Jesus

Jesus' preexistence and deity (John 1:1-13), incarnation by virgin birth (John 1:14; Matt. 1:18-23); sinless life (Heb. 4:15). Jesus Christ, the Word of God become flesh. He is the Savior of the world, who has delivered us from the dominion of sin and reconciled us to God by his death on a cross.

More about Legalism view of the Sabbath Day

Christ never said anything specifically about Sabbath exept to clarify the tradition of Sabbath that were being taught. In Proverbs 21:2, "People may think they are doing what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT). When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, He said: "They do all their deeds to be noticed by men" (Mt. 23:5). We are to observe the Sabbath EVERY DAY as 2 Timothy 1:9 says "Who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." In Mark 3:4 I love this quote when Jesus asked the Pharisees: "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. Worship and fellowship in a visible local Church and become deeply involved in the participation of a local assembly (Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians. 12:25-31; 14:12, 26; Hebrews 10:24-25; I Tim. 3:14-15) are very important. . We should be judging ourselves rather judging others. God is not impressed by my appearance (1. Samuel 16:7). The Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord don't make decisions the way you do. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions (heart)." (NLT) But again... Some Christians magnifies the faults of others and diminishes their graces, while it diminishes the faults and magnifies the graces of their doctrines. Its more fun for them to pick on those who do NOT practice the same way as they do.

Where I am coming from........

This is where I am coming from people (i.e. like Job's friends). I had my personal battle relating "revelation pride" within the Christian community. What makes a person think they have more spiritual revelation than another Christian? Is this your way of saying I don't have the Holy Spirit? OR is this your way of saying that I am not as spiritual as you are? When Jesus said that the Comforter is coming, He was saying: "The Comforter will not come to stand on His own, to speak on His own authority. He will guide you into all truth-He will speak and act on the authority of the divine Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is spirit and faith is required to know Christ and then, the Holy Spirit will reveal who God really is. The Holy Spirit manifests Christ into our human spirit, not to our physical eyes. Without the Holy Spirit, human pride often create the confusions and seeing contradictions that are plainly outside the field of human understanding. Christian faith is inward, not outward. It is of the spirit and not of the flesh. The kingdom of God is within you, Christ dwells in your heart, and "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core of the Christian faith. So Christianity, the true Christian faith, is inward in nature--we are to be inwardly Christians. Not by measure of faith and revelation. Am I studying the Bible to find out "what's in it for me?" Am I studying the Bible for my personal gain? My Bible is my authority but at the same time, I will never put my Bible ahead of God, the Author. Spiritual growth requires us to understand the Scriptures and get to know our God the Father, our Savior the Son, and our comforter the Holy Spirit. “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Ephesians 6:17 (NLT) (READ your BIBLE and KNOW the Word of God). As a Christian, I must understand God's universal truth, translate it into my own particular situation and live it out. Am I studying the Bible for myself and observing God's Word? Is my personal Bible study a daily discipline for my spiritual growth? The purpose for reading the Bible is to change me as I read, believe and obey. The Bible was not written to satisfy your curiosity; it was written to transform your life. - Howard Hendricks

Water Baptism is NOT........

Water Baptism is not required for eternal life (salvation). No external act is necessary for salvation. Salvation is by divine grace through faith alone (Romans 3:22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30; 4:5; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9, much more scriptural references). If water baptism was necessary for salvation, the Scripture would clearly stressed it, especially in the gospel. Jesus said you must be born again spiritually. Christ through His death and resurrection, every legal hindrance has been met and satisfied. There is nothing that can keep me from assurance except my own faith. Its not about thinking our way into salvation or to reason our way into salvation. The only way to get in is to believe Him with my heart which is sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Fallen angels

We have holy angels and fallen angels. The fallen angels were holy angels, they all fell at the same time, they were all cast down. And one-third of all the angels fell according to Revelation 12, it says, "When the dragon fell he took one third of the stars with him." So there are two-third holy angels and one third fallen angels. Lucifer fell from Heaven due to pride. Pride also will lead people to hell. Lucifer fell because of his pride and became Satan. It was pride that made him fell. Desire to be equal or be like God is PRIDE. When Lucifer (who became Satan) sinned due to pride: "I will cast off God's rule. I am too great to be bound by it. I shall declare myself autonomous. I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14) Pride is the primary heart of the sin. C.S. Lewis once said "It makes us all want to be more than we are or can be and, consequiently, causes to fall short of the great destiny for which we were created. James 2:19 (New International Version) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. Isaiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

To Prove

To prove that doctrines are accurate rather than trusting God and His decisions? Nathanael did not REQUIRED Jesus to prove with miracles to prove that Christ is the Messiah. In the concept of "prove". “Trials” in James 1:2 is the Greek peirasmos and refers to that which examines, tests, and proves the character or integrity of something. “Testing” in this same verse is dokimion which has a similar idea. It refers to a test designed to prove or approve. Suffering is that which proves one’s character and integrity along with both the object and quality of one’s faith. Compare 1 Pet. 1:6-7 where the same Greek words are used along with the verb dokimazo which means, “put to the test,” “prove by testing as with gold.” Therefore, trials may become mirrors of reproof to reveal hidden areas of sin and weakness (Ps. 16:7; 119:67, 71). In James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 the key word is “proof.” “Proof” is the word dokimion which looks at both the concept of testing which purifies, and the results, the proof that is left after the test. The Lord uses trials to test our faith in the sense of purifying it, to bring it to the surface, so we are forced to put our faith to work.

