What is Faith?

[strangertoo]

Please don't think I'm anti-semetic, I'm not.

I don't ... but you did copy some anti-Semitic teachings and there is no doubt I think that the Messiah is Semitic... sent to re-unite Israel's still-divided two nations into a nation of priests and kings for Jesus' kingdom -but not in this world :-

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world

but it is on earth , not in heaven, whatever that could mean that some say:-

Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

So Israel will rule the gentiles in the salvation of the masses [Rev 7:9-10]
as prophesied long ago [Exodus 19:6 is the earliest in bible scripture I think]

This has never pleased the gentiles for some reason... but it is not up to them.... God did not choose Israel to be His kings and priests under Jesus for their sake, but simply because He had to name someone for sake of proving to all His power of prophecy... Israel simply are an ideal rebellious tiny insignificant nation for God to show His power of Love over any man, so men can believe He is capable of saving anyone ... it is hardly something for gentiles to get jealous about , but there has been much misunderstanding of the word 'chosen' ... their only special property is how rebellious and proud they are, hardly something to be envious of...

I don't find my ancestral myths all that accurate either.

is that where they come from... matters not, the God of Israel is the God of all men , Israel are just the ones He uses as priests and kings for the demo, the kingdom where only Love is allowed , which saves countless many [billions] of all nations [Rev 7:9-10] [- as detailed throughout scripture, not just in Jesus' revelation...]

I'm anti error. I'm pro love. John says that God is love and in Him there is no darkness at all. I concur with that, through experience with Him.

as we know the scripture has all been edited in places [all supposed 'copies' vary in places] one cannot avoid errors in trusting any written word ... God doesn't , so why should we? ... God will baptise all flesh to know all Truth [Joel 2:28, John 16:13] beginning in this world with his kings and priests [Heb 8:8-12, Jer 31:31-34] whom He obviously requires first , to establish the kingdom of perfect Love under Jesus' rule before resurrecting Satan and the billions of sinners of this earth , freed from sin by death [Rom 6:7] so God able to finally teach His Truth to all men [Joel 2:28, John 16:13] ... so for many that is the first time there can be no errors, they were always sinners in this life, never knew Jesus or God :-

1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
...
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

John indeed has quite an awesome of expressing what the spirit gives , one cannot but admire his gift...

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
...
1 John 4:16 ... God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Now I don't care if a myth is Jewish, Indian, Roman or Greek. If it has a "prophet" ordering the deaths of innocents because they "believe in the wrong god", and all of the nations I named do, then it's a made up piece of crap.

God's criterion He makes clear ... His 'pleasure' is that all be saved [from sinning] and He WILL do all His pleasure, none can stop Him... bu as many have pointed out , man has to choose to Love FREELY , which means God's task He sets Himself is to persuade men to try Love so that they see God is right, that it is by far the best way of Life for everyone, no exceptions...
since God gives life in the first place and in the end translates everyone free of life and death ['life' in the spirit is not even remotely like physical life, the spirit does not change, has no time or space, no matter , no Physics... no beginning or end... perfect, but almost impossible to describe because we have not the words or experience to understand with]

Love then is essentially determined by God's prescribed goal for this creation [of endless creations which begin and end] ... so death doesn't enter the equation really, it's just the way God 'queues up' men for the kingdom and frees them from sin to start again to be persuaded [or not] to Love... God then removes those who Love by translation to spirit freeing them from further death and the whole thing repeats with fewer sinners...
ad I guess in principle it goes one until all sinners are saved from sin, but in fact Jesus reveals that it only takes the most evil men and Satan three lives in which to see God was right and choose Love... God's method is subtle in that He removes the easy prey for evil men first... so the evil end up making life hard for each other and see they are not winning the long term game... makes it very efficient , just the three iterations... and its a power process, the first ones [of Israel]used as priests and kings to convince the next batch in the perfect kingdom of Love the kings build up whilst the many sleep in death with Satan for a thousand years...

Now, people do mental calisthenics trying to explain how the writings aren't wrong, and how "Gods ways are not our ways", or "He had to do it that way because (X) ". That's not only an intellectual cop out, but a spiritual one also.

