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Akita Suggagaki · 2025-12-13T15:55:59-0600

Many of us voted for national candidates with great reluctance. If we weigh many factors and try to consider the complexity of our reality we see that things and issues are not as simple as we might like them to be. I confess that I could never vote for Trump for many, many reasons. And yet I also could not vote for a party so radically fixated on abortion and gender issues gone off the rails.

What to do? I voted for people who had no chance of winning but at least more closely reflected my values. It eased my conscience. I have no regret. I do hope that those who voted for Trump are at least beginning to see the damage has done and continues to do.

linux.poet · 2025-12-13T15:55:37-0600

MOD HAT ON

This thread has been cleaned of some flaming of charismatic and evangelical Christians.

Let's try to get back on topic, and away from comparing Christians to Islamic congregations and saying that they are basically the same.

MOD HAT OFF

WordSword · 2025-12-13T15:52:45-0600

Hoping2 said:
His version of 2 Cor 5:17 must be different from mine.
2 Cor 5:17..."Wherefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (KJV)
If the old is passed away, how can it still indwell any believer ?

Rom 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."

In the NT the word "flesh" is Strong's Greek 4561 - sarx, which means, "That which denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God;" i.e. the sin nature of the spirit of a person. " (Rom 6:6; Eph 4:22; Col 3:9).

As we see, Paul demonstrates the continued presence and effect of the old man. What the difference is that we are given the new man or new nature from Christ, which the Spirit of God counters in its temptations. He takes us through trials, and eventually "makes a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1Co 10:13).

Hoping2 said:
I hate it when men say one is "freed from the penalty of sin", without saying that we are also freed from committing sin.
It makes it look like one can commit sin without a penalty !
That would be the antithesis of Christ like behavior.

If anyone sins intentionally it manifests they are not reborn (Heb 10:26: 1Jo 2:19). Even in the OT they could not sin intentionally or "ignorantly" (Num 15:24-31).

rjs330 · 2025-12-13T15:52:22-0600

FAITH-IN-HIM said:
Throughout history, true Christianity has often faced hostility. Jesus himself was crucified, and he told his disciples that following him would bring persecution and rejection. The belief that Christians will not face animosity is not supported by biblical teachings; Jesus made it clear: "If you follow me, the world will hate you."

A genuine Christian, one who follows the teachings of the Bible, does not harbor hatred towards those who oppose them. Instead, Christians are taught and instructed by Jesus to pray for those who hate them, to love their enemies, to show compassion, provide care, and, above all, fulfill the greatest commandment—the Great Commission—by sharing the gospel with them.

Regrettably, I have noticed that certain American evangelical communities sometimes display contempt towards groups they view as unfriendly to Christians. This thread alone demonstrates how many self-identified Christians fail to reflect the love Christ commanded.

It is not love to allow people to people to flood your cou try who will take advantage of other, rape, kill, steal, lie and try and take over with false religions that are anti-Christ. That is not love and it is not wisdom. Take a look at what rhe Somalis have done in Minnesota, the dangerous illegal immigrant truck drivers, Muslim refugees raped a teen girl in the UK.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/15yearold-girl-recorded-highly-distressing-video-of-her-own-rape-by-two-afghan-migrants-in-uk-park/news-story/27850c7e1eb3e5b3d1089e4a85be8dc3

There are many stories like these across the nation. We have enough problems with our own citizens and its extremely unwise to allow more people in who are a danger to our own citizens, financially and physically.

Yes we will face animosity for being believers. But Jesus warned us about letting wolves in among the sheep. He warned us and so did Paul about letting in false prophets and teachers in among us. Which is what Islam is.

Christians can love, pray for and care for their enemies will not allowing the enemies into the camp to harm other people.

Hans Blaster · 2025-12-13T15:51:14-0600

jonojim1337 said:
Uh well but who’s image is that in the background?

There is no "who" being an image in that picture. Only, real, live people. Everything else is an inanimate object or representation of one (like the fasces).

