Saturday, November 7, 2015

2941  Forums / Key Life Forum / Re: addiction versus life in christ. on: December 04, 2010, 08:54:27 AM
Quote
"Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest."

First ... I do not want to discount the need for a person to get help for a physical addiction. The body is under the obligation of many factors that have a chemical dependence ... some are good and healing and some are completely damaging. Both the bad addictions and the good ones have a level of side effects.
The brain has path ways that are developed from a focus that is either by nature ... which is from the blindness of sin... or by regeneration which is a life giving Spirit. So the spiritual idea is a transforming idea.
The spiritual idea is a physical focus as well as a spiritual transformation. You cant worship God without the direction from your body... it is impossible. This is why a spiritual man develops different pathways in his brain than a spiritually dead man does. 

All truth is only truth as it is in Jesus Christ. We say that Christ as the truth is objective and not self reflective. This means that having an objective understanding of the truth as it is in Jesus... demands and objective examination as the distinctive evaluation of the truth. This is why truth is in word form and not in the form of incorporation of the personality of truth.

 The healthy definition of truth is the personal denial of a personal image. That is a person understands the importance of truth as he denies everything other than the word of Truth. Self denial is the the reflective image of a forgotten identity. The image ceases to exist in an identity of itself. A truth identity is Christ in you. Or i no longer live but Christ lives in me. Its not that we no longer are self responsible beings but its the image of what we are that has changed. We have lost our image of the importance of who we are. We no longer exist at the level of our own concern. Every thing has changed.
The zeal for your house consumes me. Or my personal struggles and pain is not related in importance as an incorporation of another person as an image of myself. Every thing that defines me is Him. So in self reflection i look beyond myself and my relationships to a supernatural reflection that is taught to me of who i am. Circumstances and people do not have power over me. This is the word and Spirit authority over every idea about myself that defines my reality.   
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2942  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Death of the "eternal torture" doctrine on: December 04, 2010, 02:26:29 AM
Kk does not think that God has an eternal hatred for sin. If God exist in eternity then the idea of Gods actions about sin define what Gods character is. If sin demands punishment then it demands eternal punishment. Just because reality in time as all the ideas that we understand about reality from the beginning of time to the end ...which means there is never a discovery as if it did not exist. It is determined by God that is outside of time. So instead of the logical deductions as the method of discovery or the understanding of a reality from mans view point being a greater degree than Gods will and working out of these things... it is beyond our understanding of the nature of Gods anger and His just consequence upon evil. In other words God has an eternal demand upon that is the true definition of how an idea is defined in time. Because God defines all truth in the reality of time as His existence through all generations.
This is why Gods anger toward sin is eternal. To deny eternal anger is to deny the existence of God and to deny anger exist in time.    
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2943  Forums / Politics Forum / Re: The incredible shrinking economy on: December 03, 2010, 02:27:30 PM

Financial documents filed Wednesday in the Crystal Cathedral bankruptcy case show generous compensation paid to insiders and family members of founding minister Robert H. Schuller in the year before the Garden Grove-based mega-church filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

During the same period, revenue plummeted, and church employees and vendors — from choral members to the livestock company that provided animals for its elaborate productions — were laid off or went without pay.

The church paid out more than $1.8 million to 23 insiders and members of Schuller's family in the 12 months leading up to the Oct. 18 bankruptcy filing, according to the financial statements. That sum included $832,490 in tax-exempt housing allowances given to eight people and payments to all five of Schuller's children and their spouses.

Jim Coleman, the president of Crystal Cathedral Ministries, declined to comment.

"I don't have knowledge of the documents you mentioned," he said. Other church representatives could not be reached.

Documents: Read key filings in the bankruptcy case

The church's financial records, which were kept private until the bankruptcy proceedings forced public disclosure, are beginning to paint a picture of how the church conducted business and the extent to which Schuller family members and insiders were compensated.

Don Neuen, a former 10-year choral conductor at the church, said that the news of salaries and housing allowances is shocking and heartbreaking.

"It erodes my trust in the family that they would do this, [while] owing other people," Neuen said.

The U.S. Trustee overseeing the bankruptcy proceedings has already questioned the redundant duties of some church insiders and family members and said there was "no justification whatsoever" for the $132,000 housing allowance paid to Chief Financial Officer Fred Southard. Southard has said the allowance was a benefit he is entitled to as a minister ordained by the Crystal Cathedral.

Federal tax law permits churches and other religious organizations to give housing allowances to ordained, licensed or commissioned ministers who perform certain duties, though it is unclear if the eight housing allowance recipients met those criteria. The allowances are exempt from federal income tax.

The newly filed documents show that in addition to Southard, at least three others received housing allowances of more than $100,000: Schuller's son-in-law Paul Dunn, who writes and directs the annual Glory of Christmas and Easter pageants; Schuller's daughter Carol Milner and his son Robert A. Schuller, who left the church in 2008.

Founder Robert H. Schuller also received an allowance, as did Coleman, who is Schuller's son-in-law; James Penner, another son-in-law who produces the "Hour of Power" television program; and Southard's son-in-law William Gaultiere, a part-time pastor.

Over the years, some critics have contended that the church gave money to family members, who in some cases performed seemingly little work. Those claims have never been verified because as a religious nonprofit, the church is not required to file tax statements or make its finances public.

Dunn, the pageant director, who lives in Hawaii, received more than $300,000 in housing allowance and vendor payments in the last year and was still owed $64,758, according to the financial statement filed Wednesday.

The latest records show that all five of Schuller's children and their spouses collected payouts from the church as either employees or vendors. The payments, which total about $1.2 million, helped support expensive homes. Milner and her husband, Timothy, own houses in Orange and Boulder, Colo., both valued at more than $1 million. The Dunns own at least two properties in Hawaii; and the Laguna Beach home of Robert A. Schuller is valued at more than $1 million as well, according to property records.

While the family members continued to collect pay, revenue was flagging dramatically. From January 2010 to Oct. 18, when the church filed for bankruptcy, Crystal Cathedral reported $22.3 million in revenue, down from $41.2 million in 2009 and $54.6 million in 2008.

Financial statements show the church sold properties in San Juan Capistrano and Big Bear Lake in the last two years — bringing in $22.5 million from the Rancho Capistrano sale in May. Family members took a pay cut in August, but it was not enough to turn the finances around.

The church owes creditors $48.5 million, according to the document.

It's not uncommon for family members to be on the payroll of a church or charity, said Dan Busby, president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, a voluntary member organization of churches. Crystal Cathedral is not a member.

But Busby said the fact that the board is made up primarily of family members and employees makes the compensation more questionable. Busby's organization requires its members to have majority-independent boards, meaning that most of the directors are not staff or family members of staff.