Well indeed it can be, but equally consider that God was obliged to save Israel from being wiped out , and the death of those in the way of that was of no consequence because God would restore their lives in the kingdom soon enough... what He could not do is convince them, or anyone who knew ,or knows, of the longer-term plan... and folks [understandably?] say that God won't accept men killing men for selfish gain [true] so why should God allow death of Israel's opponents who want to exterminate them [have done throughout Israel's history for any number of reasons] and God's answer simply that He had to nominate someone for sake of prophecy ,because prophecy shows His power above time and life and death to men who think in terms of time and life and death... it's hard I guess if one's nation is on the receiving end , opposing God's Plan without even knowing it , but equally God will do things the way He has said because eventually it matters that He does...it is a proof to sceptical men who are harder to convince than many... and of course it is not up for discussion , God defines what is right, not men's rather petty individual 'morality' hang-ups ,all different !... there's little point in judging God as He judges men , because men think mostly in terms of themselves, their family, their nation, their group, but God takes into account the salvation of the whole creation and the whole of time... not that we can't listen to what He tells us, all truth, if we stop sinning, anyone can , just that few are ready yet to stop sinning and Love... but Israel is no closed shop, very few join it, but some do , and God recognises that throughout the words of the saints and prophets...

The simplest explanation is the correct one.

Proverbs 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

The writings are wrong.

All writings are subject to many types of flaw... alterations, mistranslations, typos in copying, changes in meaning of language with time, misunderstandings and ambiguities, ... Jesus never had anything written down in his ministry on earth :-

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

PURE ABSOLUTE Truth from God Himself , promised to Israel's descendants for now [Jer 31:34, Heb 8:8-11] , eventually to all men -Joel 2:28 ... surely worth waiting for if one has a little patience and faith enough in these words... most have not , but that hardly matters ...one cannot make folks have faith in Love, faith in God from Love... but what is Love, it's only the fact that we all are one because we are of the spirit which is ONE ... if we had faith in that we come from endlessness [matters not how] the we should have faith in our endlessness and know death matters not at all, only being ONE like the endlessness, undivided, ...being ONE is Love, how to know God, how to know all Truth... then the morality of Love as Oneness of all is vastly more than the rather bizarre individual moralities of diverse kinds of individuals... put another way , God judges us by His criterion of everything and more [creations endlessly beyond this] , what point our even trying to judge God by our pathetic local criteria? ... God's only commitment to us is that we shall be pleased in the end , that His Love delivers peace, happiness, freedom from conflict of mind, end of suffering, equality, justice, and so forth ...if we look clearly we shall see that things are only wrong now because of us ... our failure to choose Love...

They were written by people who were still using flint knives, trying to justify their butchery by telling their gullible followers "The God of (X) told me you have to kill these people". Like God isn't powerful enough to tell each soldier individually.

I think it's the other way around , God's message was too powerful and Israel were still very much almost all still sinners ... unable even to keep to a list of things even to save their souls ... God often killed them speaking to them because they , like most today, did not even face their own inner shame of being unloving... [ I know this only too well, my own complacency nearly killed me in spirit baptism, I had no idea of all my sin as God sees things and was far from ready to repent it all when I called on God in deepest meditation... I have never felt so ill, was at death's door for three days afterward scarcely able to move ]

If you want a scriptural reference, John 10:8 is all I need.

you need to read quite a lot of scripture before you can understand who the sheep are...

Jeremiah 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep...

 

[Soulgazer]

I don't ... but you did copy some anti-semitic teachings and there is no doubt I think that the Messiah is Semitic... sent to re-unite Israel's still-divided two nations into a nation of pruiests and kings for Jesus' kingdom -but not in this world :-

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world

but it is on earth , not in heaven, whatever that could mean that some say:-

Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

So Israel will rule the gentiles in the salvation of the masses [Rev 7:9-10]
as prophesied long ago [Exodus 19:6 is the earliest in bible scripture I think]

This has never pleased the gentiles for some reason... but it is not up to them.... God did not choose Israel to be His kings and priests under Jesus for their sake, but simply because He had to name someone for sake of proving to all His power of prophecy... Israel simply are an ideal rebellious tiny insignificant nation for God to show His power of Love over any man, so men can believe He is capable of saving anyone ... it is hardly something for gentiles to get jealous about , but there has been much misunderstanding of the word 'chosen' ... their only special property is how rebellious and proud they are, hardly something to be envious of...



