Rev. 8:2-6, WHEN DO THE SEVEN TRUMPETS BEGIN

Adventists recognize that the casting down of the censer indicates sudden termination of something. And, many claim that Mrs. White saw this scene in a vision. (See Early Writings, pp. 279-280) But, Mrs. White did not see that scene. If you read her comments in the given reference above , she clearly says that she saw Jesus standing before the Ark of The Covenant, not a angel standing before the Altar of Incense. E.W. view says nothing about the seven angels receiving seven trumpets (the first event in the sequence), neither does she say anything about the sounding of the trumpets in this reference.

Many seventeenth and eighteenth century Reformation writers believed the seven trumpets began with the fall of the Roman Empire around A.D. 400. William Miller too, excepted this view, so placing them in the past supported his claim of the coming of Christ in 1844.

Please give some thought to the following:

As one reads Rev. 8:2-6, the first event is of seven angels receiving seven trumpets.

Followed by an Angel having a golden censer offering incense on the Altar of Incense.

Followed by the same angel taking that censer filled with fire and hurling in on the earth.

Followed by peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake [all on the earth]

Followed by the seven angels preparing to sound their trumpets.

If you except that the trumpets began around 400 A.D. Then what does the angel ministering at the Altar of Incense mean, and what historical facts prove that it has been fulfilled, since the texts indicate that the angels prepare to sound them AFTER the angel cast it’s censer to earth?

OR, which traditional Adventists interpretation do you think makes more sense to you?

We live in a day and time when the truth is massively under fire, i.e. it is greatly under attack. Truth and lies are now being flip-flopped to where it can be difficult to discern truth from lies. Truth is also being altered and diluted to make it less offensive to the ungodly and to human flesh. And deliberate half-truths are lies. And these lies are being spread through some preachers’ sermons, video talks, movies, TV shows, cartoons, “Christian” song lyrics, social media memes, and famous people’s testimonies, etc.

But one of the big dangers of these lies is that they are cleverly blended in with the truth, and they are skillfully disguised as truth, and so they have the appearance of truth, and so many people believe them. And then we live in a “fast food” generation where the shorter that messages are the better that they are received. But the shorter they are the more they are missing in content, and thus it is easier to deceive naïve and unsuspecting minds who receive them as truth if they sound good, and if they make them feel good.

Therefore, the ability to discern if anyone is teaching a “different doctrine” becomes harder and harder to distinguish if we are not grounded in the truth of the Scriptures being taught IN CONTEXT, and not out of context, as so many are doing these days. And it is harder if we are just easily accepting what appears good and what sounds good, but without testing what we are reading or hearing against the Scriptures taught in their appropriate context. And CONTEXT is absolutely critical to correct biblical understanding.

For I know that a “different doctrine,” which does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus, is what is largely being accepted as the truth here in America, and it is what the masses who profess faith in Jesus Christ are following, and not the truth. For they are being taught that they can profess Jesus as Savior and Lord, have all their sins forgiven, be guaranteed heaven when they die, and promised that nothing can take that away, but regardless of how they live. And some are even promoting the continuance of sin.

And the liars are able to convince many people to believe this “different doctrine,” as though it is truth, because they are teaching the Scriptures out of context, and most people are not testing what they are hearing against the truth of the Scriptures taught in context, and so they are believing the lies and not the truth. But sadly, even if you present them with the truth, many are refusing the truth and are continuing with the lies for the lies do not demand that they forsake their sins and obey Jesus and his commands.

And it isn’t just the love of money which leads people to accept the lies and not the truth, but it is the love of self, and it is the love of the world, and it is the desires (lusts) of the flesh and of the eyes and the pride of life which keep them still in slavery to sin and living for self but while claiming Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And it is wanting to be approved and accepted by other humans and to not be considered as different. And for some, it is that they just like to create controversy because they love to argue and quarrel.

So, how do we separate truth from lies? We have to go to the source of truth to get the truth, but we have to read what is written in its immediate context and then compare it to the overall context, as a whole. For Scripture should agree with Scripture. So if you are being taught a particular doctrine, go to that Scripture in your Bible and read that Scripture in its full context. And please read a reputable translation and not some of the more recent translations that have come out which deter much from the truth.

And then pray to the Lord for spiritual discernment to separate truth from lies so that you listen to the truth and not to the lies. And sometimes the lies are just what Satan is whispering in our ears and they are not even Scriptures taught out of context and twisted to say what they do not say. And sometimes they are just “sayings” of other people which sound biblical, but which are not based in the Scriptures at all. But the truth should agree with the teachings of Jesus Christ, which accords with godliness.

For Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if sin is what we obey, and not obedience to our Lord, we don’t have eternal life with Jesus Christ. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands, we have eternal life. For he also said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

VOICE OF TRUTH

By Mark Hall & Steven Curtis Chapman
II Corinthians 12:7-10/I Corinthians 1:20-24

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth..

