BrotherJJ said:

Hebrews 9:27 says every person will face judgment, but Scripture does not present that judgment as a single blended event with 2 ""viewpoints."" The New Testament consistently distinguishes 2 different groups, 2 different resurrections & 2 different judgment seats, each with a different purpose, timing & outcome

The Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema) is for believers only (Rom 14:10 & 2 Cor 5:10).
Sin is not judged there because Christ already bore the believer's judgment on the cross. Believers appear there to have their works evaluated - rewarded if done in Christ's name or burned up if worthless (1 Cor 3:8–15) - yet the believer himself """will be saved"" (1 Cor 3:15 JUST READ IT!) Salvation is a gift, not a wage, grounded entirely in God's grace & faith in Christ's sin‑atoning death & resurrection. At conversion believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit as God's guarantee of their future inheritance (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13–14). Nothing in these passages describes condemnation, sentencing, or the opening of the books of works for guilt. That is not the believer's judgment.

The Great White Throne Judgment is for unbelievers only (Rev 20:11–13).
This is not a ""different angle"" or the same event - it is a different group, different timing & different purpose. These are the dead who rejected God's grace & refused to accept Christ as Lord. With no covering for sin (Jn 15:22), they are judged according to their works - every deed, every word, every sin recorded & measured by the standard of God's Law. Jesus said the one who rejects Him will be judged by His word on the last day (Jn 12:48). John 5:24 explicitly says believers ""will not come into judgment"" - meaning this judgment - because they have already passed from death to life.

Your citations (Matt 25 & Jn 5:28–29) do not merge the judgments; they simply affirm that both groups will be raised - ""those who have done good"" & ""those who have done evil."" But Revelation 20 explains that these 2 resurrections are not simultaneous. The ""resurrection of life"" occurs before the millennium (Rev 20:4–6) & the ""resurrection of condemnation"" occurs after it (Rev 20:11–13). 2 resurrections. Two groups. 2 judgments. 2 outcomes.

The only unforgivable sin is lifelong unbelief - rejecting the Holy Spirit's testimony about Christ until death (Mk 3:22–30). Believers possess eternal life now (Jn 3:36) because Christ bore their judgment already. Unbelievers face judgment for every sin because they refused the only sacrifice that could remove them.

So no, Scripture does not present one final judgment with 2 perspectives. It presents 2 distinct judgments for 2 distinct peoples with 2 distinct purposes - one for reward, one for condemnation & confusing them collapses the very categories the New Testament maintains.

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peaceful-forest said:

I was hoping to get to the true definition of feminism. The definition has seem to have changed over the years.

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The Age of Kleptocracy​

Geopolitical Power, Private Gain​

'Lying problem?' Trump's border czar throws Kristi Noem under the bus on CNN​

The Barbarian said:

We have something in common. I didn't exactly flunk, but I still have to look up what a preposition is.

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RDKirk said:

Well, my OP provided all the scriptures to support what I postulated (and notice where I use the term "speculate").

Now, yoru're speculating what "...see Him in all His glory" means in visual terms.

"Glory" may not mean anything visual at all. My scriptural study indicates that "glory" relates to the pomp and circumstance surrounding the arrival of a king. Things such as dancing maidens, the silver horns, the marching troops, et cetera, were the "glory" of a king as understood by the Old Testament writers and their audience.

What I see in the case of God (or rather, the Theophany) in the Old Testament is creation itself being the similarly the medium of God's glory: Lightning, thunder, and earthquakes. Dancing earth instead of dancing maidens, thunder and lightening instead of silver horns and marching troops.

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wing2000 said:

If one is going to be driving over 200 miles on a daily basis, I agree an EV is not the best solution. As battery technology continues to progress, I expect that concern will go away.

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A new fully charged EV battery in five minutes: Are China's swap stations the future of electric cars?​

WANG CONG​

CHINA​

CHARGED WITH:
"illegally using an information network.”

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Between Oct. 9 and Oct. 11, 2025, Chinese authorities arrested nearly 30 leaders of Zion Church, an urban house-church network based in Beijing with influence in more than 40 cities across China. Many of those detained were charged with “illegally using an information network” on the grounds that the church conducts online worship services. This charge carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. Wang Cong, 43, an associate pastor of Zion Church, was among those arrested and has been separated from her 3-year-old child for the months she has been held in detention.

The series of raids and arrests was the biggest crackdown on Chinese Christians since 2018. Besides Wang Cong, nine men and eight women remain in detention: Jin Mingri, Wang Lin, Liu Jiang, Sun Cong, Gao Yingjia, Yin Huibin, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng, Wang Zhong, Wei Yunfei, Zhu Mingli, Wu Qiuyu, Li Shengjuan, Hu Yanzi, Zhan Ge, An Mei and Mei Liming.

“Their only ‘offense’ is worshiping God peacefully, preaching the gospel faithfully, shepherding their flock and serving their neighbors,” church leaders said in a statement on Oct. 12.

Founded in 2007, Zion Church has grown rapidly, reaching an estimated 1,500 members in Beijing by 2018 when it was shut down by authorities. During the coronavirus pandemic, the church shifted to online meetings and outdoor small group gatherings, hosting up to 10,000 participants for its regular gatherings.

Pray for Wang Cong to be strengthened and encouraged as she waits in detention, for her family to experience God’s supernatural provision and peace and for the other Zion Church leaders as they face prosecution and imprisonment. Pray, as the church’s leaders have requested, that “those in chains for Christ will be completely free in Christ.”