SabbathBlessings · 2025-12-13T15:49:57-0600

jonojim1337 said:
Right, so that’s why the work wasn’t finished until he said it was finished.

33For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.34And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

3For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be Romans 8 NKJVcarnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the [c]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies [d]through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba,[e]Father.” 16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

26And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

You are trying to make the Bible say things its not, not one of these verses says we do not need to keep the Sabbath commandment - Jesus said the Sabbath would continue in the New Heaven and New Earth for worship Isa66:22-23 God said He would not alter the words of His covenant Psa89:34 Deut4:13 , not a jot or tittle Mat5:18-19 no Scripture can contradict God and it doesn’t. Why the Holy Spirit is given to help us keep the commandments He first wrote on stone and than wrote in our hearts 2Cor3:3 Heb8:10 if we do not rebel.

If you read your own verses you just quoted it says the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God and is the lost Rom8:7-8 who defines God’s laws, man or God? I am going with God, that the Sabbath commandment is part of God’s laws thus saith God In His personal written and spoken Testimony Exo31:18 Deut4:13 Exo20:1-17 Exo20:6 written by the Holy Spirit of Truth. Exo31:18 God makes no mistakes, we do. I pray you will see this one day.

It’s time for me to move on but wish you well.

Hentenza · 2025-12-13T15:49:46-0600

BobRyan said:
More examples where those came from ...

My knees are trembling with expectation and fear.

expos4ever · 2025-12-13T15:47:32-0600

Like many Western Christians, I used to believe in an immaterial soul. But, a fair bit of research, including learning a little history, has led to me changing my mind. I do not believe that the scriptures teach the existence of an immaterial soul and I believe that mind body dualism is not a tenable Christian position.

Rose_bud · 2025-12-13T15:41:09-0600

You’ve also given me reason to ponder the hostility

- Between the serpent and the woman.
- Between the serpent seed and the woman's Seed.

I think most understand or interpret the meaning of the woman's seed as Christ, whose head was bruised, but who countered the attack/death through the resurrection.

Do we still experience this hostility?
What should be the implications of this prophecy if realised in Christ?

Christsfreeservant · 2025-12-13T15:40:21-0600

“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.” (Galatians 6:1-5 NASB1995)

We who are spiritual are not all who merely profess the name of Jesus with our lips. We who are spiritual are those who are walking according to the will of God for our lives in obedience to our Lord’s commands, not necessarily in all perfection, but in daily practice, by the grace of God, in the power of God. We are not those who are also caught in sin or those who are deliberately and habitually living sinful lifestyles. And that is a very important factor here to understand, because we can’t help others if we are also caught in sin.

In other words, the blind cannot lead the blind. So if we are going to help a fellow Christian (or someone who is professing faith in Jesus Christ) to be free from their slavery (addiction) to sin, then we need to be those who are deliberately and habitually walking (in conduct) in accord with God’s word, living holy lives, pleasing to God. But even at that, we are still humans, and we are still subject to temptation and to failure, so we must guard our own hearts so that we, in trying to help another, are not led astray ourselves.

Now this word “caught” can mean many things. It can mean that the person sinning was literally caught in the act by someone else. Or it can mean that they are those who are trapped in sin, for whom sin has a stronghold on their lives, and so they are struggling to be free of the sin, and so they need someone who has victory over sin to help them to also be free from the trap of sin. Or they can be those who don’t really want to let go of their sin but who put on a performance that they do want help so it appears that they do.

But I will tell you right here from personal experience that most of these “support groups” out there to help people overcome addiction, from what I have been able to ascertain, are not using the Scriptures as their foundation for how to overcome the power of sin, but they are using human-based psychological methods which often do not permit the use of the Scriptures. And so they make humans dependent on other humans, and not dependent on God to free them from their bondage to sin. And many of these fail.