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Now, when this says, “If anyone is in Christ..” it is assuming that not everyone reading this is in Christ, not even all who profess to be in Christ. And what did Paul teach us that it meant to be “in Christ”? It means that we are now walking (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:1-14)

And he said that we have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So, we are no longer to let sin reign in our mortal bodies to obey its desires, for if sin is what we obey, it leads to death, but if obedience to God is what we obey, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God. So, if we have been set free from sin, that means that we are now slaves of God, and the fruit of that is eternal life with God (Romans 6:1-23).

And he taught that the way that we should have learned Christ - assuming that we have heard about him and we were taught in him the truth that is in Jesus, is that we are “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:17-24). So, being “in Christ” means that we have died with Christ to our old lives of living in sin and we are now living for Christ in walks of obedience to him.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

But are we able to accomplish any of this in our own flesh? No! But does that mean that God does it all and that we do nothing? No! For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them. And the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (see Ephesians 2:8-10 and Titus 2:11-14)

So, when we read this passage in 2 Corinthians 5 we should read it in the context of these other Scriptures and of these other teachings of Paul so that we get the correct context and meaning out of the passage. For this is not teaching us that anyone who says “Lord, Lord,” is truly a new creation in Christ Jesus. And it is not teaching us that God does it all and that nothing is required of us at all. Yes, it all comes from God, and it is all empowered by God and by his Spirit, but it involves our cooperation (partnership) with God and our God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Christ for it to happen.

So, the old isn’t really gone unless it is really gone. So, if you profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, but then you go on living in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord, and not in walks of obedience to his commands, and not in holy living, then the old is not gone. It is still alive and it is still thriving! And you aren’t a new creation unless you have died to the old self, and to the old life of sin, and unless you are now walking in obedience to the Lord in holy living, empowered by his Spirit. For to be reconciled to God is to exchange your life of sin for a life of holy living.

So, when Paul implored the people to be reconciled to God, he was imploring them to die to their old lives of living in sin and for self and to be transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God away from a life of living in sin and for self to now living for God and for his righteousness in holy living and in walks of obedience and in surrender to our Lord and to his will for our lives. Then the old is truly gone and the new has come into being. For Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, no longer as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God.

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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Hello folks. The year is 2024, and AI continues to grasp headlines in the news. Most AI models such as ChatGPT are run on servers, hundreds of miles away from the users. This means that data is not private, and AI could potentially be used to build a profile of you. There is a solution, known as Mistral 7B, an AI model that can be used locally on your own PC or Mac. It generates a bit of heat when running, but can answer basic to more complex questions (except math, cos AI is bad at math).

This is the AI explaining what a rosary is. It took about a minute or two to answer the question.



Article about ChatGPT privacy concerns: ChatGPT Has a Big Privacy Problem
Mistral 7B summary of the article (yes, my laptop got warm when summarizing this):

In July 2020, OpenAI released their large language model GPT-3, which was trained on millions of pages scraped from the web, Reddit posts, books, and more. However, this data inclusion has led to privacy concerns as it contains personal information of millions of individuals, including Italians.

On March 31, 2023, Italy's data regulator, Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali, issued a temporary emergency decision demanding OpenAI stop using the personal information of millions of Italians in ChatGPT. The regulator argues that OpenAI doesn't have the legal right to use people's personal information without their consent, which is a requirement under GDPR. In response, OpenAI has stopped access to ChatGPT for Italians while they work with the regulators.

This decision is the first taken against ChatGPT by a Western regulator and highlights privacy tensions around the creation of giant generative AI models. Similar investigations could follow across Europe, with France, Germany, and Ireland already contacting the Garante for more information. Tobias Judin, head of international at Norway's data protection authority, says that if a model is built on data that may be unlawfully collected, it raises questions about whether anyone can use the tools legally.

Under GDPR, organizations must rely on one of six legal justifications to collect and use people's information, including obtaining their consent or arguing legitimate interests. OpenAI's privacy policy mentions relying on "legitimate interests" but doesn't specify how they obtained the personal information used for training ChatGPT.

The Italian decision comes as scrutiny of large AI models increases, with tech leaders calling for a pause on their development due to potential future implications. The GDPR rules protect the data of over 400 million people across Europe, and OpenAI's actions could potentially breach these regulations by not having age controls, providing inaccurate information, failing to inform individuals about data collection, and lacking a legal basis for collecting personal information.

Experts argue that the issues raised by the Italian regulator are likely to apply to all development of machine learning and generative AI systems, as many data sets used for training have existed for years without considering privacy implications. The EU is developing AI regulations, but little action has been taken against the development of machine learning systems regarding privacy.

There's a lack of clarity on how to collect data lawfully for training data sets and how to delete or correct inaccurate information from large AI models, especially if the origins of the data are unclear. GDPR allows individuals to request deletion or correction of their information but may not be able to do so with large language models, as they don't have provisions for it.

