Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 1886

"my Gospel"; v.25 (cont.) This is the same Gospel of which Paul proclaimed, "I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me [or "which I preach"] is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the Revelation of JESUS CHRIST" ( Gal. 1:11-12). Thus, the Gospel is not Paul's as its originator, but rather, Paul's because JESUS CHRIST revealed it to him "that I (Paul) might preach HIM (GOD's SON JESUS CHRIST) among the heathen" ( Gal. 1:16).

The reader should also consider the contexts in which Paul distinguished "my" Gospel from that of

+ those who Paul described as "them that are con-tentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unright-eousness" ( Rom. 2:8). This also includes Judaizers who coerced and manipulated their subjects to obey the Law so that they could "make [their own] boast of GOD" ( Rom. 2:8 & 23).

+ "them which cause divisions and offenses con-trary to the Doctrine which ye (Roman Christians) have learned" ( Rom. 16:17; cp. v.18).

+ Hymenaeus and Philetus, both of whom taught "that the Resurrection is past already" ( 2Tim. 2:18). Of note, Paul did not specify that which these two heretics taught pertaining to the resurrection, but their teaching was certainly a perversion.

For as christ himself in his merciful eternal loving kindness and selfless omnipoteent and omniscient benevolence warned us more than 2,000 years ago" : "heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall never pass away" - ( acts 4:12 kjv 1611 - for there is no other god given to humankind by whom we must be saved." ***

My comments addressed all the godless humanist "ISM's - among which, ZIONISM, 1896, and NOT the book of Genesis, which is also God's living Word prophesying the coming of Christ Jesus Messiah Lord God Savior Redeemer in GENESIS 3:15, KJV, where Christ is referred to as THE SEED OF WOMAN, and not as "descendant" or "offspring" that begs focus and concentration on carnal biological genealogical flesh lineage that contradicts God's Word in the Book of John that we are BORN OF GOD and that THE FLESH IS OF NO AVAIL ( JOHN 1: 1-18; JOHN 3:16; JOHN 6:63; JOHN 17:3; HEBREWS 8:13; HEBREWS 13:8; REVELATION 1:7; REVELATION 20, 21, 22, KJV 1611, HOLY BIBLE). ***

Are you now censoring the FIRST AMENDMENT and serving ANTICHRIST in promoting the godless material interests of carnal men spiritually blinded by "the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life? You will be found yourselves fighting against God, a warning issued by Gamaliel, a Pharisee, under whom, the Apostle Paul, was "advancing in Judaism," sum of which, the Apostle Paul, uttering God's prophetic eternal Words of Spirit and Life in Christ Jesus, aptly, calls "dung" or "refuse?" "Ye err greatly in not knowing the Scripture and the power of God!" ***

Complete faith in God means no faith in the ideas and works of men. All science is falsely so-called. The only ''government'' is Our Father which art in heaven and He will be our protector in these evil days.

Psalms chapter 91

1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

conclusion: no trust whatsoever in mortal medicines

Thank you Carleton - that was a very telling testimony of retrieval from the clutches of sin. And praise God for those elders who assisted in your rescue & restoration. And so it is, for all who are beguiled by Satan & find themselves in his clutches, the Lord does all things possible by His Spirit & through godly men & circumstances, to alert us to the folly of our ways. The Lord gave you a loving assembly family who were quick to fish you out of the snare - many others flounder around for months or years, making shipwreck of their faith, dishonouring the Lord.

But when one knows the wrong & continues to persist in it, enjoying it & finding no conviction of such a lifestyle in the Light of God's Holiness & the Cross of Christ, hoping that the Lord would overlook it at His Coming, that to me is a great stretch of 'undeserved unlimited Grace'. It is then any wonder that those of us (= me) who believe in the 'eternal security of the believer' are often labelled as 'those who promote or allow licentious living while under such Grace', or being in support of "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" ( Romans 5:20). Our hearts must never be allowed to get so hardened in sin or a sinful lifestyle that the Spirit's Light can no longer be seen or felt.

Without delving too deep in theology, Divine Election is essentially God choosing who are to belong to Him.

