As believers we have duty to contend for the faith

[SkyWriting]

It is written…

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11).

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Side Note:

Besides, your disagreement with my belief is a form of an attack against what I believe. We also have disagreed before on other topics. So I fail to see how you disagree on this point. Anyone who debates or disagrees with another on certain Biblical topics is attacking the other person’s beliefs in some way because they don’t think the other person’s belief is true, and they hope that their sharing of Scripture will change their mind.

“(“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; )” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

What does “the pulling down of strong holds” mean to you?

I see these words as referring to the pulling down of false beliefs that build up in people’s minds. It’s a spiritual war we fight. We pray for others who have false beliefs, and we share God’s Word with them. We love them, and strive to reach them by spiritual methods employed in God’s Word. In this case, Paul is referring to the Corinthians and their past false beliefs. Paul said that they were carnal and committing the sins of strife and envy, and divisions in 1 Corinthians 3. Paul’s parable was a point that God would destroy them (the temple) if they defiled the temple (i.e. by sin). For Paul condemns the sins of strife and envy in Galatians 5:19-21 and says that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But good thing the Corinthians repented (Sought forgiveness with the Lord Jesus and put away those sins) before Paul wrote his second letter to them.

So if strongholds is referring to false beliefs and Paul is talking about a spiritual war, then he is desiring to attack false beliefs. What do you think it is saying?

Paul never trained under Jesus. Spent no time with Him. Never heard His voice, or saw his behavior around sinners.

 

[SkyWriting]

Jesus told us to judge righteously (John 7:24).

"Judge righteously" is defined as a sitting judge to ignore a persons wealth at trial.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

With the responses given, and other things going on in my life, I am taking another break for a while.

May you all be blessed in the Lord.

 

[mikeforjesus]

Unfortunately for the world hell is eternal bible says woe to world devil has come down to you knowing his time is short he knows if he puts people in hell it is eternal that God won’t forgive them he knows by doing so they will be with him forever which he thinks he can use them to fight God. God punishes evil and offered forgiveness through Christ alone as they have opportunity because God does not allow evil to continue and requires that people chose to repent freely to follow Him by being willing to confess Him to choose Him to not be ashamed of Him before men to choose others over Him who reject Him as if person is not willing to choose Jesus now it means they approve of the unrepentant evil people who harm others but God has put a limit on it to not allow people to continue to sin to fear punishment to not know if they deserve chance to repent.

He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death which means it is eternal as you are not hurt much if people are saved or are annihilated.

 

[Saint Steven]

Unfortunately for the world hell is eternal bible says woe to world devil has come down to you knowing his time is short he knows if he puts people in hell it is eternal that God won’t forgive them he knows by doing so they will be with him forever which he thinks he can use them to fight God. God punishes evil and offered forgiveness through Christ alone as they have opportunity because God does not allow evil to continue and requires that people chose to repent freely to follow Him by being willing to confess Him to choose Him to not be ashamed of Him before men to choose others over Him who reject Him as if person is not willing to choose Jesus now it means they approve of the unrepentant evil people who harm others but God has put a limit on it to not allow people to continue to sin to fear punishment to not know if they deserve chance to repent.

He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death which means it is eternal as you are not hurt much if people are saved or are annihilated.

Did Jesus die to save us from God?

 

[mikeforjesus]

Yes He died to reconcile us to Him we had been enemies of God because of our sins which He could not allow into His presence so we were unable to be with Him. He took our sins on Him that were ours so that it could be taken away from us now to reconcile us to Him.

After He died He sent us the Holy Spirit to live in us to make us live to higher standard than before to conform us to Him like Adam was to be in likeness of beginning not only to wash sin and purify but to take away all sin and original sin as prophets before went to hades trusting in saviour to take away their sins.

Jesus said if He had not come they would have no sin because people are required to accept what they know which all before did. As He made new covenant which does not punish those who have sinned according to law He requires more to believe and to live up to His laws which only believers are able to live up to.

God overlooked some transgressions in the old before because they knew about messiah before when prophets we’re there for those who believed in messiah as sin sacrifice but when people fell away when they did not have prophets they had law giver the right to practice but it assumed they accepted what prophets said but they didn’t so they were all actually guilty they no longer deserve to be covered for their sins but every sin deserves to be punished as sacrifices were given to cover them because they believed in messiah no one else after sinning deserve excuse all have sinned and it is only because of Jesus now all can be forgiven.