is that where they come from... matters not, the God of Israel is the God of all men , Israel are just the ones He uses as priests and kings for the demo, teh kingdom where only Love is allowed , which saves countless many [billions] of all nations [Rev 7:9-10] [- as detailed throughout scripture, not just in Jesus' revelation...]



as we know the scripture has all been edited in places [all supposed 'copies' vary in places] one cannot avoid errors in trusting any written word ... God doesn't , so why should we? ... God will baptise all flesh to know all Truth [Joel 2:28, John 16:13] beginning in this world with his kings and priests [Heb 8:8-12, Jer 31:31-34] whom He obviously requires first , to establish the kingdom of perfect Love under Jesus' rule before resurrecting Satan and the billions of sinners of this earth , freed from sin by death [Rom 6:7] so God able to finally teach His Truth to all men [Joel 2:28, John 16:13] ... so for many that is the first time there can be no erors, they were always sinners in this life, never knew Jesus or God :-

1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
...
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

John indeed has quite an awesome of expressing what the spirit gives , one cannot but admire his gift...

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
...
1 John 4:16 ... God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.



God's criterion He makes clear ... His 'pleasure' is that all be saved [from sinning] and He WILL do all His pleasure, none can stop Him... bu as many have pointed out , man has to choose to Love FREELY , which means God's task He sets Himself is to persuade men to try Love so that they see God is right, that it is by far the best way of Life for everyone, no exceptions...
since God gives life in the first place and in the end translates everyone free of life and death ['life' in the spirit is not even remotely like physical life, the spirit does not change, has no time or space, no matter , no Physics... no beginning or end... perfect, but almost impossible to describe because we have not the words or experience to understand with]

Love then is essentially determined by God's prescribed goal for this creation [of endless creations which begin and end] ... so death doesn't enter the equation really, it's just the way God 'queues up' men for the kingdom and frees them from sin to start again to be persuaded [or not] to Love... God then removes those who Love by translation to spirit freeing them from further death and the whole thing repeats with fewer sinners...
ad I guess in principle it goes one until all sinners are saved from sin, but in fact Jesus reveals that it only takes the most evil men and Satan three lives in which to see God was right and choose Love... God's method is subtle in that He removes the easy prey for evil men first... so the evil end up making life hard for each other and see they are not winning the long term game... makes it very efficient , just the three iterations... and its a power process, the first ones [of Israel]used as priests and kings to convince the next batch in the perfect kingdom of Love the kings build up whilst the many sleep in death with Satan for a thousand years...



Well indeed it can be, but equally consider that God was obliged to save Israel from being wiped out , and the death of those in the way of that was of no consequence because God would restre their lives in the kingdom soon enough... what He could not do is convince them, or anyone who knew ,or knows, of the longer-term plan... and folks [understandably?] say that God won't accept men killing men for selfish gain [true] so why should God allow death of Israel's opponents who want to exterminate them [have done throughout Israel's history for any number of reasons] and God's answer simply that He had to nominate someone for sake of prophecy ,because prophecy shows His power above time and life and death to men who think in terms of time and life and death... it's hard I guess if one's nation is on the receiving end , opposing God's Plan without even knowing it , but equally God will do things the way He has said because eventually it matters that He does...it is a proof to sceptical men who are harder to convince than many... and of course it is not up for discussion , God defines what is right, not men's rather petty individual 'morality' hang-ups ,all different !... there's little point in judging God as He judges men , because men think mostly in terms of themselves, their family, their nation, their group, but God takes into account the salvation of the whole creation and the whole of time... not that we can't listen to what He tells us, all truth, if we stop sinning, anyone can , just that few are raedy yet to stop sinning and Love... but Israel is no closed shop, very few join it, but some do , and God recognises that throughout the words of the saints and prophets...


Proverbs 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?



