The General Conversation Section – If You Don’t Know Where to Say it, Say it Here!
This is the General Conversation Section.
If You Don’t Know Where to Say it, Say it Here!
Under this section you can discuss anything you want.
It can be a Q & A section or a ‘Have you heard’ section…
But please do try and stick to commenting under the relevant Article before commenting here.
For those who do not see what’s happening in the church…the emergent church and it’s evil agendas…the build up to the anti-christ…take a look at this
http://youtu.be/JLb6RrVCM3o
Dan, the fact that your wife is willing to attend church says something.
Going to this church is a detriment to her getting saved by planting wrong seeds in her mind and false teaching causes confusion and is harmful.
The good advice that Sharon gave you regarding your witness applies to your wife as well. What she needs to hear is the simple and clear Gospel, delivered gently and lovingly emphasizing the grace of God. That is not “Bible-bashing”. That is speaking the truth in love.
As a loving husband and spiritual leader you want to protect your bride, just as Christ loves His Bride. Having her in this church filled with leaven and error is not a safe place for anyone.
Perhaps let her know the reason you want to leave in because the truth of the Bible is not there. Live out your faith in her presence, loving her and showing gentleness, but yet a strength that only a faith in the Lord Jesus can provide.
She doesn’t need Bible lessons or sermons, she needs to hear the pure, uncompromised Gospel from the Word of God, the Holy Spirit convicting her heart and making her a new creation. Then and only then will she be ready to grow in faith, after she is converted.
Find a good complete and accurate Bible Gospel presentation using verses such as the Roman Road. Ask her the diagnostic questions – if she was to die today would she be certain she would go to heaven. If she says “Yes” the next question would be what would she tell God if He asked her why she should be allowed to enter His heaven. If she answers “No”, then quote John 1:1 that we can know for sure. Then how we are all sinners who have fallen short of the grace of God, then quote John 3:16. This is only a brief example. Be sure she understands that there is no way we can earn our salvation by doing good works.
Your first line of ministry is your wife and if she is willing to attend church and then willing to leave on your suggestion, that would indicate a willing heart.
Without knowing her or her background as you do, it is impossible to be specific, but God’s Word applies to everyone in every situation.
Blessings to you brother.
EVERYTHING is going according to God’s plan. That is not to say that God approves of everything mankind does. But mankind will not stop the fulfillment of God’s plan. Man can’t stop God; man can’t deter God…no matter how much mankind tries.
God is not shocked at anything we do. He is never blind-sided or surprised by the inventions and ideals mankind has. There is nothing under the sun, over the sun or around the sun that God doesn’t already know about.
God is back where we have been. He is in the midst of us and He is already in the future where we are headed. (mind boggling) He is the Alpha and Omega. HE is the beginning and the end. Nothing escapes His eyes, no matter how dark, no matter how bright…He is there. He doesn’t sleep, take a nap, talk on the phone, and go out for a drive to just get away. He is Omni-present and Omnipotent.
There is no gun, knife, missile or bombs that can diminish Him. There is no human plan that can stop Him. satan always tries…but he will never be worshipped by the nations as he desires.
There is no sin that shocks God and He will not be mocked. He is jealous. He will not accept second place in the life of a believer. He is not a God to sit on a shelf, mantel piece or trophy cabinet. He is not a genie in a bottle, but He is our very present help in a time of trouble.
The earth cannot contain Him, for it is just His footstool. No grave could hold Him in and nothing, not even ourselves can separate us from His love. There is no opinion that matters except His…His word is final. Even though heaven and earth will pass away, His word will still remain.
He is the God of all comfort and compassion and yet vengeance belongs to Him. He is most merciful to the repentant heart. He is the giver and sustainer of life and yet He has the power to kill and cast into hell.
He is not closing a blind eye to the sin of mankind. But He is longsuffering, and not willing that any one perish. He knows who will and who will not be saved. His word will not return void. His blood still cleanses the vilest of souls.
He is a father to the fatherless and a Husband to the widow. He is that friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is the greatest doctor. He is creator of heaven and earth and owns everything they contain.
Our God is fearsome and awesome. He is gentle and kind. He is a disciplinarian. He is angry at the wicked everyday. He is my Savior and the one true God…above Him there is no other.
God is a vow keeper. His promises are true. His love will never just walk away. He never gives up on His children. Bless His Name!