The Italian regulator's decision has the potential to be the first of many cases examining OpenAI's data practices, as every individual European country can open complaints against it. OpenAI isn't alone in facing these issues, and many other AI developers may also need to address privacy concerns related to their training data and model development.

There are actual real cases of this, in which they are later found innocent.

Where are Christians to stand on this? Because they are lying when they say they are guilty in order to stop the beatings, but I do understand that they want the beating to stop.

Should they tell the truth always, even if it means death?

I am not an English speaker, so through an online translator:

My message to one person who is interested in Lutheranism: "@centurion1067, for Protestantism, technical continuity does not play a special role, this is facilitated by the Protestant doctrine of universal priesthood. Well, Lutherans will tell you that they have episcopal succession inherited from the Scandinavian tradition of Lutheranism, but a rhetorical question arises: how do their bishops differ sacramentally from the laity, or are all sacramentally equal? If they are no different, then their ordinations are no different from those in the Baptist environment. Well, judge for yourself, if there is no sacramental difference between a bishop and a layman, if they are both equal by grace, then there is no point in chasing episcopal succession, anyway it will not differ in any way from Baptist ordinations. That is, if it is claimed that pastors and laity are equal by grace, if they are sacramentally equal, then episcopal succession in the Lutheran environment does not give any special feature. And if by grace, pastors are no different from lay people in a Protestant environment, then in fact, any pastoral ministry in a Protestant (!) environment is purely administrative, administrative service."

Lutherans do not have a priesthood. Even if there is an episcopal succession (technical succession of ordination), but if the understanding of the priesthood is changed, the matter of the Sacrament is thereby changed, which in turn leads to the invalidity of the Sacrament, and therefore to the termination of the succession. In addition, in the traditional Christian understanding, a priest makes a Propitiatory Sacrifice, and if Lutherans do not have a Propitiatory Sacrifice, if gifts remain a natural gift, then priests are not needed. There is a priest if there is a sacerdotal service - the offering of a Propitiatory Sacrifice. And since Protestants deny sacerdotalism, they do not have a sacerdotal priesthood.

Today, my answer to a person who is interested in Lutheranism is: "@centurion1067, I know this feeling that you have, it's called throwing. When something pulls, you are not sure about it, you get information that refutes it. Then time passes, and you calm down, and what is pulling begins to beckon again. And so you write to me that my answer did not come from the heart. My most important answer was written to you much earlier. What is the point of telling Lutherans about the same episcopal succession from the Scandinavian tradition, if according to their teachings, a bishop by grace is no different from a layman? Therefore, it turns out that this is an administrative ministry, and not a sacramental one, because the Lutheran bishop and presbyter have no sacramental superiority over the layman. Lutheran bishops and presbyters have only administrative superiority over the laity. Therefore, all these Lutheran ordinations are no different from Baptist ones. Further, another thing was also important, if in Lutheranism there is no Sacrifice, not a sacrifice of the gratitude of believers, as Lutherans like to say, but a Sacrifice in the truest sense, a Lamb on the Altar, then there is no sense at all in the priesthood. There is a priest only if there is a sacerdotal service - the offering of Sacrifice. And since Protestants deny sacerdotalism, they do not have a sacerdotal priesthood. That's up to you, but if I were you, I wouldn't chase after non-traditional teachings that originated in the 16th century. Well, let's not write to each other a hundred times."

Rhode Island was the most recent state to join the list of states pledging to ban the sale of gas-powered cars, joining Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington.
According to the site, the District of Columbia has also made the commitment.

What you don't see are the plans for updating our nation's power grid. Of course there is no way our current power grid can handle the massive switch-over to EVs. That is, unless driving is slashed through government rationing of electricity.

My grandma is in the hospital. They just called my mom to her bedside because they are one step away from intubation, and that’s the last step my grandma wants them to take. I am not handling well. We were close til I moved states.

On the last day of this month, we will witness a clash of religions as a demonic, cultish secular religion dares to intrude on the greatest feast day in Christendom, using a lie to distract the attention of lost souls.

(LifeSiteNews) — Two observances — Easter and the recently contrived “International Transgender Day of Visibility” — fall on Sunday, March 31 this year, causing some to wonder “Is Easter being replaced with the ‘Transgender Day of Visibility?’”

It’s a valid question. For more than a few, it certainly will.

Others might dismiss this as nothing more than a coincidence. That would be a mistake.

On the last day of this month, we will witness a clash of religions as a demonic, cultish secular religion dares to intrude on the greatest feast day in Christendom, using a lie to distract the attention of lost souls from the most significant truth known to man: the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Depravity on the rise, starving humanity of the truth of the Gospel​

This collision of religions appears to be a climactic Romans 1 moment. St. Paul explained:

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools… They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator… they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind.

Click to expand...

Do not underestimate the will and force of Satan to supplant Christianity with this perverse woke religion through which he seeks to eclipse truth. His aim is to starve humanity of the truth of the Gospel.