Bankruptcy filings show generous pay for relatives of Crystal Cathedral founder
As revenue plummeted at the Garden Grove mega-church this year, and employees and vendors went without pay, the church paid more than $1.8 million to 23 insiders and Schuller relatives.

"It's more difficult to demonstrate that transactions or decisions are being made in the best interest of the church or other charity when the majority of board members are insiders," he said.

Christina Wilcox, a former choir singer, said she stayed with the church choir until Easter, going months without pay while many of the other professional singers left. Wilcox said she stayed partly in the belief that she would eventually be paid and partly because she wanted to see the choir survive.

"We would ask, 'Are [the family members] paying themselves, are they taking a cut in salary, or are we being the ones asked to sacrifice?" she said.
Remove messageRemove ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2944  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: The coming of the great Apocalypse on: December 01, 2010, 12:42:35 PM
Thanks .. taking a break ... will continue....
Remove messageRemove ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2945  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: The coming of the great Apocalypse on: November 26, 2010, 01:11:04 PM
Every word spoken will be brought to bear upon men who stand in judgment. Or at least thats what is should be. Unbelief is enough to damn people tho. But Christ purchases His elect from every nation etc. This is why Christ alone must be praised for these attributes. Because these are holy or set apart in a place that is where God dwells. Its the throne of God in which man must be taken up to in order to see God. We must go through the door of heaven ... only open to those who are completely righteous by imputation.

All reality in this world is determined by Gods holy attributes. All reality was decreed in the eternal counsel of God. This is why there is these heavenly beings looking to God.. the most beautiful object of worship... or its being in the presence of eternal love... faithfulness ... goodness and mercy. This is how God exercises His Power... wealth..wisdom...and strength etc. on this earth. God sets apart a people who are called holy ...being under the eternal love of God....made able to prosper as His chosen people. The worship in heaven is circular. Looking... saying amen... singing... falling down ... casting the crowns... and then they start all over again. Because God is holy thrice... or He is the cause of all things... He is the mover of all things and He is the end of all things. Every act should be focused on God and the praise He deserves. This is what God requires of His people. To glorify Him and enjoy Him forever!

 Where God covenants with His people .. He is fully able to bring them through to the end. The way He does this is to show His power... His wealth.. His wisdom and strength through His covenant people. God cannot fail. He exercises His power to call and save a people by His will. For He created all things and by His will they have their being! Gods power cannot be thwarted. God will prosper His people by giving them their daily needs.God owns everything. He is the judge of the nations. He moves the kings heart like a stream. God does what ever He wants in heaven and on earth.He opens his hands and satisfies the desire of every living thing.  Because God is king of the earth. God rules from His throne and the earth is His footstool. His people are called and prosper because God rules them in His condescending love.The twelve tribes are His military instruments He carries into battle.
     
Remove messageRemove ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2946  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Christ in us Scriptures on: November 26, 2010, 12:51:41 PM

I'm sure there is truth in what you say there.  But it seems simpler to say that all men are invited to receive Jesus Christ into themselves as Savior.  And as He lives His unending Life in and through us, He gives us more of Himself as we give Him more of ourselves, until we are more like Him than like what we were, until we are fully like Him in the End.

So Christ in us is our Hope of Glory, our "Word of Truth", our Way into the Kingdom, our Light for our path out of darkness, our Life that never ends.  And in Him we even have so much more.

Kk... you should try to produce some Christmas cards. Theres just some universally appealing about your writing...
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2947  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Christ in us Scriptures on: November 26, 2010, 11:42:36 AM
Christ in us scriptures is the seed of the word of God that was implanted in us when we were regenerated. We received the Spirit of God who took up residence in us as the only voice. The Spirit subdued our wills by killing our old will and the word became flesh to us. The Spirit and the Word began to rule in our lives. This means that direction of our lives too a 180 degree turn. We no longer belong to ourselves.
The word is the instrument that pronounces judgment and victory in making our paths straight. Just like the fire of God goes before Him so the Spirit and the word go before us to lead us into all Truth. I am starting to develop this concept in a more detailed way. Because the word of God is purified seven times it is more durable and lasting than any other instrument on this earth.
Because the word in us is Gods saving declaration. Not only as to the new birth but in the future detail of our lives. This means that nothing can come into our lives unless God speaks it or decrees whatsoever comes to pass. Therefore we wait for God to speak salvation as if we seek after God.
Why is the word of God a sure word?.. because it is purified seven times. What is the metaphor for this final reality? It is the fire of God that goes out before Him and consumes His foes on every side. This word has seven judgments upon Gods enemies. I guess you could say they are the seven pronouncements or sins that are deadly. Because you cannot separate the word from the Spirit of the word. This seven times purified is that connection. Gods word is a pronouncement of judgment as well as a life giving Spirit. I think we have the workings of the seven spirits of God that go out in judgment in the saving of Gods elect. So that they produce life on the one hand and passively produce death on the other. There is always blessing and punishment.
We have the ot concept of the angel of the Lord who fights Israels battles.  This angel does the will of God.. He fights the spiritual enemies of the Lord. So we have this angel who works through the natural created order to produce the destruction of the wicked. got to go.

You need to understand the word purified seven times is in the context of protection from a specific imprint. Or a formed identity. The teaching is that the wicked way is imprinted and it comes out in words that are not Gods words. Sin comes from a sinner and when ever sinners are prospering then their imprint is on society and they produce the world view that is designed to destroy the righteous. What hope does a believer have? It is the word of God as the instrument of protection and judgment! How does God judge the wicked and self righteous? By giving them what they want! But this is a special dispensation because of the level of evil! Its when evil prospers.
We need to understand the durability of the word of God! The word of God is a supreme word or its the decrees of God from His eternal counsel. God decreed that Adam would sin... man is under the imputed sin of the first man. Man is born in sin. Out if the entire population on this earth... God chooses a small number of men to put His love on. God must come to man because man wants to rebel being under Adams sin. So God covenants with this community of His own and calls them His children. This is the word purified seven times. He decrees and calls some men to Himself. That calling is irrevocable.
Now instead of His elect looking to themselves for change ... they look to Gods covenant from Abraham. There is only one word that is sure... its Gods promise to have a people for His own. We are required to always look away from ourselves to Gods eternal mercy... grace.. kindness and love! When we understand the cause of everything that is good then we acknowledge there is an imprint that is beyond our willing! This imprint is the spoken word in us that becomes flesh. The words are Spirit. This is why we long to be and we are. I must get into these seven spirits that are imprinted us as our worship identity.     
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2948  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: The coming of the great Apocalypse on: November 24, 2010, 05:12:57 AM
Worship is giving God all of the glory. And this section is the beginning of the judgments of God .. the final retribution to be poured out against the law breakers. But the ceremony is the worship service in heaven. And Christ is extolled because He purchased salvation for the elect and He is the only one able to bring about the enactment of the final judgment. The right hand of God is His pre ordained place of counsel in which in all history He has come to rescue His elect from the enemies of the faith. Gods word is the official call to battle and is sure to always triumph. These images of the instruments in the hands of these living creatures and elders are collections of the history of Gods people who suffered according to Gods eternal counsel and are encouragements for us to pray without ceasing because they connect us to heaven as if it is like the ot concept of God listening in acting. Listening being a metaphor for God acting.
We have the creatures as the overseers of these very important attributes of God that are extolled night and day. These are His power... wealth.. wisdom.. and strength... honor glory and praise. These are the finest attributes of worship. Gods pre ordained counsel is in His rite hand to work out the events in history according to these attributes. These attributes are the responses to the desires of His elect. So that you have this repetitive liturgy in this heavenly worship service ... of which i am not against... we do this in our church. Because His rite hand is what creates reality and the response of worship is what He deserves because He alone deserves the perfect worship as the end of all good. Ive got to talk about these attributes because they get rite down to our humanity how it works out through the kingdom principles.   
Remove messageRemove ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2949  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Grace = Power to Do the Law on: November 24, 2010, 04:36:46 AM
Quote
We get to provide choices, not power or ability.  He gets the glory, we get the gratitude.