We have the Old Testament references to God's choosing Israel: Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 45:4; Isaiah 65:9; Matthew 24:22 (Matthew is still OT in this respect). Israel wasn't a nation at the time of God's choosing nor did its forefathers deserve anything for God choosing them, but that He wanted a "special people, to set His Love upon them, & to keep His Oath made to their forefathers" ( Deuteronomy 7:6-8).

In the New Testament (post Cross), the Apostle Paul speaks of God's Elect as being from both Israel & the Gentiles: under "the election of Grace" (Romans chapter 11) and Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 1:2.

So we understand from Scripture, that God chooses whomever He desires to be His very Own. Yet, after the advent of Jesus Christ & His Sacrifice for all (Jew & Gentile), God's choosing is based on the Cross & yet the remnant of disbelieving Israel will still figure at the end times.

Then maybe your question is in respect of how that Divine Election affects sinful mankind now: are some forever lost without hope, or are some dragged kicking & screaming into the Kingdom, none having any choice because of Divine Election? To answer this, God's choosing of those to be saved is entirely because of His Determination & His Plans. Since we know that God is an Omniscient God (He knows all things from eternity to eternity), His Plans must include those who come into the world, the life path they take, their hearing of the Gospel & their response to it.

Acts 13:48: "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." "Ordained to eternal life". This is election, showing that God, Who had appointed some to eternal life, followed through with believing on His Son. In other words, whom God chooses will be saved - those who refuse His Son are not part of the elect or chosen of God.

I was googling one day and I was shopping for a Bible for a friend and thinking of an old Rapture movie...

Did you know you can buy guillotines online? Even on Amazon!

These days now have got to be the last days.

It's a Hebrew letter which means, to support.

If you know Hebrew you may want to Google that. There is very much information on that.

Thanks, Richard,

I'll have to remember not to put the comma in when using numbers. One time I had typed a person's name correctly at the beginning of a reply, and before I hit the submit button, it changed the name to something else. I can't remember who I was responding to but it changed the name to Hillary, which wasn't even close to the person's name nor what I typed. That would have been embarrassing!

I noticed that also on a post Jesse. When I posted about certain numbers of words changed, or deleted, from the Bible it went from thousands to just the single digit. It seems the comma does that.

2 Thessalonians: 2: 7-11 KJV

7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

8. And then shall that Wicked (Antichrist) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Comment from Phillips Bible:

I expect you remember now how I talked about this when I was with you. You will probably also remember how I used to talk about a "restraining power" which would operate until the time should come for the emergence of this man. Evil is already insidiously at work but its activities are restricted until what I have called the "restraining power" (of God) is removed. When that happens the lawless man will be plainly seen-though the truth of the Lord Jesus spells his doom, and the radiance of the coming of the Lord Jesus will be his utter destruction. The lawless man is produced by the spirit of evil and armed with all the force, wonders and signs that falsehood can devise. To those involved in this dying world he will come with evil's undiluted power to deceive, for they have refused to love the truth which could have saved them. God sends upon them, therefore, the full force of evil's delusion, so that they put their faith in an utter fraud and meet the inevitable judgment of all who have refused to believe the truth and who have made evil their play-fellow.

Mishael comment. The Holy Spirit will still be here, but His power will be diminished. People left behind will call on Jesus to receive salvation; but they will die physically by refusing to take the Mark of the Beast.

Hi Thomas.

I would like to second our brother Chris, It would take a powerful force to restraint the work of Satan,

1 John 4:3-4. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.

We witness the same restrainer mentioned here in our lives, in our everyday walk in this world.

I think it's not just Satan will turn up his activity, those left behind will be more receptive.

Nolonger equipped with the armor as mentioned in Ephesians 6.

Thanks, Chris,

It's interesting about Gadara being the center of pagan and demonic worship in that region. It was the most active place in the inhabitable world back then for demonic activity and worship. In their demon worship, they sacrificed pigs. I used to wonder why those pigs were there.

The demonic man cutting himself with stones is interesting. He wasn't just doing that because he was under a demonic spirit and trying to destroy himself. That was part of the pagan worship. You cut yourself, and you offer the blood to the demons. What an awful circumstance!

