The Bible - Man's Instruction Manual

[Bible Highlighter]

So because it is a favorite character of mine from the Hobbit movie and use her as my avatar, it's unbiblical? I have never claimed to be a woman. My profile says I am male. An avatar is just that, an avatar. I chose my favorite Elf maiden. I am not pretending to be her.

Now, if no one could not see my profile and read that I am male, you would have a point, but you don't.

I honestly thought you were female by your avatar, and I guess I am not the only one to think that way. Some people are visual. People look at pictures and think that is some representation of you. There are a lot of people who will not read your profile. So this sows confusion. Yet, God is not the author of confusion. But again, you are free to do as wish. Just know I do not feel it is biblically correct to show one thing, and that is not how things are under the hood. It would be like putting on a dress and looking like a female. Sure, your friends may know you are male, but not everyone knows. Sure, they may found out some other way, but not everyone knows by the initial appearance.

As for the Hobbit:

I cannot show you that watching popular fantasy films is not a part of God's kingdom. Only God can show you that. For I used to love my fantasy films like the Avengers, James Bond, and Star Trek. But the more I followed Christ, the more I started to detest the sinful things being pushed within them until I said.... “Enough.” For one will have to win out in the end. One's love for the Lord, and His good ways according to His Word, or the worldly movies that promote sin (that runs contrary to His kingdom).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Okay. Getting back on topic: I believe the Bible is an instruction manual. For the word “instruct“ appears 9 times in the King James Bible. The word “instructing” appears once. The word “instructed” appears 19 times. The word “instruction” appears 33 times. Many of these references (not all of them) talk about our instruction in God's good ways. So God's Word gives us instruction. Instructions merely tell us what to do. So the Bible is an instruction manual. For if it wasn't then the Bible would not tell us to do anything. But this is not the case. To say that the Bible is not an instruction manual is to not understand what the word “instruct” means or either that or a person is a Universalist who believes all will be saved in the end despite what anyone does in this life.

 

[Aussie Pete]

Lets say that a man cheats on his wife. Do you think she would be okay with him cheating on him as long as he just admits that he hates cheating on her? Do you think she would continue to let him to cheat on him as long as he admits that he hates it? No. She would eventually leave him if she was smart and not put up with his unfaithfulness. The same is true with God. For the body of believers is compared to being a bride to Christ. But if you think committing mortal sin is not going to keep a believer out of the kingdom, good luck with believing that. There are many Scriptures that refute this unbiblical teaching. Jesus warned against that just looking upon a woman in lust can cast one to be cast bodily into hell fire (Matthew 5:28-30). Not forgiving others can lead one to not being forgiven by the Father (Matthew 6:15). Paul says be not deceived, the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). The very last chapter of our Bible says, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Revelation 22:14-15).

Whatever.

 

[Isilwen]

I honestly thought you were female by your avatar, and I guess I am not the only one to think that way. Some people are visual. People look at pictures and think that is some representation of you. There are a lot of people who will not read your profile. So this sows confusion. Yet, God is not the author of confusion. But again, you are free to do as wish. Just know I do not feel it is biblically correct to show one thing, and that is not how things are under the hood. It would be like putting on a dress and looking like a female. Sure, your friends may know you are male, but not everyone knows. Sure, they may found out some other way, but not everyone knows by the initial appearance.

As for the Hobbit:

I cannot show you that watching popular fantasy films is not a part of God's kingdom. Only God can show you that. For I used to love my fantasy films like the Avengers, James Bond, and Star Trek. But the more I followed Christ, the more I started to detest the sinful things being pushed within them until I said.... “Enough.” For one will have to win out in the end. One's love for the Lord, and His good ways according to His Word, or the worldly movies that promote sin (that runs contrary to His kingdom).

I will agree to disagree.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I will agree to disagree.

You can agree to disagree all you like, friend. It does not change the reality of how myself and others have been misled to think you were a female based on your avatar. Again, listing in your profile that you are male does not matter. It would be like finding out later that you are male but at first they think you are female. For example: It would be like pretending to dress up and look like a female for a day to fool some guys, and then later you tell them you are a male. It's deception in my book. But again, you are free to do as you wish. I just do not feel it is correct.