Hebrews 13:5…for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. KJV
I am NOT a Calvinist and I am NOT Armenian, but I am a Christ Follower. All scripture reference I use will be from the King James Version.
Let’s start with Isaiah 55: 8 & 9
8: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
We, the Saved, know that our God’s ways and thoughts are vastly higher than our own mortal ways and thoughts. Who can know the mind of God completely? Not me, for sure. How many times have we heard, if there was a God then why does this or that happen? What about abused kids, crippled people, 9/11, floods, fires, hurricanes. Of course we have all heard this many times. I am satisfied with the answer God is God and I am not. But that doesn’t always suffice with an unbeliever.
For those of us that have faith, little or even no explanation is necessary. To those without faith, no explanation is possible. When I am confronted with this question, I simply say mankind for the most part has turned their backs on God. It started with Adam and Eve and their disobedience to God; so God himself placed a curse upon the physical earth and on mankind.
Ok, now let’s go to Proverbs 16:4: (I quoted this in another thread not too long ago) The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Please note that it doesn’t say God made the evil for the wicked. Nor does it say God made the wicked do evil; but the wicked for the day of evil. Does God want the evil of abortion? No. Does God want murders, adultery, homosexuality, and cheating, lying, robbery, rape…etc? No of course not.
Call it what ever you will, but God is keeping a record. The blood of the innocent ones cry up to Him from the earth. This is why He states that vengeance belongs to Him…He will recompense or pay back. There is a big “pay-day” coming because we reap what we sow. Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Does God make these things happen? No. Does He let these things happen? Yes. I don’t understand all of they why’s of course. But all the way back to Adam and Eve, He has given man the choice to choose. I firmly believe in the free will of man. Other wise we would just be robots. God wants us to love him willingly, not forcefully. In Joshua 24:15 it says this: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
In scripture God has said…if you will, then I will. He gives us a choice. Proverbs 16:25 says: There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Man left unto his self will choose the ways of death.
God is a gentleman…He never forces His will on anyone. He never comes in to where He isn’t welcome. He will let us fail. That is true whether lost or saved. God will let us fail. For those of us that are saved our sin isn’t necessarily in the failing, but rather in the quitting. His Sovereignty is not threatened by our God given free will.
Nothing that mankind can do, think, or say will hinder God’s plan. His ways are so much higher than ours. Many have tried to kill the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. None have succeeded.
God’s plan will always prevail in spite of our sin. God is never limited by the puny actions of sinful man. No thing, no person, no idea, no conspiracy, no battle plan will hinder God. He is Sovereign…He knows all and knew it before the foundation of the world.
Nothing catches Him by surprise…He has it all worked out. Our God IS in control. Psalm 33:10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to naught: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
Psalm 33:11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
God’s plan for eternity is unstoppable!
Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
The History of the song.
“Be Still, My Soul” really had three persons who put it together as the hymn we sing today. Katharina von Schlegel, a notable woman of the Pietism Revival , wrote the words, originally in German. One hundred years later the hymn was translated into English, fortunately for us, by Jane Borthwick. And our last contributor was Finland’s greatest-composer, Jean Sibelius. One movement from his “Finlandia” is used as the tune for our hymn. God used three people from three countries to put together a hymn that teaches us that God is in control and to wait on Him.
This hymn was reportedly the favorite of Eric Liddell, the athlete who became famous in the 1924 Olympics for refusing to run on the Sabbath (see the movie Chariots of Fire). Liddell later became a missionary in China, and was imprisoned during World War II. He is said to have taught this hymn to others in the prison camp (where he eventually died of a brain tumor).
“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am!………..” – Rom 7:21 – 24.
Nothing seems to describe my life better than these few verses right here. And wretched I am, I do not understand what went wrong. I was so in step with the Holy Spirit when I just got saved (just over a year ago) and now it feels like I’m completely lost. My life seems powerless and I have to be honest, it’s starting to affect my faith. I try to focus on the things of the Lord, but something just keeps dragging me down. I don’t get it. Any advice please?
Hi Dan,
Don’t despair. All the children of God, as you can see from Paul’s own admission in Romans 7, one of the greatest missionaries who ever lived, grapple with this problem.
Man, as you already know, is made of three parts, if you will – spirit, soul and body (1 Thess 5:23). An unbeliever’s spirit is dead (Mat 8:22) because he doesn’t have the Spirit of God dwelling in him. The moment he is saved, having all his sins and transgressions forgiven and washed and cleansed in/through the blood of Jesus Christ, the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to him. He becomes a new creature in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) when he (at his new birth) is baptized into Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Now, being in Him no one (not even God Himself) can condemn you (Romans 8:1; 33-39). You are now saved for all eternity and no one and nothing can take it away from you (1 John 5:11-13; John 10:28-30).