 

[Saint Steven]

Yes He died to reconcile us to Him we had been enemies of God because of our sins which He could not allow into His presence so we were unable to be with Him. He took our sins on Him that were ours so that it could be taken away from us now after His death by sending the Holy Spirit to now live inside us for those who believe in Him to reconcile us to Him.

Jesus taught us to love our enemies, because this is godly behavior. So, how could God then hate his enemies? Does he hold us to a higher standard than he holds himself?

 

[mikeforjesus]

He told us to love our enemies to do good to them and pray for them because by such they could change and no longer be your enemy so that you are at peace with each other

 

[Saint Steven]

He told us to love our enemies to do good to them and pray for them because by such they could change and no longer be your enemy so that you are at peace with each other

Very good. That's the right thing to do.

What do you suppose God is planning to do to his "enemies"?

 

[mikeforjesus]

If a person had repeatedly done bad to someone if he keep harming others and did not intend to change after been given fair chances to change such a person deserves to be punished. It is same with God. He will punish those who seek to harm others and one does harm others by being enemy to God. We can not execute law because we don’t know what what fair chances person deserves to change but God does. It is for God to judge but we are to pray they change so they are not punished.

 

[Saint Steven]

If a person had repeatedly done bad to someone if he keep harming others and did not intend to change after been given fair chances to change such a person deserves to be punished. It is same with God. He will punish those who seek to harm others and one does harm others by being enemy to God. We can not execute law because we don’t know what what fair chances person deserves to change but God does. It is for God to judge but we are to pray they change so they are not punished.

In an earlier post you wrote that Jesus "died to reconcile us to Him". Do you believe that work was somehow incomplete? Or perhaps that it was only intended to apply to the Elect? Thus meaning that God predestined the vast majority to eternal conscious torment with no hope of escape. Even those who had never so much as heard the name of Jesus? Countless billions created to be destroyed. Does that summarize the plan of God as you understand it?

 

[Saint Steven]

If a person had repeatedly done bad to someone if he keep harming others and did not intend to change after been given fair chances to change such a person deserves to be punished. It is same with God. He will punish those who seek to harm others and one does harm others by being enemy to God. We can not execute law because we don’t know what what fair chances person deserves to change but God does. It is for God to judge but we are to pray they change so they are not punished.

So, is it only bullies who end up in hell? It seems to me that there is a lot more to sin than physical violence against others.

 

[mikeforjesus]

In an earlier post you wrote that Jesus "died to reconcile us to Him". Do you believe that work was somehow incomplete? Or perhaps that it was only intended to apply to the Elect? Thus meaning that God predestined the vast majority to eternal conscious torment with no hope of escape. Even those who had never so much as heard the name of Jesus? Countless billions created to be destroyed. Does that summarize the plan of God as you understand it?

I thought I answered that before but maybe I was not clear to fully state in one post which I said in others. I think He died for all if He does not know what decision people will make but all they could make or if He knows what they will do He died for all who who He foreknew would come to Him even it seems to those who betray Him as they were made partakers.

So He did not choose anyone to hell they choose it as He offered to all the those He forknew would accept Him He chooses them predestines them while they choose that to obtain salvation. Those who did not ever hear gospel and do not have chance to hear gospel who seek truth I believe will have chance in world to come if they followed the law in their heart. They have a conscience to know right and wrong as Paul says their conscience accusing or excusing them. God knows they would have accepted it if it was preached they never had chance. God is able to test them to remove some of their memories and put them in a place as if on earth to see if they will believe what was done.

Maybe God did not call all to salvation now all He called to salvation now He would make sure such a place was preached to now. A person should preach because people are in danger if they don’t follow their conscience.

But I think it could be as I mentioned in below thread it could be people fault they never knew gospel because they never seeked before and they should have seeked earlier the truth and did good God would have made sure they find truth to put bible in ground somewhere as bible says God determined people boundaries in hope that they should seek the Lord in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him though He is not far from each one of us. Perhaps in saying that it means if they had sought Him before truly God would have made sure they would find Him that someone would preach to them or they would see a bible so He would not be far from them He is far only from those who never seeked at all so they need one to preach to them.

It is because they did not do good they do not know and they need one to preach to them so I think it could be important to preach to where it is never heard. And I also have heard everyone had chance to hear bible if they wanted it was preached in every place if they wanted the truth they could have found but they did not seek before in their life so they need someone to preach to them. So I learn now why it is so important to get gospel out to all who are lost who never sought the truth.