 

[Isilwen]

You can agree to disagree all you like, friend. It does not change the reality of how myself and others have been misled to think you were a female based on your avatar. Again, listing in your profile that you are male does not matter. It would be like finding out later that you are male but at first they think you are female. For example: It would be like pretending to dress up and look like a female for a day to fool some guys, and then later you tell them you are a male. It's deception in my book. But again, you are free to do as you wish. I just do not feel it is correct.

It is not my problem if someone chooses not to look at my profile. The avatar is not there to deceive anyone and if someone just took 30 seconds and looked at my profile they could tell see that I am male. It is nothing like your example.

You and someone else are making assumptions based on an avatar. You know what they say about assumptions?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Whatever.

No offense, but I believe you say this because you do not know how to adequately explain the verses I put forth to you. Friend: You have to read the whole counsel of God's Word and not just those verses you prefer to see from your own slanted point of view or from one part of the Bible. One has to either ignore the verses I put forth, or they have to change or twist them (because they do not like what they say). We have to be able to harmonize all of God's Word.

Yes, we are saved by God's grace through faith without the deeds of the Law (Ephesians 2:8-9) (Romans 4:3-5) (Titus 3:5). That is one aspect of salvation. That is how we are initially and foundationally saved. But after we are saved by God's grace and or the gospel (i.e. Justification), we also need to (a) “Believe the truth,” and (b) enter the “Sanctification Process by the Spirit” as a part of salvation. How so? This is what the Bible says.

The gospel calls us to salvation by the Sanctification of the Spirit and a belief of the truth. First, pay special close attention to the words in red below. Second, then look at the dark blue words. Third, then read the dark blue words and the red and light blue words altogether as one sentence.

13 “...God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and
belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel,
to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).​

So the gospel calls us to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and a belief of the truth. That is what this passage says. Yes, the gospel also saves. But salvation does not end with the gospel. We stand upon the gospel of our salvation, but there are other aspects of salvation. They are...

#1. Sanctification of the Spirit
(Which is the Spirit working in us to live a holy life).
#2. Belief of the truth
(Belief in God's Word by faith - Learning doctrine, and the truths of Scripture).​

Well, that is if you believe this above passage.

In fact, even the context supports the conclusion that the “sanctification of the Spirit” is in reference to living holy. Verse 12 says,

“That they all might be damned who
believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:12).​

So.... those who
“believed not the truth” in verse 12 is an opposite contrast of
“belief of the truth” in verse 13.

And “pleasure in unrighteousness” in verse 12 is an opposite contrast of
“sanctification of the Spirit” in verse 13.

Verse 16 talks about having a good hope through grace.
And verse 17 talks about being established in every good word and work.

Verse 16 establishes the gospel in verse 14.
Verse 17 establishes a belief of the truth (which leads to speaking a good word from Scripture), and good work (sanctification of the Spirit) in verse 13.

Thus, verses 16-17 establishes the truth in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

It is not my problem if someone chooses not to look at my profile. The avatar is not there to deceive anyone and if someone just took 30 seconds and looked at my profile they could tell see that I am male. It is nothing like your example.

You and someone else are making assumptions based on an avatar. You know what they say about assumptions?

You expect people to be like you. They are not. Not everyone checks profiles. As I said before, not everyone looks at people's profiles. Some are new and they do not even know how, and or others are simply not interested in looking at people's profiles. So then in these instances, it is just too bad for them, right? It would be the same as a person not sticking around long enough to figure out a man masquerading as a woman was merely joking at the end of the day (by them later revealing that they are male). But if the people who left early did not know this, they would be left with the impression that the male was a female by their appearance.

 

[Isilwen]

You expect people to be like you. They are not. Not everyone checks profiles. As I said before, not everyone looks at people's profiles. Some are new and they do not even know how, and or others are simply not interested in looking at people's profiles. So then in these instances, it is just too bad for them, right? It would be the same as a person not sticking around long enough to figure out a man masquerading as a woman was merely joking at the end of the day (by them later revealing that they are male). But if the people who left early did not know this, they would be left with the impression that the male was a female by their appearance.

Still not my problem that someone else isn't doing their due diligence.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Still not my problem that someone else isn't doing their due diligence.

This is like saying a person should try and lift up a person's dress and or investigate them on the internet and or at home in order to figure out if they are truly male or female?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Still not my problem that someone else isn't doing their due diligence.

