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

   Note that this parable comes right after Jesus quote from Isaiah 6.

I was a bit disappointed at some of the comments on Isaiah 6 in the Bible in a year forum.

What didn't you like about them?

I also believe that we should move out of the negative environment of Romans 7 whenever possible and replace it with the Romans 8 environment, especially considering and espousing the basis, the teaching and all-embracing sentiments of Romans 8:1-3.

Why? It's all God's word.

Second Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

[James Hutchins]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

Greetings again Alan, and Greetings Dr Laurence Niles, Alphonse Alban and James Hutchins,

..................
I read the entire Bible and seek to grow in understanding, but over the years I have come to understand some portions better than others. Perhaps this selection has been because of my limited capacity or dedication, but if I asked you to give a brief but comprehensive summary of Psalm 8, Isaiah 6 and Galatians could you respond. Take an obscure feature: Why did the Seraphim cover his face with one pair of wings, his feet with another pair of wings and with the other pair fly? Most probably you could ask me how I understand other portions of the Scriptures and I would have difficulty. The reserve land of a few acres near us was granted to a local tribe and the government built them a duplex housing, and a family or two of Aboriginal descent has occupied this some ten years ago. They have been good neighbours. My contact and involvement and identification with Jesus was and is a gradual process and I could list a few defining moments in my teen years and a few times of crisis and failure. I was baptised by immersion in water at 21 years after a belief and confession of the gospel Acts 8:5,12.

Kind regards
Trevor

Absolutely. Any person to whom God choose to fit with a brain can do it. That is the beauty of the Bible. It was written for the simplest of minds.
Psalm 8
8 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!


Isaiah 6
6 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
12 And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.


Galatians 1
1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead
2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.




If you need more, let me know.

[TrevorL]

Greetings again Alan and James Hutchins,

Originally Posted by Alan Swallows

Are we reading the same Bible?
Who is He? It's God who blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so they couldn't believe.

I propose the following process of decline and hardening:
1. Jesus spoke in parables so that people wouldn't understand. He did not want their sins to be forgiven.
2. God hardened people's hearts so that they wouldn't believe the miracles of Jesus because He didn't want to heal them (John 12:39-40).
3. After blinding people to the truth right in front of them, God will punish them for eternity for not seeing it.

It seems we could have a different reading or discernment of the ONE Bible, and a different perspective of the ONE God, who is not a respecter of persons. I noticed that you quoted Mark’s record, but Matthew’s record helps to give a wider perspective:
Matthew 13:13-15 (KJV): 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Jesus had already stated that God’s choice of individuals was not arbitrary alone, but because certain were “wise and prudent”, while the disciples were “babes”.
Matthew 11:25-26 (KJV): 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

And immediately after this he makes a universal call to ALL:
Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV): 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

What didn't you like about them?

Because the Bible in a year comments on Isaiah 6 expressed similar sentiments to what you have now stated, that God arbitrarily blinds and then punishes certain individuals. This is not the God I worship.

Why? It's all God's word.

Romans 7 is principally a Law environment, while Romans 8 is a Spirit environment. The Law and its negative environment of Commandments did not bring faith, humility and obedience in most that were under the Law.

Originally Posted by James Hutchins

Absolutely. Any person to whom God choose to fit with a brain can do it. That is the beauty of the Bible. It was written for the simplest of minds.
Psalm 8: 1-8
Isaiah 6: 1-13
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Galatians 1:1-24
If you need more, let me know.

Yes, for brevity I left one verse for comment. Could you please explain who or what are the Seraphims, and why did one of them cover his face with two wings, and his feet with two wings and with two others fly? Does these symbolic or actual actions by the Seraphim have a fulfillment in the OT or the NT? Or was it some simple irrelevant detail that any brain can see and understand?

Kind regards
Trevor

[Pastor Ezekiel]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

This is not the God I worship.



Kind regards
Trevor

Well friend, there is only one God and that is the God of the 1611 King James Bible Authorized Edition. You can of course choose to worship Him or not, as He gave you free will for such decisions. But what you CANNOT do is reinterpret or cherry pick which verses you endorse from His Holy Word. God is always right, He is never wrong, and He has never made a mistake.

By the way, you might be interested in taking a look at my Sermon on how one can tell which is the one TRUE Word of God. You will find it HERE.