All writings are subject to many types of flaw... alterations, mistranslations, typos in copying, changes in meaning of language with time, misunderstandings and ambiguities, ... Jesus never had anything written down in his ministry on earth :-

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

PURE ABSOUTE Truth from God Himself , promised to Israel's descendants for now [Jer 31:34, Heb 8:8-11] , eventually to all men -Joel 2:28 ... surely worth waiting for if one has a little patience and faith enough in these words... most have not , but that hardly matters ...one cannot make folsk have faith in Love, faith in God from Love... but what is Love, it's only the fact that we all are one because we are of the spirit which is ONE ... if we had faith in that we come from endlessness [matters not how] the we should have faith in our endlessness and knw death matters not at all, only being ONE like the endlessness, undivided, ...being ONE is Love, how to know God, how to know all Truth... then the morality of Love as Oneness of all is vastly more than the rather bizarre individual moralities of diverse kinds of individuals... put another way , God judges us by His criterion of everything and more [creations endlessly beyond this] , what point our even trying to judge God by our pathetic local criteria? ... God's only commitment to us is that we shall be pleased in the end , that His Love delivers peace, happiness, freedom from conflict of mind, end of suffering, equality, justice, and so forth ...if we look clearly we shall see that things are only wrong now because of us ... our failure to choose Love...



I think it's the other way around , God's message was too powerful and Israel were still very much almost all still sinners ... unable even to keep to a list of things even to save their souls ... God often killed them speaking to them because they , like most today, did not even face their own inner shame of being unloving... [ I know this only too well, my own complacency nearly killed me in spirit baptism, I had no idea of all my sin as God sees things and was far from ready to repent it all when I called on God in deepest meditation... I have never felt so ill, was at death's door for three days afterward scarcely able to move ]

you need to read quite a lot of scripture before you can understand who the sheep are...

Jeremiah 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep...

Jesus made it clear that the sheep hear His voice. I hear it. I'm sure you do too. Sheep don't kill. Goats will though.

God didn't need Israel preserved. He could raise sons of Abraham from the very stones. If Israel had been wiped out, the Messiah would still have been born. Lot's of places were expecting Him.


Understand that the Parable of the sheep is finishing the parable started in Enoch.

And He called seventy shepherds,(Hirelings!) and cast those sheep to them that they might pasture them, and He spake to the shepherds and their companions: ' Let each individual of you pasture the sheep 60 henceforward, and everything that I shall command you that do ye. <>

(and to His recorder He said)
And every excess and the destruction which will be wrought through the shepherds, record (namely) how many they destroy according to my command, and how many according to their own caprice: record against every individual shepherd all the destruction he 63 effects. (and I ask, is it not recorded?)

Well is it recorded that Jesus finished it by saying:


[7] Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
[8] All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
[9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
[10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
[11] I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Mainstream Christians seem not to see "ALL"... But there it is. Or if they do see it, they try to come up with reasons why "ALL" does not mean "ALL".

I can extrapolate just from these meager verses, that many were the "chosen" that "chose" to conquer because they were wishing to build an empire. Where is the difference between an Israelite who commits genocide, and a German who commits genocide? One got away with it, and one didn't. Killing in the name of God is as heinous a blasphemy as ever was. If you win, you get the victors tradition of saying God was on your side. It doesn't make it true.

 

[strangertoo]

Jesus made it clear that the sheep hear His voice. I hear it. I'm sure you do too. Sheep don't kill. Goats will though.

I don't see any justification in scripture for taking the poetic language that literally, but plenty that shows God fighting for Israel sometimes, at others requiring them to kill for His purpose in them... which is not fulfilled in those who do the killing, but in saints descended from them who would kill no-one but who would not exist if Israel were wiped out ...

God didn't need Israel preserved. He could raise sons of Abraham from the very stones.

again, the stones are the saints , most are the lost House of Israel , some are Jews.... and this passage if you read it all , is only pointing out that most Jews are not gonna be saved at Jesus' return ,but others who are not there, notably saints of the House of Israel whom most Jews rejected [and still do] are in fact sons of Abraham...

If Israel had been wiped out, the Messiah would still have been born.

that seems unlikely since he is of the tribe of Judah... and no Messiah , anointed king of Israel could not be of Israel...

Lot's of places were expecting Him.

and indeed the number of antichrists is great indeed ... there are many religions with similar figures ... but Jesus' followers could scarcely be called a religion for long ... about two thousand only alive at any one time on average, the early rapid growth declined after Jesus' death and even more dramatically when Rome razed the seven churches of God to the ground , never to be rebuilt or to have congregations of saints ever again...

Paul's churches of mostly gentile sinners were easily taken over by Rome for the emperor's paganised religion usurping the name of Christ but with no other connection with Hebrew Christian saints of Jesus Messiah of Israel....

the saints scattered worldwide never to form a substantial congregation ever again because of the work set them by Jesus taking them worldwide looking for the descendants of the lost House of Israel, the next generation of saints mixed with the gentiles, living as gentiles, not even knowing they are of Israel originally... its all documented in scripture , including the promises that God will send the messiah to re-unite Israel as the kings and priests of the kingdom come in the new earth where billions of the gentiles are saved ...

