• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

Had Mary guessed about resurrection ?

Actually, i understand what you say, and would fully agree, had you tell this about one of his male disciples.
But Mary is a female person, with a female sensitivity, then.
i mean : she knows how men pretend to feel no pain at the very moment of their sufferings. It's their conception of virility.
Indeed, it sounds like Jesus' sorrows on the cross also was an expression of all the pains men hide to look virile. About the meditative Mary, i doubt a little she was duped by these pretendings of men.

What's more, she also was a mother : i assume she had good reasons to worry for the 12 year old Jesus' sake when they looked for him. She knew danger does exist ; Didn't they have to flee to Egypt to escape massacre ? If non vulnerable, would they have had to ?

As believer of Gabriel' speech, finally though, she believed his reign was supposed to happen for ever. This is more where i suppose lies a paradox

Indeed,
She could have wondered of what need is death (or suffering, yes..) for an everlasting reign ?
Jesus told his disciples multiple times that he would be crucified and resurrected, explicitly stating he would suffer, be killed, and rise again on the third day,

he disciples did not fully believe or understand Jesus' predictions of his crucifixion and resurrection; they were confused, fearful, in denial, and slow to grasp the concept, often forgetting or misinterpreting his clear statements until after the events happened, even struggling to recognize the risen Jesus at first.
Upvote 0

Do Your Actions Speaks Louder then your knowledge?

Weren’t Pharisees the ones accusing him of working on the Sabbath.
Not only that, but Jesus healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, in addition to His disciples reaping grain on the Sabbath. Moreover, Jesus forgave the paralytic man of sin. What kind of example did Jesus set for Sabbath activities?
Upvote 0

Chat thread - Egalitarian Christians edition

I wish this part of the forum was more active.

How is everyone doing? Has anyone read anything or heard anything good lately?

There's a couple of new blog post on Sheila Gregoire. I'll post them below:




Upvote 0

The Music Thread: Millennial Edition

One of the "oldies" stations in my area plays that song! It's crazy to think of them as "oldies".

I'm actually surprised at the amount of people in here that like No Doubt. They tend to be Gen X and Millennials, but just the fact that I know there are several people on here that like No Doubt and even Gwen Stefani's solo music.

I've thought about making a separate thread about No Doubt and Gwen Stefani.
I was born in December of 63 so technically I'm at the end of the Baby Boomers
Upvote 0

Democrats clash with ICE over characterization of marijuana farm raid

It’s never been the hispanic guys. They’ve always showed up and done what they were supposed to. The quality of their work has ranged from acceptable to incredible.
Thats not my experience. And its not the experience of others I know. But you are correct. I also know Americans who have done shoddy work.

The truth is, anyone can do shoddy work, Americans or Hispanics.

Shoddy work isnt the real deal. Its illegals taking work away from Americans.
Upvote 0

anyone know anything about Gematria?

Consider, the wisdom of God, with which all creation was made, included mathematics, which had always been in the wisdom of God. It was necessarily present in God's wisdom, as God is triune in being. If God was not triune but solitary in being, there would be nothing of mathematics from that, as there would be nothing but solitary unity, everything would be just a value of one, and no other numbers. Love God has requires more than one, and creation would not come with no number but one. God's creation is possible as it comes from love that God has, and has without limit.

Yes, that's well put.

The entrance into the world of numbers in the Bible is shown to us right at the beginning of the Word of G-d. We see in the introduction how G-d comes into view. He exists. He is not described. He is not questioned. The same applies to the number one. The Bible does not begin with the letter one in the first letter, but with another number, two

1765561163786.png


Just as G-d is presupposed in the text, so too is His number presupposed. From this alone, one can recognise the connection between G-d and one. One could say: The biblical number one has the meaning ‘G-d’. It is not possible to formulate such a simple meaning for every number.

The third word, elohim (meaning G-d), has the numerical value one as its first letter. This reveals the meaning of one as the number of G-d. It is also striking that the third letter of the Bible is also one

1765560985583.png


It is therefore noteworthy that both in the words and in the letters there is a connection between one and three.

We see that the Bible begins with two. Both the first and second words begin with the letter two

1765561442339.png


When we write ‘letter,’ we often also mean ‘number.’ The first two words, ‘in the beginning‘ and ’created‘, describe creation (the act of creating) by G-d. Therefore, two is the number of creation. From our human perspective, creation is everything that we can perceive with our senses and think with our minds.

