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I wonder if certain Protestant Traditions, the RCC and the EO might find some common ground in the understanding of salvation as “deification.” For example, II Peter 1:3-4 declares God’s intent in our salvation: it is that we “might be partakers of the divine...

This continues to be one of my favorite sites. I wanted to say thank you for all I have learned this past year. I look forward to what God has for us all in 2007. Peace and God's abundant grace to one and all.

First, let me express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has responded to questions, prayed, and offered advice and help. I think I first posted here last year or perhaps even two years ago. It has been a journey, and it continues, but many of you have contributed in very positive ways...

I will attempt to address several posts here briefly [I am rarely brief; all the posts here are excellent; thank you to one and all]. Please know that I know myself to be a sinner; I had/have many ups and downs. I do love Jesus. So, here goes: I cannot remember not believing in God [I had...

I continue to read, think and ponder. If you read all my posts, which I hope you do not (I would not wish that on any one), you might suspect I am a hopeless pagan. I am not. At least I don't think so. I simply no longer find any meaning, value or joy in the Protestant Tradition. So, I am sort...

During the past few months I have read several threads in this and other forums that remind me of how deceptive the human heart can be throughout our lives. why we experience such damaging consequences. our vanities and fears will not permit us to admit from the start what we really want - it...

How can someone establish the truth of freewill? Definition: no one can define the concept in such a way that everyone who believes in it will agree, much less in such a way that those who do not believe it in will agree. Even the dictionary definition has to say "within certain limitations."...

If I may be allowed a bit of leniency here I want to offer a perspective on the Puritans and then ask a few questions. The leniency is due to my desire to avoid a debate about the Puritans. One could, perhaps, select a different example. First, my perspective: I see the Puritan leadership...

What I say here is based on my experience, and I will be the first to admit that it may differ from that of everyone else. Feel free to share yours. That said. . . 1. I personally know of more women who cheated on their husbands than husbands who cheated on their wives. My point is that this...

What Calvin Said in the Commentary at James 2:23, second paragraph: "Why then does James say that it was fulfilled? Even because he intended to shew what sort of faith that was which justified Abraham; that is, that it was not idle or evanescent, but rendered him obedient to God, as also we...

A friend recommended that I read "Practing the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence years ago. I think it was one of the best books I have ever read for enriching one's spiritual life. I recently found a site that has the book available for download. http://www.practicegodspresence.com/ I...

I watched in disbelief yesterday as four Charismatic "theologians" discussed what I could only identify as a form of reconstructionism, or dominion theology as if they had suddenly discovered a new toy. It was an interesting application of God's covenant with Abraham. I guess I have been in...

"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law" Both Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18 seem to point to one of Paul's significant contributions to understanding what it means to belong to God in Christ...

Some who post in these forums speak of the canonicity of Scripture as if the NT did not have authority in the early Church until or apart from the conclusion of this process. This cannot have been the case. I wanted to post a few quotes concerning Irenaeus: "What the apostles had preached...

If we are to believe that the Scriptures were "determined by the Church" does this then also mean that (1) Scripture did not exist until so determined; (2) that Scripture would be ineffective in the life of believers apart from such a determination by the Church; and/or (3) that without such a...

In light of the writings passed off for centuries as from Paul's convert mentioned in Acts 17:34, Dionysius the Areopagite, how is it that one supports the claim that the one true Church believes what has been universally held by all through time? To put it another way, how does the history of...

There are those who say that "to lay down my life" in John 10 does not refer to Jesus' death. They point to I John 3:16 as proof - that since we are to lay down our lives for our brothers as Jesus did for us it cannot mean death as we are not asked to die for each other. Here was my response in...

In following several threads on Calvinism I began to notice certain lines of thought that sounded familiar. It took me a while, but I have begun to suspect that a few of those posting there either attended or have been influenced by Dallas Theological Seminary - dispensationalists and...

In the General Theological section there are several threads about Calvinism, Limitied Atonement, etc. and in reading through some of them I began to wonder how many attended Dallas Theological Seminary or have been influenced by DTS professors, books or DTS trained pastors. Do you mind sharing...

To avoid cluttering other threads, I will try to start another one for the specific purpose of discussiong John 4:66 and John 12:32. In these two passages Jesus is quoted as having used the word often translated "draw" or "drawn." While I think it is unsound to build a "doctrine" from one or...