Latest activity

friend of · 2025-07-29T20:16:27-0500

d taylor said:
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I see a big problem with your letter. If your mom is not raptured, then that means she has never believed in Jesus for God's free gift of Eternal Life. So in your letter, you never tell her to believe in Jesus for God's free gift of Eternal Life.

Mom if you want God's free gift of Eternal Life, you must believe in Jesus for God's free gift of Eternal Life, believing Jesus is who He says He is. the Son of God/The Messiah, the resurrection and the life.

Yes thank you. I have told her this before but I will ensure that it is impressed upon her that she must believe that Jesus is God/Messiah

Carl Emerson · 2025-07-29T20:16:27-0500

Bro.T said:
The first thing Jesus says when he got started in his ministry, Jesus says in Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

To repent means to turn from our sinful ways and start obeying God's law. The water baptism signifies the washing away of our past sins. After repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus it would be foolish for us to turn around and willingly break God's commandments. If we make an honest mistake Jesus can help us, but if we sin willingly, look out! "...there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation..." (Hebrews 10:26-27). When Jesus died only the sacrificial law was done away with, alone with Leviticus priesthood.

We still must obey all of God's laws and statues of conduct, from the ten commandments to the least commandment. We cannot choose to obey one without obeying the others. For instance, if it's still good to pay tithes (as many preach), then it is still good to obey God's dietary law (not eating pork, catfish, etc...Leviticus 11:1-47). Similarly, you cannot purposely trip a blind person (Leviticus 19:14) and claim to love your neighbor as yourself. Neither can you break God's Sabbath days (Leviticus 19:30) and claim to love God with all your heart, soul and mind.

Many fight to uphold man's traditional holidays (Sunday the 1st day as the Sabbath, Christmas, Easter and Halloween), but few are obeying God's Holy Days (Saturday the 7th day Sabbath, the Passover, Pentecost, etc...Leviticus 23:1-44). All of God's laws are still good and must be obeyed if we want eternal life. We might not be able to observe everything perfectly, but can fight a good fight.

Galatians 5:18
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

d taylor · 2025-07-29T20:14:11-0500

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I see a big problem with your letter. If your mom is not raptured, then that means she has never believed in Jesus for God's free gift of Eternal Life. So in your letter, you never tell her to believe in Jesus for God's free gift of Eternal Life.

Mom if you want God's free gift of Eternal Life, you must believe in Jesus for God's free gift of Eternal Life, believing Jesus is who He says He is. the Son of God/The Messiah, the resurrection and the life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

RocksInMyHead · 2025-07-29T20:11:46-0500

ozso said:
The deputy director of the FBI is just some conspiracy theorist?

He's not just a conspiracy theorist, but he is one nonetheless. His appointment as the FBI deputy director doesn't change that fact, and we should keep it in mind when he starts talking about conspiracy theories.

Pop D. · 2025-07-29T20:11:25-0500

Heavenly Father, Holy is Your Name, we pray You will heal Carmenls' bladder, and provide health and comfort for her whole family, as only You can do. Amen and Amen.

hedrick · 2025-07-29T20:10:21-0500

I'm currently an IT guy (with a PhD in Artificial Intelligence), but in grad school I published a couple of papers in major econ journals.

One of the frustrating parts about economics is that there are long delays. We'll know most of the impacts of Trump's policy by 2028. Probably a bit by 2026.

From a political point of view this is a problem, because presidents basically experience the consequences of their predecessor, not their own policies, for quite a while.

Covid, of course, was an exception, because it caused consequences more quickly. Perhaps tariffs will as well, but it's not clear.

Carmenls · 2025-07-29T20:08:44-0500

Please pray that God will let me be comfortable and feel good with no bladder discomfort or pain and that my son Jake and Husband Robb are happy and healthy. I ask in the name of Jesus. Thank you and God bless you. Carmen

PTW · 2025-07-29T20:08:30-0500

King of Queens

Oompa Loompa · 2025-07-29T20:05:56-0500

iluvatar5150 said:
If not, you can see quite clearly that, in nearly all cases, the currently-imposed tariffs are far smaller than the big huge proposed ones that had everybody losing their minds.