Wow.... this is a contradictory statement as i have been saying. Choice equals non choice.

Quote
Yes, without pain and suffering mankind will naturally drift away from God.  Who needs help when you think you have everything "under control"?

"Without Me you can do nothing" not potentially but "in being." Here is  Kks necessity of force which is an imagination.  In this verse it is going from inability to ability.
When we are regenerated we get a new will. The reason we need a new will is because our old will is dead to the things of God. We only have our 5 senses.. these are dead to the things of God. Without a new will we are dead people living on a dead earth. Dead people form physical gods with their 5 senses. They make gods according to there own reality. The unregenerate person worships a dead god like he wants.
God looks down from heaven and says to mankind... you want to worship a dead god... go ahead... i will give you your gods. But the righteous have new spiritual senses and the righteous gets what he wants. These senses are compared to feasting at a table full of the finest foods. When we are regenerated we gain an understanding of what is of greater value. The Holy Spirit makes us desire to feast at the Lords table which is an over abundance of the harvest of Gods creation as we are sitting at a covenant table... and things to wonderful for us to imagine.
We imagine through illumination by word and Spirit unto reality. Not obsessively about physical needs but spiritual nourishment for our souls. The physical needs are met in the covenant. But the spiritual longings are not completely satisfied in this life. So we long to see God and we see Him. We long to feast at His table and we find comfort and pleasures forever more. We weep and the tears fall on His scroll. That scroll where there is writing on both sides and it is sealed with seven seals. In the last days it will be opened and all of our suffering at the hands of the wicked will be vindicated. God says vengeance is mine I will repay. There still is a final judgment other than 70 AD.
When we pray it is like the evening sacrifice. When they took the blood and applied it to the sacrifice it was a sign that the curses were not going to be carried out on Gods elect. When they took the animal and put the knife to his throat the priest were placing all the curses for sin on the animal... the animal became an object of curse... the breaking of the law required a blood sacrifice... and it was a payment for the sin. That price purchased the promises in the covenant. It also demanded payment for those outside of the covenant. When Moses came down from the mountain and brought the tablets... Moses saw the people worshiping the idols... he commanded the people to take sides. The people on the covenant side then slew their own country men and their own family who chose the idols and were not in the covenant community. This was the same act when the priest took the knife to the throat of the animal. The priest was offering an object of satisfaction for sin and was cursing the enemies of God. More than the sorrow over sin.. was the desire for God to come and bring a deliver. Since the priest did this day after day it was the sweet smelling aroma of the fulfillment of the desire of Israel.. the Messiah .. would come and take away sin. The priest protected the covenant community by slashing the throat of the animal. Christ as Deliverer was the desire of Israel. This whole sacrificial system was forward looking ... and it was not mainly about our sins. Sentimentalism is a gentile philosophy.  you see?
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2950  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Pet sins on: November 23, 2010, 04:40:42 PM
Kk... i believe the apostle was correct just as the ot king describes the believer under sin. I believe in a way that we are slaves to sin because we are sinners. We love sin because there is pleasure in doing what we are comfortable doing. Plus we dont always sin knowingly but we stumble into sin. We are corrupted in every part until we receive our final salvation when we get our new bodies. Sin is from the weakness of the flesh and our flesh is dying. The more we practice anything in this life the more capable we are of declining in our faith. That is the natural condition of every body who lives in the community of saints and identifies with the church of God. There is no saint who has lived beyond God. We are all under a death sentence to be carried out the the end of our earthly sojourn. The longer we live the more gray areas we see in this life because we see the extent of sin and the difficulty in controlling the people who do not think it is that much of a deal. We see a lot more religious zeal rather than a deep personal reflection of the self.
This is why sin is always present. The apostle said he did not do what he wanted to do and in this way as long as sin is present we are going to sin. So we need to have a long term understanding of how sin can try and redefine who we are in Christ. This is why we do not react in extremes. The emotional response that is manufactured is a waste of energy. A person who is struggling with sin is and who is a christian already knows the sorrow of sin. This is why the bible says that a mature believer is concerned for his own sin. But sin is no longer in between the believer and Christ. Because we see sin our own sin and we are concerned about it. I will finish this later got to go.    
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2951  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Pet sins on: November 23, 2010, 03:38:39 PM
Ouch... wow... lets see how Kk  explains this one away... 1 Timothy 1:15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.


 Oh heres a really difficult one ...Rom 7 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

 I am sure you have a few of those other verses in your romans road or something. or Kk probably believes this is the apostle in an unregenerate state.
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2952  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Do you actually like reading the Bible? on: November 23, 2010, 10:22:39 AM
Thanx for the honesty... i been memorizing 2 to 3 verses a day for 30 yrs. But stopped for about a yr and just started again. Well ... i realized how much i missed over this past yr. But i was encouraged to focus on a season of praying the Psalms because of some trials. But now i am focused on the Revelation of John. It has been like going on a trip and viewing the grand canyon. The description of heaven in this book is mixed with images that are nothing like the enjoyments of this earth... even the grand canyon. Its described in contrast from images of this earth because it is made to be something that is set apart as the most lovely and beautiful scenery that one could think about on this earth. I think we are encouraged to find a much greater experience than our present experience of the circumstances and the sites we live in now. In a way it is something that is foreign to our senses this side of heaven so that we might not find common ground with our relationship to these earthly pleasures. I have been to heaven through chapt 4 and 5 about 20 times and i am still not close enough to the living creatures or the elders to have a sense of the new beings on the other side. Hopefully meeting these new creatures will grow as i get through the whole book. But there are new relationships and other creatures that we do not think about because we do not see them now.  
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2953  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Grace = Power to Do the Law on: November 23, 2010, 08:45:56 AM
G2
Quote
You had me in that God exercises His power by His will or it's by His power & will or God works in us to will & do, but I'm lost at "second use of the law".  That's not a term I'm familiar with so if you could explain that a little more?