For God has the only solution for deliverance from slavery to sin, and that is via biblical faith in Jesus Christ, which comes from God, which puts sin to death in the life of the person of faith so that they can now walk in freedom from addiction to sin and serve the Lord faithfully in walks of obedience to his commands. And the Scriptures are filled with messages which teach that we must put off those sins and put on the opposite, like putting off lying, and now telling the truth, and putting off hate, and putting on love.

For Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross to put our sins to death with him so that by God-persuaded faith in him we will now die to sin and live to God and to his righteousness in walks of surrender to him and in obedience to his commands, in the power and wisdom and strength of God living and working within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. But we have to say “No” to sin and “Yes” to God and to his commands, and we must rely on the strength of the Lord to resist Satan and to flee temptation to sin.

In other words, we have to have a change of heart and mind resulting in a change of behavior, which is what repentance is all about. For repentance is not verbalizing empty words of confession of sin while the person then keeps going right back to the same sins over again. When we repent of sin we change from going one direction to going the opposite direction, like making a U-turn in the road. And it doesn’t necessitate absolute perfection, but it must result in a change of direction, and not continuing in deliberate sin.

So, this should not be a long drawn out process that continues on and on forever while the addicted continue to “struggle” with sin and to not make it to victory over sin. So this is never about pampering people in their sin nor about tolerating deliberate and habitual sin in the life of one claiming faith in Jesus Christ. For this word “restore” is about putting a joint which is out of place back into place, which is a painful process. It is about putting things back in their proper working order. And Jesus’ death did that for us.

So, again, the way to restore one who has fallen spiritually back to a right relationship with God is to lead them in the path of righteousness. But their hearts have to be in the right place. They have to want to be free of their sin to the point to where they will have that change of mind and heart resulting in a change of behavior, so that they will turn away from sin and turn to now walking in obedience to our Lord’s commands, empowered by God and by his grace. For we cannot make anyone change directions. They must turn.

[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]

Walking in The Light

Based off 1 John 1-2
An Original Work / November 16, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

When I lift up my voice, and
Sing praise unto God,
I will fellowship with my
Lord and Savior, King.
In Him there is no darkness.
He is in the light of truth.
If we walk in His light,
From sin He purifies.

If we repent of our sins,
He’ll forgive us now,
When we humble ourselves, and
Before Jesus bow.
The man who says, “I know Him,”
But does not obey His truth,
There is no truth in him.
In darkness still he’s found.

Do not love the world of sin,
For it is hell bound.
If you follow the world, you’ll
Not in Christ be found.
The world and its desires
Will not last; they’ll expire.
The one who does God’s will,
Receives eternal life.

See that what you have heard from
Christ remains in you.
Then, you’ll remain in Christ, and
In His Father, too.
This is what He promised us –
His eternal life with God.
So, continue in Him, and
You’ll receive a crown.

Login to view embedded media
Are You Caught in Sin?
An Original Work / December 13, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Rescued One · 2025-12-13T15:37:23-0600

Delvianna said:
Calvinists main theology is that you are either chosen or not chosen. If you are chosen, you are saved regardless of what you do, it is out of your hands. If you are not chosen, there is nothing you can do about it. So my statement, "That is like saying God created them for the sole purpose to condemn them to hell." Is accurate.

If you are saved, you strive to please Christ. If you are not saved, you don't love Christ and don't have His Spirit,

"if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his"
Romans 8:9

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17

rockytopva · 2025-12-13T15:28:15-0600

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Hans Blaster · 2025-12-13T15:26:01-0600

ThatRobGuy said:
Being that they were able to handle the renovation and expansions to the Smithsonian National Air & Space museum project (that building wasn't exactly a "spring chicken" either), I think they'll be fine.

They also did the Cannon House (which is home to several congressional offices), that was a building that was almost 120 years old.

You could have started there. This is finally getting close. (Though I don' think either Air & Space or Cannon was built with wooden beams and load barring masonry walls.)

ThatRobGuy said:
This one would also demonstrate that they have some "chops" with regards to working with historical structures.