Understand that the Parable of the sheep is finishing the parable started in Enoch.

And He called seventy shepherds,(Hirelings!) and cast those sheep to them that they might pasture them, and He spake to the shepherds and their companions: ' Let each individual of you pasture the sheep 60 henceforward, and everything that I shall command you that do ye. <>

(and to His recorder He said)
And every excess and the destruction which will be wrought through the shepherds, record (namely) how many they destroy according to my command, and how many according to their own caprice: record against every individual shepherd all the destruction he 63 effects. (and I ask, is it not recorded?)

Well is it recorded that Jesus finished it by saying:


[7] Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
[8] All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
[9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
[10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
[11] I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Mainstream Christians seem not to see "ALL"... But there it is. Or if they do see it, they try to come up with reasons why "ALL" does not mean "ALL".

I should not concern yourself with what 'mainstream Christian sinners ' say , Jesus points out that they all serve Satan as indeed do many of the saints...

but it doesn't change the fact that the 'sheep' are all saints of Israel , descendants of Jacob , albeit most do not know it and think they are gentiles...

I can extrapolate just from these meager verses, that many were the "chosen" that "chose" to conquer because they were wishing to build an empire.

Well God has said Israel will penetrate and dominate in every government in the world and in fact the final antichrist has to be of the tribe of Judah to be accepted by almost all Jews as the Messiah , as Jesus points out he will be... must be ...the world submits to him at lightning speed partly because of the 'neo-Zionism' we see as a dominant faction in every government worldwide already... but only some 300 Jews alive today are saints... it makes no odds that vast numbers of Jews claim to be chosen who are some the greatest sinners of this world , world bankers who have 'stolen legally' trillions from everyone worldwide by altering laws so that they can craete money from nothing at will and strangle the money supply to bleed the poor and convert their worthless tokens into real property in engineered world depressions... no-one can stop this now, but God warned of it millennia ago... it is not the fault of Jewish saints or any other saint of the House of Israel and these are the ONLY one's God has chosen to be kings and priests of the kingdom come of Jesus rule... but the kingdom is set up specifically to save the many , things change dramatically after the many and this earth and heavens are destroyed... but since almost all men are saved by the ministry of the few saints of Israel, it would be foolish indeed to tar them with the same brush as the mass of sinners of Israel, the majority, because of the acts and claims of the majority and the state of Israel...

Where is the difference between an Israelite who commits genocide, and a German who commits genocide? One got away with it, and one didn't. Killing in the name of God is as heinous a blasphemy as ever was. If you win, you get the victors tradition of saying God was on your side. It doesn't make it true.

but it doesn't make it false either ... rather the scripture suggests it is true because God can and will restore all life at a time when the majority are saved , so what matters if He elects to kill some people in order to preserve those who will fulfil His prophecies , which in turn will convince some people to Love later on... because God shows He knows the future...
God gives life and takes it away, it is what God does... if a man does it , like Hitler, then it is evil because of why he did it... if God does it then it is for the eventual good of all, and if He chooses to use Israel to do the killing then that is His choice to do so or not ...

Yo may like to doubt it with scepticism, but this is what is written... you have proved it neither way ... we all will know the Truth one day and it hardly helps you understand that I say what is revealed to me... but perhaps you do believe that you will know for sure one day... not sure what else I can say to you on that one... but God really has the right to kill whole nations if He thinks it best for all in the end... and if some men lie about God being on their side [as USA does regularly for instance] then that too will come to light eventually... no-one gets away with anything in the end , all have to face what they did ...we don't need to judge now because we cannot until spirit baptism [and afterward we choose not to because God will do it in due course or set a saint or Jesus to the task]... rather we have our own salvation to work out fairly soon , we are almost to the time when saints can help no-one else any longer in this earth... the NWO is clearly the foreshadowing of the power of the final antichrist , the neo-Zionists already flexing their muscles destroyed the Constitutional rights of USA citizens which cost so many lives to establish and yet disappeared overnight with scarcely a murmur...

but I am wondering how you will come to terms with God's destroying of billions of people in the end of this earth... mundicide

 

[Soulgazer]

but I am wondering how you will come to terms with God's destroying of billions of people in the end of this earth... mundicide

That billions of people will die, however the end comes, there is no doubt. One at a time or all at once, the outcome is the same.