The second use of the law is knowing the standard that we are to keep. This is a encouragement to do good. There would be a lack of growth if there were no defined standard.
One of the problems i have in todays context of the second use of the law is the lack of focus on the fear of God as a motive. I think we are in an age where we have an over focus on the practical as a disconnected focus of the sins of the heart. I believe we have abandoned the meta physical standards of the law and we focus on the outward behavior.
The bible as the law of God warns us not to be molded by the mindset of the world. We are molded when we do not attempt to compare what we are being taught with what the bible says. There is a way to think in the box and be deceived in the teaching. We are to think thoughts after God and our communication will be different not only in the way we talk about God but in the way we describe the standards.
This is a universe of two opposing world views. These views are at enmity with each other. We do not live in a world where we take the good out of the wrong view and accept it a as a good way. But we live in a world of opposition not only to the christian way of thinking but in the society in which we have common ground. Because there is only one rite image of the real man and all other images that are painted about the society represented by that man are against the laws of God. got to go.

This is why we cannot come to God with a scale of good and bad. Because we sort of come as representing men who are under sin. We come as the image in comparative to the real man. God will look at us... look at His Son ... and give us something else to do that will be impossible. But all men are judged by the same standard of the self righteous man because every idol thought is anti social and anti God. Men are born opposing a universe where there is a standard of perfect justice... honor... power and strength. Because men naturally want to create their own power and honor. A man devises his own way and it is a generation of tower builders to the heavens. Then a new generation comes with more evil and they lay more bricks to be like God. When they do this it is on the backs of the poor and the oppressed. Because God must be the only one who is to receive honor since there is no other god that is equal. The problem with men is not a reformation of the outward behavior but its forming a world in which God is forgotten and eventual try to do away with God. You cant serve God and mammon. 
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2954  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Grace = Power to Do the Law on: November 20, 2010, 09:33:18 AM
cont..... you cannot copy self abandonment. Its not a club you belong to and the people give you something to do and you have accountability... you do something and get something in return. The christian faith is the only club where the members come into it by a system of non compliance and miss understanding. It is a society where entrance is free and the returns are too good to be true. It is a society that is turned upside down from any system.
This is why self abandonment is not decided by the individual. It is something that looks different in each individual. Self abandonment is a gift of God for the pleasure of the saint so that a sinner is fully accepted and is free to serve others for the gratitude of his own lack of determining to do so. Self abandonment is to find Christ as the most supreme object of worship and there is nothing else worth your time. It is being drawn into an experience that is beyond this earth so that in missing the worship we feel out of place in this world. It is knowing Christ personally that His voice is the only hope we can rely on and the most consistent reality that we live in.

It is a zeal for God. The zeal is that we would go through trials ... even our sins and not wish one bad thing on our fellow believers. It is wishing that we would go through a trial with Christ alone! That is being consumed with feeling more able to deal with life if we left it in Christ hands and not in the worlds counsel. The more we are zealous in this way the more it will consume us. It is being so focused on Christ we do not have time to find our relief in the language of jealousy or envy or strife.

Self abandonment is having a protective shell over christian community. It is praying for one another and making sure that each one is protected from the world and the schemes of the devil. Self abandonment is radical curse against the enemies of the faith for the sake of each other. It is wanting rest and peace for Gods elect at the expense of spiritual warfare. It is seeing the war as a method of long term and more profound changes rather than in the quick fix. It is a vision that is beyond this worlds moral persuasion.   
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2955  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Pet sins on: November 20, 2010, 08:33:22 AM
Paul is talking about a vision here. Here you have the chief of the Pharisees... a man who believed in jewish culture and law. Here is a man who studied the Torah and implemented it to the smallest degree in his personal life. Not only did the apostle practice the ceremonial laws but he was so zealous that he did not identify with Gods nt people ... Paul did not follow the Abrahamic pattern that was passed down from Davids generation. Paul was not part of the prophetic generation that heard the message and believed it. Paul was setting himself up as the man who would oppose the christian faith.
It was absolutely essential to follow the faith of the ot saints who followed the first principles of the gospel in identifying with the church of God throughout Isreals history. These saints were call the elect of God. In not identifying with Gods elect Paul was working against the God of Abraham! Paul failed to see that Gods message was a message of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone. Until Paul had the Damascus experience he was going against the historical message passed down from one generation to another.
Paul was a man who was dramatically converted. He not only relearned everything after his conversion but he abandoned his former life as a law keeping Pharisee. He considered it nothing but doo doo. He abandoned the law keeping in the same way he abandoned his own life. He was more aware than any of his counter parts of the person of Christ. Paul was a sold out saint. He said for me to live is Christ. It was not his experience that he was looking at. It was not the pain he was going through that he was looking at. It was Christ and Him alone!! Paul went from the words on a page to a personal relationship with a Person!
2956  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Grace = Power to Do the Law on: November 20, 2010, 08:00:04 AM
I see what you are saying there.

LOL--KK, you are very difficult to talk to.  You say one thing, someone responds, then you kind of twist it around so it sounds right.

I mean this with lightheartedness & a tease-- talking to you, is kind of like trying to pin down Jell-O!

Your original post was that: Grace = the power to DO the Law.

As you well know there is so much in the NT about NOT being under the law or the power of the law, all who rely on observing the law are under a curse & that it was powerless, & that it was put in charge for a time to be a "tutor" to lead us to Christ.

So, I'm not really sure what you are driving at?  Christ was 'Promised' to Abraham.  ONE on ONE covenant between God & man.  How do you believe the OT saint's were saved?  Having a priest offer up sacrifices for them?  Their own sacrifices?  What about the time before the law was given in how to do sacrifices properly?  I'll wait to give my understanding.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

 18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
 20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.



Now, if you want to change this thread to "Grace = The Love of Christ that compels us", I would understand you.  Or if you wanted to draw on Ephesians, that the Power that was exerted in raising Christ from the dead, lives in us, I would understand you.

If there is no "Speed Limit" posted, how would you know you are breaking the law (opposing God's ways--since no one can counsel Him or know His mind)?  See your sin for what it really is, in opposition to God's ways.  In need of His salvation & forgiveness.

It's never been about us "doing", it's about us "BEING" in Him (who Is Obedience) & having Life, and having it eternally.  Relationship, kinship--Son/Daughter...via BLOOD!

If we have His Spirit as our guarantee, proof, then what does our "obedience" prove?  Or what is it for?

I've come to the conclusion that Christ set us FREE, for Freedom's sake. (Gal 5) and that everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.  Where there is no law, there is no transgression.

