NT

This is what Jesus said about seeking Signs: JESUS SAID Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas

On the contrary, it is written (Acts 2:22): Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know

God can change his mind at any time.

On the contrary, it is said, that in God “there is no change nor shadow of alteration” (James 1:17).

Random question; considering I’m an atheist, if I had to testify in a court of law and was asked “ do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,and nothing but the truth so help you God”. What should I say?

Say, “It is written in James 5:12 – ‘But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.'”

Then fold your hands in a parody of righteousness.

Though election to heaven is unconditional, atonement is limited; not in degree but in scope. Every member of the elect has been unconditionally saved and will go to heaven but only a small percentage of the population will be elected to heaven. God’s justice must be served.

On the contrary, it is written (Hebrews 2:9): But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

When babies die, they go to Heaven automatically, because they are too young to understand sin. The knowledge of Good & evil introduced SIN into the world from Adam & Eve biting into that fruit of the tree.

Thus, the TREE of KNOWLEDGE of GOOD & EVIL.

Also Bible (Hebrews 5:13-14): For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

If we are not meant to know knowledge both good and evil and if the wages of disobeying God is death, yet, souls live forever. So we should be able to live accordingly?! However, God is holy, I feel that with every fiber of my being

Ironically, the Bible later praises men who have knowledge of good and evil:

Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

It’s actually pretty graphic. It has to do with what counts as properly chaste sexual behavior for married couples, especially the wives.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

I read that as anything goes within the bounds of marriage, and it’s nunya bidness what folks do after they get hitched.

Even Christians sin and fall short of the glory of God. That’s why we have salvation and redemption.

On the contrary, it is written (1 John 3:9): Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

I don’t take pride in my sins. There are sins that are not fatal and sins that are fatal (1John 5:16-17)- like abortion and murder. It is a cause for remorse and repentance, not pride and celebration. We are called for repentance now. There is no chance of repentance after death

1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

My favorite so far:

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Catholics are allowed to reinterpret, but Protestant theology holds to a “plain reading” so… oopsy

Protestants got that covered (2 Peter 3:8): “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

Adam lived to be 930 years old, but that was still one GOD DAY. Simple!

Jesus wasn’t any god, Jesus *is* THE God, & He died only for the elect.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

My relationship with Jesus is quite secure as is my eternity. I don’t need fellow sinful human beings to determine that. Trust me, there is absolutely no Pride here. Just security in my salvation

On the contrary, it is written (2 Peter 3:17): … beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

There is no sin greater than the other. All sins are equal.

On the contrary, it is written (1 John 5:16):

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

 

 

 

 

3 JOHN

 

The Third Epistle of John is the shortest “book” in the bible by word count, with 299 words, but the preceding book 2 John has fewer verses (thirteen) while 3 John has fourteen verses.

It is addressed to a certain man named Gaius (a layman who was a member of a church in Asia Minor) as credentials for a traveling party headed by one Demetrius. The unnamed author wanted Gaius to receive this party into his church, and he is confident that Gaius will do so.

He contrasts the famous charity of Gaius with one Diotrephes, the bishop of that same Church, who did not receive the author and his party of evangelists one time. Diotrephes used to shoot off his mouth and use malicious words against the author, and not content with that, he proceeded to cast the author and his party out of this church, which is something he won’t soon forget.

In the meantime, the author needs to do this end-runaround through Gaius so that his men will have somewhere to stay.

There are other Gaiuses named in four other places in the New Testament, but they (or he) were associated with Paul and Greece, not John and Asia. And Gaius was a popular name back then. Caesar’s full name, after all, was Gaius Julius Caesar.

There is no doctrine laid out in 3 John, it is strictly a personal letter, but the overall theme is the importance of hospitality, especially when it comes to men who were working to spread the gospel.  Gaius, for his part, seems to have been a wealthy man. The author did not think it would impose unduly on Gaius to put these travelling preachers up for a spell.

Some scholars believe that the John who wrote the second and third epistles was not the same John who wrote the first epistle and the gospel of John. They make a distinction between John the Evangelist and John the Presbyter who wrote these short letters. But there are certain repeated characteristics of Johannine writings which come out clearly here, such as his catch-phrase, “thou walkest in the truth”. Also, John typically wrote with an extremely clear, ultra-simplistic, almost condescending tone, with a teaching style that reminds one of a parent speaking to a child.

“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God…”

“…and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

John also says he had many other things to write, but he’d rather tell them face-to-face than commit them to paper, which is unfortunate because 2000 years later all we have is the paper.