Christianity Q&A Thread

[Blindinglight]

Where have you read that God said he could not have spoken salvation into existance?

Ehhhhhh........it is in there somewhere. I explicitly remember one of the last times I went to church, the priest read the verse, then asked me something about it during the service. I'm pretty sure it's in the NT.

While I thank you for taking the time for answering my question, I know ask, of what denomination do you come from? As that is an interpretation I have yet to come across.

 

[silent_guy_isaac]

While I thank you for taking the time for answering my question, I know ask, of what denomination do you come from? As that is an interpretation I have yet to come across.

I am a member of the Church of God, International. You can check our minister's website (actually, his blog site) at esoriano.wordpress.com. Bro. Eli is far better than me and I'm just sharing here what he had preached unto us.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Does God suffer?

Are Christians aware of hell once they reach heaven? And if so, are they aware of loved ones who are suffering there? And, if they are, how can heaven be as enjoyable as is claimed if one knows his or her mother (for example) is being tortured for all eternity? Is it a matter of...........somehow............not caring once one's own soul is planted in heaven?

Which Bible is the real Bible? Why?

How does one become saved according to the synoptic gospels?

What is the official position on divorce? What does Moses have to say about it? Ezra? Paul? Jesus?

What is the purpose of prayer? Is it to change God's mind? How is he soverign if one CAN change God's mind? If one can't change God's mind..........then what really is necessary about it?

And finally, what's the deal with wine? Is it OK or not? Didn't Jesus turn water into wine for others' enjoyment?




Peace,
Mystic

 

[silent_guy_isaac]

Does God suffer?

Yes. He do suffer, even if He is a Spirit. One of which is that He grieved at His heart when He had made man, after seeing the great wickedness of man in the earth. Let's read Genesis 6:5-6, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." His suffering during the days of Noah is when He is waiting for men to repent while Noah is preparing the ark. By implication, God suffered for more or less a hundred years (Noah was 500 years old before the ark was prepared while he was 600 years old when the flood of waters came). Let's read 1 Peter 3:20, "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

God also suffer when He is bearing with his own elect as they cry to Him to receive justice for what men had done to them. Let's read Revelation 6:9-10, "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" He bears them all, and He will avenge for them. Let's read Luke 18:7, "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?"

Are Christians aware of hell once they reach heaven? And if so, are they aware of loved ones who are suffering there? And, if they are, how can heaven be as enjoyable as is claimed if one knows his or her mother (for example) is being tortured for all eternity? Is it a matter of...........somehow............not caring once one's own soul is planted in heaven?

Former things will be passed away as they reach the heaven. Let's read Revelation 21:4, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Their memories about their loved ones being tortured for all eternity will also be removed, so that they will be exceedingly glad without those things that may make them sorrowful.

Which Bible is the real Bible? Why?

The word Bible came from the greek word "biblion" which means "book". So, by substitution, your question will be: "Which book is the real book?" Anyway, what we should know is not really the book, but the Spirit that was being revealed by the book. Let's read 2 Corinthians 3:6, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

How does one become saved according to the synoptic gospels?

I don't know what do you mean "synoptic gospels" but there are many ways for someone to be saved. God can save them, for He is the savior of all men. Let's read 1 Timothy 4:10, "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." Christ can also save. Let's read John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Christ is the savior of the body, the Church. Let's read Ephesians 5:23, "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." For Christ to save you, you must be joined unto the Church. Let's read I Corinthians 1:9, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." He will send them into the Church of God. Let's read 1 Corinthians 1:2, "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"

But, does it mean that salvation is exclusively only in the Church? No. Don't believe those pastors who claim that outside their church, there is no salvation. Salvation for those who are outside are under God's hands, not under anyone else. Let's read 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, "For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." To prove that salvation is open to those outside the Church, those who are not under the law, let's read Romans 2:12-16, "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." They might not have known the gospel, but are doing things that the gospel says, they will be saved. In fact, they don't know that whatever they have done unto one of the least of His brethren, ye have done it unto Him, but had attained salvation. Let's read Matthew 25:32-40, "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

So, there are many ways for someone to be saved.

What is the official position on divorce? What does Moses have to say about it? Ezra? Paul? Jesus?

To whom we shall listen to? Should we listen to Moses? Let's read Matthew 17:1-5, "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." God doesn't even wanted Peter to make three tabernacles, but they must listen to God's beloved Son.

Now, what Christ had said about divorce? Let's read Matthew 5:31-32, "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." Only because of your partner's fornication you can be saved from sinning of adultery. Also, when you marry that divorced woman who commits adultery, you also commit adultery.