So what is my obedience for?  He doesn't need proof, (He provided Himself (Spirit) for my proof.  It's not for others sake either.  I believe it's because HE wants what is beneficial for me.  His ways are always the BEST & Perfect--expedient ways.  "Life" by His Spirit. (which would = having a relationship with Him in every moment of every day.)

Very good post here G2... Yes this is exactly what i am having a problem with Kk about. He says that God meets us half way when He commands us to do what we are required to do. Then Kk will back off and say that its all Gods power. Some how i am trying to get him to see the inconsistency in Kks analogies in distinguishing Gods power from the exercise of His will. I am say they are one and the same. He is saying that God will is not ordering the event but its our will and His power. What i am saying is that God exercises His power by His will.
We believe in the second use of the law too. But we say that it is all of us and all of God ... or God works in us to will and do. My personal understanding of the second use of the law is one that we focus on relationship as you are saying G2. So I believe we fall rite into the same kind of arminisnist tendencies when we present the christian as being compliant in being able to obey the law with the equal rebel tendencies to disobey the law... mixed with the need for God to teach us through applying pain. ...as Kk suggest.

 In my understanding the pain we go through in this life is not directly related to our sin as the number one cause of our trials. Most christians believe that our presentation of christian principles demands for us to be absolutely consistent in our actions. So they see the second use of the law as a necessary two line philosophy to balance out the free grace teaching. Even some of my own Calvinist brothers think that freedom only goes so far and the balancing as Gods mechanism is to bring the law to bear on the believer through dark providence's and strong preaching on the law. But i believe the second use of the law is to show the effects of those people who are under a curse and for God to protect through His Divine providence... His own. This is why i dont really think the christian life is a plan of God but it is but it is believing what God determines through the sin and pain for our benefit and for judgment on the cursed sinners. The second use of the law is directed toward law breakers.. or the non elect.
This is why the principle of continuous disobedience is a mark of an non elect. But we must see that we are not teaching perfection when we say that a believer does not continuously disobey. What we are saying is the believer continuously sins but its the attitude about the sin that proves the genuineness of the faith. We are saying that the question of sin is not one that centers on outward performance but a person knowing the personal struggles with sin.

This is why you cant copy christian epistemology. It must start with an understanding of the gospel and the rite knowledge of personal sin. Because a christian sinner is no longer under the condemnation of the law and yet he continues to sin while at the same time hating sin and yet wanting the full rites as Gods sons. While at the same time knowing that his sin is forgiven while the other guys sins are being judged and the other guy is under the curse of the law... and at the same time experiencing the adverse relationship as being accused of christian arrogance. And yet because the christian belongs to Christ then the special relationship is miss read by the non elect so that the christian is accused of not understanding the nature of what the moral code of conduct is. And yet there is a secret life of Christ with complete freedom while at the same time the non elect continues in the bondage of sin and the law etc. Then you have the self righteous who are drawing the non elect to themselves while the elect who seem to be in worse condition are bringing an unattractive message. So this is why the second use of the law is mainly for our protection. We half to have a sort of economy of value that draws us into believing in something that is impossible for us to work out on our own. Mediate on the verses where sin and cursing is equal.      
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2957  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Grace = Power to Do the Law on: November 18, 2010, 10:45:45 AM
Hey, Tom!  It's me Becky (Great2bHIS), not Gouda who is Fran  Smiley

My bad... bec... i am working a lot rite now... i want to write every day but i am tired... sorry... got confused.
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2958  Forums / Politics Forum / Re: Our newly elected politicians on: November 18, 2010, 10:11:02 AM
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
8 Crist vetoes overridden

With the new House and Senate members and leaders sworn in Tuesday, lawmakers sent a strong message of GOP dominance.

BY MARY ELLEN KLAS, STEVE BOUSQUET AND MICHAEL C. BENDER
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Legislature christened a new era of conservative government Tuesday, flexing its newfound muscle by overriding eight vetoes in a half-day special session.

It also put Congress on notice that it intends to reform the state's multibillion-dollar Medicaid system, and berated members of the Florida Supreme Court for overreaching their authority.

The historic override of Gov. Charlie Crist's vetoes came after the House and Senate swore in 54 new members and named Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, as their presiding officers for a two-year term.

The veto overrides will shield homeowners, farmers, gas stations and small businesses from higher costs by stripping away or delaying regulations -- essential elements to job creation, legislators say. The message they sent to Congress and the court was: Keep your distance.

In his opening speech to members, Cannon criticized ``government run amok'' in Washington and blasted Congress for ``taking over banks and financial institutions . . . socializing medicine . . . and trampling the property rights of citizens and the sovereignty of states.''

He criticized the Florida Supreme Court for striking three constitutional amendments crafted by the Legislature from the November ballot, saying the work of lawmakers was ``demolished by five unelected justices on the Supreme Court.''

Cannon, a lawyer who personally defended the Legislature's substitute amendment for two redistricting referendums backed by Democrats, called the court decisions to strike down the proposals and congressional actions ``just a few examples of threats to freedom,'' but added ``there are many others.''

Haridopolos, a college professor, used his opening remarks to set the tone for what he has pledged will be the most conservative Senate in more than 100 years.

`TWO OPTIONS'

``We're facing a $2.5 billion shortfall,'' Haridopolos said after being sworn in. ``We have two options: raise taxes or spend less . . . We will do more with less, we will tighten our belt and we will not raise taxes a single dime.''

While pledging to give all bills a thorough hearing in at least three committees, Haridopolos warned: ``If your piece of legislation raises a tax, makes it easier to file a lawsuit against a fellow Floridian or increases red tape, then I don't like your chances.''

Legislators spent the afternoon winding their way through seven bills and a budget item vetoed by Crist earlier this year. With near-unanimous votes in both chambers, they conducted the first overrides of a governor's veto since 1998, when lawmakers restored two bills rejected by then-Gov. Lawton Chiles.

They approved bills that authorized $31 million in federal stimulus money to provide rebates to an estimated 13,000 people who bought high-efficiency air-conditioning and heating systems or solar-energy systems. They delayed implementation of a new law that requires septic tanks to pass an inspection every five years. And they enacted a new requirement that regulations costing businesses $200,000 per year be ratified by the Legislature.

Lawmakers also passed bills that would loosen rules for cleaning up petroleum sites, repeal a requirement that homeowners in coastal counties provide a ``windstorm mitigation rating'' to potential buyers, and allow farmers who want to sell their land to transfer their agricultural tax credits to the buyer


With the new House and Senate members and leaders sworn in Tuesday, lawmakers sent a strong message of GOP dominance.




BY MARY ELLEN KLAS, STEVE BOUSQUET AND MICHAEL C. BENDER
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
« Previous |Page 2 of 2

MEDICAID REFORM

Lawmakers sent Congress a nonbinding statement of their intent to pass a Medicaid reform bill in the spring. The measure states that they intend to expand on a Jeb Bush pilot program and steer most Medicaid patients into managed-care plans.

Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican who voted against the resolution, said that managed care essentially means HMOs, and warned: ``If you think you got a few phone calls last year, put people in an HMO and the phones will be ringing off the hook.''

The overwhelming majorities by which the Republicans passed the measures underscored the weak position Democrats find themselves in. Because their numbers are so small, Democrats cannot stop or even slow down Republicans unless maverick Republicans join them.

That happened once in the Senate on Tuesday, when three Republicans voted to oppose the new hurdles for regulations. But only four Florida Democrats joined them, and the measure passed 32-7, a signal to Republicans leaders that most Democrats were eager to please as they await assignments, offices, parking spaces and committees.

``We're not going to throw rocks at people who can throw boulders at us. That doesn't make any sense,'' said Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach.

MINORITY LEADERS

Democrats installed a pair of South Florida lawmakers as minority leaders: Sen. Nan Rich of Weston and Rep. Ron Saunders of Key West, who said Democrats would play a watchdog role to make sure Gov.-elect Rick Scott and the GOP-controlled Legislature follow through on their promises to create jobs and revive the economy.

Some Democrats were disturbed by Cannon's sharp criticism of the Florida Supreme Court in his opening-day speech, which he delivered with Chief Justice Charlie Canady -- a former legislator -- seated 50 feet away.

``The chief justice is sitting there in the front row and you're taking a shot at him right off the bat,'' said Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg.

Cannon said his pointed speech was meant to open a ``dialogue about how we can support them in fulfilling their role and they can support us in fulfilling our role.''

But the high court's spokesman Craig Waters raised questions as to how far the justices would be willing to go to ``dialogue'' with Cannon.

``The word `dialogue' is very open-ended, and can include meanings that would violate the Code of Judicial Conduct,'' Waters said. Because justices are prohibited from discussing any issues that could come before the court, `` `dialogue' is trumped by ethical considerations,'' he said.

Herald/Times staff writers Lee Logan and Janet Zink contributed to this report. Mary Ellen Klas can be reached at meklas@MiamiHerald .com.

ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2959  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Grace = Power to Do the Law on: November 18, 2010, 10:04:58 AM

mbG:  "The righteousness of Christ is His righteousness alone. His righteousness is credited to our account. But it is not intrinsically our righteousness."

K_k:  Only Christ is truly righteous.  We become more righteous as He imputes/imparts His Life in/through us.

KK--One question for right now.


1. Can you be more righteous in the future than you are right now, here today, In Christ Jesus?

Good question Gouda... its dangerous to believe what Kk is teaching. First because Kk thinks that Christ righteousness is infused a little bit at a time. Or as Kk confuses us all ... Kk describes what ever property we are talking about... its under the broad scheme of Kks democratic god...which is share forgiveness .. he says its Christ forgiveness but we must ask first... his belief is a half way meeting.. but he doesnt admit its what he is saying. So is Kks grace.. its shared favor as long as we are responding to Gods big thumb. Now Kks righteousness is doled out as we submit to Christ. The Catholics believe in infused righteousness but Kk has his own theory... he will disagree with the Catholics but then he describes equal righteousness but says we cant take credit for it. So his method is not even arguable since he is always contradicting himself but swears its neither armininism or calvinsim.. its Kk the contradiction... hehe

 But we believe that its not intrinsically our righteousness but its Christ declaration that we are righteous once and for all in the courts of heaven. You are correct Gouda that it cant be further improved upon after we have the initial declaration because Christ has already earned the acceptance. We are in Christ who is made us acceptable before God. We are still wicked and totally depraved in our own corruption. We are always going astray. Not by the works of righteousness which we have done but according to His great mercy has He saved us. We are completely acceptable in the court of heaven .. once for all time.

For the sake of not offending anyone I will not give specific times or names but  let me say that in the past i ... a long time ago .. i believed like Kk... i believed everything thing was divided between me and God. I believed that God was keeping me in line with all of the pain and sorrow .. and i had my counselors... and my close friends... the one person who i confided in.. and i lived with people who believed the ... if you do your part God will do His theology. I was single and was about as close to being in the in group of all of that ....but i learned my lessons very early on. So when i hear stuff about like what Kk is saying not only does the theory come back to my mind but it was the society in which i lived the life that comes back in that i know in practice how foolish it is. This is all very childish to me... being that i was able to see this kind of society in flesh and blood and be in it for so long before i became a calvinist. I know what it is to live with the so called law on the heart stuff with the law of love encouragement.

 There is one person who knows everything about me so if that is the standard then i probably am farther along than most people in that religious environment. Ive been the the best counseling that one could find in this life. Ive studied all of the techniques. I know first hand what it is to live in a Freudian environment. I am probably more familiar with the intellectual and emotional interaction with all of these philosophies in a very deep intellectual experience. All of this is a very long time ago. Our society is not longer emotionally connected to these philosophies but we are under the domination of yrs of this anti God practice ... we are slaves to the system that has been put in place in all of the different societies family... job... and church. We are a culture of relational black mail.
Every man born on this earth is a religious fanatic. Man has always worshiped a god. This is a time where we believe everything as long as we can move up the scale of success. Religion is egalitarian as an american system.    
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2960  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Pet sins on: November 16, 2010, 03:21:51 PM

mbG:  "First of all God does not lead us to the end of ourselves. "

K_k:  Perhaps you have not been led to the end of yourself, but i have.  And i get led there often, since i have a tendency to resurrect the old self to make sure he/it should stay dead.  Sorry that doesn't fit your theology, but it sure seems to be my experience.

mbG:  "Our sorrows are like arrows that pierce our hearts. These things are not Gods ways of bringing us closer to Him."

K_k:  Perhaps they don't have that effect on you, but they sure do to me.  After wallowing in sorrow for awhile, for whatever cause, i turn to Him where i should have been in the first place.

mbG:  "God brings about sin in us by our lack of ability to overcome sin. God does not need to twist our arm... make us aware of our sin.. make us learn from our pain that we get from sin... or create fear by warning us of the consequences from our sin."

K_k:  I wouldn't accuse God of "bringing about" my sin.  He just empowered me and gave me abilities which i have misused.  And He definitely does teach me the painful consequences of sin, thank God.  And He definitely has warned us about those consequences in His Word.

mbG:  "Justification does not set us up with a new power to obey the law."

K_k:  No, it is His Life in us that gives us new power to obey His Laws of love.

mbG:  "This is why we can stumble and yet enjoy greater power than when we obeyed from the heart. We can have a long struggle with sin and yet have more power available to us than when we served God without falling into the sin that so easily besets."