Therefore, two has a true diversity of meanings. However, we see the fundamental meaning in the relationship: Two as creation stands opposite its creator G-d (one). With creation, something new, something second, comes into being. It is the step from unity to diversity. Two is the beginning of the many. The process of creation is expressed by the numerical relationship

1+1 = 2.

The ‘adding together’ of two numbers (addition) represents the joining together of two units. The result of this calculation (the sum) is the new unit consisting of the joined units. G-d created something new out of Himself, creation. In this view, the two connects. But it also has a dividing or separating side. G-d is eternal, without beginning or end. Creation, however, has a beginning. In this respect, G-d and creation differ. Therefore, the two is also separate from the one.

Through the act of creation, G-d created the ‘opposite,’ the ‘you,’ the ‘other,’ the ‘new.’ When we look at the numbers, we see a further meaning of the number two as the number of the ‘Son,’ which is connected to one, the ‘Father.’ G-d's entire creation corresponds to two.

In Gen 1:1, we read that this creation consists of two parts, on the one hand ‘the heavens’ and on the other hand ‘the earth’.

However, the first three words of the Bible also conceal a meaning of three, which is revealed in the NT. In these three words, there is a twofold relationship between one and three:

1765562192559.png


The first letter of the third word is one and the third letter of the Bible is one. This already shows that G-d is related to three. It is in the NT that we learn that G-d is a Trinity.

The word elohim (G-d) is a plural word in Hebrew (like the word parents in English). However, the preceding verb ‘created’ is in the singular. This fact already reflects in the OT that G-d is a trinity (the triune G-d). A meaning of three is therefore ‘trinity’.
Upvote 0

What Are You Currently Reading? ^w^ =3

I have been reading parts of Philip B. Payne's book "The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood".

It has been helping me with writing my current article. And it also made me realize why I wanted to quit reading the Amplified translation of the Bible to begin with. I've gone back to the NIV again.
Upvote 0

What's on your mind? Friendship Court edition.

Over in another part of the forum, I asked if other Christians had trouble making friends. I didn't like certain responses I got. I started evaluating myself.

I think I have good reasons to not go to church. This year alone, I have dramatically grown in the knowledge of God and the Bible by reading books written by Christians and listening to podcasts made by Christians, not by going to church. I can't say how many churches in America are compromised and aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing. Sound doctrine is important, and is especially important to me. You don't want to go to a church that's been hijacked by Satan. That's bad for you.

And I don't understand why I need to attend church to meet other Christians. Christians clearly exist outside of a church building. Do they disappear once they step outside church?

Earlier this week, I was thinking about how perhaps I'm not meant to have many Christian friends. Where are the people that have the same values and beliefs as me? I can't be the only one that realizes parts of the Bible have been altered, mistranslated, and misinterpreted. Maybe I'm supposed to be friends with non-Christians or something.

I hope my future husband is at least equal to me concerning these matters.
Upvote 0

2 Canons of the bible

You are right, and I am wrong. You are the expert not me. You have wasted my time before on my Enoch threads. I will not allow my time to be wasted anymore.
I am truly sorry you feel I have wasted your time. I thought the point of a forum was to discuss things. However, I am going to leave this thread now, as I certainly don't want to waste anybody's time. Thank you for the discussion.
Upvote 0

Does it matter what day Christ was crucified on?

I feel I am a genuine Christian and I believe that Christ was crucified on a Wednesday and he rose on the Sabbath.

I believe either the lack of the translators knowledge of the ancient Israelites Sabbath days and which Sabbath day was being referred to along with their lack of knowledge that the Israelites days began at 6:00 p.m. gave them reason to feel it was Friday or because Constantine made It law that Sunday was the day of worship removing the day of worship from the Sabbath, the first Roman churches agreed and gave reasoning for the acceptance that Christ was crucified on a Friday and rose on a Sunday I feel, and they grossly miscalculated the days.

And if one had just a smidgen of mathematical knowledge one would know if Jesus was crucified on a Friday and stayed in the belly of the Earth for 3 days and three nights he would have risen on a Monday.