UW Seismic Improvements | Clark Construction

University of Washington (UW) Seismic Improvements is a multi-phased project to renovate 25 unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings on campus. Seattle’s many URM buildings are vulnerable to earthquake damage, and in a proactive effort to protect occupants and get ahead of local seismic regulations

www.clarkconstruction.com

JSRG · 2025-12-13T15:24:23-0600

Belk said:
Yes, that must be why all those professional lawyers are praising this 300d chess move by the Trump DOJ instead of pointing out how it is the result of extreme incompetence.

/s

There actually was some strategy to this. If they didn't indict in time, then that was it; it was over due to the statute of limitations. By indicting in time, even if it was rushed and sloppy (hence the dismissal), they'd have an extra 6 months to bring a new indictment (probably--there is an argument that the initial indictment might have been botched so badly it doesn't actually count as an indictment, and that it therefore wouldn't fall under the statute that grants the 6-month extension for re-indictment after a dismissal if it's now past the statute of limitations).

Granted, the case against Comey is by all appearances so weak I have doubts they can even bring it to trial, and I'd be absolutely amazed if they could actually convict; it would've made more sense to just not bring it at all, hence why they notoriously had to fire the prosecutor who didn't want to bring it in and bring in someone who had no experience prosecuting to do it instead. Still, if your goal is to convict, however slim your odds are, and your choices are "do a rushed and sloppy indictment and keep the case alive or don't indict at all and you lose it forever" the former is obviously the better one.

JAM2b · 2025-12-13T15:23:16-0600

I thought it was called Christmas because it's a combination of the words Christ's Mass, that the Catholic church held for what we now have as the holiday.

As far as the shirt goes, I think intent matters. What was the meaning that the creator of the design had and what was the intent or interpretation that the pastor had?

Did the designer want to point out how white Caucasians Christians have distorted Jesus' appearance and commercialized the celebration of His birth? Was this religious satire?

Did they want to include the Lord in a modern, secular observance of the holiday?

Are they poking fun at white Christians or poking fun at the holiday? Were they poking fun at all or announcing the arrival of a holiday they enjoy?

I wouldn't have poured too much thought into it. I would think that it was a representation of having Christ in Christmas like so many Christians say we need to do. I don't particularly like the shirt. I think it looks tacky and weird, and Jesus is white and blonde. But it doesn't bother me on a spiritual level.

The fact that Jesus is in the back doesn't bother me. It's Santas sleigh. He's the one who drives it. If the seats were wide enough, Jesus could have been riding next to him. I don't think Jesus would care where He sat in a situation where someone was giving Him a ride.

As far as Santa Claus in general, I taught my kids that it was just pretend and it's something fun to do. I didn't want to lie to my kids about Santa and then expect them to believe me about Jesus.

Christmas is what each of us makes it. It's not a requirement to celebrate and it's also not forbidden. If there's parts you don't like, don't use those. If you don't like it all, skip it. Whatever your intent is, that is what will matter.

I don't believe that the Christmas we have today was any grand scheme to trick people into worshipping Satan. So much of it is pieced together by different fictional stories by different people at different times who didn't collaborate. You can draw similarities from a lot of things. Similarities don't mean they are one and the same.

Rescued One · 2025-12-13T15:15:45-0600

GOD'S PURPOSES

Job 42:3
Isaiah 14:27
Daniel 4:35

God didn't plan to save everyone.

Rescued One · 2025-12-13T15:04:29-0600

"There is no peace on Earth, " I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on Earth, good will to men…

JSRG · 2025-12-13T15:03:58-0600

iluvatar5150 said:
It made people fear and hate Haitian immigrants and it wasn't true.

What would you call it?

Charlie Kirk's declaration was:

"Residents of Springfield, OH are reporting that Haitians are eating their family pets."