K_k:  We can stumble and still know that the power to obey His righteous instructions is still with us, since He never leaves or forsakes those who are His.  We have the same power available to us whether we sin or don't sin -- His power.  Joy springs from heart-felt obedience.

mbG:  "We add our own sorrows through legalistic man made rules!!  "

K_k:  And we experience peaceful joy, and joyful peace, through Him writing His Law on our hearts, minds and souls.  The Law-giver is not separate from His Law, He Himself is its essence.

The reactions we have in this life are mostly due to our own inner voices of guilt .. shame.. and sorrow. Because we have been taught that sin is capable of bringing the saint under its domination so that we cannot recover to be the same person as we had been before we did the act. We look at out word sins and temporary effects. Because all mankind can profit from in a short term way in gaining control over outward sins. But the bible talks about sins that are not visible that we carry around and there is nothing we can do about the effects that come into our lives. You see sin is an incurable disease. Every day we wake up everyone in our world is suffering the loss of good cells and having the life flow cutting them off from their enjoyments. Sin ends in death and this is the predominate experience of every person who is in the family of Adam.
The truth is that most of us trade the short term view of sin so that we do not need to deal with its long term effects in us. But the bible is not a book of the exploits of men who gain some temporary enjoyment in quitting some kind of outward sin. The bible tells us what the end of our lives on this earth will be. The bible tells us this because this is what God has determined for us before the foundation of the world. You see things present and physical.. but God sees the end from the beginning.
God tells us that in the end of our lives He will take all of our friends from us and our loved ones and leave us with nothing but "God and I". You may have sorrows but sin will bring the punishment that God intended without our help. In this situation we will look back and think of all of the struggles we had on this earth because God planned it that way. It is called the pain of death before we die. God is not joking around with this reactionary self fulfillment that men practice in comparing themselves with each other. And having pride in a short term victory over some sin. God is going to bring about the destruction of the body for the purpose of the penalty for Adams sin. So if you are thinking about the suppose power that you have over some shorterm effects of sin... start to envision what loneliness will be at the end of your life when all the things you worked for will come to nothing in this life. Then you may begin to think like an adult.   
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2961  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Pet sins on: November 14, 2010, 07:15:07 PM
First of all God does not lead us to the end of ourselves. He gives us a totally renovated will. Toad is not talking about needing further preparation for sanctification but he is talking about his struggle with the sorrows of being human.
Let me talk about this in a personal way with how i am taught to think about myself. Our sorrows are like arrows that pierce our hearts. These things are not Gods ways of bringing us closer to Him. Some of us should be on medication because there is too much sorrow and God has given us meds to balance our mental processes. But sorrows are not Gods reaction to our sin. God deals with us in a family sense. He is making us more like Christ without reacting to our sin.
The truth is that God has given us freedom to sin. Because God has determined the times when we sin. He decrees whatsoever comes to pass .. that includes our sins and weaknesses. God tempts no man.. but that does not mean that He is not aware of everything that is going on from the beginning to the end. God brings about sin in us by our lack of ability to overcome sin. God does not need to twist our arm... make us aware of our sin.. make us learn from our pain that we get from sin... or create fear by warning us of the consequences from our sin. God is able to take away the temptation... the desire to sin... the strength of sin and the consequences of sin. I am not talking about justification as it relates to our being perfect in Christ . But i am talking about our position in Christ as we are perfect in Christ in light of our ongoing state of no condemnation as real a real sinner.

Justification does not set us up with a new power to obey the law. Justification is a declaration in the courts of heaven that we are righteous. We no longer are condemned. Justification makes us as sinners nor longer condemned for past or present future sins. When we are made completely new in Christ our identity became completely different. We still sin but we are not the old identity. We still practice sin but we are represented by a new name. We still stumble and fall but we are confident that the power that we have been given is His power. It does not depend upon our sin. It depends upon the name and glory of Christ. The power is in the name of Jesus... we are under a new owner.
So this means that Christ is the new king and we belong to a new kingdom. We sill sin but the power is not from our own honor and goodness. The power is a gift from grace. This is why we can stumble and yet enjoy greater power than when we obeyed from the heart. We can have a long struggle with sin and yet have more power available to us than when we served God without falling into the sin that so easily besets.
We have been taught a bunch of insignificant man made rules that only bring us into bondage when we are focused on our performance and not Gods power ability and glory!! We add our own sorrows through legalistic man made rules!! 
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2962  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Reformed Doctrine on: November 14, 2010, 06:49:58 PM
You prove my point every day... at least you are consistent... if you can cooperate in your salvation then it depends upon your cooperation for your sanctification. The definition of legalism. Thanks.
Remove messageRemove ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2963  Forums / Main Forum / Re: Is war with sin a waste of time? on: November 14, 2010, 06:26:14 PM
Jim,

I did not even read what he had written.  I think he's a creep and maybe he should get saved or something. 

Nancy

PS:  I'm a little bit afraid because satan is indeed "rolfa" and this guy doesn't know it or doesn't care and i'm sort of sorry for putting my life out there in the presence of people such as he.  Someone should pray for him or something.  This is not funny.

Nancygirl... heres my one rule.. you can write anything you want and it is not any ones business to condemn it if you are genuinely trying to present something you believe. So you are free to disagree with me but to condemn what i am saying or attributing it to the devil... thats not fair. Kk and i have disagreed about the doctrines of grace but we dont call each other unacceptable christians. As you can see i like Kk . We can disagree but i respect his rite to state his beliefs. Nancy... you are not being fair to me.
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2964  Forums / Main Forum / Re: what is sin? on: November 14, 2010, 12:28:00 PM
Dear "Kings Kid"

The Lord bless you and do say a prayer for me because I think the guy who calls himself MyBigGod is a creep and if I said anything else I'de be lying.  I keep looking for the good in him and I find none.

Nancygirl... can you communicate in such a way that we can have a conversation... did i write something that upset you? I only come here to discuss nicely. I dont write things to woman that are harsh. Kk doesnt think i am mean.... i really dont understand since this is the first time you have said anything to me.
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2965  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: The coming of the great Apocalypse on: November 14, 2010, 12:22:27 PM
I'm trying really hard to be a good Christian and you are making it impossible.  Whatever your theology is it su*** and people are dying all around you and going to hell without the Saviour and you are trying to be right.  May God forgive me, I think you have all the compassion of a toad, or worse.