However, the law of divorcement will only be applied only if both him/her and his/her partner lives. Let's read Romans 7:1-3, "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man."

 

[silent_guy_isaac]

What is the purpose of prayer? Is it to change God's mind? How is he soverign if one CAN change God's mind? If one can't change God's mind..........then what really is necessary about it?

God is delighted with the prayers of the upright. Let's read Proverbs 15:8, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight." The prayers of His servants are for His own sake, so that those who are called in His name will not be spoken evil of by those who don't believe in them. Let's read Daniel 9:17-19, "Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name."

Our prayers may be a factor to change His mind, but they CANNOT change His mind if He don't like to. He hears the prayers of the upright as a way for Him to know what they like to ask to Him, then He will be the one to decide whether He will grant them or not. So, He still had his soverignty at the same time, hearing the prayers of His people, for it delights Him to hear the words of His children. (I'm starting to cry...)

And finally, what's the deal with wine? Is it OK or not? Didn't Jesus turn water into wine for others' enjoyment?

We should know that anything in excess is bad. I'm in the field of medicine, so I know how it is detrimental to the health to intoxicate yourself with wine (if you know liver cirrhosis, then you'll get what I mean). St. Paul even advised Timothy to drink a LITTLE wine (meaning, there is a specific amount prescribed) for the sake of his health. Let's read 1 Timothy 5:23, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." As we can see, wine is used for health purposes.

So, what's the deal with wine? Is it OK or not? Does it mean that if Jesus turn water into wine, is it already okay to drink and drink wine? We can see in the advertisements "Drink Moderately", but what is the definition of "moderately"? The drinker MAY have his own definition of "moderately", that even if he is already stuporous, he can claim that he's not yet drunk. I'm not saying yet that it is OK or not (for I haven't had any idea about your health condition) but just ask your doctor what will be the therapeutic range of alcohol based from your health condition. Because if I say, "It's OK", others may think that it's absolutely OK and will drink and drink according to his definition of "moderately", and if I say that it's NOT OK, how about doctors' prescriptions regarding "tincture" medications?

Why it is better not to drink wine at all if you don't have any health condition that requires you to? Have you thought about the people who are around, knowing that you're a Christian, that because of your "little" wine, others may say, "Oh! Christians are drunkards!" Would you put your soul at risk merely because of that "little" wine? The case is just like meat offered to idols, on how would those who believe it is wrong to do so will be hurt if you did eat those. Let's read 1 Corinthians 8:10-13, "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Personally, if wine will make my brother to offend, I will not even taste even a drop of it. That's how I deal with wine. Let's read Romans 14:21, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."

 

[jay kassem]

hi
cuold you pls answere the following questions. if its not to much truoble.

christians believe that jesus is god or part of a god. If so howcome all the people aruond jesus cuold see jesus. when it is stated in the bible: no one has ever seen him and no one can see him (1timothy 6:16)

 

[McBell]

What is the Biblical support that masturbation is a sin?

 

[Francine]

What is the Biblical support that masturbation is a sin?

Genesis 38:8-10 – “Then Judah said to Onan, ‘Lie with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother.’ But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother’s wife he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so he put him to death also.”

 

[McBell]

Genesis 38:8-10 – “Then Judah said to Onan, ‘Lie with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother.’ But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother’s wife he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so he put him to death also.”

Funny.
He was not masturbating....

You underlined the wrong part.
What was wicked in the lords sight?
Nope, it was not that he spilled his seed on the ground.
It was: to keep from producing offspring for his brother.
So you see, you merely underlined the wrong part of the verse.

 

[Francine]

You underlined the wrong part.
What was wicked in the lords sight?
Nope, it was not that he spilled his seed on the ground.
It was: to keep from producing offspring for his brother.
So you see, you merely underlined the wrong part of the verse.

Let the heathen spill theirs
On the dusty ground.
God shall make them pay for
Each sperm that can't be found.

Every sperm is wanted.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.

Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.

 

[Mike182]

i have heard the phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin" alot within Christian circles, is it possible to do this?

 

[McBell]

Let the heathen spill theirs
On the dusty ground.
God shall make them pay for
Each sperm that can't be found.

Every sperm is wanted.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.

Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.

No offense, but so what?
This does nothing to explain how the verse about onan being punished for trying to control the heir is about masturbation.

 

[Francine]

i have heard the phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin" alot within Christian circles, is it possible to do this?

That's the ideal, but it is not possible for real human beings to do that.