Henceforward, the child of God desires to obey and please God in all things but quickly realizes that all his efforts are bound to fail (Rom 7:21-24; Joh 6:63). The child of God then lives a life of falling and getting up, falling and getting up. But remember, God is always there to take your hand and pick you up when you confess your sins and ask for forgiveness (1 Joh 2:1). But it is not God’s will that we remain in this situation; He wants us to live a victorious life over our sinful natures. There is only one way to achieve this – through Jesus Christ and his cross (Rom 7:25; Gal 2:20).
Now, finally, what must the child of God do to live this life of victory?
To “reckon” simply means to appropriate by faith the fact that you have already died with and in Christ but also that you have already been raised to a new life in and through Jesus Christ. Whenever you are tempted to sin (James 1:13-16) there is one of two things you can do – either you give in to your desires or reckon in that very moment that you are indeed dead to your own desires and alive unto God. This is what Paul meant when he said: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” What the child of God needs to do is to look away from himself and his own efforts to live a holy and pleasing life unto God and to rest in the fact that he is already holy and pleasing to God IN and THROUGH Jesus Christ. There is only one condition to be met ” let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mat 16:24). Many Christians say the cross is the hardships, pain, suffering, persecution etc. Christians often experience. That’s not true. The cross means to die to yourself so that you may live to God. To deny yourself simply means to disown yourself and your own desires.
Thank you very much for the encouraging message Thomas. Thanks for taking the time to explain it thoroughly. God bless!
Dan wrote:
My pleasure, Dan. That’s what we are here for, to encourage one another to grow in the Lord.
I know of no one else that was or ever would be willing to do this for us. I grow to love Him more every day. It is not about Religion, but is ALL about a Personal Relationship with the One who loves YOU most…Jesus Christ.
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*The (Scientific) Death of Jesus*
60 seconds with Jesus…
*At the age of 33 Jesus was condemned to the death penalty.*
At the time crucifixion was the “worst” death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus, unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion Jesus was to be nailed to the cross by His hands and feet.
*Each Nail was 6 to 8 inches long.*
The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There’s a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the wrist that tendon would tear and break; forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support himself so that He could breath.
Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support himself with His legs because of the pain so He was forced to alternate between arching His back then using his legs just to continue to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, and the courage.
*Jesus endured this reality for over 3 hours.*
Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding.
He was simply pouring water from his wounds.
From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side. But do we realize His wounds were actually made in his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped and an even large nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But before the nails and the spear Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this torture.
*He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds.*
The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood.
Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood; He had three nails hammered into his members; a crown of thorns on his head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into his chest.
All these without mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying his own cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight, only for its higher part, where his hands were nailed).
Jesus had to endure this experience, so that you can have free access to God.
So that your sins could be “washed” away. All of them, with no exception! Don’t ignore this situation. JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU! For you, who now read this e-mail… Do not believe that He only died for others (those who go to church or for pastors, bishops, etc).
He died for you! It is easy to pass jokes or foolish photos by e-mail, but when it comes to God, sometimes you feel ashamed to forward to others because you are worried of what they may think about you.
*Accept the reality, the truth that JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.*
God has plans for you, show all your friends what He experienced to save you.
Now think about this! May God bless your life!
We should take great care not to see the scourging and Jesus Christ’s suffering on the cross (the scourging, the nails, the spear etc.) as the actual atonement for our sins. Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion of the Christ” did much harm when it focused primarily on the blood and gore of the cross while ignoring the true meaning of God’s own affliction on his Son. Here is a good article that explains the true meaning of the cross and Christ’s suffering.
Sep 1 2004
Question: You stated ( TBC, May ’04) that the Hebrew noun chabburah …is singular in Isaiah:53:5, indicating one blow from God ….” I pointed out to you that this very word is unmistakably plural in the Hebrew, which means that both your statement and the inferences you drew from it are false….You are very quick to point out errors of scriptural fact to others. If you are unwilling to retract an obvious and provable error which has certain theological consequences possibly uncomfortable to you, I cannot see that you are in a different category from the dozen or so “teachers” I have already left with my sandal dust on their wingtip shoes. A cover-all, “We’re not perfect,” is not sufficient when you have misled people on a matter of fact. Please either retract your error publicly, prove to me that I am in error, or remove us from your mailing list. He that is not faithful in little things may not be trusted to be faithful in much.