Nancygirl... i am glad you are making a confession that you are not going to hell... can you do me a favor and forget our little disagreement and help those who are not saved. I just come here to write... i have no other motive. If we disagree its not the end of the world. So can we discuss these things.. are you upset because of something i said about the judgment of the wicked? I wont bite.
Remove messageRemove ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2966  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: The coming of the great Apocalypse on: November 14, 2010, 11:38:33 AM
Now here in these two chapters we have a vision of God. And we see that God gets the full glory for everything. It is finally a reality that all things are directed toward God and there is perfect worship and praise so that all things give God the glory that He deserves. The present world is a disjointed world and there is no time in this sin and corrupted experience where the high praise of God is experienced. Sin has turned everything upside down and men spurn God ... the created order is disjointed and there is not a moment where the world sees the reality of the glory of God. So there is pain and sorrow as a result. This worship here tho is absent of all of these corruptions and God is God as He should be worship by the created order!!Finally!!!
But God must carry out His final judgment in order for this future reality to be fully experienced. This is why there is a price and a longing to get to the judgment in order for God to be God in everything.He must take the scroll and pronounce the judgment. He receives glory because sin is dealt with in this final purifying fire of God. Because God dwells in unapproachable light. He is most beautiful in His multi colored presence. The sounds from His throne are like the orchestrated beauty of an instrument that brings all things to praise and glorify God. For worship on this side of eternity is to bring about the ultimate judgment of God to free the prisoner.For from His throne come flashes of lightening ... pearls of thunder ... like the roar of the waves and the crashing sound of the waters as they sound like pearls rubbing against each other. Beauty and sound bring about the unity of all things in God.
Here we have the order of beings in the universe from those beings that surround the throne and then at the bottom so to speak... the creatures in the waters of the earth. Everything that God created is good and brings ultimate glory to Him. This is a demanded ultimate reality that this created order would be in unison to pronounce glory and praise to God in response! What we have here is a reversal of the corrupted order!  

Do you feel the disjointness that sin has weighed down.  Can you compare this experience with what will be a reality in the future that all things will finally be set rite and the creation will give God the glory He deserves ... this is ultimate goodness and all of these attributes of God that we respond in giving Him His rite ful service in the working out of these attributes as they are to be seen? Dwell on the final reversal of all things and the new unity that flows from the throne of God.
Remove messageRemove ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2967  Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Does sinning break fellowship with Jesus? on: November 14, 2010, 11:16:30 AM
We need to understand that sin is a blurring of our site in seeing things as they truly are. In a sense every day is a new song. The problems of site and not powerful enough to hold us down. But the weight of sin is the experience of guilt.. sorrow... shame... and anger. But anger is the core of the residuals of sins activity in the soul ...that carry over to another day. In other words these residuals are the frustrations and anxieties that we experience from a lack of understanding of our ability to use wisdom to apply it to our own hearts and the circumstances that we are in.

Every person will have an image of the real man. This focus is like having a deep well of life or death experiences that flow out of our hearts to produce the real man. We are what we think because we reason that we are experiencing what we know is the condition of our soul at the time we are under some kind of residual effect. The problem is that we do not know how to remind ourselves of who we are and we do not know how to deal with our frustration that we are not what we know intellectually and in an understanding way.

 I call this anger that carries over to another day and increases our frustration in dealing with the new day. Most people think that this should be dealt with on a horizontal level first before we get relief. But this is not biblical. Because the apostle says that we are not under bondage to another man. Our problem is that we do not release the present residuals before we go into the next day. So we build up frustration and sin becomes the attractive agent to get our freedom back. The bible is not a book that encourages penance form of confession. There is no rule for this communication of forgiveness in regards to our actions. The only reality of forgiveness is experienced when we know God or we see God. It is not predominately what we do.

The actions upon us are from the source of free grace. They do not communicate freedom in our understanding of free grace. But free grace comes in transformation through transparency... an illumination of the wisdom of God and a communication of His Fatherly care that calls us to more transparency before Him in prayer. So that we have a secret relationship away from the relationships of this world. God is our High Priest who hides us in His care and keeps the world from exposing our weaknessess so that we are filled with anxiety and fret.

 We must see that our earthly experience is not our experience before our God. We must communicate as we are represented by Christ as the advocate for all of our sins and problems. We must find our confidence as if we were standing before the judge of the universe and being pronounced accepted and free. The only way we can have this other experience is to learn how to plead our cause. The residuals only influence our present experience because we are like a frustrated advocate that the judge has silenced. This is not a christian way of life.
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2968  Forums / Main Forum / Re: When does grace end and consequences begin? on: November 14, 2010, 10:51:21 AM

mbG:  "But the apostles must have been negligent when they shook the dust from their feet and went to another situation. Tell the gospel ... move on... the apostles principles."

K_k:  The apostles were following specific instructions from the Lord.  They weren't being negligent.  If, on the other hand, an apostle were told to stay with one person until they received Christ, no matter how long, then they would be negligent if they moved on after a single presentation of the Gospel.  The point is, what are the Spirit's instructions in each specific case. 

We can't make iron-clad rules out of every instruction given to the disciples, though some folks try to do so.  For example, few Believers do this:  "He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.""  Luke 9:2-4

Not saying we shouldn't ever follow these instructions, just that we are not commanded to always do the same thing.  We need to seek God's guidance in every case, and in some cases it might be to walk with a friend through the consequences they need to face.

I am glad that you agree with me about application then Kk. So we should have a lot of room when we apply the scripture because the bible says to have a lot of counselors that are human beings who may oppose each other in application. The truth is not clear in application because we never have all the facts. 
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2969  Forums / Main Forum / Re: Is war with sin a waste of time? on: November 14, 2010, 10:23:58 AM
You talk too much to be truthful.

"Jesus wept"..... hehe.. just kidding Ng....

No  seriously .... ive been here along with most of the others at the bottom of the page... i think TB and i ..... are pretty much in agreement with the doctrines of grace... billbennet is also one i like to read here... kk is new and he allows me to explore my own beliefs by challenging me with the opposing view. I do not doubt his sincerity at this point.
I dont write to please any body or i would have already been gone from KLF.... this is not personal to me as a relationship i have with real people. But i show up here almost every day and have a lot to say because i go through a mind blowing experience in meditation and i need an outlet. I dont know who reads my post... most probably skim through them but it helps me get stuff off of my chest... but if i can help one person it would be worth the tedious effort.....i have not found a truly Socratic kind of situation where i feel comfortable in real life.... i believe socratic learning is the best form. Thanx for at the least opposing me...  smiley

 Rite now i am memorizing the book of Revelation.. stick around i wont disappoint you. Its starting to filter down into an emotionally charged experience.
ReplyReply Reply with quoteQuote Notify of repliesNotify
2970  Forums / Main Forum / Re: what is sin? on: November 14, 2010, 10:16:33 AM

Interesting idea.  Think i'll give it a try.  Well, for a while, anyway...  rolleyes

Actually that little guy with the big God and i are more fond of each other than might appear to the casual reader.  And we have the same goal, to glorify the All-Glorious One, so we're on the same team, though it might appear we are mortal enemies.

Right, mbG?   kiss kiss kiss

Kk... i have a lot of respect for you...and i know your faith is strong... even tho we disagree God has put us in each others path for encouragement and helping each other along the way. this is a good man here.  smiley

No comments:

Post a Comment