Continued below.

Hi Everyone.

Do you think Christian Forums is shrinking?

I don’t do too much online Orthodoxy but I think there is a lot of stuff on Reddit. There is lot of rubbish there to which is why I don’t use it much.

‘Any thoughts? I am sitting in an airport now waiting for a delayed plane…


Prodigal7

Here are some examples of this hermeneutical rule gathered from the Internet:

• “If water baptism were necessary for salvation, we would expect to find it stressed whenever the gospel is presented in Scripture. That is not the case, however. Peter mentioned baptism in his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38). However, in his sermon from Solomon's portico in the Temple (Acts 3:12-26), Peter makes no reference to baptism, but links forgiveness of sin to repentance (3:19). If baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sin, why didn't Peter say so in Acts 3?” John MacArthur, Grace to You. QA79
• The Bible says that it is the gospel that saves. "By this gospel you are saved . . . " (1 Cor. 15:2). Also, Rom. 1:16 says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Neither of these verses, which tell us what saves us, includes any mention of baptism. Matt Slick. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. 11/22/08
• Paul Ramsey quoting Gal. 3:2, states “in a passage where one is vigorously defending salvation ONE WOULD EXPECT Paul to mention baptism.”
• Baptism, then, cannot be part of the Gospel. The Gospel is the "power of God to salvation" (Romans 1:16). It tells us what is necessary to know in order to be saved. Paul left baptism out of the Gospel. Therefore Paul did not consider baptism necessary to salvation.
• If water baptism were necessary for salvation, we would expect to find it stressed whenever the gospel is presented in Scripture. However that is not the case at all. In fact there are many, many verses that declare salvation is by faith alone with no mention of baptism or any other requirement. Here they are for you to look up: John 1:12, John 3:16, John 3:18, John 3:36, I Cor 15:2-4, John 6:47, John 20:31. If baptism is necessary for salvation, then all these scriptures are wrong.
• Paul never made water baptism any part of his gospel presentations. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul gives a concise summary of the gospel message he preached.

Some observations on the “ONE WOULD EXPECT” rule for interpreting Scripture.

• This interpretive rule is only known to and used by Credobaptists.
• This interpretive rule is selectively used only for the Doctrine of Baptism and excludes all other doctrines.
• Demands exact precision in Scriptural language, where contextually none is given.
• What is not specifically stated in one passage of Scripture takes precedence over what is specifically and explicitly stated in multiple other passages of Scripture. In other words, the exception to the rule IS THE RULE.
• Ignores the common practice interpretive rule “Scriptura interpur Scriptura.”

By far the most common passage of Scripture the “ONE WOULD EXPECT” is articulated is Acts 3:19 “Therefore repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Here we notice a close parallel to Acts 2:38, “repent and be baptized” and 3:19 “repent and be converted.” The Credos will point out due to “repentance” mentioned once in Acts 2 and once in Acts 3, “repentance is the most important part or necessary condition for the forgiveness of sins; Baptism would be seen as with baptism as secondary, non-essential and certainly not apart of the Gospel.

The credobaptists correctly point out that Peter specifically doesn’t address baptism in his second sermon, nor is there any mention of Peter’s hearers being baptized. The most reasonable explanation that Luke omits the topic of baptism during Peter’s second sermon….is that both Peter and John were arrested before they could administrate baptism. Just because baptism is not mentioned Acts 3, doesn’t necessary mean Baptism was not to be administered or imply non-essentiality. Peter and John’s assistants could have baptized them that day, or baptism could have been delayed for a day.

Descriptive vs. Prescriptive statements of in the Books of Acts concerning baptism. There are eight descriptions of baptism in the Book of Acts and only one prescriptive passage. Acts 2:38-39 is prescriptive and of course Peter teaches us about baptism before any took place in the NT era. We know it is prescriptive contextually,

• Dual Commands: “Repent and be Baptized.”
• Dual Promises: “For the forgiveness of sins” and “You shall receive the Holy Spirit.”
• Baptismal continuance: “This promise is for you and your children.”
• Geographical or Missional significance: “For all those to are far off and away.”

Acts 2:38 governs all baptismal practices of converts in the NT and has huge implications in Christian faith and life. For some Credos, the absence of baptism in one passage, nullifies and questions the validity of baptism as apart of the Gospel in eight other baptismal texts in Acts. Hence observation #4 from above. A horrid interpretive rule.

THE REAL ISSUE. At the root level we see a misunderstanding of how any one doctrine is established and the function of Doctrine in general.

How many passages of Scripture are needed to establish a Biblical doctrine? Take for example, the Scriptural teaching concerning the Incarnation. The incarnation is presupposed on every page of the NT and doctrinally binding on all Christians to believe. And it truly is apart of the Gospel, because if there is no incarnation, there is no substitutionary atonement, hence no Christianity.

