Posted on 10/19/2007 9:51:40 AM PDT by NYer
I feel your pain. The sofa and two tables are filled to brimming with unread books. I can’t pass a bookstore without maxing out the old credit card!
;-o)
As a minister I’m fond of (Episcopal but I won’t hold it against him) once said, in our church we have altar call every Sunday!
**God is also greater than Spirit**
Under the trinity theory, Are you saying that there is one or two persons of the Godhead greater than Spirit (capital ‘S’).
That would not agree with the whole ‘co-equal’ in power, knowledge, presence, etc. etc. that is taught by the endorsers of the trinity.
**Then He deigned to step into those realms with an amount, an aspect of His power and majesty.**
That is the issue. Man says, “I must understand the infinite God.” God says, “my ways are past finding out”. I don’t know what ‘amount’ you consider, but the Word says that the fullness of the Godhead is found in Jesus Christ. That’s good enough for me.
So you are studying dimensions of time and space, that’s interesting. I just call miracles what they are: miracles. Water is suddenly wine; h2o is suddenly joined in the container with a host of other molecules. Walking on water (which Peter did, if only for a few moments), clay and spit opening the eyes of the blind; are miracles. The bypassing of planting, harvest, threshing, milling, and baking, to feed thousands (I believe the fish was ready to eat as well) is a miracle. I can’t do that......unless God would lead me to be the vessel to perform such a thing. But without faith it’s impossible.
**Im not a Catholic, but you ought to be more specific if you wish to question Marys perpetual virginity ... HINT: if Jesus can appear in a locked room without using the door or window, can leave a sealed rock tomb without rolling away the stone, there is little to leaving Marys womb without using the usual passageway of birthing.**
The Word IS specific in that “..when the days of her (Mary)purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that OPENETH the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. Luke 2:22-24
**First off, the poster does not support his statement. Where is the evidence?**
By the Word. Neither Peter, nor the apostles, nor any place in scripture is a “three persons”, co-equal, co-eternal, co-uncomprehensible, etc. etc. Godhead EVER taught.
To expound on my analogy of the ‘ten tribes’ and the church, there were those in the religous leadership that mixed pagan worship with the Law. Jeroboam promptly laid a foundation of legitamacy (he thought) by setting up shop at Penuel, where Jacob wrestled the angel. Though the majority clave to religious falsehoods, God reserved some that, in the shadows, stayed faithful.
The southern kingdom suffered the same, only it did see some great revivals before the final collapse of the corrupt leadership. Through it all, God still preserved himself a remnant.
Likewise, Satan has transformed himself into an angel of light, laying claim to a foundation of the church: a leadership heritage, preserving the word, setting up a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
You don’t think that Satan would go that far? Then where is the line he will not cross in deceptive leadership? I’ll tell you one: Water baptism in the NAME of Jesus Christ for the REMISSION of sins. The Lord and the apostles demanded it. It is where the blood is applied to the soul; “buried with him in likeness of His death”. Satan hates the NAME OF JESUS, and has muddied the importance of it by confusing the masses grasp of the Godhead.
The church has not been overthrown, not even close, that I agree, but the testing of ‘the few there be that find it’ includes the challenges of discerning false doctrine. Those few, for generations, have endured, holding the apostles doctrine. Like the politician that hogs attention, Satan has put himself in his various angel of light manifestations, front and center, in the face of the masses. Sooner or later, the hungry and thirsty individual sees through it, since the devil cannot satify the soul.
**the Catholic Church was the only Church that existed up until the Reformation,**
It doesn’t matter if millions believe that, if it does match the original in doctrine, it is not the original church. I don’t care if it started a month after Pentecost 33 A.D.
It’s not a popular position, I know, but Jesus said that would be the case.
I wonder what the MORMON diagram looks like??
Certainly, this one needs much less explanation!
The Blessed Trinity is three persons in one God. Jesus told his disciples, "to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28: 19). He made it clear that He and the Father and the Holy Spirit are One. There are three divine persons in one God. How there are three persons in one God is a mystery. It is something we cannot fully understand. But we believe it because Jesus told us. We will not understand it until we reach heaven.
(Can you do it using text? Kinda like the early, VERY early ‘pictures’ that were printed out on our work place printers?)
God can use anyone to accomplish His will. He even used Balaam's ass. ;)
Sorry, but I detected a hint of pride in your statement. Where would we be today if Mary were to have taken pride in being used of God to carry Jesus? That fact is, we'd either be unsaved, or we'd be talking about a different mother of Jesus. God doesn't care much for pride.
You been readin' my home page? ;^)
Indeed. And He chose to accomplish this by using the Holy Spirit to inspire the bishops of the Church He established on earth. Why is the obvious so challenging to accept? Up until the Reformation, there was only one Christian Church.
Where would we be today if Mary were to have taken pride in being used of God to carry Jesus?
Ouch! Mary was not 'used' by God. The Creator of the Universe asked her permission. She might just as easily have said No.
Were it not for Mary, Jesus might not have been born and this discussion would not be taking place.
I like your picture. It says the same thing as the other one.
How do you send stuff to PhotoBucket?
I can make things, but have no web page or blog to store them on.
The fact that God used a council of human beings to gather together the writings that make up His word is not challenging. God uses men to accomplish His will much of the time.
I do feel compelled to confront it when I detect a note of pride. Human beings should never be proud that God used them to accomplish His will - we should be humbled and grateful.
Mary was not 'used' by God.
She wasn't? So Mary did not serve God? Hmmm. . .
The Creator of the Universe asked her permission. She might just as easily have said No.
Yes, and God would have just used someone else to accomplish His will. Mary was smart enough to know she was blessed and honored to be used by God. She had no pride about it as though she had earned the priviledge.
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."
This is Mary's fiat. She had the option to say no. In total trust, she gave her assent.
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