GODS TEST

[Extraneous]

I was just meditating on the bread from heaven, and on Gods testing of people. These are scriptures i was considering.


Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”

And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’”

17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. 19 And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.”



2 Corinthians 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”



Acts 2:44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church[h] daily those who were being saved.

 

[Extraneous]

Edit, delete scripture

 

[Extraneous]

Perhaps i was a bit confusing with all the scripture i posted about the "day of the Lord", so allow me to edit the OP, and the second post as well, and erase the scripture about the "day of the Lord", and instead focus only on this test thing. Also to bump this thread again.

Don't you see the test that God seems to have in place? If we as a Church are divided, and seem to be missing something, maybe we could start here? What do you think of Gods test?

 

[WarriorAngel]

His biggest test....?

Teaching the Apostles what all things meant alone...
For 40 days after He rose from the dead - He stayed and taught.
Not one word was ever recorded in writing.
Yet they did precisely as He said - go out and preach.

Our test - if we would believe He set up one Church and gave one group of men authority on earth to 'do' as He instructed.
AND if mankind would follow those same instructions in all times.
Without dispute - without their own opinions.
But to just believe and follow as innocent children.

Do you think mankind has passed that test?

 

[Extraneous]

His biggest test....?

Teaching the Apostles what all things meant alone...
For 40 days after He rose from the dead - He stayed and taught.
Not one word was ever recorded in writing.
Yet they did precisely as He said - go out and preach.

Our test - if we would believe He set up one Church and gave one group of men authority on earth to 'do' as He instructed.
AND if mankind would follow those same instructions in all times.
Without dispute - without their own opinions.
But to just believe and follow as innocent children.

Do you think mankind has passed that test?

I dont know, im only focused on the scripture above. Im not wanting to debate, just get opinions, thank you for yours.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Tests are for one purpose - to see the strength of our faith.

 

[Extraneous]

Tests are for one purpose - to see the strength of our faith.

That's not what Paul is teaching in the scripture above, in my opinion, although that certainly can apply as well. I believe it may be about reaping and sowing. Paul teaches us to sow to the spirit, and walk in it. I believe this scripture is not about showing us our faith necessarily but is about abiding in Christ. I believe this scripture may be teaching us how to abide in Christ.

 

[WarriorAngel]

That's not what Paul is teaching in the scripture above, in my opinion, although that certainly can apply as well. I believe it may be about reaping and sowing. Paul teaches us to sow to the spirit, and walk in it. I believe this scripture is not about showing us our faith necessarily but is about abiding in Christ. I believe this scripture may be teaching us how to abide in Christ.

We abide by faith like a child.
A child doesnt question and analyze everything.
They just believe.

How many can abide in such faith...? Really do so without arguing against it?

 

[Extraneous]

We abide by faith like a child.
A child doesnt question and analyze everything.
They just believe.

How many can abide in such faith...? Really do so without arguing against it?

I believe abiding in Christ is about abiding in His commands. Walking by faith not sight is just one of those commands.

 

[Extraneous]

This scripture is interesting to me. It mentions entertaining strangers because we may be entertaining angels and not know it. It mentions being in prison as well. THe revelation 19 and Hebrews 13 scripture seem linked to me. And they are all linked to Mathew 25 as well. I believe this scripture can be understood with Mathew 25. These goats didn't entertain strangers as they should have, and they were actually entertaining the Lord Himself, but didn't know it. I also see Revelation 19, and i see the marriage bed mentioned in this Hebrews scripture as well. I see the marriage supper of the lamb too. THis revelation scripture says that these are the true sayings of Christ and that the testimony of Christ is the spirit of prophecy. I see things here but don't feel it wise to share them, so i'll just share the scripture instead.



Hebrews 13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”[a] 6 So we may boldly say:

“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”


Mathew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer Him,[d] saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”


Revelation 19:9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

 

[Extraneous]

Perhaps this scripture can shed a little more light on Gods test that is mentioned in the OP


Mathew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!


Isaiah 29:9 Pause and wonder!
Blind yourselves and be blind!
They are drunk, but not with wine;
They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.
10 For the Lord has poured out on you
The spirit of deep sleep,
And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets;
And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.

11 The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.”

And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”

12 Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.”

And he says, “I am not literate.”

13 Therefore the Lord said:

“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work
Among this people,
A marvelous work and a wonder;
For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”

 

[WarriorAngel]

I believe abiding in Christ is about abiding in His commands. Walking by faith not sight is just one of those commands.

Exactly.

But mankind has gone so very far away from the original precepts - there is just no real way to bring them back to the innocence of child like faith.
For many encounters of history show how men argued against the origin of His church and have removed themselves through their own 'knowledge' they felt they had, above that which was established.

 

[Extraneous]

Notice my last post. Note the heart mentioned in the the scriptures above. Notice also the spiritual blindness mentioned in both the scriptures above. Surely they are teaching the same thing. Where is the spirit of prophesy? See Revelation 19. Hebrews 13, and Mathew 25. See also Exodus 16, (the bread from heaven,) and 2 Corinthians 8, which teaches the same.


My last post:

http://www.christianforums.com/threads/gods-test.7938445/#post-69425265

 

[WarriorAngel]

Note the heart mentioned in the the scriptures above. Notice also the spiritual blindness mentioned in both the scriptures above. Surely they are teaching the same thing. Where is the spirit of prophesy? Revelation 19. Hebrews 13, and Mathew 25

Which came 1st?
The Apostles or the writings?

 

[Extraneous]

Its all a bit complex, although simple at the same time. Its well worth studying and meditating on all this scripture together, in my opinion. Take you time and absorb it.

 

[Extraneous]

Which came 1st?
The Apostles or the writings?

This isn't about the apostles. Its actually about the lack of them perhaps, if anything, but still its not about apostles.

 

[Extraneous]

Exactly.

But mankind has gone so very far away from the original precepts - there is just no real way to bring them back to the innocence of child like faith.
For many encounters of history show how men argued against the origin of His church and have removed themselves through their own 'knowledge' they felt they had, above that which was established.

Just to be fair and impartial in judgment here, let me say that your own Church moved away as well. Lets not make this an issue about denominations, but instead just focus on the scripture.