I believe that is why the Lord made the Sabbath day Holy unto himself and for men because that was when his plan of salvation for man was carried out.

Lord didn't say remember the Sabbath and keep it holy as a part of the Ten Commandments for nothing. Nor did he ever change the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day, the Roman Church accepted that under Constantine.

Wish I could still find the information that was available few years ago detailing each event and each Sabbath that was taken place during the time of the crucifixion of Christ. This is close not as detailed but close
Blog | Maranatha Baptist Church Why I Believe in a Wednesday Crucifixion

It specifically says what day it was:

John 19:30-31

30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

The only way to solve this riddle is that the first day of the week is Monday after Sunday. This simply means the gospel writers used Roman weekdays.

Actually, they used the Byzantine calendar.
Upvote 0

Immigrants Approved for Citizenship ‘Plucked Out’ of Line Moments Before Pledging Allegiance: Report

The reasonable approach would be to not allow new applications from a certain date forward. For someone who is already vetted and approved it is just cruel and punishment for being born in the “wrong“ country.

If we want to encourage immigrants to do things the right way, we don’t succeed if we deny them at the last step without cause.
Your forgetting that Donald is planning to strip citizenship from those who have already become citizens.
Upvote 0

Who Hindered You?

“You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.” (Galatians 5:7-12 NASB1995)

The apostle Paul wrote this to the church in Galatia at a time when the Jews who had believed in Jesus were transitioning from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, and when Gentile believers were being pressured by the Judaizers to have to be circumcised, and when Jew and Gentile alike were being pressured into having to obey some of the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, circumcision, dietary and Sabbath laws. But they were not under the Old Covenant Law, but they were now under the New Covenant.

And in our day and time there are still Judaizers who are going from church to church gatherings trying to convince Gentile believers in Christ that it will enhance their relationships with God if they obey some of the Old Covenant liturgical and ceremonial laws, including their dietary and Sabbath laws. And there are a lot of Christians who are being convinced that if they become more like Jews, and if they support the Jewish nation, that it will draw them closer to God, and/or that they will not be cursed for not supporting Israel.

But Paul taught against such thinking as that. He let the Christians know, for one, that all Jews who have rejected Jesus as their Lord and Savior are not God’s children, his people, his nation. They are not heirs of the covenant God made with Abraham and his seed, Jesus Christ. “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring… It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise… And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:1-6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

So, we are not to allow ourselves to be tricked into needing to obey some of the Old Covenant liturgical and ceremonial laws, for that is not of God.

But in the times in which we now live, that is probably the lesser of two evils, the first of which is that so many people are taking the Scriptures out of context, and they are twisting them to say what they do not say if taught in the correct biblical context. And many are teaching that faith in Jesus Christ requires nothing of us, since we are not under “The Law,” i.e. the Old Covenant. And so they are teaching that we don’t have to repent of our sins and we don’t have to obey the commands of God under the New Covenant.

So those who teach that God requires nothing of us other than a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and that repentance and obedience to God are not required of God for salvation from sin and eternal life with God, as part of faith which saves, they have nullified what Jesus Christ did for us on that cross. For in his death, he put our sins to death with him so that, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in him, we will now die to sin and walk in obedience to our Lord and his commands, all in the power of God.

So, if you have professed faith in Jesus Christ, and you are now convinced that all your sins are forgiven, and that heaven is guaranteed you as your eternal destiny, but you have not denied self, and you are not putting sin to death daily, by the Spirit, and you are not walking (in conduct) in obedience to our Lord’s New Covenant commands, then please know that, according to the Scriptures, you do not know God, you are not in fellowship with Christ, and you do not have eternal life with God, regardless of what you profess.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

So, study the Scriptures for yourselves, but study them in their true biblical context, and let the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth. Trust not in humans.