The incarnation is established upon the virgin birth narratives of which there are only two (Matthew and Luke). Following the guidance from Scripture, it only takes two passages of scriptural teaching on the same subject matter to establish any article of faith. Two passages from different authors, two passages from the same author in two different books, or two passages from the same author within the same book, but two different contexts.

Baptism is a unique doctrine is Scripture as it is suffers from too much doctrinal content. We have at least two or three teaching from our Lord, eight or nine examples of baptism in the Book of Acts, multiple comments by Paul, and two by Peter. This is an enormous amount of information compared to the doctrine of the Incarnation.

From the establishment of doctrine we notice: Every doctrine found in Scripture is its own article of faith. And each article of Faith stands alone by itself and doesn’t need to be substantiated or authenticated by another doctrine. Creation doesn’t need to be substantiated by Redemption, Redemption doesn’t need to be substantiated by Sanctification; neither inspiration v. eternal life, justification v. Hell, God’s providence v. Angels, Baptism v. Christ's resurrection, etc. And all articles of faith are interrelated into an organically unified body of Church teaching (fides quae) and are to be believed separately without doubting.

We now end up where we started. Re-quoting one of our examples:

‘The Bible says that it is the gospel that saves. "By this gospel you are saved . . . " (1 Cor. 15:2). Also, Rom. 1:16…. Neither of these verses, which tell us what saves us, includes any mention of baptism.” Matt Slick. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry.

Matt Slick quotes Romans 1:16 which contextually deals with the efficaciousness of the Word not baptism. And most importantly the usage of I Cor. 15:2-4 is most grievous. If one were to say, “Baptism is not apart of the Gospel because it is not listed in these verses, then what about the incarnation? Are we to say, God becoming man to take on the sins of the world, IS NOT THE GOSPEL? Nonsense.

The credobaptist usage of the “ONE WOULD EXPECT” argument is as common as is it fallacious. The belief for every text in the NT where the gospel is proclaimed, if baptism isn’t mention specifically in the text, then baptism isn’t necessary or accomplishes the things Scripture says it does…..is just bogus. This hermenuetical rule allows certain doctrines of Scripture to be dependent on others….and deciding that dependency is at the subjective whim of the interpreter.

And when you think about it….this “one would expect” argument comes dangerously close to transgressing the First Commandment: IF I WERE THE HOLY SPIRIT, I WOULD HAVE SAID IT DIFFERENTLY.

Ukraine Is Now 'Holy War,' Russian Church Declares​

The Russian Orthodox Church has approved a document that deems President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine a "Holy War."

The declaration came during a congress of the World Russian People's Council in which religious, political and cultural figures in the country met at the site of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, a focal point for the Orthodox faith in Russia.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, also heads the council and is an ally of Putin. He has been criticized for providing a religious justification for the war and failing to unequivocally condemn the killing of people in Ukraine.

In February 2022, Patriarch Kirill said that Ukraine and Belarus were part of "Russian lands" and called the Ukrainians who were defending themselves against Russian aggression as "forces of evil," pitching the war as a battle for the future of Christianity.


Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) presents flowers to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill in Moscow on February 1. The Russian Orthodox Church he heads has declared the invasion of Ukraine a "holy war."ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/GETTY IMAGES
"From a spiritual and moral point of view, the special military operation is a Holy War, in which Russia and its people, are defending the single spiritual space of Holy Russia," the document released on Wednesday said under the heading "special military operation," which is the official Kremlin term for the invasion.

As a Christian, I believe in getting involved with trying to change society to be more Christ-centered. The pagans and atheists think that Christians should be excluded (not all, probably) but no one should be excluded from this very important work.

Elsewhere, I watched Trump's ad about how this country is deteriorating (my word) and the image thatstands out most at this time is that of a bizarre-looking clown teaching children about perverse things.. I'm surprised we don't see children running away from this in tears! I myself hated clowns growing up, and I never even saw any this strange looking. It was such a better era then. ..

In any case, some Christians have told me that Politics and Religion don't mix.

Well, I find that thought quite odd.

What takes precedence, the Holy Week celebrations and observances or the papal conclave? Would the ranking Cardinal stand in for the pope or would they rush a vote for new one?

It's just something I was thinking about when I was considering what Napolitano said about him and also knowing how busy the pope is this week.

Today I've had a terrible day because I unleashed 5 years of bottled up anger I've had against God and essentially called Him a useless shepherd that doesn't care for His flock, that I hated Him and tested Him to kill me right on the spot or that I otherwise would buy a bottle of sleeping pills on the way home and do it myself.

For context, I have OCD and depressive episodes and I'm currently on medication but I still suffer greatly from this illness. I have better days but there are exceptions like today where I feel downright exhausted of life and would want nothing more than to fall into an eternal slumber or to never have been brought into existence at all.