Answer: I know nothing about Hebrew. My comment was based upon the word of someone who I presume does know Hebrew, John MacArthur. You will find this statement re Isaiah:53:5 on p. 1038 of his The MacArthur Study Bible : “ by his stripes we are healed. The stripe (the Hebrew noun is singular) that caused His death has brought salvation to those for whose sins He died [a Calvinistic statement, by the way, indicating that Christ did not die for the sins of the world, but only for the sins of the elect predestined to salvation]….”
Let’s assume that MacArthur in his study Bible is wrong and that chabburah is plural, meaning a number of blows. That would not change the fact that the bruising that effected our salvation was from God, not from men. The context is clear. Verse 4 contains the clause, “stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Verse 5 declares that He was “wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities….” Verse 5 itself declares that the wounding, bruising, chastisement, and “stripes” were for our sins and effected forgiveness and peace with God. A beating from men could never do that. Verse 6 explains that this wounding and bruising was because “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Verse 7 refers to what men did. It is clear that He was stricken “for the transgression of my people” (v. 8)—again, something man could not do. Verse 9 refers to His burial, and verse 10 clearly says that “it pleased the Lord to bruise him,” and that the Lord made “his soul an offering for sin.” Verse 11 refers to the “travail of his soul,” obviously because of his soul being made “an offering for sin.” And verse 12 again declares that “he bare the sin of many.”
Clearly, the entire context of Isaiah 53 is about God punishing Christ spiritually for the sins of the world. Surely Peter gives the proper interpretation of Isaiah:53:5, when in quoting “by whose stripes ye were healed,” he explains, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Pt 2:24). Christ was not bearing the sins of the world when men were scourging Him. It was only when God laid our sins upon Him and made His soul an offering for sin that the penalty for the sins of the world was paid – and that was on the cross. Christ did not receive blows from men on the cross, but from God for our sins, which is why He cried out in agony, “My God, my God! Why hast thou forsaken me?” (Ps:22:1; Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34).
So I was mistaken in putting too much emphasis upon MacArthur’s view that chabburah is singular in Isaiah:53:5. But it doesn’t matter. The blows, single or plural, by which we are healed of our sin’s penalty, were clearly from God and not from men. It is neither biblical nor rational that sinful Roman soldiers could possibly mete out God’s righteous judgment in holy wrath for sin. Much less could physical punishment at the hands of men possibly pay the infinite penalty for sin that billions of sinners would otherwise endure for eternity in the lake of fire.
May 1 2004
Question: You claim that the payment for sins was not through the physical sufferings of Christ inflicted by man, but spiritual sufferings endured at the hands of God. Yet Isaiah:53:5 says “…and by his stripes we are healed.” The NASB has, “…and by his scourging we are healed.” Please admit your error!
Answer: The NASB is wrong. The Hebrew chabburah translated “stripes” occurs six other times (Gn 4:23; Ex 21:25; Ps:38:5; Prv 20:30; Is 1:6)and it never means Roman scourging. Do you really think (as Mel Gibson’s film erroneously attempts to show) that Roman soldiers’ torture of Christ paid the eternal penalty for all of the murders, rapes, wars, hatred, jealousy, and unimaginable evil committed by billions of people during the history of mankind? Sinful soldiers can’t mete out to the Holy Son of God the righteous punishment for the sins of the world!
Peter specifically says Christ paid for our sins on the cross (1 Pt 2:24), not when scourged. It was during those 3 hours of darkness on the Cross that God laid on Christ the infinite penalty for the sins of the world—and only when He had paid for our sins in full did He cry in triumph, “It is finished!” Not because of His scourging, but as a result of what Christ accomplished on the Cross, the rocks were split, the earth quaked and the veil of the temple was ripped open (Mt 27:51).
First Peter 2:24 indicates that the healing by “stripes” is not from disease (as some teach) but from sin: “Who his own self bare our sins ….” That this refers to spiritual punishment is clear: “thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin” (Is 53:10). Like the soul, sin itself, though expressed in physical acts, is spiritual : “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness…” (Mk 7:21,22).