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Recording Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger


Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

Login to view embedded media
Who Hindered You?
An Original Work / December 12, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Ellen White on the mark of the beast for those that worship on Sunday

Does Heb 10:1 say the Sabbath law was a shadow or does it say something else. I am a firm believer of not adding to the Scriptures on what it does not say but allowing the Bible to interpret Itself.
Oh, how I wish that were true. Everywhere there is a verse that tells us to keep the commandments of God, you interpret that as being the ten Commandments. In 1Jn3: 4 (Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.) you tell us that those words mean the Ten Commandments. Your "interpretations" are surely adding to scripture.
The New Covenant according to God is having His laws now written in the heart and mind of the New Covenant believer's heart. Heb8:10

There again, you interpret that as being the Ten Commandments
and only God can define His laws, which He did Exo20:6, it is His Testimony Exo31:18 and as the Scripture you posted indicated, the entire Bible is about the testimony of God through His apostles and prophets. And who has a greater testimony than God Himself. No one.
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Are those ten that follow that statement mean that God didn't continue to give the Israelites any more commands????? How do you get off ignoring the remainder of the Law?
Weird thing to say to a stranger and only God knows anyone's spiritual state so I say its best to let God be God to judge ones heart and to define His laws and Scripture.

Yes and once in Christ if we love Him He says keep My commandments and gives us a Helper, the Spirit of Truth so we don't have to do it alone John14:15-18
So SB, do you believe you, at some point, will stop sinning and stand alone without your redeemer? Is Jesus telling us that if we believe in Him, we will be able to live without sinning, or that His blood will cover our mistakes?
Everyone has to have a conversion in Christ in order to be part of the second resurrection if we are not alive when He returns

This applies to everyone, and while no one can keep God's laws on their own, through Christ all things are possible including keeping His commandments John14:15-18 Rev14:12 Rev22:14
The great command Jesus gave is a new one. He kept all the commands that a Jew was responsible to keep and in Jn15 asks us to keep His new command to LOVE OTHERS AS HE LOVES US. He certainly was not telling mankind to observe all that He observed.
I think you are reading your own doctrine into the Scriptures. No one should dwell on sinning, but if our heart is changed, the outward part would be too and the commandments would be kept.
How is that going for you?
Again, no one can in their own power but with God, He promises He has a people who overcomes. We can read all about this in Revelation which is the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, the great ambassador to the Gentile nations, the one Jesus trusted with spreading the New and better Covenant, admitted He was a sinner.
Upvote 0

A hundredfold - what does it mean?

4 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

English Standard Version Catholic Edition (n.p.: Augustine Institute, 2019), Mk 4:1–9.

I wonder if my brothers and sisters would like to comment on this passage.

What Child is This? A Journey Through the Nativity

I’ve put together a Christmas presentation titled “What Child Is This? - A Journey Through the Nativity.” It’s a quiet, scripture‑rooted walk through the birth of Jesus, from the angel’s announcement to the worship of the shepherds and the Magi. My hope is that it brings peace, reflection, and a blessing to each one of you who views it.

If it blesses you, feel free to share it with others this season. May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified.

YouTube Link: What Child is This? A Journey Through the Nativity

Boston-area pastor refuses to remove anti-ICE Nativity scene, seeks meeting with archbishop

The pastor should be removed from the parish by his bishop.
Hard disagree

ICE is separating children from their mothers on the thinnest of evidence and the flimsiest of reasons.

We, as Christians, are required to stand up and say something.

Recipts so I don't have to put up with people claiming I'm just some kind of lying lair:




Upvote 0

Leo and Bartholomew in Nicaea A reunification of Orthodoxy with Catholicism could remind each of what was lost in the schism.

Couple of things:

1) Historically, the break between Orthodox and Catholic seems to have more to do with the Western Church being unable to come to grips with a mystical view of itself. What I mean by this is that the Western Church simply couldn't figure out how to fit the unexplainable into a framework it was comfortable with.

What really cause the problem that caused the schism with the concept of the Trinity.

As a practical matter, this distrust of the mystical is uniquely Western. The Greeks were much better at dealing with rationality vs mystical, but Western Europeans, not so much. Of course, this dependence on rationality is the basis for Western success in the creation of a cohesive and highly successful culture.

United, the two churches could create a more vibrant theology than either has.

or not.

Who knows ?

But I'd like to see it as I think it would recreate the original Christian culture before it was usurped by Rome. Or something approximating it anyway.

2) The whole chess analogy in this article seems kind of forced.

3) It's Istanbul, not Constantinople. Why did Constantinople get the works, that's nobodies business but the Turks.
Upvote 0

Filter

Forum statistics

Threads
5,879,639
Messages
65,436,696
Members
276,448
Latest member
dmdaraptlcmi