After the huge proposed ones brought people to the negotiation table.

Oompa Loompa · 2025-07-29T20:03:04-0500

Chesterton said:
You're unaware that men can get pregnant? C'mon, it's 2025, dude.

That was so 2023. Today, we have progressed to the point where men and women are abstract ideas that are undefinable.

JulieB67 · 2025-07-29T20:00:40-0500

friend of said:
That would seem to indicate that the 7 churches have been taken in Rapture.

This verse tells me that the churches will be here. A letter to one of the churches...

Revelation 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.."

This mirrors what will happen in Revelation 12

Revelation 12:9 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Sa'-tan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

We are told the seven lamps are the seven Spirits of God.

Revelation 4:5 "And out of the throne proceeded lightning and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

I used to believe in a pretrib rapture as well but I don't find it biblical. Although I know others see and believe differently.

PTW · 2025-07-29T20:00:24-0500

Adventures in Babysitting

Dan Perez · 2025-07-29T19:56:25-0500

pastorwaris said:
Beloved in Christ, Grace and peace to you!

Thank you for your thoughtful question it’s a good one, and one that brings us deeper into the heart of Scripture.
Let’s unpack this carefully, contextually, and spiritually, so we can grow together in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

1. About the Greek and the Aorist Tense in Acts 1:5
You mentioned that you checked the Greek and didn’t find the aorist tense in Acts 1:5. Let’s take a closer look.
Here is the Greek phrase in Acts 1:5:

The word ἐβάπτισεν ("baptized") is actually in the Aorist Active Indicative, third person singular referring to John’s water baptism as a completed action in the past.
So yes, Jesus does refer to John's water baptism using the aorist tense, signifying a historical fact it happened, it’s done, it served its purpose.

But here’s the key: Jesus contrasts that completed action with what will soon happen, "you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit" which is in the Future Passive Indicative, showing that the Spirit baptism is not yet fulfilled at the time of speaking (but coming soon at Pentecost).

So, the grammar confirms the contrast between past water baptism and future Spirit baptism, rather than eliminating one or exalting the other beyond context.

2. Why Then Was Jesus Water Baptized?
This is a powerful question and it brings us to the heart of Jesus' humility and mission.

Let’s ask ourselves first:
Did Jesus need to repent? No.
Was He a sinner? Absolutely not. (Hebrews 4:15)

So then why was He baptized by John? Here's the answer, straight from Jesus’ own lips in Matthew 3:15:

Let’s unpack that:

a) To Fulfill Righteousness
Jesus wasn't baptized because He needed cleansing, but because He came to identify with sinners. He stepped into the waters on our behalf, showing that He would bear our sin, walk our path, and be our substitute.

His baptism was a prophetic act a preview of His death (going under) and resurrection (coming up) (Romans 6:4).

To Publicly Begin His Ministry
His baptism marked the official start of His earthly mission. The heavens opened, the Spirit descended, and the Father declared:

This divine moment authenticated His identity and commissioned His work as Messiah.

c) To Set an Example for Us
Jesus never asks us to do something He wasn’t willing to do Himself. Though He was sinless, He modeled baptism to show us the importance of obedience, submission, and public declaration of faith.

He walked into the waters not for Himself but for us.
So when someone asks, “Why was Jesus baptized in water?”, the answer is:

He did it to fulfill righteousness, to identify with us, to publicly begin His mission, and to model obedience for every believer who would follow Him.

Baptism both water and Spirit is not a religious formality. It’s a divine invitation to enter into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Let Me Encourage You:
Instead of viewing water baptism as something that will “disappear,” let’s view it as something that Jesus Himself dignified, and something that the apostles consistently practiced in the book of Acts even after Pentecost.

But even greater let's rejoice that both water and Spirit baptism point us to the greater reality: a heart made new by Jesus, washed clean, filled with the Spirit, and walking in victory.

Thank you for your hunger for truth. I honor it. Let’s keep diving deep, together in Christ.