Salvation is spiritual and can only be by faith. To receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life as a gift from God is the greatest spiritual good conceivable. Physical punishment executed by sinful men could never make that gift possible. Thus the physical stripes Christ received in fulfillment of prophecy could not pay the penalty for sin; only God’s spiritual punishment could do that.
Healing from sin and its penalty is what the gospel is all about: “How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Cor:15:3)—not that “Christ died for our physical ailments.” The promise, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts:16:31)clearly pertains to salvation from sin, not from disease. Christians in general are neither healthier nor live longer in this life than unbelievers —but we have eternal life.
The Hebrew noun chabburah translated “stripes”is singular in Isaiah:53:5, indicating one blow from God wounding Christ “for our transgressions,” bruising Him “for our iniquities”—not the many stripes of scourging that were a major focus of Mel Gibson’s attempt to show that Christ’s physical sufferings paid for the sins of all mankind. Do you really believe that what Christ physically endured in the scourging and crucifixion was equal to what sinners will endure for all eternity in the lake of fire?
There is nothing in any of the four gospels (other than crowning Him with thorns and mocking Him as a king) to indicate that Christ’s scourging and crucifixion were any worse physically than that suffered by thousands of others. That “Pilate marvelled if he were already dead” (Mk 15:44)contradicts the idea that Christ was scourged and tortured within an inch of His life. Thus the statement that “his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Is 52:14)could not be due to unusual physical beating, but to such intense spiritual agony that His features were so distorted that it was awesome to behold.
The idea that the physical suffering Christ endured at the hands of men paid for the sins of the world is neither biblical nor rational for at least four reasons: 1) Christ didn’t come even close to suffering more physically than any other person. Some men hung in agony for days on crosses, the Assyrians flayed their enemies alive, some victims of the Inquisition were roasted for hours over a slow fire, and the Inquisitors competing to develop the most excruciating torture—sometimes even bringing victims back from the brink of death, letting them heal, and then torturing them again; 2) if the physical “stripes” paid the penalty for sin, Christ’s physical tormenters would have played a vital role in our redemption and would in a sense be our co-redeemers (and what if they failed to torment Him enough to save us?!); 3) the punishment for those who reject Christ is eternal, but those who scourged and crucified Christ were incapable of inflicting eternal punishment; and 4) physical suffering could never adequately cause the moral and spiritual pain which must be involved in the just punishment of sin—in fact, it would obliterate it.
The error that physical scourging paid for our sins is also refuted by Scripture’s declaration that Christ “made peace through the blood of his cross” (Col:1:20), not “the blood of his scourging,” which took place before He was led to Golgotha. We are “justified through his blood” (Rom:5:9), which includes His death. Had he merely bled but not died, we could not be saved. The phrase “shedding of blood” (Lv 17:11; 2 Chr:29:24, etc.)always means death, not wounding as in scourging—and this is the only means of atonement: “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb:9:22).
Christ “by himself purged our sins” (Heb:1:3).While this could not be without the shedding of His blood at the hands of others, there was something which He alone had to do to purge us from our sins. That could only have been to endure eternal punishment at the hands of God which no man could exact from Him—something far worse than the “stripes” of scourging.
Christ’s spiritual sufferings for sin are beyond our understanding and Scripture only hints at them: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me…? smitten of God, and afflicted…wounded for our transgressions…bruised for our iniquities…the chastisement of our peace was upon him…the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all…for the transgression of my people was he stricken…it pleased the Lord to bruise him…thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin…the travail of his soul…poured out his soul unto death…he bare the sin of many…he hath made him to be sin for us, [he] who knew no sin…” (Ps:22:1; Is 53:4-6,8,10-12; 2 Cor:5:21), etc.
Christ’s sweating in spiritual agony “as it were great drops of blood” (Lk 22:44) and pleading with His Father in the Garden to be spared “this cup” (Mt 26:39,42)could not have been in dread of the scourging and crucifixion (as implied in the film) which thousands of others also endured. “This cup” from which He shrank could only have been that He would be “made sin for us”—that He would “bear our sins in His own body” and be punished by God to the full extent demanded by His justice for the sins of the entire world. During those three hours of darkness on the Cross, all the “waves and billows” of God’s wrath against the sins of all mankind rolled over Him (Ps:42:7; 88:7; Jon 2:3).
