I think you misunderstand. It is not prophecy that I believe they were speaking of but reading the BIble through spirit and truth. Their are many spiritual concepts in the BIble.
Upvote
0
I think you misunderstand. It is not prophecy that I believe they were speaking of but reading the BIble through spirit and truth. Their are many spiritual concepts in the BIble.Nope. Our understanding comes through the congregation of God, aka "the Church." It was that way in the Old Covenant and it is that way in the New Covenant. God works through his community, not through Lone Rangers who get some sort of "revelation" which opposes centuries of established Christian belief that goes back to the Apostles.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Notice that the promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. Says nothing about the individual being immune from deception and deceit. And given the long history of heretics who have come and gone, we can see that this promise indeed is not to individuals.
1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
The Church is the pillar and ground of truth, not the individual. There is no promise to any individual in the world that he or she will be the pillar and ground of truth. In other words, the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church and not through the delusions of individuals.
The hundreds of differing doctrines of Protestantism, all claiming to be from the Holy Spirit and the Bible and all contradicting each other, is moot testimony to this fact.
I think you misunderstand. It is not prophecy that I believe they were speaking of but reading the BIble through spirit and truth. Their are many spiritual concepts in the BIble.
Well. Some denominations do not readily read the Bible and are fairly dependent on in their priests and leaders and tradition rather than the Bible.That still does not answer the question. If all the different Christian denominations swear that they are being led by the Spirit of God to understand the Bible correctly, how's come there are so many different doctrines and teachings? Is God schizophrenic?
I believe my reply was specific to your question about prophecy.That still does not answer the question. If all the different Christian denominations swear that they are being led by the Spirit of God to understand the Bible correctly, how's come there are so many different doctrines and teachings? Is God schizophrenic?
You might need to add to your conversion a definite time place and physical experience, which God has provided for you. We talk about being “Born again”, which comes from Nicodemus encounter with Christ (John 3 :1-21):
Being “born again” is what Jesus told Nicodemus he need to do. This requires some thinking, because Jesus does not address the questions or comments that are verbalized, but directs his comments to the persons next step in their personal spiritual development (what is on their heart spiritually). Jesus is not making some general philosophical statement (like Buddha might make) but is always addressing the audience He is talking to. We have to get into the context.
What did Nicodemus need to do next in his spiritual development?
What does Nicodemus need to be doing next? (study the Old Testament, become one of the followers of Jesus right then and there, Confess, repent, etc.)
The first thing Nicodemus might do at least is what he already knows he should do? Is that not where you would start? So what is that?
Since Nicodemus is still part of the Sanhedrin, he would not have been immersed baptized by John’s baptism. That would have got him thrown out of the Sanhedrin.
John’s baptism would have been a hot topic among the religious scholars, yet the answer was obvious and they all know it (remember Jesus using it against them and causing them to quit asking him questions?)
Jesus is not going to blare the answer out to Nicodemus, since Nicodemus knows the answer, but he will make Nicodemus think about it hard, since it would already be on his mind.
Christian water baptism as seen in scripture: Is always adult (there are only two examples that “might include infants” but nothing definite, all the others are adult believers) water immersion to be a physical outward representation of what had or is happening spiritually in the person being baptized. It is mainly to help the individual being baptized to better grasp what is going on, but it can “witness” to others observing the baptism. It has the elements of going down under the water (burying the old man), placing your dependence in another; the person baptizing you (surrendering your life to God), being washed (having your sins washed away), rising out of the water (rising from the dead), and stepping forth out onto the earth (a new person). The person is walking out into the hugs of his new family. It is also a sign of your humility, since it is a humbling act anyone can simple allow someone to do it to them (so not a work) and since humility has been shown in the accept of charity (God’s free gift of undeserving forgiveness) it should just support and add to the memory of that acceptance. To refuse Christian water baptism when it is readily available might mean you are not ready to handle other responsibility like having the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The Western “Christian” Churches are all over the board, but other countries experiencing sever persecution of Christians (Underground churches: China, Southeast Asia, some of India, Iran) are for as far as I can see consistently requiring adult believer immersion baptism. These churches are growing rapidly (estimated at 100 million in China).