 

[Mike182]

That's the ideal, but it is not possible for real human beings to do that.

do you think that the majority of Christians agree that it isn't possible to do this? if so, why do so many still believe in loving the sinner, but hating the sin?

 

[Francine]

do you think that the majority of Christians agree that it isn't possible to do this? if so, why do so many still believe in loving the sinner, but hating the sin?

They don't believe that. They hate the sinner (Fred Phelps pickets funerals of dead soldiers whose only "sin" is to serve in a military that allows gays and lesbians to serve if they don't tell), but they cover it up by saying "Love the sinner but hate the sin."

 

[jay kassem]

Hi
Me again ive got a couple more questions if u could pls answer

it is stated in the bible: One came and said unto him good master, what good thing shall i do, that I may have eternal life? And he Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one that is, god. Is not Jesus saying in this statement that he is not god and that only god should be called good? Doesn’t this statement refute the claim of the trinity that there is 3 gods? (Mathew 19:6/17) King James Version.

also Jesus states in the bible: hear oh Israel: the lord our god is one lord. (1timothy 12:29) isn’t Jesus stating in this statement that Jesus is not god and that jesuses god is one god. By saying: OUR god is one lord. isn’t he including himself in the statement and saying that he has a god.

lastly it states in the bible: For there is ONE GOD and there is ONE MEDIATER between god and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1timothy 2:5) isn’t this statement saying that there is one god and that Jesus is only a mediator between god and man. if so doesn’t this statement agree with the Muslims when they say Jesus is only a prophet.

Don’t the above biblical quotes refute what the Christians say that Jesus is a god or part of a god?

Also don’t the statements agree with the Koran when it says: They disbelieve who say: god is one of three, for there is no god except one god. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous chastisement will befall the disbelievers among them. (5:73)

Could you pls explain the above statements for me.

Doesn’t it make sense to say that Jesus was a mighty prophet of god like the Muslims say and that god did not have children with Mary, a human being. Does it really befit god to have children. And isn’t this another contradiction from the bible when it says: how could something be clean when its born of a women. Was not Jesus born of women?

Could you pls explain these things for me it will be extremely helpful. Thanks again.

 

[Ringer]

it is stated in the bible: One came and said unto him good master, what good thing shall i do, that I may have eternal life? And he Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one that is, god. Is not Jesus saying in this statement that he is not god and that only god should be called good? Doesn’t this statement refute the claim of the trinity that there is 3 gods? (Mathew 19:6/17) King James Version.

Jesus commonly opens a question with another question. I've shared a few times why I believe He does this. One of the reasons is because it forces the person of the question to open up in their own assumptions. What Jesus is trying to imply here is that there is only one that is good, you say that I am good, therefore, are you saying that I am God? Jesus is in no way denying that he is God but it is Jesus' way of saying, "If you are serious about the answer to your question, maybe you need to examine what I've been trying to tell you this whole time or else you'll never understand my answer".

also Jesus states in the bible: hear oh Israel: the lord our god is one lord. (1timothy 12:29) isn’t Jesus stating in this statement that Jesus is not god and that jesuses god is one god. By saying: OUR god is one lord. isn’t he including himself in the statement and saying that he has a god.

There is a 1 Timothy 12:29?

lastly it states in the bible: For there is ONE GOD and there is ONE MEDIATER between god and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1timothy 2:5) isn’t this statement saying that there is one god and that Jesus is

only a mediator between god and man. if so doesn’t this statement agree with the Muslims when they say Jesus is only a prophet.

No man comes to the Father but through Jesus. The concept of the Trinity comes in here but I don't think this is stating that Jesus has been reduced to a mere man instead of the divinity he claimed for himself.

Also don’t the statements agree with the Koran when it says: They disbelieve who say: god is one of three, for there is no god except one god. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous chastisement will befall the disbelievers among them. (5:73)

Muslims hold a different view of the Trinity than most Christians. In fact, they don't believed in the trinity at all. According to them, Jesus was just a prophet and not part of the Godhead and ultimately, God.

 

[Ringer]

My spacing is all messed up when I post in FireFox so I apologize for the messiness of my reply.

 

[jay kassem]

sorry that was Mark (12:29) not timothy

 

[jay kassem]

you stated: Jesus commonly opens a question with another question. also you stated: "If you are serious about the answer to your question,
what question are you talking about? he hasnt asked a question yet.
i think you shuold seriously have a good look at your answere it does not make sense at all. If it makes sense to anyone out there pls explian to me what it means.