The Bible warns against being effeminate.

1 Corinthians 6:9 BLB says, “...neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,”

“A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 22:5) (NKJV).


Note:

Yes, I believe a person can appear to be effeminate online, and not just in person. However, both of these things is not an appropriate thing to do.

 

[Isilwen]

This is like saying a person should try and lift up a person's dress and or investigate them on the internet and or at home in order to figure out if they are truly male or female?

Hyperbole.

 

[Isilwen]

The Bible warns against being effeminate.

1 Corinthians 6:9 BLB says, “...neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,”

“A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 22:5) (NKJV).


Note:

Yes, I believe a person can appear to be effeminate online, and not just in person.

Yeah, no. I am hardly being effeminate.

Are you really that threatened by my avatar?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Hyperbole.

I don't see the difference. Again, not everyone is going to look at your profile, and you are essentially saying that is their problem because they are not either aware of how to check a profile or they are not the kind of person who is into checking profiles for every user all the time (or at all). So it's just too bad that some will be deceived that your avatar makes it appear like you are a woman. They have the problem. That doesn't sound right. As I said before, there are people who are new and they are not aware of any profile checking yet. They may not be that kind of person. You are saying that you simply don't care about these people and it's just too bad for them that they may think the wrong thing about you because they are not doing what you would do.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Yeah, no. I am hardly being effeminate.

Are you really that threatened by my avatar?

Yes, I find it highly offensive because I believe it goes against what the Bible teaches in regards to basic morality.

 

[Isilwen]

I don't see the difference. Again, not everyone is going to look at your profile, and you are essentially saying that is their problem because they are not either aware of how to check a profile or they are not the kind of person who is into checking profiles for ever user all the time (or at all). So it's just too bad that some will be deceived that your avatar makes it appear like you are a woman. They have the problem. That doesn't sound right. As I said before, there are people who are new and they are not aware of any profile checking yet. They may not be that kind of person. You are saying that you simply don't care about these people and it's just too bad for them that they may think the wrong thing about you because they are not doing what you would do.

Yes, it is too bad if they can not simply ask a simple question of, are you male or female.

It's not my problem.

 

[Isilwen]

Yes, I find it highly offensive because I believe it goes against what the Bible teaches in regards to basic morality.

Then this is on you for finding something as silly as am avatar which isn't supposed to be taken seriously anyway, offensive. I am not being immoral. As I can be asked and it is on my profile that I am male.

So, I suggest you learn to get over it. I am not changing my avatar.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Yes, it is too bad if they can not simply ask a simple question of, are you male or female.

It's not my problem.

How is that different than a male who dresses up so as to appear as a female?
This male can say the same thing. He could say “It's not my problem if you do not ask me if I am male or female.” But even besides that, to dress up as a woman is to be effeminate (of which the Bible strongly warns against doing). Do you think it is impossible to be effeminate online? Are things entirely different in the way we do things online vs. in person when it comes to the way we conduct ourselves?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Then this is on you for finding something as silly as am avatar which isn't supposed to be taken seriously anyway, offensive. I am not being immoral. As I can be asked and it is on my profile that I am male.

So, I suggest you learn to get over it. I am not changing my avatar.

You are free to do as wish. I cannot command you to do anything. Only God can reveal the truth to you on this if you are open to such a truth. Currently at this time, it does not seem like you are open to this truth within God's Word. But I would pray about it and seek His Word just in case you are wrong.

Note: When I say pray about it, do not just do a quick prayer and then quickly move on. Truly and deeply seek the truth with God's Word on the matter in the event that you may be wrong.

 

[Isilwen]

You are free to do as wish. I cannot command you to do anything. Only God can reveal the truth to you on this if you are open to such a truth. Currently at this time, it does not seem like you are open to this truth within God's Word. But I would pray about it and seek His Word just in case you are wrong.

Note: When I say pray about it, do not just do a quick prayer and then quickly move on. Truly and deeply seek the truth with God's Word on the matter in the event that you may be wrong.

Nope, not going to. Why? Because what I am doing is not sin. I am deceiving no one nor is that my intention. If someone is deceived that's their own fault because they took an avatar seriously when they shouldn't. It is an avatar of a female elf. I am not parading around that I am female and a quick look at my profile would show that I am male which anyone can do.

Your obsession with this is unhealthy!