In the grace and truth of our Lord,
Pastor Waris,
pastor.waris777@gmail.com
"Preaching Jesus. Reaching Souls."
Maranatha!

And will have to come to say , why. Jesus was Water Baptized as I am closing where I work .

AND you are correct that the Greek word BAPTIZED /. BAPTIZO. , is in the Aorist Tense. , Active Voice ,

in. the Indicative Mood , in the Singular .

AND if I have it right , Rom 6:4 , The Greek here is Not Baptized into the Death , is the Greek word BAPTISMA

into the Death , is in the Genitive Case. in the Signular. and in the Neuter .

See you Thursday as we are closed Wednesday.

dan p

PTW · 2025-07-29T19:56:18-0500

Pauly Shore

JulieB67 · 2025-07-29T19:54:31-0500

FutureAndAHope said:
Satan will be manifest on the earth

I think the deception is that he will proclaim to be God/the messiah. Him and his angels will put on a show, the beast and false prophet all a part of that -with the one world government in place, etc. They will bring a sense of peace and safety only it is a false peace.

JulieB67 · 2025-07-29T19:51:15-0500

Gregory Thompson said:
I corrected myself and you continue to attack a strawman. Not my fault.

Sorry, they were honest questions. I really wanted to know when you thought those verses had been fulfilled because I just don't see it. I'll move on...

Jamdoc · 2025-07-29T19:46:14-0500

Gregory Thompson said:
Thanks for all of that. This is such a topic that each person has their own view and whatever counter-evidence is provided, it just strengthens what they think about it.

This is because it is not for us to know the times and seasons that are in the Father's hand.

True, we aren't to know WHEN. Only the Father knows the WHEN exactly but we were given a roadmap of WHAT will happen.

That is why I argue for Daniel being prophecy rather than history, because it gives us a road map from which to watch, to know how things progress, so that we can rely on the word of God as our guidance rather than our own imaginations and speculation.

This thread asks a question of how might something we know is going to happen happen. I'm answering that Daniel gives us some details in how, because that's a profitable approach, to look to the bible rather than just speculate.
We can still speculate some with some humility but if we have scripture that gives us details, we should use it.

friend of · 2025-07-29T19:43:13-0500

Hey, I got convicted today about leaving a Rapture note for my mother who is kind of on the fence about Jesus, so a letter outlining to her what is going to happen in the world if/when a Rapture does occur is necessary. I don't know why I didn't do this earlier. Shame on me.

Of note, today I saw a post about Rapture that I thought was very interesting, so I'll share it now. In Revelation 4:5 it says: From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing

i find it very interesting that the seven lamps (presumably from Rev 2 & 3) are in the throne room BEFORE Tribulation occurs in Revelation. That would seem to indicate that the 7 churches have been taken in Rapture.

okay, on to my note to my mother. Give me feedback and let me know if you've done the same for unbelieving family/friends to help them navigate the perilous trib. Some people may disagree with what i am about to say, but the only response I can give is; desperate times call for desperate measures. I would do anything, at this point, to preserve my mother's soul.

DEAR MOM
If you are reading this, I have disappeared in what we Christians know as "The Rapture." Great evil is about to come upon the Earth soon, if it is not already present. You must leave this world quickly. You cannot take the Mark of the Beast, that will be required for buying amd selling. If you take the Mark, you will burn forever. Do not tell [brother], he will not believe you and will probably encourage you to stay and take the mark. There should be public executions with guillotines. Go and cut your head off, for the sake of Jesus, the only God who is true. If the mark is being enforced without these public execution areas, you must kill yourself instantly by getting into a head-on collision while driving. That is the only way I can think to end your life immediately. You must not take the mark. Die for Jesus and I will see you in Heaven. You were and are a good mother [name]. Do as I say and leave this world soon. DO NOT TAKE THE MARK.