Is the real problem with humility, since adult water baptism is a humbling act?
Is the problem with “witnessing” since baptism help other Christians remember what they went through?
The whole “argument” about the “one” baptism having to be “spiritual baptism” so we do not need to (or even shouldn’t) be water immersed is not supported by scriptural examples, since everyone that was “baptized” by the Holy Spirit seems to have also been water baptized.
In an effort to emphasis God’s unconditional (salvation), water baptism of believers has been avoided as a subject. People have “argued” that water baptism is a work and since “works” are not required for salvation, water baptism must be avoided. Most “Christian” religious groups “allow” immersion of believers if they want it.
The problem with this reasoning is adult believer immersion is not something you “do” (work), but is something you allow to be done to you. It is not something “done” as some requirement, but is something you get to do for your sake (to help you) and the sake of others.
Well. Some denominations do not readily read the Bible and are fairly dependent on in their priests and leaders and tradition rather than the Bible.
Some think the Bible is not all facts but parables and stories that teach concepts more than doctrine.
Some denominations are very works orientated, some are more into holy living.
You wold not have a Bible if it were not written from oral history. There was no Bible and New Testament when the Apostles were alive.
The Holy Spirit can only teach those who are willing to be taught. Those who feel they already know what it says and have strong opinions rarely hear. Because God rarely will go against someone's free-will if they are not willing to accept something.
I could go into more detail bit for the sake of my typing this on a cell phone screen with an itty bitty keyboard I am keeping it short.
Well. Some denominations do not readily read the Bible and are fairly dependent on in their priests and leaders and tradition rather than the Bible.
Some think the Bible is not all facts but parables and stories that teach concepts more than doctrine.
Some denominations are very works orientated, some are more into holy living.
The Holy Spirit can only teach those who are willing to be taught. Those who feel they already know what it says and have strong opinions rarely hear. Because God rarely will go against someone's free-will if they are not willing to accept something.
I could go into more detail bit for the sake of my typing this on a cell phone screen with an itty bitty keyboard I am keeping it short.
Nope. Our understanding comes through the congregation of God, aka "the Church." It was that way in the Old Covenant and it is that way in the New Covenant. God works through his community, not through Lone Rangers who get some sort of "revelation" which opposes centuries of established Christian belief that goes back to the Apostles.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Notice that the promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. Says nothing about the individual being immune from deception and deceit. And given the long history of heretics who have come and gone, we can see that this promise indeed is not to individuals.
1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
The Church is the pillar and ground of truth, not the individual. There is no promise to any individual in the world that he or she will be the pillar and ground of truth. In other words, the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church and not through the delusions of individuals.
The hundreds of differing doctrines of Protestantism, all claiming to be from the Holy Spirit and the Bible and all contradicting each other, is moot testimony to this fact.
That still does not answer the question. If all the different Christian denominations swear that they are being led by the Spirit of God to understand the Bible correctly, how's come there are so many different doctrines and teachings? Is God schizophrenic?
No, God is dealing with imperfect humans...we cannot fully know the mind of God....we understand imperfectly so that is why there are differences among humans.That still does not answer the question. If all the different Christian denominations swear that they are being led by the Spirit of God to understand the Bible correctly, how's come there are so many different doctrines and teachings? Is God schizophrenic?
What happened to the focus on CHRIST? He alone is all we need.To A true Catholic, the Holy Eucharist (Eucharist = thanksgiving) replaces the sacrifice of booth grain and animals. The whole heart of the Catholic Church is the Holy Eucharist and service (the Mass) is all about the Holy Eucharist. Jesus said that unless you eat of my flesh and drink my blood, you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Catholics believe that the Holy Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus (his death and resurrection that happens for all perpetuity. God is not limited by His creations. He is not confined to the time/space continuum as He created time and space. This is why God can appear everywhere at all times.