Consider an alternative. Right now, this very century, the "Y" Chromosome is disappearing from the human genome with every generation. This means that with each succeeding birth, there will be more females, and fewer males born, till there are none at all.

Technologically, women could keep going by splicing egg cells....which would make every birth a "virgin" birth. Of a female. If they chose not to just let the race die out.


There has been the Time of the Father, and the time of the Son. Perhaps to complete the circle there will be a time of the Mother and the Daughter.


"Prophesies" have a strange way of being fulfilled in unexpected ways. When everybody was looking right, Jesus came in from the left.

Just Sayin'.

As for the rest, I don't have to disprove anything. I've had my own revelation. I've come to terms with it in the only way it is possible. For me.

One does not choose to become a Gnostic. No one one of any intelligence would--- and they say mine is off the charts.

Consider how many times we get spit on---how many of us were burned at the stake, locked up and tortured. By people we still call "brother". When two Gnostics get together, even if we have never met....we have the same teaching. We didn't get it from books. We didn't choose it. It chose us.

So back to the question, "what is faith?". Again I say, it is trust. I have trust in the God of Love. I do not have trust in the "prophets". Nor do I believe there really were, or are such men. The God of Love may have fulfilled the part about sending a Son, taking the wind out of the false god, but being God, and a LOVING God, that gives Him the right. So no, I don't put faith in writings, even for a second. I have faith, or trust, that God, the TRUE God, will work things out in a loving peaceful manner, even if the end appears anything but.

 

[Phantasman]

That billions of people will die, however the end comes, there is no doubt. One at a time or all at once, the outcome is the same.

Consider an alternative. Right now, this very century, the "Y" Chromosome is disappearing from the human genome with every generation. This means that with each succeeding birth, there will be more females, and fewer males born, till there are none at all.

Technologically, women could keep going by splicing egg cells....which would make every birth a "virgin" birth. Of a female. If they chose not to just let the race die out.


There has been the Time of the Father, and the time of the Son. Perhaps to complete the circle there will be a time of the Mother and the Daughter.


"Prophesies" have a strange way of being fulfilled in unexpected ways. When everybody was looking right, Jesus came in from the left.

Just Sayin'.

As for the rest, I don't have to disprove anything. I've had my own revelation. I've come to terms with it in the only way it is possible. For me.

One does not choose to become a Gnostic. No one one of any intelligence would--- and they say mine is off the charts.

Consider how many times we get spit on---how many of us were burned at the stake, locked up and tortured. By people we still call "brother". When two Gnostics get together, even if we have never met....we have the same teaching. We didn't get it from books. We didn't choose it. It chose us.

So back to the question, "what is faith?". Again I say, it is trust. I have trust in the God of Love. I do not have trust in the "prophets". Nor do I believe there really were, or are such men. The God of Love may have fulfilled the part about sending a Son, taking the wind out of the false god, but being God, and a LOVING God, that gives Him the right. So no, I don't put faith in writings, even for a second. I have faith, or trust, that God, the TRUE God, will work things out in a loving peaceful manner, even if the end appears anything but.

Well orchestrated, SG.

I believe this is an echo of my heart and spirit as well.

 

[he-man]

Well orchestrated, SG. I believe this is an echo of my heart and spirit as well.

Matthew 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. let no man deceive you:

Mt 13:28 He said to them, a man1, an enemy has done this thing. And the servants said to him, Do you wish then that we go and gather2 them up?
1* Greek &#945;&#957;&#952;&#961;&#969;&#960;&#959;&#962; man

2* Greek &#963;&#965;&#955;&#955;&#941;&#947;&#969; gather, collect

Deu 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Accuser &#1502;&#1488;&#1513;&#1497;&#1501;, lashan', in Iliph. "accuse," Prov. xxx, 10; and other terms signifying to slander ; more properly denoted by some form of the verb 2"1 "!, rib, to plead a cause, also in defence ; Sept. and N. T. (Judg. xii, 2; Matt, v, 25; Luke xii, 58).
The word is also applied in Scripture, in the general sense, to any adversary or enemy (Luke xviii, 3 ; 1 Pet. v, 8).
SOURCE: (Lewis, Origines Hebram, i, 68) CYCLOPAEDIA OF BIBICAL LITERATURE BY JAMES STRONG AUTHOR OF STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE

1Sa 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
Job 5:18 For He maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Psa 68:20 Our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

 

[gord44]

Well orchestrated, SG.