Love your son, [name]

Danthemailman · 2025-07-29T19:42:18-0500

FLASHBACK: Zohran Mamdani pledged to 'disband' key police unit that handles mass shootings

FLASHBACK: Zohran Mamdani pledged to 'disband' key police unit that handles mass shootings

As New York reels from a mass shooting, Democratic mayor nominee Zohran Mamdani is getting renewed attention for a pledge to eliminate a key police unit that handles mass shootings.

www.foxnews.com

PatrickTate · 2025-07-29T19:38:55-0500

Oompa Loompa said:
Or because they are working. But people will believe just about anything rather that accepting that Trump was right about something.

Exactly!

Because the Israeli Rabbi's have respect for President Trump and say that he has a "Cyrus Mantle" he is hated by Christians. Well actually it is because of BigMedia and their fear that they cannot control him and he might just begin to deal with corruption at high levels.

PatrickTate · 2025-07-29T19:36:38-0500

Gregory Thompson said:
For some reason, God doesn't mess with time travel.

Though that would make an interesting TV show premise.

You could be correct, I don't know for sure but after I heard the Bill Weise testimony of his twenty three minutes in hell I began to wonder if Bill Weise had seen himself in "the future' in another time line but then he is taken back to what would appear to be the past but armed with that vision of hell that he was shown he is no longer "lukewarm" but is on fire to teach as many people as he can about what he had been shown.

This idea is based on a very literal understanding of Ezekiel chapter thirty seven that is combined with Revelation chapters twenty and twenty one that I got while I was in The Worldwide Church of God.

perplexed · 2025-07-29T19:34:36-0500

rjs330 said:
Perplexed you originally responded to a response I gave to Daisy. I wasn't even talking to you. You injected yourself into the debate.

I never accused you of anything. So I have no idea what you are talking about.

??? So you have never made the claim I say things I know not to be true???

Hentenza · 2025-07-29T19:22:56-0500

FutureAndAHope said:
There is only one thing there that supports your case. That is:

He then avoids denying Christ through fear by reason of the command; nor does he sell his faith in the hope of the gifts prepared, but in love to the Lord he will most gladly depart from this life; perhaps giving thanks both to him who afforded the cause of his departure hence, and to him who laid the plot against him, for receiving an honorable reason which he himself furnished not, for showing what he is, to him by his patience, and to the Lord in love, by which even before his birth he was manifested to the Lord, who knew the martyr’s choice. Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 195) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.411

Which I will investigate further. But you have not read what Justin Martyr actually believes you quoted the following because it contained the word "foreknown". He 100% believes in Free Will if you read his fullwrittings.

God, wishing men and angels to follow His will, resolved to create them free to do righteousness; possessing reason, that they may know by whom they are created, and through whom they, not existing formerly, do now exist; and with a law that they should be judged by Him, if they do anything contrary to right reason: and of ourselves we, men and angels, shall be convicted of having acted sinfully, unless we repent beforehand. But if the word of God foretells that some angels and men shall be certainly punished, it did so because it foreknew that they would be unchangeably [wicked], but not because God had created them so. So that if they repent, all who wish for it can obtain mercy from God. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.270

These are just a few quotes. All of them support my argument that the ECF’s did teach the elect and predestination. Also, for your reading pleasure.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world | New American Standard Bible - N

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world

bible.com

Just one for now.

RileyG · 2025-07-29T19:18:37-0500

essentialsaltes said:
‘It destroyed me’: two more men accuse Christian rock star Michael Tait of sexual assault

(Not quite Safe for Christianforums article from the Guardian.) But there's this from last month:

View attachment 367838

Unfortunately, nothing is surprising anymore.

FutureAndAHope · 2025-07-29T19:16:54-0500

Hentenza said:
The ECF taught predestination and God’s elect. None of them ever taught that anyone had free will to not sin, for example. God has total foreknowledge of all past, present, and future human actions and all of peoples “choices”.