Salvation alone brings eternal life. We will be judged on what we do or don't do for the Lord after salvation.Salvation is by faith. No works are needed. But eternal life is not salvation. And Jesus says that at the Last Judgment, He will reward with eternal life those who have done good works (Matthew 25: 31-46, Romans 2: 5-10, John 5: 28-29, and Rev. 20: 12-14). So you are half right. Salvation is free and without works. Eternal life is dependent upon what we do.
Our mission on earth is to share in God's Heavenly Kingdom and a life with Him for all eternity. Adam and Eve sinned and they became separated from God and became slaves to sin. They suffered death and lost the right to eternal life.
A covenant is not only an agreement and contract with God, but it is making an oath to God. As God as also a partner in a covenant, what God agrees to, He cannot take back. God cannot go back on His word. If He did so He would commit a lie and God cannot go against Himself and His true nature. an example of a covenant is the Sacrament of marriage. It performed by 3 persons with the participation of Jesus, the bride and the groom. It is asking God to verify what you have taken an oath to.
Christianity was founded by Jesus, who was a Jew and with 12 Jews that we call Apostles. It is a Jewish faith that was made available to all humanity. It shares its history with the Israelites.
The Old Testament foreshadows the events of the New Testament. In the Old Testament Book, "Exodus", salvation is foreshadowed with the Israelites, after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites died of the old life of slavery in Egypt and given a new life of freedom. The men were circumcised as a symbol of accepting a new covenant with God.
The Old Testament was fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament. With Baptism (through Jesus), we become reconciled to the Father and die from the old life of slavery of sin. We become new creature and given a new eternal life. Baptism is to the new perfected covenant what circumcision was in the Old Testament.
A "born again Christian" is one who accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior and repents of his/her sins and becomes reborn by entering a new covenant by the Sacrament of Baptism.
A Sacrament is an act or ritual that was performed with Jesus presence while He was on earth. By taking part in these events, Sacraments were instituted.
God is not schizophrenic, we are all created to fit in his body for different purposes. The multitude of denominations is, in part, due to the different needs of the body. Cells of the liver do no gather in organs of the lungs. They would be regarded as intruders. Consider congregations and denominations as different organs of Christ's body. Because each organ has different purposes, those in the other organs need to be reminded that the body of Christ needs these different organs. As Paul said, if the whole body were an eye, where then is the hearing? I know he spoke of individuals being different in a single congregation, but it also makes sense to me that congregations would differ for the same reason. The liver is not made up one cell, but thousands.It is mankind that is schizophrenic, God gives understand to those who listen.
The problem with that is that Jesus fulfilled the law, which is the 10 commandments.All 613 commandments have been reduced to 10. The commandments are a doctrine, not a suggestion. They are for us instructions for living with God (1st 3) and living with people. In following the last 7, we also serve God because God is offended when we are not charitable towards each other. (True charity is giving from the heart and not for a tax write offs). One who says they are a Christian and does not live as a Christian (live the Bible's teachings) are Ant-Christ. It is in some of the Epistles.
No, God is dealing with imperfect humans...we cannot fully know the mind of God....we understand imperfectly so that is why there are differences among humans.
Salvation alone brings eternal life. We will be judged on what we do or don't do for the Lord after salvation.
God is not schizophrenic, we are all created to fit in his body for different purposes. The multitude of denominations is, in part, due to the different needs of the body. Cells of the liver do no gather in organs of the lungs. They would be regarded as intruders. Consider congregations and denominations as different organs of Christ's body. Because each organ has different purposes, those in the other organs need to be reminded that the body of Christ needs these different organs. As Paul said, if the whole body were an eye, where then is the hearing? I know he spoke of individuals being different in a single congregation, but it also makes sense to me that congregations would differ for the same reason. The liver is not made up one cell, but thousands.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?