Posted on 01/14/2011 5:57:52 PM PST by topcat54
Evangelical book catalogs promote books such as Planet Earth: The Final Chapter, The Great Escape, and the Left Behind series. Bumper stickers warn us that the vehicle’s occupants may disappear at any moment. It is clear that there is a preoccupation with the idea of a secret rapture. Perhaps this has become more pronounced recently due to the expectation of a new millennium and the fears regarding potential Y2K problems. Perhaps psychologically people are especially receptive to the idea of an imminent, secret rapture at the present time. Additionally, many Christians are not aware that any other position relative to the second coming of Jesus Christ exists. Even in Reformed circles there are numerous people reading these books. Many of these people are unaware that this viewpoint conflicts with Scripture and Reformed Theology.
(Excerpt) Read more at reformed.org ...
*sigh*
I had my oatmeal and chicken, as usual......
You are Judging God, now? Does your wisdom surpass His?
We are clothed in Christ.
The self proclaimed emperors and empresses of the Reformation have no clothes; they have snippets of Paul and the OT. They claim Christ but have no Christ in their supposed Christianity. Their theological proofs are convincing evidence, even on their own, without their proclamations and even posts here on the RF.
If we are judged by our works, then we still pass because all our dead works, sins, have been forgiven. The only thing left to judge us on is the good works that God foreordained for us to walk in.
That is not the Gospel message. Even Paul repudiates it.
Yeah, that’s a pretty fair summary of what I was saying.
I’m glad someone gets it.
Genesis 18 and 19 hints at them. For me, it is enough that God says to Abraham that he will not destroy Sodom and Gemorrah for the sake of 10 innocent men. Abraham in chapter 19 selects Lot; Peter labels him righteous, Abraham chose him as innocent. Apparently there were not enough to make up 10.
But Lot was righteous, as God directed him to flee so that he would not be destroyed. Good enough for me. Is it good enough for you?
These righteous deeds?
Genesis 19 8 Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.”
Just because I preach and believe in salvation by grace through faith alone does not mean I also don't live my life in obedience to the Lord. The "Beatitudes" are certainly the attributes we should all strive for but the mistake I see many have made is in seeing these as "conditions" for salvation. One example is those who are "pure in heart". Of course no one who is not pure from all sin will see God, yet you seem to imply it is a humanly possible thing to be - it is most definitely not. That is why Christ came so that we might be made as righteous as he is. This can only be by grace because our sin separates us from God. Only Jesus' sacrifice for us cleanses us from sin. How foolish to think this is something we can do for ourselves. With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
What is unscriptural is any doctrine which attempt to place the works of men as a requirement for salvation. The work we are required to do is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ anything else is not of grace through faith.
If you don't care to say, just say you don't care to say. It was a legitimate question. You're free to answer or not.
However, given your claim, I'm curious as to why you would get involved then in a discussion that started off with the premise that smokers and drinker are sinners like adulterers, sodomites, and paedophiles. Clearly that claim is not your schtick.
Well, it’s certainly humbling to consider that Nineveh avoided destruction at least in part because God showed mercy upon the cattle there.
WELLLLLLL ABOUT 99.99% OF the frequent RC posters on FR
SURE seem to be bending over backwards
PROVING THAT
24/7/365
YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT on here!
Amazing. I can't think of another value orientation as rabidly intense about such actions. I don't even think Scientology or JW's or LDS can hold a candle to the RC's on FR on such scores . . . nor even Muslims--only about 70% of them are that rabidly closed minded, arrogant, !!!!DEMANDING!!!! haughty etc.
It's very difficult for me to recall a single incident of the frequent Rabid Clique frequent RC posters EVER asserting that they learned a single thing from anyone not of their Vulcan Mind-Melded Vatican Alice In Wonderland School Of Theology And Reality Mangling mentality.
There is purportedly some genetic preventative DNA factors against such maladies in some relatively small percentage of the population.
The facts remain that for the vast majority of the population, smoking = dancing with a high probability of a very long and painful dying process.
Folks should try breathing through roughly the equivalent of a few hairs.
How is abstinence in a thing that is adiaphora a better example than moderation? The Bible certainly doesn't support this view. Certainly being able to enjoy a thing within limits shows greater self control (fruit of the Spirit) than absolute abstinence.
Here are the things God tells us to abstain from:
that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.This is what God says about food and other things we might ingest:For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
Abstain from every form of evil.
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
It is a rare thing today that I hear Christians willing to give up meat for their vegetarian brethren.
Of course Jesus is the center of all Scripture. I don't deny it at all. Why then can you not see that God's promises to Israel of a Messiah were fulfilled in him yet there is still unfinished work that the Lord is to do. From Jeremiah 31 we read:
36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will Israel ever cease being a nation before me.”
37 This is what the LORD says:
“Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the LORD.
Do you think this is speaking of Jesus here as "Israel"? What about Jeremiah 33:
14 “‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. 15 “‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it[c] will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.’ 17 For this is what the LORD says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, 18 nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’” 19 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 20 “This is what the LORD says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, 21 then my covenant with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. 22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”
Yes, Jesus is the King of Kings and the righteous branch of David. You must never forget that God keeps his promises. He will never forsake Israel.
Oh, sorry. I really was not rubbing it in. I pray one day soon you can enjoy your “indulgence”. :o)
I’ve been called a liar before.
It happens when the truth hurts.
How do you define “Israel” (Romans 9:6), and does that include today? Are you talking about spiritual Israel or “Israel after the flesh?” How does this “Israel” relate to the commonwealth of Israel (Eph. 2) and the children of Abraham (Gal. 3)? What's the relationship between true Israel and Jesus Christ?
I’ve noticed.
Of course, some consider all Proddys liars automatically.
LOL.
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