But for the 5 past years of being a christian I suffered from every possible intrusive thought, doubting my salvation has been my daily bread, developed a phobia for prayer somehow and these have been, speaking mentally, one of the darkest periods of my life. I occassionally ask God to take my life but He won't listen to any kind of prayer I utter. I haven't lost my faith but why does it seem like God harbors an intense hatred against me by afflicting me with this disease?

In Romans 8:29-30 Paul says:

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

But what exactly is Paul saying about foreknowledge in this piece of scripture? Is it that God looked down the corridors of time and saw those who would believe and those who wouldn't and he chose those who he foreknew would believe in him? Absolutely not, because if he had looked through the corridors of time there wouldn't have been anybody to be saved. But, we're already debating total depravity in a different thread. I want to cover God's foreknowledge because its a beautiful and wonderful thing.

Another example of foreknowledge would be Genesis 4:1 where Adam "knew" his wife and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. Do you think Adam knew his wife in the English sense? Of course he did! She was his wife and thy lived together for almost 1,000 years how could he have not known who she was! What about John 10:14 as another example when Jesus says "I know my own and my own know me." In the sense of knowledge his statements make no sense. Afterall, of course Jesus knows who his sheep is, he is God and of course his sheep know who Jesus is even the demons know who Jesus Christ is and that he's the messiah. But, its more in the Biblical sense of foreknowledge where it makes complete and total sense.

These are just a few examples of foreknowledge in the Bible, it's actually scattered quite well throughout Biblical history. Now, I don't know ancient Hebrew and Greek but I can say what foreknowledge is in the Bible based on being taught by people who do know ancient Greek and Hebrew. Its not that God foreknew in the sense of knowledge its that he foreknew his children in an incomprehensibly intimate sense. Adam knew his wife in the most intimate way possible, Jesus knows his sheep in the most intimate way possible and his sheep know him in the most intimate way possible. When Jesus says "I never knew you" in Matthew 7:23 for example what he means is he's never had an intimate and close relationship to them. Always when the Bible mentions foreknowledge it means a deep and intimate connection between man and God, or man and wife and this isn't just a normal loving relationship. God loves his sheep and his sheep love God in the deepest and most passionate of ways. Or in the example of Peter saying that Jesus was foreknown before the foundation of the world it means that God knew and deeply loved Jesus from the beginning of time.

Sometimes, when we are in the middle of difficult circumstances, and all seems to be going against us, and not for us, and Jesus enters into those circumstances, we may not even recognize that it is him there. We may be so focused on our problems that we don’t even see him there waiting to speak to us, to bring comfort and encouragement to our hearts, and to counsel us in the way that we should go. For all we see are the waves crashing against us, and all we see are impossible situations, when instead we need to see that Jesus is right there and he has it all under control.

And if we pray, and we ask the Lord to reveal himself to us, so that we know that it is him speaking to us, and he shows us that it is him, and that we should not be afraid, then we need to trust him to lead us in the right direction. And if we then step out in faith, and we walk by faith and not by sight, but then something happens that shakes our faith, we are not to give way to fear. We are not to lose sight of Jesus and that he is there and that he is in control of what is going on about us. And we need to trust him. For he has it all handled. We just need to believe that he does.

Now, this is certainly not teaching that we sit back and do nothing. For the Lord has things for us to do, by faith in him. He has given us gifts of his Spirit, and he has assigned us particular roles (body parts, functions) in his body which he intends for us to fill. And he has given us all sorts of instructions in the Scriptures regarding what we should be doing and not doing. But we must not go in the flesh, and we must not leave God out of the picture, but we must walk by faith in his strength and power, letting him lead and empower and equip us to do the work he has called us to do.

For he is not going to call all of us to easy stuff. In fact, he taught us that if we follow him that it means death to sin and to self and following him in obedience wherever he leads us, and it means we will be hated and persecuted and that we will be faced with a lot of challenges and difficult situations to try our faith. But we are to grow in our walks of faith through these trials and not let them defeat us. And we are to trust the Lord that he is there and that he has all things under his control, and then we must follow his lead and walk by faith and not by sight.

So, the encouragement here for all of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ is to trust the Lord fully with our lives, to surrender all to him, to die with him to sin, and to live for him and in righteousness, holiness, godliness, and in obedience to his commands. And then we are to walk by faith and not by sight, trusting the Lord to lead us in the way that he would have us go. And then we need to obey him, even if it means having all kinds of things crashing against us, and people hating us and disapproving of us. And we need to believe that God has all things under his control. So trust Him.

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; Jn 15:1-21; Jn 16:33; Jn 17:14; Ac 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

VOICE OF TRUTH

By Mark Hall & Steven Curtis Chapman
II Corinthians 12:7-10/I Corinthians 1:20-24

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

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Executive Summary​

This report examines how well major faith traditions retain their members, the reasons people disaffiliate, and the reasons people attend religious services. Additionally, this report considers how atheists and agnostics differ from those who say they are “nothing in particular.” Finally, it analyzes the prevalence of charismatic elements as well as prophecy and prosperity theology in American churches and the role of charismatic Christianity in today’s Republican Party.