Day and night you were anxious for the whole brotherhood, that the number of God’s elect might be saved with mercy and a good conscience. Clement of Rome (A.D. 96) ch.2

And we will ask, with instancy of prayer and supplication, that the Creator of the universe may guard intact unto the end the number that has been numbered of His elect throughout the whole world, through His beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom He called us from darkness to light, from ignorance to the full knowledge of the glory of His Name. Clement of Rome (A.D. 96) ch.59

But the white portion is the coming age, in which the elect of God shall dwell; because the elect of God shall be without spot and pure unto life eternal. Hermas (A.D. 150) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg. 18

God, wishing men and angels to follow His will, resolved to create them free to do righteousness; possessing reason, that they may know by whom they are created, and through whom they, not existing formerly, do now exist; and with a law that they should be judged by Him, if they do anything contrary to right reason: and of ourselves we, men and angels, shall be convicted of having acted sinfully, unless we repent beforehand. But if the word of God foretells that some angels and men shall be certainly punished, it did so because it foreknew that they would be unchangeably [wicked], but not because God had created them so. So that if they repent, all who wish for it can obtain mercy from God. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.270

“But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son.” By which is made manifest, that all things which had been foreknown of the Father, our Lord did accomplish in their order, season, and hour, foreknown and fitting, being indeed one and the same, but rich and great. Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg. 443

If, therefore, in the present time also, God, knowing the number of those who will not believe, since He foreknows all things, has given them over to unbelief, and turned away His face from men of this stamp, leaving them in the darkness which they have themselves chosen for themselves, what is there wonderful if He did also at that time give over to their unbelief, Pharaoh, who never would have believed, along with those who were with him?Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg. 502

He then avoids denying Christ through fear by reason of the command; nor does he sell his faith in the hope of the gifts prepared, but in love to the Lord he will most gladly depart from this life; perhaps giving thanks both to him who afforded the cause of his departure hence, and to him who laid the plot against him, for receiving an honorable reason which he himself furnished not, for showing what he is, to him by his patience, and to the Lord in love, by which even before his birth he was manifested to the Lord, who knew the martyr’s choice. Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 195) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.411

We are they “upon whom the ends of the ages have met, having ended their course.” We have been predestined by God, before the world was, (to arise) in the extreme end of the times. And so we are trained by God for the purpose of chastising, and (so to say) emasculating, the world. We are the circumcision – spiritual and carnal – of all things; for both in the spirit and in the flesh we circumcise worldly principles. Tertullian (A.D. 198) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.4 pg.23

There is only one thing there that supports your case. That is:

He then avoids denying Christ through fear by reason of the command; nor does he sell his faith in the hope of the gifts prepared, but in love to the Lord he will most gladly depart from this life; perhaps giving thanks both to him who afforded the cause of his departure hence, and to him who laid the plot against him, for receiving an honorable reason which he himself furnished not, for showing what he is, to him by his patience, and to the Lord in love, by which even before his birth he was manifested to the Lord, who knew the martyr’s choice. Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 195) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.411

Which I will investigate further. But you have not read what Justin Martyr actually believes you quoted the following because it contained the word "foreknown". He 100% believes in Free Will if you read his fullwrittings.

God, wishing men and angels to follow His will, resolved to create them free to do righteousness; possessing reason, that they may know by whom they are created, and through whom they, not existing formerly, do now exist; and with a law that they should be judged by Him, if they do anything contrary to right reason: and of ourselves we, men and angels, shall be convicted of having acted sinfully, unless we repent beforehand. But if the word of God foretells that some angels and men shall be certainly punished, it did so because it foreknew that they would be unchangeably [wicked], but not because God had created them so. So that if they repent, all who wish for it can obtain mercy from God. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.270

Any fore knowledge that God has is not based upon a lack of Free Will.

Latest activity

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1. About the Greek and the Aorist Tense in Acts 1:5​

2. Why Then Was Jesus Water Baptized?​

a) To Fulfill Righteousness​

To Publicly Begin His Ministry​

c) To Set an Example for Us​

Let Me Encourage You:​

Futurist Only Leaving a Rapture note for unbelieving family

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1. About the Greek and the Aorist Tense in Acts 1:5

2. Why Then Was Jesus Water Baptized?

a) To Fulfill Righteousness

To Publicly Begin His Ministry

c) To Set an Example for Us

Let Me Encourage You: