Try talking to a devout Muslim, and he will tell you the exact same thing. He believes the Koran as much as you believe the Chritsian Bible as much as a Jew rejects it and firmly believes that the true Scripture is only the Tanakh.
It's like someone asking "will the true believers" stand up and everyone stands up, a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu...they all claim and believe they are right and their scriputre is true.
So, don't tell me "Scripture is true" unless you can provide evidence to that effect other than your firm belief that it is. In which case have enough humility and say "I believe the Scripture is true."
How often are those signs, mentioned in Mark, in your local Orthodox congregation and to what extent
Never, ever. So, then, either the Orthodox are not believers or Mark is not telling the truth. But I have not seen these signs in any other Church or "church." There are people who masquarde as if they had the sings. People speak Klingon to make it look like they speak in "tongues," etc.
Now, there are people who claim visions, supernatural healing, and all that. I wasn't there, and I cannot be a witness. I do not deny that it is possible.
For instance, the incorruption of some saints' bodies is used as "proof" of their sainthood. What about all the other saints who disnitegrated after death? Does that mean they were not saints? And what about Indian gurus whose bodies remain intact? Does that mean they are actually saints?
IF you fail to answer the question this time, I shall intrpret that as wholesale obtuseness, disingenuousness and duplicity relative to your asking the question of others while being unwilling to answer the same question yourself
What makes you think that just because I ask questions I also have the answers? If I did, I wouldn't be asking for answers.
Additionally, I shall be selling my “shares of stock in ‘Kosta’s-useful-Scriptural-insight’” at a much reduced rate.
Why don't you. My pay is the same.
Thank you.
Interesting.
Well, I have observed and experienced such signs many times.
As I’ve noted many times on here . . . the rain on all four sides of drying hay but not on the hay when we lived in the mud hut and were poor as could be—desperately needing the hay.
But I won’t bother you with other examples. They are not likely to scratch the surface anyway.
Alamo-Girl mentions eyes to see and ears to hear. I find that’s often true about some miracles as it is about Scriptural meaning.
I didn’t realize the Orthodox club encouraged such a low view of Scripture. Quite hazardous, imho.
BTW, Pastor Henry Wright, having wrestled extensively ‘with God’ about why only 5% of those he prayed for were healed—now has a very high percentage of healings. I forget what percentage on average, now. Turns out it matters a LOT to God about whether folks LIVE according to THE WORD, or not—ESPECIALLY IN RELATIONSHIPS—with Him and others.
Seems to me . . . if claiming to be a Biblical Christian is such an intellectual challenge . . . perhaps it would be more consistent to become an atheist or Muslim. The verse about hot or cold comes to mind.
Even Assemblies of God, Four Square and Vineyard congregations all too often go through spells and certainly pastors where the gifts and manifestations of Holy Spirit’s miraculous workings are absent to largely absent. Must be something getting flawed with their beliefs and practices.
God doesn’t change.
Man’s nature hasn’t changed.
Man’s needs for God’s miraculous interventions don’t change.
Though I’ve noted that in cultures where folks are more rawly in need of help—miracles seem to occur much more as people have a much easier time accepting God’s word as GOD’S WORD. Where there’s an absence of seminaries/cemetaries to tell people what God CAN’T do/won’t do folks just tend to
TRUST GOD TO DO WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO . . . AND GOD AGREES DEMONSTRATIVELY.