Reasoning versus Biblical

Words can have meaning that varies from person to person when discussing and asking questions. The answers become more clearer when I read some people replies to the questions. The question was a GOOD question because it lead to answers by some who I thought were not very scriptural. Now, that's heresy. We can say a word that conjures up all kinds of meanings. When we say two natures, Christ has two natures--the Bible doesn’t say that. Jesus is fully God and fully man at the same time. Jesus is explained in the scripture as fully God. He is also presented as fully man. When people start reasoning by thinking psychological terminology, which is the two-nature terminology, this leads to heresy. I am having the same problem people interpreting Romans 7. We do that with Christians, we say they have an old nature and a new nature, and again, we’re sort of compartmentalizing them psychologically, which isn’t really biblical, either. Those aren’t terms used in reference to a Christian. I prefer to stick with a biblical term because we can protect the content that way. As soon as we start using a nonbiblical term to refer to a biblical idea or theological truth, then you have to give it meaning. If it’s in scriptural terms, the Bible is its context. When you read the posts (mostly replies), you will look at their wording and how they answer the OP. You can discern which is reasoning and which is biblical.

Faith: Pistis

FAITH: Pistis Strong's Number: 4102 conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it, relating to God, the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ relating to Christ, a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God, the religious beliefs of Christians, belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same, fidelity, faithfulness, the character of one who can be relied on During Jesus' three years ministry, He was showing evidences that He is God. The Greek word behind "faith" in the NT is pistis. As a noun, pistis is a word that was used as a technical rhetorical term for forensic proof. In the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, Peter appealed to the evidence of the wonders and signs performed by Jesus; he appealed to the empty tomb, and he appealed to fulfillment of OT prophecy. Peter's message were focused on evidences. The point is that Peter grounded belief in Christianity on evidence -- or, as the definition of "pistis" in Acts 17:31 would put it, proofs. Acts 17:31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." In the subject of "healing", Jesus have provided evidences that He is GOD but not what He can do today. But rather, it is God who is working in us to will and to act according to His good purpose. He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. Healing is not guaranteed in this temporal life but rather eternal life. The healing of the atonement will bring about our resurrection in glory, where there will be no pain or suffering (Rev. 21:1-4; 22:1-3). This is Christ Promise: Christ is the fulfillment of all Messianic promises, and in Him we are eternally secure. We live today in confidence that Christ cannot fail. He will always accomplish His purposes in His eternal time. My present deliverance sets me free from the penalty and power of sin. Jesus is the Great Deliverer, through whom I have victory over sin, death and Hell. In Christ I have all the power I will ever need. Ephesians 1:19-20 ensures me that the strength of God is within me and is able to raise from the dead. That's healing. Back to the topic of Job's friends. I am having problem with people who judges people like me based on their faith in certain doctrines. They magnifies the faults of others and diminishes their graces, while it diminishes the faults and magnifies the graces of their doctrines. They closed their minds to everything that was happening around them so they grieved others by their burdensome doctrines which some of us do not agree with.

Heresy

I have seen worst heresies have been mentioned. Nothing wrong with the questions however I have seen "answers" that were not very scriptural. More reasonings and less scriptural.... when that happens, its heresy !! We are so entangled with human "reasonings". In 1 Corinthians 2:6, “but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world....” made me think. Wisdom by definition means quality of being wise; power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience and understanding. What is a heresy? Harper’s Bible Dictionary Heresy, a term derived from the Greek word hairesis, originally an opinion or way of thinking. It was used as a designation of a sect, party, or philosophical school. It is used in this sense of the Sadducees and Pharisees in Acts 5:17 and 15:5. Later Christian usage (from late second century a.d.) understood ‘heresy’ to indicate deviation from the accepted teaching or practice of the dominant Christian community. Something of this sense may be found in the treatment of Christians as a ‘sect of the Nazarenes’ in Acts 24:5, 14 and 28:22, where Christianity is opposed by Jewish religious authorities. Paul used the word for an internal faction within the Christian community (Gal. 5:20; 1 Cor. 11:19). Heresies discussed in the past 2,000 years: Adoptionism - God granted Jesus powers and then adopted him as a Son. Albigenses - Reincarnation and two gods: one good and other evil. Apollinarianism - Jesus divine will overshadowed and replaced the human. Arianism - Jesus was a lesser, created being. Docetism - Jesus was divine, but only seemed to be human. Donatism - Validity of sacraments depends on character of the minister. Gnosticism - Dualism of good and bad and special knowledge for salvation. Kenosis - Jesus gave up some divine attributes while on earth. Modalism - God is one person in three modes. Monarchianism - God is one person. Monophysitism - Jesus had only one nature: divine. Nestorianism - Jesus was two persons. Patripassionism - The Father suffered on the cross Pelagianism - Man is unaffected by the fall and can keep all of God's laws. Socinianism - Denial of the Trinity. Jesus is a deified man. Tritheism - the Trinity is really three separate gods.