“Unaffiliated” is the only major religious category experiencing growth.

• Around one-quarter of Americans (26%) identify as religiously unaffiliated in 2023, a 5 percentage point increase from 21% in 2013.
• While the percentage of Americans who describe themselves as “nothing in particular” is similar to a decade ago (16% in 2013 to 17% in 2023), the numbers of both atheists and agnostics have doubled since 2013 (from 2% to 4% and from 2% to 5%, respectively).

Catholic loss continues to be highest among major religious groups; white Evangelical retention rate has improved since 2016.

While most disaffiliate because they stop believing, religious teachings on the LGBTQ community and clergy sexual abuse now play a more prominent role.


Most unaffiliated Americans are not looking for a religious or spiritual home.

Exploring the prevalence of charismatic elements in American churches.

• Half of American churchgoers say they have received a definitive answer to a specific prayer (50%), nearly four in ten say the “Spirit” has empowered them or someone else to do a specific task (39%), three in ten say they have received a direct revelation from God (29%) or witnessed divine healing of an injury or illness (27%), and roughly two in ten have seen people speaking in tongues (21%) in the past year.
  • Republican Christian nationalists are significantly more likely than non-Christian nationalist Republicans to have witnessed or experienced at least three charismatic events in the past year.

WaPo also has interesting graphs. I liked this one showing that white evangelical Protestants are currently holding steady, with about as many joining as leaving.

Trump calls his globe-trotting ex-diplomat ‘my envoy.’ Neither is in office.​

Richard Grenell is meeting with far-right foreign leaders, attacking President Biden and offering a glimpse at what U.S. foreign policy could be like in a second Trump term​

After an anti-corruption crusader unexpectedly won last year’s presidential election in Guatemala, democracy teetered on the edge in the Central American country. Amid law enforcement raids on election offices and threats of violence, the Biden administration worked feverishly to lay the groundwork for a peaceful transfer of power.

But not Richard Grenell, a former diplomat and intelligence official in Donald Trump’s administration, who arrived in Guatemala in January, days before the new president was to be sworn in — and threw his support behind a right-wing campaign to undermine the election.

Grenell met with a hard-line group that sued to block the inauguration, which thanked him for his “visit and trust.” He defended Guatemalanofficials who had seized ballot boxes in an effort to overturn a vote declared “free and fair” by the United States and international observers, and he attacked the U.S. State Department’s sanctions against hundreds of anti-democratic actors.

Grenell’s intervention highlights the extraordinary role he has carved out in the three years since Trump left the White House. From Central America to Eastern Europe and beyond, Grenell has been acting as a kind of shadow secretary of state, meeting with far-right leaders and movements, pledging Trump’s support, and at times, working against the current administration’s policies.

The former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., in an online chat with Grenell last month, touted his record as ambassador to Germany and called him a “top contender for Secretary of State.”

“Grenell fulfills the top priority that Trump is looking for in his second term, which is absolute loyalty,” said Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, who has called Trump “unfit” to be president and warned about a potential administration of enablers.

Bloomberg and the New York Times recently reported that Grenell and Trump’s son-in-law and former adviser Jared Kushner are proposing major real estate developments in the Balkans that could pose conflicts of interest if either of them served in another Trump administration.

Last year, Grenell was elected to the board overseeing the Conservative Political Action Conference, a standard-bearer for the conservative movement that has become an unofficial arm of the Trump campaign.

Quite a career arc, from having to resign from the Romney campaign for being gay, to being on the board of CPAC and a top Secretary of State candidate.

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Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

"As Christians celebrate the Holy Week, they do so with varying beliefs depending on their sect. Evangelical Christians are the most likely (92% say yes) to believe in life after death, while Roman Catholics express more doubt (67%). Among the other Abrahamic faiths, Muslims (87%) strongly believe while Jews predominately doubt the existence of life after death at a majority level (60%). Hindus (71%), who celebrated the arrival of spring with Holi this week, and Sikhs (67%) are also firm in their belief of life after death."
Is there life after death? Majority of Canadians believe they may have more than one life to live - Angus Reid Institute

The apostle Paul felt confident enough in the Lord and in his walk of faith, by the grace of God, that he could encourage other Christians to imitate his walk of faith and to use him as a model or as an example of what genuine faith in Jesus Christ really looks like. He never claimed to be perfect, but he walked the walk, and he did not just talk it. He took God and his word to heart, and he obeyed the Lord in doing what he said to do, and he did not walk in sin, but he led a holy and a godly life committed to Jesus Christ.

For, although he had not yet finished the race, he was running the race every day, fighting off the lies of the enemy, opposing enemy forces, proclaiming the truth of God’s word, and exposing the fruitless works of darkness and the liars and the deceivers who were trying to lead other Christians astray. He was committed to truth and to righteousness and to leading other people to do the same. And he continued on this path despite being hated and persecuted and falsely accused, and all for the glory of God. Amen!