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Prison Address:​

Pingyang Road No. 8
Yinhai District, Beihai City
Guangxi Province, China
Postal Code: 536005

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• Write in English and write as neatly as you are able to. Your letter must be legible to be translated (Many people study English, so there will often be someone to translate your letter).
• Express your Christian love and tell them that you are praying for them (then do!) They, in turn, will be praying for you!
• Keep your letter brief and loving – one page is enough.
• Include Bible verses.
• Hand write the address on envelopes accurately and mark it AIRMAIL; make sure the postage is correct.
• You may include a snapshot of yourself, your family or your prayer group if you want to make your letter even more personal and special.

• Do not write about politics or criticise the government.
• Never mention the source of your information or the name of any organisation such as Voice of the Martyrs. It is not dangerous for a prisoner to receive letters from an individual, but if an organisation is mentioned, they may be accused of links with “foreign organisations” and receive even harsher sentences.
• Use words that might imply some kind of hidden activity e.g. “thank you for the Christian work that you have done in Vietnam” might imply that the prisoner had done some covert work for a foreign organisation to subvert the government.
• Build up hopes and expectations of prisoners – and likewise, don’t make any offer of help unless you intend to act on it!
• Use religious jargon, sermonize, or be presumptuous about the prisoner’s situation, needs or feelings.
• Quote verses which refer to war, fighting, armour, weapons (eg ‘the sword of the spirit’, ‘fighting the good fight of faith’, ‘the armour of God’ etc).

Saturday 21 February 2026 – India​

Friday 20 February 2026 – India​

Thursday 19 February 2026 – India​

Wednesday 18 February 2026 – India​

Tuesday 17 February 2026 – India​

Monday 16 February 2026 – India​

Sunday 15 February 2026 – India​

Aryeh Jay said:

Thank God, I thought I had some kind of cognitive issue..

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How are Christians persecuted in Brunei?​

• Christians are a minority in Brunei, with local Bruneian Christians coming mostly from indigenous groups and those who are ethnically Chinese.
• Apostasy is punishable under the law, so believers who have left Islam can face severe persecution. Whilst there is a moratorium on the death penalty, converts can still face whipping and imprisonment of up to 30 years – and the threat of even worse always lingers.
• New believers also face pressure from their families and communities. Men who convert to Christianity can encounter a whole host of reprisals, including expulsion from home, disinheritance, loss of social benefits, threats and beatings.
• Christian women must adhere to Islamic dress codes in certain settings.
• Christian women often face the most persecution at home, where they are vulnerable to house arrest, forced marriage, separation from children and forced rehabilitation programmes. One believer, Kayla*, shares, “My husband wasn’t happy with me attending church. He would hit me and treat me with cruelty, both verbally and physically. He would kick me like I’m a dog.”
• Mandatory Islamic education starts aged three, making it challenging for parents and churches to tell children about Jesus.

“I want to continue serving the Lord for the rest of my life.”
KAYLA

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• Despite the persecution, many Bruneian Christians are still bravely standing firm in their faith. Kayla* says, “I want to continue serving the Lord for the rest of my life — until the day I die.”

Why are Christians persecuted in Brunei?​

• Brunei is majority Muslim, and there is no separation between state and Islam.
• “Dakwah”, the spread of Islam, is strongly encouraged and supported by the Brunei government. The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) oversees Islamic education, dakwah programmes, and activities to strengthen Islamic values in society.
• While dakwah for Islam is encouraged, propagation of other religions (such as Christianity) is strictly forbidden. This means Muslims may share their faith, but Christians cannot openly share theirs.
• Christian activities are being increasingly marginalised. While worship and church activities can still exist within the confines of the church, evangelising and distributing Christian literature are against the law. Churches that welcome converts risk fines and imprisonment.
• Non-traditional Christian communities, such as Pentecostals, cannot register as churches. Instead, they must operate as companies, societies or family centres. This means they are treated as secular entities and required to submit annual reports to the government, putting their activities under even sharper scrutiny.

Who is particularly vulnerable in Brunei?​

• Converts are at greatest risk of persecution, both from the authorities and from their families and communities.
• Traditional church communities, such as Catholics and Anglicans, experience some scrutiny. However, those from non-traditional groups, like Pentecostals and Evangelicals, are most susceptible to opposition, particularly those more involved in outreach activities.

What has changed in Brunei in the past year?​

• Little has changed this year, thought recent incidents have brought Christians a sobering reminder that they must be careful in even the simplest acts of everyday life. One believer was asked to resign from her job after praying for her food. Elsewhere, a student was accused of being disrespectful to Islam for sharing a fact during class and, in a similar episode, a believer was accused of blasphemy because of a social media post. Thankfully, neither accusation went far, but Christians are concerned that might not always be the case.

How can I help Christians in Brunei?​

Valletta said:

The cartels have put out bounties on ICE officers and there have been death threats against their spouses and children. Many have been assaulted, hit by rocks and chunks of ice and spit at, because the local politicians have decided not to protect them as they would other citizens of our country. In Minnesota they have been able to find 3,364 of the missing, unaccompanied alien children the Biden administration lost track of. A number of these children have been abused and were rescued. The more people interfere, using up the time and resources of ICE, the fewer trafficked children will be rescued. This is a continuance of what has happened since the Biden administration launched this human disaster, there has been very little concern for the victims of the open borders policy from one political side.

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