I would say that this is in the category of this man can't help himself. And Mark has told us that nobody else can help him either. It is beyond human ability. But it seems that the demons in this man cause him to come and just fall right before Jesus. The demons weren't worshipping. They were acknowledging that they were in the presence of God.

The confession of the demon speaking through the man in Mark 5:7, "What have we to do with you?" In other words, we have nothing in common! Notice the confession: "Jesus, thou Son of the most high God." They make the proper confession. They confess the truth about who Jesus is, they know who He is, but it doesn't save them!

Verse 10, the demon appealed to Jesus not to send them away out of the country because it was the center of demonic activity and they didn't want to go anywhere else. This is where all the action is. The demon didn't want to leave. He says "Don't send us out of the country!"

These people that lost their whole herd of swine come and see the man that was possessed who is now in his right mind. Mark 5:15 says they were afraid. You can see why. They weren't afraid because of what they saw. They weren't real happy about all this "deliverance" going on. They were afraid because of what's going to happen to their demon worship? They were afraid of Jesus because Verse 17 says they appealed to Jesus to depart from their coasts. Very interesting!

1 Corinthians 7, says to get married. If you don't want to marry the man you're with...but do hope to get married some day... I hope your someday husband isn't sleeping around too. See the thought?

We have to follow Jesus on the narrow road. Sexual impurity is a ditch. You know to do right, but you are stuck in this ditch of compromise.

Climb out, chin up, and have that conversation with your guy and find out once and for all, if he's your forever husband or not.

I know this sounds so harsh and I do not mean to hurt your feelings. I do understand. Many of us have been in that ditch. I can say with great conviction that following Jesus brings great joy in the end. I'll pray for you tonight.

Chris, When I was a new Christian (born again) and before my marriage I had a year and a half of what I thought was a successful separation of willing sin in my life until one day I fell. As far as I know I never so it coming. It was like in one second I decided to return to my old life. Within a few hours I realized how far I had fallen and wanted repentance and restoration and yet my flesh was re-awakened. Satan attacked this little lamb and really it was the help of the brethren particularly elders that helped me return to the fold. I was outwardly separated by the Church as it was proven that my sin was too grievous until I had found forgiveness. This was lovingly and carefully done with me. The desire to be restored in the brotherhood was immediate but I had to fight my flesh for several months. Finally I persevered turned from the sin and found forgiveness from Jesus and had the peace of the Holy Spirit again leading my life. Soon thereafter I was restored in the church at a different location due to work than the one where I was separated from (there was communication between the two regarding my repentance experience). I learned that Satan is always ready to devour and Jesus and his bride are always ready to restore. Within a year and a half of this experience I was married in the Lord and have had the grace to remain faithful from willing sin till this day many years later. I am not sure how it would have gone if I had not had the brethren by their very lives of peace and joy before me to convict me enough that I could not stay in deception and feed my flesh. When my brethren first found out of my fall which I immediately brought forward my loving elder told me in simple words "first things first" and I knew what he meant, no excuses. I had been once bought for a price and I needed to honor that commitment to Jesus and his bride again at any cost to my pride and for for my eternal life to be continued in Him.

2 Thessalonians 2:6,7: "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

The Apostle Paul had spoken about this matter to the Corinthians earlier (2:5), so they knew what Paul was referring to & had a fuller understanding of this narrative, but it has been kept hidden from us. As a result, there has been much conjecture as to who or what this 'restrainer' is.

It has been suggested that it is some prominent individual (whether in the Church or in the World), but we know not of anyone who fulfils this position or holds such power to prevent the incarnate Devil from appearing.

Another suggests that it is civil government with its administrations that bring cohesiveness through laws to unify a country in its diversity. That these would be eroded over time (as we even see now), where laws & permissions are given that are becoming increasingly anti-Christian, anti-biblical, when it would be easy for a civil authority to fall under the supreme control of a one-world dictator, lending them full support.

And yet others see the Church in these verses: that the Holy Spirit is the One, Who by indwelling His people, remains as the great restrainer against the tide of evil. If the Spirit "is taken out of the way", so must the Church (the Body of believers) be removed, as it would be an impossible & unbiblical position to hold, that a believer could ever remain as such on the Earth without the indwelling Spirit. I tend to follow this belief as the most tenable but as always, open to other opinions which might shed more light.

