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For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.( Isaiah 29:20-21)And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. And the high...

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.( I John 3:14)We have been discussing the theme of First John , which is the threefold test of eternal life, based on three simple theological propositions. Firstly, because God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all, those who share in the gift of the life of God, hate evil and sin. Eternal Life is opposed to all that is false and evil, unceasingly exposing and repudiating it . Those who have eternal...

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.( I John 5:2-3)The Apostle John wrote an epistle to restore the faith of those who had been ravaged by the distorted spirituality of the gnostics. As part of the cure, he declared three statements about the nature of the only true God; God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all, God is Love, and finally, Jesus Christ has come (and...

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.( I John 4:7-8)The Apostle John wrote his first epistle to those in the church who had been confused and demoralized by mystical, experience based christianity. The true knowledge of God is what John set out to re-establish, for the false teachers had been able to supplant the christian understanding of what it means to ‘know the Lord’ with their own sensual, pseudo spiritual version of “knowing...

As one looks at the articles and comments found on Free Republic, you can see the complete and utter loathing, disgust, and outright hatred towards Muslims. It is viewed as a justified hatred, built on the actions Muslims have taken for decades against Americans and others. Notable attacks include the Beirut bombing of the Marine barracks, Beslan in Russia, the recent San Bernadino attack, and of course 9/11. However, I was challenged by a few friends recently as to how a professing Christian can have a deep-seated hatred for Muslims. They reminded me of Jesus' command to love one another....

Last week, I wrote about “unconditional love.” I claimed that it was a myth. In truth, love as such cannot occur absent conditions. All emotions are a response to preconceived values, and values are by nature conditional. We love what we love because it is what it is.Reaction to the piece was mixed, as reflected in the comments section. Some followed the argument. Others disagreed. Of particular interest to me, since I am a Bible-believing Christian, was this response from “Harald”: Christ loves me unconditionally. He died for all of us, no exceptions.Is that a myth too? Yes, Harald. Yes,...

A Distinction Without a Difference or a Distinction to Die For? Wrestling With the Subtleties of John 21:16 – Peter, Do You Love Me? By: Msgr. Charles PopeLast week, as we wrapped up the Easter season, we read the beautiful dialogue between Jesus and Peter: “Peter, do you love me?” Analyzing this beautiful text is one of the great indoor sports of New Testament Biblical Scholarship: how to interpret the subtleties in that dialogue between Jesus and Peter.And thus Jesus asks, “Peter do you love me?” And Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” This exchange occurs three times. But...

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him might not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)Because of the influence of modernism, and of psychology upon the biblical understanding of many, even within evangelicalism, the whole concept of the love of God has been distorted. People import their own humanistic understanding of what love is, into texts such as John 3:16. For example many modern pastors and teachers say something to the effect that the cross shows us the measure of our value. As one popular christian teacher put it,...

I was asked by a reader of my Sunday Messages, “How do I love someone I don't like, and if I can't love them does it mean I do not love God?” I decided to tackle this question because there are many Christians who find it difficult, if not down right impossible, to love those they don't like. We are told by John that, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1John 4:8 John goes on to write that it is impossible to love a God you cannot see, if you do not love...

That's it Folks wow Chicago tossed out in the FIRST round!

Bank of America Accused in Ponzi Lawsuit By LESLIE WAYNE Bank of America effectively set up a branch in a Long Island office that helped Nicholas Cosmo carry out a $380 million Ponzi scheme, according to a class-action lawsuit filed in federal court. The lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in Brooklyn late Thursday, contends that Bank of America “established, equipped and staffed” a branch office in the headquarters of Mr. Cosmo’s firm, Agape Merchant Advance. As a result, the lawsuit contends that the bank knowingly “assisted, facilitated and furthered” Mr. Cosmo’s fraudulent scheme. “Bank of America was at the...

ROME, MARCH 24, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a commentary by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa on next Sunday's liturgical readings. He is the preacher to the Pontifical Household. * * * Fourth Sunday of Lent (B) (2 Chronicles 36:14-16,19-23; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21) God So Loved the World! In this Sunday's Gospel we find one of the most beautiful and consoling phrases of the Bible: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." To speak to us of love, God has made use...

When Denise and Roger Friesen planned a Valentine's Day dinner for their Omaha, Neb., church, they immediately knew their theme: the Song of Solomon -- sometimes called the Song of Songs -- the sexiest book in the Bible. "O, that you would kiss me with the kisses of your mouth!" says a woman to her lover as the book begins. "For your love is better than wine." Later language compares male legs to alabaster columns and female bosoms to clusters of fruit on a tree. The Friesens, both 47, credit the little book in the Hebrew Bible with helping to...

Folks, as we have discussed at various times before, Pope Benedict's choice to discuss the meaning of Love as the theme of his first encyclical is no accident. In my humble opinion, it was quite inspired. I want to share with you my own brief meditations on the subject Christian Love. Biblical departure pointI want to start with the relevant Bible verses, first, from the First Epistle of St. John the Apostle, 4:8:Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know...

Love should not be confused with lust, says PopeBy Hilary Clarke in Rome(Filed: 18/01/2006)Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical, expected in the next few days, warns believers not to confuse love with lust or degrade it "to mere sex".   It is Pope Benedict's first encyclical The encyclical, a papal letter to bishops that sets out Roman Catholic policy, discusses the relationship between "eros", or erotic love, and "agape", a Greek word referring to unconditional, spiritual and selfless love."It is not totally negative on eros," a Vatican source said. "It argues that eros under the right circumstances is OK."But the Pope...

QUESTION: What about the "nuggets" found only in the Greek? ANSWER: Why settle for "nuggets" when you can own the whole mine?