I believe this is an echo of my heart and spirit as well.

Agreed!

 

[Phantasman]

Matthew 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. let no man deceive you:

Mt 13:28 He said to them, a man1, an enemy has done this thing. And the servants said to him, Do you wish then that we go and gather2 them up?
1* Greek &#945;&#957;&#952;&#961;&#969;&#960;&#959;&#962; man

2* Greek &#963;&#965;&#955;&#955;&#941;&#947;&#969; gather, collect

Deu 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Accuser &#1502;&#1488;&#1513;&#1497;&#1501;, lashan', in Iliph. "accuse," Prov. xxx, 10; and other terms signifying to slander ; more properly denoted by some form of the verb 2"1 "!, rib, to plead a cause, also in defence ; Sept. and N. T. (Judg. xii, 2; Matt, v, 25; Luke xii, 58).
The word is also applied in Scripture, in the general sense, to any adversary or enemy (Luke xviii, 3 ; 1 Pet. v, 8).
SOURCE: (Lewis, Origines Hebram, i, 68) CYCLOPAEDIA OF BIBICAL LITERATURE BY JAMES STRONG AUTHOR OF STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE

1Sa 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
Job 5:18 For He maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Psa 68:20 Our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

And again my small message (compared to yours) will simply reply:

Shouting Biblical lines will not save anyone or show them truth. Church leaders have done this for centuries, even better than you, able to memorize scripture passages from reading over and over, bringing people to an alter through guilt and fear. And these same leaders are the ones we see year after year committing heinous crimes and sins against young children (sex), women (adultery) and men (illegal wealth building).

The Muslims murder people in the name of God. The Christians in Ireland did the same thing, as well as the Crusades. People on this very forum anger each other over their beliefs. If you truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God, you would read every word he spoke to gain all the knowledge you could about why he was here. The real truth. If you want to believe the Hebrews (who are still looking for the Messiah) then follow them. Live their laws, and refer to their books. If you don't believe outside of the books of the Bible, it's not because God told you so, it's because man told you so.

The problem with religion is it does not tell the truth and it does not project the love Jesus spoke of, as is evident in my opening remarks. It is because of ignorance. I was there for 35 years. I went to over 10 different churches and learned their doctrines and studied others. I am not a new convert. I knew D James Kennedy and was part of his ministry.

Nothing wakes up the soul and spirit like a message from God, and it's hard to deny when one feels it's from God. But how would one know, if they live in a box controlled by men, afraid to venture out? It means they do not trust the Holy Spirit to show them truth.

 

[he-man]

And again my small message (compared to yours) will simply reply:
Shouting Biblical lines will not save anyone or show them truth.

And what is your scripture source?
let no man deceive you:

Mt 13:28 He said to them, a man1, an enemy has done this thing. And the servants said to him, Do you wish then that we go and gather2 them up?
1* Greek &#945;&#957;&#952;&#961;&#969;&#960;&#959;&#962; man

2* Greek &#963;&#965;&#955;&#955;&#941;&#947;&#969; gather, collect

Deu 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Accuser &#1502;&#1488;&#1513;&#1497;&#1501;, lashan', in Iliph. "accuse," Prov. xxx, 10; and other terms signifying to slander ; more properly denoted by some form of the verb 2"1 "!, rib, to plead a cause, also in defence ; Sept. and N. T. (Judg. xii, 2; Matt, v, 25; Luke xii, 58).
The word is also applied in Scripture, in the general sense, to any adversary or enemy (Luke xviii, 3 ; 1 Pet. v, 8).
SOURCE: (Lewis, Origines Hebram, i, 68) CYCLOPAEDIA OF BIBICAL LITERATURE BY JAMES STRONG AUTHOR OF STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE

1Sa 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
Job 5:18 For He maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Psa 68:20 Our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

 

[gord44]

I don't think he gets it Phantasman.