[Elmer G. White]

Originally Posted by TrevorL

... I noticed that you quoted Mark’s record, but Matthew’s record helps to give a wider perspective:

...Romans 7 is principally a Law environment, while Romans 8 is a Spirit environment. The Law and its negative environment of Commandments did not bring faith, humility and obedience in most that were under the Law...

Kind regards
Trevor

Dear Trevor,

I think that you are in danger. You have presented here [my edits] two examples of thought patterns that can lead to grave consequences. You are on the edge of the chasm that falls into the pit of historical-critical Bible study, one method of exegetics. Once you start on this path which is NOT the path recommended by Jesus (Matthew 7:14), it leads into literary criticism of the Bible, dismissal of the literal reading and ultimately apostasy.

Please let me elaborate.

You are on the verge of seeing "discrepancies" between the texts of Mark and Matthew. You are not the first one to do so and unfortunately not the last one, either. Respected scholars (by the academic community, not by Jesus) have established that the Gospels do not supplement each other but, in fact, debate each other. Hence, Mark presents the "hidden messiah" of Jesus, the "adopted son" with its Greek full of semitisms but its content clearly targeted at the Hellenistic audience. Matthew opposes this by making Jesus an essentially Jewish Messiah. You dismiss the Law of Romans 7 but, in fact, Matthew is the "Gospel of Law" IF we follow this historical-critical agenda. See Matthew 5:17-18. With this path these utterances of the Law do indeed seem contradictory to Jesus' ideas about the Sabbath, etc.

Enter Luke: the man who was the first to tie the story of Jesus into History with the pre-birth scenes and, first and foremost, the Acts. The historical-critical view takes this as an effort to bind the mythical Gestalt into written history. And, please, let us not start with the "Q" the Quelle. It is just a tool of these scholars to claim that the Gospels are not original but indeed reactions of different types of the Jesus cult to each other.

John? Again (according to this secular view), we see a text created to debate especially Mark but also Matthew. No longer is Faith adequate. The synoptics are not very keen on showing Miracles of "signs", anyone can do those and you are supposed to believe based on Faith and not some conjuring tricks. I give you just a couple of examples:

Matthew 12:39
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Matthew 24:24
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

What about John? His Jesus relies on signs, i.e., Miracles to make Himself known. Apparently (according to this view), the populace of his region had failed to believe based on blind Faith but required anecdotal evidence.

John 2:11
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

John 20:30
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

This path leads to ever increasing confusion. Instead, we must just ACCEPT that the logic of the academic scholar is useless when it comes to Jesus. He does what He pleases and only requires Repentance, Faith, Acceptance and Obedience. He CAN trick us as a test.

Isaiah 66:4
I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

2 Thessalonians 2:11
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

What about the Epistles? The path you have almost chosen is filled with hazards. You are making choices of "important" and "less important" based on the notion that it is more precious to concentrate on "the spiritual environment" than on the "law environment". Why? The Jesus of Matthew was fond of the Law. The next step for you could be to re-arrange the Bible based on the dating of the manuscripts? Paul first, the "pseudoepigraphies" obviously discarded? Then the Gospels and the other Epistles thereafter? What about Hebrews? Where does it stand?

Then the quest for "Historical Jesus", perhaps? Please let us not start with the "criterion of embarrassment" as it is embarrassing only for the scholars. If you choose that path the only rational way is to discard the Historical Jesus and accept the Myth Hypothesis of Christianity being one of the multiple mystery religions of the 1st Century AD. Textual analysis, historical criticism and literary analyses all lead to this conclusion: there is nothing unique about the New Testament.

We, on the other hand, know that it IS unique because unlike the fictional myths, it contains the Historical and Literate Truth™.

Please do not take this path. Instead, Accept and choose Jesus as He is (Exodus 3:14, John 3:14).


Yours in Christ,

Elmer

[Alan Swallows Waiting for Email Confirmation]

Well.... there really isn't much else to add after that enlightening homily by Dr. White.

Originally Posted by TrevorL

I noticed that you quoted Mark’s record, but Matthew’s record helps to give a wider perspective:
Matthew 13:13-15 (KJV): 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Remember Isaiah 6 in it's original context. Like Jesus, Isaiah was sent on a mission to be misunderstood so that God could go ahead and destroy the Jews. God told him to make people's ears heavy and to shut their eyes.

Isaiah 6:8-12: 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. 11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, 12 And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.