Isaiah declares that Yahweh “bruised [Him] for our iniquities.” It is unbiblical and irrational to suggest that the Roman soldiers were guided by God in each blow as God’s means of punishing Christ for sin. Christ said, “No man taketh it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself” (Jn:10:18). It is God’s law which men have broken, He pronounced the penalty and He alone can execute it in righteousness. Therefore, the payment for our sins could only have been through the punishment Christ endured at the hands of God, not men.
Christ had to be more than mere man: He had to be God manifest in the flesh to endure the eternal punishment due for the sins of all mankind in the three hours of darkness. We are told that He “by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb:2:9). That had to include the “second death”—eternity of punishment in the lake of fire which is yet future for the lost. This could not have been at the hands of the Roman soldiers who scourged and mocked Him, but only at the hands of God.
Deborah / Thomas, I remember reading an article here a while ago on all the signs of the end times including where they are to be found in scripture. I have a hard time finding it again. An acquaintance of mine is caught up in the emerging church movement. He believes he has the ability to foretell the future and has heard on occasion, the audible voice of God speaking to him. I have shared what I know about the dangers of the emergent church as well as the dominion theology of Rick Warren and such. It’s interesting that even with my still limited knowledge of scripture, he refuted everything I said but wasn’t able to prove any of his beliefs from scripture. As a result I am now invited to a dinner with members of his church to try and convince me otherwise. An invitation I accepted because I see it as an opportunity. However, I need to get my ducks in a row now. Please share the link if you know which article I’m talking about. Thanks!
Dan
>> As a result I am now invited to a dinner with members of his church to try and convince me otherwise.
NOOOOOO! Don’t go. 🙂 This is what emergents do – they hold dinners and coffee breakfasts to lure people like you. This is what they do to try CHANGE YOU! Not the other way around. You have every right to decline the invitation Don.
However, if you think you can face a bombardment of evil people twisting scripture trying to take you down then I will pray for you on the night.
I will look for the article you want…
Prophecies on 2011 and 2012 – Are They Reliable? This contains many verses to use.
I have cancelled the appointment, thank you for the advice Deborah.
Dan
Ah, thank goodness, I was about to have a small nervous breakdown lol. Emergents have been trying to get me to have dinner and coffee with them for over 4 years now and I point blankly refuse to go.
One thing I wanted to say was this, this guy is a very confused emergent who has visions nogal of the future? gosh, he is in the wrong ‘church;, he should be a charismatic.
Dan
Ah, thank goodness, I was about to have a small nervous breakdown lol. Emergents have been trying to get me to have dinner and coffee with them for over 4 years now and I point blankly refuse to go.
One thing I wanted to say was this, this guy is a very confused emergent who has visions of the future? gosh, he is in the wrong ‘church;, he would be a charismatic.
I always come here to learn and ask questions. This site has been instrumental in my decision to follow Jesus and His Word and nothing else. Here I am again, with another question: Is it normal for a young Christian to feel like I’m going through a desert right now? Even though I know the Lord is for me and He’s with me, it just feels like there’s not a lot of growth going on right now. I’m in the Word, I study it, I pray but somehow it feels like nothing much is happening with me right now. Is this normal? Is it a phase or a stage or a test or something? Or am I missing out on something here?
Dan
>> Even though I know the Lord is for me and He’s with me, it just feels like there’s not a lot of growth going on right now. I’m in the Word, I study it, I pray but somehow it feels like nothing much is happening with me right now. Is this normal?
Yes it’s normal, just wait on Jesus, be patient, there might be something He wants you to learn through this time. He has not drawn away from you. Rick Warren in his Purpose Driven Life drivel says that Christians experience dry patches because God swings like a pendulum or something and in the beginning the pendulum is close by but as the relationship grows the pendulum swings further away ie He swings further away and we are to rely more on ourselves – What a load of nonsense. Jesus is always there for us, only sin distances us from Him, so if you have any un-confessed sin of late, repent of it that will bring you back to Him.
🙂
This is not a song. It is taken from an old tract. I like this a lot.
If Jesus Came To Your House
If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two–
If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do.
Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honoured Guest,
And all the food you’d serve to Him would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring Him you’re glad to have Him there–
That serving Him in your home is joy beyond compare.
But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heav’nly Visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn’t heard?
And wish you hadn’t uttered that last, loud, hasty word?
Would you hide your worldy music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?
And I wonder–if the Savior spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?
Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read
And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?
Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you’d planned to go?
Or would you, maybe, change your plans for just a day or so?
Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they’d stay away until His visit ends?
Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person to spend some time with you.
–Author Unknown.