But then he also encouraged the Christians to keep their eyes on those who walk according to the example that they had in Paul and in the other apostles. And this is where “the rubber meets the road,” so to speak, i.e. this is the most important point, i.e. the moment of truth. And this is where it is critical that we know and understand the truth of God’s word and what a genuine follower of Christ should look like. So we must be students of the Scriptures who study them in their appropriate context.

For the image being presented to us today of what a “good Christian” looks like is often the opposite of what the Scriptures teach us, and the opposite of what Paul and the other apostles modeled to us. For in today’s world we have this image of a good Christian as someone who is just a “good deed doer” and who is “nice” to everyone and who goes around just making people feel good about themselves. And this, too, is the image that many today are painting of Jesus Christ, which is not the truth.

Was Jesus kind? Yes, he was. And kindness is being willing to tell people the truth even if they end up hating you and murdering you in return, which is what they did to Jesus Christ. For they didn’t like it that he told them the truth about their lives and that he told them that they needed to change and that they needed to surrender their lives over to him to make him Lord of their lives. And they didn’t like it that he did not conform to their worldly standards and to their religious hypocrisy and to their human traditions.

So, it is critical that we follow the model that Paul provided for us as to what it means to be a Christian. And Paul, contrary to what many people are presenting of him, was not someone who was “struggling” with (regularly giving in to) sin. For he taught that if sin is our practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord and to his commands, that we are not in true fellowship with Jesus Christ, and we will not inherit eternal life with God unless we repent and we obey our Lord, in practice.

So, be very careful about who you are listening to, and who you are following, for not everyone is of true faith in Jesus Christ who claims to be. Not everyone tells the truth. Liars and deceivers abound these days, in and out of the gatherings of “the church.” So learn to be those who test everything you read and hear against the teachings of the Scriptures, but do so within the appropriate context, and not out of context. For many lies are being perpetrated today via teaching Scriptures out of context.

Take for example, Ephesians 2:8-9 is being taught absent of verse 10, and so many are teaching that we are to do no works at all. But verse 10 dispels that by telling us that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them. And John 10:28-30 is being taught absent of verse 27 which tells us that Jesus’ sheep listen (adhere) to him, he knows them, and they follow (obey) him, and they have eternal life, and they will never perish.

For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience, in practice, then we have the hope of eternal life. For he also said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one DOING the will of God (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

VOICE OF TRUTH

By Mark Hall & Steven Curtis Chapman
II Corinthians 12:7-10/I Corinthians 1:20-24

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
And the voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth..

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I honestly don’t know what I’m going through. But it does feel like I’ve been cast out. I’m a faithful Christian who lives the typical Christian lifestyle. Bible, sermons, church, etc. But I know I sinned earlier this year and I honestly seek to change. I’ve already asked for forgiveness of my sin. However the circumstances of my situation are confusing as I had a biblical vision that lasted several days. It was awful. It went about as wrong as one could go. With that said, I was painting a car for several days straight. I don’t know if my vision was from paint fumes or some form of failed spiritual attack. I know my ventilation was poor. Plus I read online that it takes about 5 days for one’s body to rebound from paint fume exposure. But also Christians frequently have spiritual warfare. So I’m very unsure what I experienced.

I know the various Bible quotes about salvation is forever and also not being left or forsaken. But it doesn’t explain what I’m feeling. This is why I’m asking for prayers. Thank you.

Psychologists tell us that the practice of lying is universal (or nearly so) amongst humans. They also tell us this practice begins at a very young age. Parents with toddlers, or with long memories of having had toddlers, may well be able to relate to that. However, the object of this thread is not to debate the truth of these assertions. For the purposes of this discussion I would like you to take these as true. I wish to discuss whether the practice of lying differs between participation in forums such as this and how it is practiced in "real life".

In the real world I periodically lie. I do not know to what extent my lying compares with human norms. Do I lie more frequently, or tell much bigger whoppers than the average human? I don't know. I like to think that my lying is less intensive than average, but I would like to think that wouldn't I? (I reviewed my interactions yesterday and the closest I can come to a lie was in omitting to truthfully tell a high pressure salesman that I was not making a decision today because I did not entirely trust what he was telling me.)

And finally I get to the point. I have, as far as I am able to recall, despite telling lies in the real world from time to time I have never told a lie on this forum, or on any other forum several of which I was active on for over a decade and a half. I find this odd and am uncertain as to what compels me to be scrupulously truthful online, but not elsewhere. I have some thoughts, but I would welcome suggestions as to what you think might be the cause. Also, if you feel comfortable doing so, comment on whether you have had similar experiences. And if any of you can identify an instance in any of my posts where I demonstrably lied that would be helpful, as it would remove the anomalous contrast.