Friday/Saturday/Sunday morning preaching.

[Dismounted Feudal Knight]

It all sounds remarkably rigged against those not explicitly reached out to and filled with a logic that does not accept a religiously founded God.

On the other hand, said people are typically resigned to what they are and where they'll go, blithely accepting the nothingness of eternity. So is it so bad?

I guess it comes down to perspective in the end.

[Lord Thesaurian]

Lord Thesaurian

From 1:1 John the disciple tells us the difference between Jesus Christ our God and Saviour and the lot of mankind. He is the Light of Life and man in the darkness of sin comprehended it not, why? Because on that fateful day in the garden God placed a curse on all mankind but not without making a prophetic statement about the " seed " Who would come to contend for the souls of men His name we now know as Jesus Christ. So man was fallen and under the sway of the Evil one. From that day all creation was fallen and so any restoration lay in the hand of God. And, this is how it has always been. John also writes that " God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but hath everlasting life." The question here is what world? Was it the world He created or the world that now was fallen? If it is the latter then why is Jesus coming back to create a new one, a new heaven and earth. No, it was the former before it fell and the reason Jesus Christ came into the world.

So, whoever believeth shall not perish, meaning that there are those that will, but how can they unless their nature be changed? Can a man, any man change his nature? Of course certain of men will say they can yet not in the eyes of God. Jesus told Nicodemus that a man must be born again if he is to enter heaven. Now that's a little heavier than just changing one's nature, no this was much deeper, too deep for that man and Jesus tenderly derides him that he didn't know nor understand this with all his Scriptural knowledge. You see even in its highest religious establishments men were blinded to a knowledge of the truth, that truth only coming by the way of the Spirit of God to any man. This was shown when Jesus asked the disciples what the people thought of Him and finally what they thought of Him. Peter replied what God had given him to say for even as yet none of them were aware of the full implications that were to unfold before them and wouldn't until the Holy Ghost fell on them at Pentecost. That's why not just the reading of God's word is so important rather the context and flow is understood. That is why those that are born again have the Spirit of God indwelling them.

I think the text is very clear and seems the “context” you’re applying is read into it rather than derived from it. If the basis of your position is that you or other born again individuals have a special dispensation to interpret scripture independently of the text, then there’s not much left to discuss. Tbh sounds like popery to me.

[Sir Adrian]

Truth be told even if he did, it would be meaningless as the scripture is not the only or even the ultimate authority for a christian.

[basics]

I think the text is very clear and seems the “context” you’re applying is read into it rather than derived from it. If the basis of your position is that you or other born again individuals have a special dispensation to interpret scripture independently of the text, then there’s not much left to discuss. Tbh sounds like popery to me.

Lord Thesaurian,

It's certainly not popery rather Scriptural teaching which we today can enjoy because we have the finished word but think about it, in Paul's day he knew only the Old Testament being of the lawyer class, taught by the greatest lawyer at that time in Israel. So where did his Gospel come from as he later wrote that all his religious knowledge was garbage, my words, but nonetheless what he meant. He was taught by both Christ and the Holy Spirit as well as those believers that he came to know and live amongst. Every new believer has stories to tell of their meeting with God and their ongoing relationship with the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Discernment of the word, the written word, and the leading of the Spirit of God is the bedrock of Christianity.

Sir Adrian,

Pray tell me what the ultimate authority is?

[enoch]

Pray tell me what the ultimate authority is?

Violence dude.

[basics]

Violence dude.

What kind of answer is that?

[Prodromos]

Top-quality debating at Marburg (on the Eucharist)

[basics]

When I talk of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I rely on my experiences with God in my life ever since that day He convinced me that Jesus Christ died for me on that cross all these years ago so much so that I was on my knees, put there by Him, feeling that warm glow reach all over my body as my life changed that night forever. I was forty years old when that happened so for the last thirtyeight years I have experienced, seen and heard many astounding things in and around me that convinces me beyond any doubt that God is real.

[Prodromos]

Paul's sermon at the Areopagus

Acts 17

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[b]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

a. From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
b. From the Cilician Stoic philosopher Aratus

[basics]

Yes and as it is written some to everlasting life and others to everlasting torment.

[enoch]

What kind of answer is that?

It’s from the real Logos. Far older than even the dream of Christ.

[basics]

enoch,

There is no-one older than God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So, let's hear it? Who is this Logos?

[Akar]

Yo momma is older

[enoch]

enoch,

There is no-one older than God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So, let's hear it? Who is this Logos?

The Logos is God active in creation, revelation, and redemption. Jesus Christ not only gives God's Word to us humans; he is the Word.

Jesus is the Logos.

Goes back before Christianity of course. You never learn your ancient Greeks. Basic stuff.

[basics]

enoch,

I'm confused! Is this the same enoch who thinks that Mohammed is the last prophet?

[Akar]

He is.

[basics]

The Logos is God active in creation, revelation, and redemption. Jesus Christ not only gives God's Word to us humans; he is the Word.
Jesus is the Logos.

Goes back before Christianity of course. You never learn your ancient Greeks. Basic stuff.

enoch,

How does anything go back before God? When God declared Abel righteous on account it made that man the first Christian on the planet, how? Because his account was cleared by the blood of Jesus Christ at the cross in that once only sacrifice.

[enoch]

enoch,

How does anything go back before God? When God declared Abel righteous on account it made that man the first Christian on the planet, how? Because his account was cleared by the blood of Jesus Christ at the cross in that once only sacrifice.

Cain was obviously the first Christian. Don’t be silly. We are made in His Image remember. Learn your Bible. When you do let’s chat more.

[basics]

Cain was obviously the first Christian. Don’t be silly. We are made in His Image remember. Learn your Bible. When you do let’s chat more.

enoch,

Then read the list of saints in the Book to the Hebrews. Abel was the first to be accounted righteous before God, Cain isn't even mentioned as being saved. That said even if he were saved that wasn't until after he murdered Abel and there is no indication that he was saved. So Abel was the first Christian or as they were called then Saints.

[Akar]

How does anything go back before God? When God declared Abel righteous on account it made that man the first Christian on the planet, how? Because his account was cleared by the blood of Jesus Christ at the cross in that once only sacrifice.

Here's a simple heuristic you can use to answer this question whenever it pops up.

1. God is not real and does not exist.

2. See 1.