Wow Sharon that is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
How can you prove to someone who claims to be a prophet, that he’s nothing but a self appointed, false prophet? Scripture please.
Dan
>> How can you prove to someone who claims to be a prophet, that he’s nothing but a self appointed, false prophet? Scripture please.
Here you go: Are Prophets for Today or has Prophecy Ceased?
Deborah, I apologize. I should have searched the archives on your site properly before asking to be spoon fed. Thanks for the info.
Dan
No worries, I can find these things super fast 🙂
I am updating the Categories on the right hand side to be more useful and less daunting on the eyes, so next time just look under ‘Prophets’
Jesus had trouble convincing the Prophets, the Religious that they were not prophets. You or I would have an impossible task. If they believe they are Prophets then only God could reveal to them they aren’t. Those who go by the name of Prophet this or Prophet that….they don’t even understand the meaning of the word or the title.
Deborah (Discerning the World) wrote:
Dan, it is completely normal to feel far removed from the things of God. This is not just a problem with new Christians. We “seasoned” Christians go through these periods too. I have been saved for 50 years and I have those times too.
Here is a small by very true verse of scripture. 2nd Corinthians 5:7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We all have these times of not “feeling” quite right in our Salvation. Then there are those times like these next scriptures:
1Peter 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
My brother is a pastor of a good Baptist Church in Florida. He has a message concerning the trials that we saved people go through. It goes something like this.
1. You are going through a severe trial.
2. You just came out of a severe trial.
3. You are fixing to have a severe trial.
Do you trust God through any of those that you are going through? Dan we go through a lot of different things in this life. Just because you are a Christian that doesn’t mean you will have those hard times in your life. In fact you will, like all of us, will perhaps have more trials after you became a Christian. Satan doesn’t like the fact that you trusted Christ Jesus as your savior. He cannot ruin your eternity but he will try to mess up the rest of your life. He can’t be every where like our God is.
My brother has another sermon and he asks this question:
What will you do, when God doesn’t come through, like you prayed for Him to?
You will find those times in your life that you have prayed as hard as you can and as often as you can but it just seems like heaven has closed it’s door from you. Please remember that during these times, God is as close as the air you breath into your lungs. God loves you, he is your heavenly Father. He is concerned about everything you go through. He is there in the good times and He is there in the bad times. Jesus doesn’t push us through a trial. Jesus doesn’t run ahead pulling you through the trial, He is going through the trial with you. I’ve heard it like this, “Run the Race with Jesus in your face.”
The thing that I recommend most is that you STAY IN THE WORD. Before you get into the Word ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth and to teach you something that you really need to hear. When you are happy, read the Word. When you’re sad, read the Word. When you are feeling very alone, read the Word. Ask the Lord to give you a “Holy Hunger” for the Word. I have been saved a lot longer than you. I have gone through a lot of fiery trials. The bulk of the trials have been health related. The most painful of trials was when my “ex” divorced me. Through all that I have been through I can say, the Lord has never left me, never forsaken me. He is as close to me as the air I breathe. Just because we go through what you are going through it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love you. God loves all of His kids far more than we can even imagine.
Stay in the Word. Reading the Word is spiritual food. You must feast upon God’s Word to grow.
Peace to you brother in Christ.
Dan wrote:
Thanks Sharon for your encouragement. God bless you.
We had a tract of that at the church I grew up in. Then it was getting harder to find them. But find the tracts we did. It’s really more about Christian living than a Salvation message like most tracts. I keep one in my bible. It makes a case for how the Christian home should be.
Dan wrote:
Is this divination?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFkBz-kl4is&feature=em-subs_digest
Thank you!
Wayne
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 clearly forbids any acts of divination, describing them as something detestable to God, and Leviticus 19:26 says “You must not practice either divination or soothsaying”, but Exodus 28 gives members of the priestly class the use of the Urim and Thummim to discover the will of Yahweh before times of sacrifice.
So is it ok to watch and learn from Mark’s video’s?
I should have combined the two posts.
Hi Wayne
WOW, I just watched that vid and I am kinda speechless, the thing that bothers me big time is that he is not using scripture to tell a story of how the end times will pan out but he goes to occult souses like Egyptian hieroglyphs and Mayan calendars etc and then uses that to draw maps on earth to explain his story away. He also states that the rapture is mid-trib, not pre-trib. Also, I get the feeling he thinks that Vatican is not babylon, but America is. I would not watch his videos, I think they are very misleading.