 

[Phantasman]

And what is your scripture source?
let no man deceive you:

Mt 13:28 He said to them, a man1, an enemy has done this thing. And the servants said to him, Do you wish then that we go and gather2 them up?
1* Greek &#945;&#957;&#952;&#961;&#969;&#960;&#959;&#962; man

2* Greek &#963;&#965;&#955;&#955;&#941;&#947;&#969; gather, collect

Deu 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Accuser &#1502;&#1488;&#1513;&#1497;&#1501;, lashan', in Iliph. "accuse," Prov. xxx, 10; and other terms signifying to slander ; more properly denoted by some form of the verb 2"1 "!, rib, to plead a cause, also in defence ; Sept. and N. T. (Judg. xii, 2; Matt, v, 25; Luke xii, 58).
The word is also applied in Scripture, in the general sense, to any adversary or enemy (Luke xviii, 3 ; 1 Pet. v, 8).
SOURCE: (Lewis, Origines Hebram, i, 68) CYCLOPAEDIA OF BIBICAL LITERATURE BY JAMES STRONG AUTHOR OF STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE

1Sa 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
Job 5:18 For He maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Psa 68:20 Our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

You always throw big Bible verses out there consuming 95% of your post, then hide behind them.

I speak what is in my heart from what I feel God gives me to say. Your post has been copied again. It made no sense the first time and makes no sense the second time. Therefore it is confusing. Even the Bible tells us about confusion, who the author is and to avoid it.

 

[dollarsbill]

saints never PROFESS to be perfect as that is up to God to judge, not men, who alone can forgive past sins when one stops sinning to become a saint ...

Did you not profess to live without sin?

 

[dollarsbill]

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.

Are you saying you NEVER do anything wrong nor have an evil thought?

 

[timewerx]

Jesus commanded to sell your possessions, give to the poor and follow Him.

Jesus commanded to preach the Gospel to all nations, to the ends of the Earth.

That is faith.

 

[Phantasman]

Jesus commanded to sell your possessions, give to the poor and follow Him.

Jesus commanded to preach the Gospel to all nations, to the ends of the Earth.

That is faith.

I believe Jesus told the rich man to do your opening statement. That is because he was wealthy and that is where his heart was, and Jesus was right there with him. We all can't roam the Earth without a home and poor just to follow Christ. He tells us not to build our treasures in this world (physical) but in Heaven (spirit) which is to not live beyond our means. And when we give to the least of these (poor) we have given unto him (tithe).

Of course the church doesn't agree, and they want 10% of your hard earned money for themselves, and they'll give some to the poor.

 

[Norah63]

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

[he-man]

You always throw big Bible verses out there consuming 95% of your post, then hide behind them.

Okay so where is your scripture that shows any difference or that someone else can control who is killed and who is made alive? Can you or anything like a bogeyman deliver someone out of God's hand? Do not all the issues of the heart and death belong to God alone who tries the reins?

Job 15:13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and [FONT=Arial, sans-serif][FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]untried [/FONT][/FONT]for every good work.

Eze 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

 

[Talen Ortz]

Faith is translating what you believe into your daily living

 

[strangertoo]

Faith is translating what you believe into your daily living

No, it isn't translating at all, that is just a recipe for denial and failure...

rather , faith in God is faith in Love, and Love is given freely [else it would not be Love] ...thus there is no translation in real faith in God, one simply Loves as one has lost all desire to abuse others with sin... Love is the only alternative to sin in life... so Love is showing faith if God ... completely natural, not mechanically translated like the sad 'creeds' of men that folks don't keep, even Israel couldn't keep a creed to save themselves being rejected by God ... [but God can wake them up to their Love in spirit baptism once they ahve had enough of the emptiness and unsatisfying nature of abuse of others by sin for a way of life]

 

[PureDose]

And how much of it do we have to have?

I have been pondering this all of my life. I have always asked God to allow me to keep what faith I have and to give me more of it..........daily.

Faith, to me is believing that Jesus and his message of eternal life is real to the best of our ability.

But there is always going to be a doubt, as there is never a 100% faith factor. Even Jesus said if we had the faith the size of a mustard seed........

So I'm trying to think how much faith is needed? We all sin.

Why was it said of Jesus that he lived by faith?

In fact, one of the most explicit messages in the Scriptures before he came in the flesh was that "the Holy One"... "lives by faith".

How is that different then the way everyone else lives?

How can you live by faith when you eat and drink and sleep?

Can faith be a core component of consciousness, of our souls?