I can see clearly now God will for me which I was slow to see

 

[Saint Steven]

I thought I answered that before but maybe I was not clear to fully state in one post which I said in others. I think He died for all if He does not know what decision people will make but all they could make or if He knows what they will do He died for all who who He foreknew would come to Him even it seems to those who betray Him as they were made partakers.

So He did not choose anyone to hell they choose it as He offered to all the those He forknew would accept Him He chooses them predestines them while they choose that to obtain salvation. Those who did not ever hear gospel and do not have chance to hear gospel who seek truth I believe will have chance in world to come if they followed the law in their heart. They have a conscience to know right and wrong as Paul says their conscience accusing or excusing them. God knows they would have accepted it if it was preached they never had chance. God is able to test them to remove some of their memories and put them in a place as if on earth to see if they will believe what was done.

Maybe God did not call all to salvation now all He called to salvation now He would make sure such a place was preached to now. A person should preach because people are in danger if they don’t follow their conscience.

But I think it could be as I mentioned in below thread it could be people fault they never knew gospel because they never seeked before and they should have seeked earlier the truth and did good God would have made sure they find truth to put bible in ground somewhere as bible says God determined our boundaries in hope that they should seek the Lord in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him though He is not far from each one of us.

It is because they did not do good they do not know and they need one to preach to them so it could be important to preach to where it is never heard. And I also have heard everyone had chance to hear bible if they wanted it was preached in every place if they wanted the truth they could have found but they did not seek before in their life so they need someone to preach to them. So I learn now why it is so important to get gospel out to all who are lost who never sought the truth.


I can see clearly now God will for me which I was slow to see

You made some good points in your post. What do you make of this?

1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

 

[mikeforjesus]

It is because Adam sinned and we also inherited fallen nature that can not be prevented from sinning because we all sinned we all will die if not for Christ coming as we took Adam nature we must have Christ nature to be in Him so that we never die.

 

[Saint Steven]

It is because Adam sinned and we also inherited fallen nature that can not be prevented from sinning because we all sinned we all will die if not for Christ coming as we took Adam nature we must have Christ nature to be in Him so that we never die.

Take a look at that scripture again. It doesn't say anything about us, only about Adam and Christ. I should say, the only place "we" occur in that verse is the word "all". (in two places)

1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

 

[Fervent]

I think the real problem is taking the position that anyone who doesn't agree with your particular man-made doctrinal opinion is "creeping in" with "destructive heresies" and "blaspheming the truth". I think that does more damage than letting everyone have their own opinion without being labeled as a "blaspheming heretic".

That may be what you think, but it's not Biblical advice, such as Paul's words to Titus:
For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

Simply letting every opinion be out there unopposed is more harmful than timely rebuke. Not every position is valid, nor is every interpretation within the Christian fold. There are essential teachings that it is a basic duty to uphold, and a season for marking heretics for avoidance and expulsion from the assembly.

 

[mikeforjesus]

It says in Christ all will be made alive that is all who are in Christ will be made alive if they are truly in Christ which bible says those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. By faith such sins are crucified we must continue to live by faith. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit.

I think it is not fair that we don’t have free will so I don’t think we necessarily must sin but we inherit the consequences of his sin which is death because of our nature only the original sin is in us so I should say

It is because Adam sinned and we also inherited the fallen nature and the original sin consequences and because we all sinned we all will die if not for Christ coming as we took Adam nature we must have Christ nature to be in Him so that we never die

 

[mikeforjesus]

What do you mean? I know by faith a person is rooted in Christ to produce His fruits if it is alive and by faith a person has access to God and God hears him to grant what he asks. But such faith is proved by doing what he says so that God hears. He said if My words abide in you you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you. Living faith is therefore got by hearing and knowing Him and having relationship with God so that one can walk according to how God wants.

I don’t know what happened to omegas post above there was a post and above is my reply to him.

 

[Saint Steven]

It says in Christ all will be made alive that is all who are in Christ will be made alive if they are truly in Christ...

No, that's not what it says.

1 Corinthians 15:22 explained by Public Hermit

This is essentially a conditional statement.
It is upon the basis that all die in Adam that all also are made alive in Christ. Or better, if all had not died in Adam, then there would have been no need to make all (or any) alive in Christ.

If all died in Adam, then all are made alive in Christ.

The same set of people are being referenced in both the antecedent and the consequent. So, if "all" doesn't mean all in the consequent, then it doesn't mean all in the antecedent.

Modus tollens: If all are not made alive in Christ, then all did not die in Adam.

But, of course, all did die in Adam (according to the fans of eternal torment).

Therefore, all means all in both instances.

1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.