This is true. Residents were reporting that. The problem is that the reports were, even when given by residents, second or even thirdhand accounts (of the "someone told me that they heard a friend say..." variety), and there was ultimately little evidence for the reports being true. Nevertheless, it is true that there were reports from residents, and his statement was therefore accurate.

Someone can still say even if it's technically true, it's misleading. However, the tweet in question was from September 8, which I believe was early enough into the story breaking that it hadn't quite become obvious how little the claim was based on (if he had posted it several days later, that would've been a different story).

One can criticize him for jumping the gun too much on the story without waiting for better verification, but he didn't actually make a false statement there.

peaceful-forest · 2025-12-13T15:00:03-0600

What do you think is the best album by No Doubt?

For me, I'd have to say Tragic Kingdom or Return of Saturn.

peaceful-forest · 2025-12-13T14:58:57-0600

@GodAndChocolateVanilla

I made a thread about No Doubt/Gwen Stefani over in the Music forum if you'd like to participate.

I've met several people on here that like the band or like Gwen's solo work, so I thought I'd just start a thread and we can all talk about them.

The No Doubt/Gwen Stefani Thread

This is a thread about the band No Doubt and Gwen Stefani's solo work. It can be anything about the band and Gwen - music, videos, facts, pictures, etc. I know there's fans on here. Let's chat. :)

www.christianforums.com

peaceful-forest · 2025-12-13T14:56:48-0600

peaceful-forest said:
I've thought about making a separate thread about No Doubt and Gwen Stefani.

I ended up making the thread over in the Music section.

The No Doubt/Gwen Stefani Thread

This is a thread about the band No Doubt and Gwen Stefani's solo work. It can be anything about the band and Gwen - music, videos, facts, pictures, etc. I know there's fans on here. Let's chat. :)

www.christianforums.com

adrianmonk · 2025-12-13T14:56:38-0600

Trogdor the Burninator said:
...and extradite her again.
Hey - if they keep this up, she'll have enough FF points to get gold status.

Maybe even the proposed Trump Gold Card.

BCP1928 · 2025-12-13T14:52:38-0600

rjs330 said:
If you pay attention to my posts I really don't do that. I will respond if someone else starts the conversation, but I don't use it myself as a starter. I have said many many timea that we shouldn't use scripture as a political document for our personal political belief on how government has to be run or what laws should be made. The reason for that is because we have a tendency only to want to use part of scripture for political reasons and reject other scriptures for the same reason.

We should either accept all of scripture as the guide or none of it.

That is your opinion about Scripture and you are welcome to it. Other Christians' mileage may vary. They have opinions, too, just as good as yours.

timewerx · 2025-12-13T14:50:52-0600

"Sound financial plan" means investing on winners.

Social justice also means investing on the losers.

Investing on the poor means you're not getting your money back. Giving without expecting anything in return. A total loss. Not just someone who is poor but also someone who have very little potential like someone who isn't smart. A losing investment.

Many Christians just can't wrap their head around such thing. Perhaps comfort, prestige, and the power to buy and sell is far too addictive to let go.

Michie · 2025-12-13T14:48:21-0600

Pope Leo XIV warned that intelligence agencies in some countries work against the Catholic Church, “oppressing its freedom” by using confidential information for “nefarious purposes.”

In an audience at the Vatican on Friday with people who work in Italy’s intelligence sector, the pope recalled the importance of conducting their jobs both ethically and morally.

“We must be vigilant to ensure that confidential information is not used to intimidate, manipulate, blackmail, or discredit politicians, journalists, or other actors in civil society. All of this also applies to the ecclesial sphere,” he said on Dec. 12.

Speaking in the Hall of Blessings, Leo urged those engaged in national security intelligence work to act with professionalism, to have respect for human dignity, and to engage in ethical communication.

Continued below.

Pope warns about risks when intelligence agencies ‘act for nefarious purposes’

In an audience with people who work in the Italian intelligence sector, Pope Leo XIV recalled the importance of conducting their jobs both ethically and morally.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

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