That's a great assessment- the soul seat of our emotions and the spirit working together. My testimony is this the scripture The Lord gave me when I was afflicted in my body. I kept healing scriptures before me, but this one scripture showed me that He cares about my situation and that He was EAGER to heal me. Surely it happened but I now see this scripture in a different light. He is a source of life and love. He doesn't come to condemn us but to set us free.

That was a timely clarification brother. I thought to myself, 'surely this can't be our dear brother Jesse writing the figure 6 instead of the actual greater number'. And that was interesting to note that those swine were raised primarily for devilish sacrifices & the connection with the demons desiring to inhabit the swine. Thank you.

I must reply with a question, in reverse: would the 'Christian' living in fornication actually be a part of His bride? There are too many today who believe they are Christians going to Heaven (whether from their own imaginations or false teaching), yet they resemble the world of the sin-ridden, rather than the Holy Spirit infilled children of God.

"God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Galatians 6:7,8.

"but (the Lord) is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.

Paul's stern word is to: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Corinthians 13:5.

So hope remains to the misguided 'Christian' that he or she may turn from sin now, truly repent & seek the abundant forgiveness of the Lord. "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 55:6,7.

Hi Cary, at the personal response level, you're quite correct in saying that repaying evil for evil doesn't make one any better than the perpetrator. However, we also need to study the Scripture & context.

Jesus, in Matthew 5:38,39, was referring to the Old Testament commandments that God gave ( Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21). These directions were given for the proper judicial outcomes when God's Laws were disobeyed. So if it was found (by confession, by clear evidence or by witnesses) that a murder had taken place, then it was the proper judgement to mete out similar punishment as the crime. And this applied to a whole variety of offences, but such judgement was in the domain of the judges.

What was happening amongst the Jews in Jesus' day, was that those Scriptures were being applied to personal vengeance & retribution. The classic case is found in John 8:3-11, with the woman being accused of adultery to which the law required death. We see three things here: it was the religious leaders that demanded & would oversee the stoning rather than her going through an official judicial process (The Jewish Sanhedrin or the Roman Govt, depending on the crime). The person who should have cast the first stone (a large stone to the head to kill or bring to near death the criminal, & then others with smaller stones casting them at the lifeless body) failed to come forward. Jesus Word brought conviction: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Fortunately for the woman, the leaders & the people realized that they were sinners, as she was, & were not entitled to administer punishment. And since none accused her, the matter was dropped & didn't make it to the judiciary.

So the "eye for an eye" rule was not to be carried out by the people filled with anger, set upon vengeance, but from a legally constituted system (though they too could have erred in judgement). Likewise, we too, cannot repay evil with evil rather with good.

Penny Bell,

I typed six thousand in my post. I am not sure why this website changed it to six. But where you see 6 soldiers, it is supposed to read six thousand soldiers. Also, it should read six thousand demons, not six. Maybe the website didn't like the comma after the six with three zeros, I'm not sure? Anyways, I wanted to point that out because I do not want to be misleading on the word legion.

I think the writer has no meaning on that but to just mention the name nabal's just to specify the subject who is Abigail

what does Accept no person against thy soul mean

Hello S Spencer, Thank you. I can barely use an ipad must less a phone for communication. My wife however is a natural. I am happy that you had a safe road trip and can rest at home again. I appreciate your Biblical instructions in the way and the manner of such. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and they can even appear at different times in a day.

God bless this run that we are in.

Is it not a run of sanctification because of His continued love?

Carleton

If Jesus comes to get His bride in the Catching away and you are living in fornication will Jesus take us

Atlantis

I love you heavenly father with all my heart mind soul and strength amen

Nope, completely defenseless, but the Word is my life.

:)

Penny Bell,

A legion refers to 6,000 soldiers. This man in Mark Chapter 5 had 6,000 demons. And it was those demons that asked that if Jesus was to cast them out of the man that they would be allowed to enter into the herd of swine.

Now here is something interesting to know. These are a special kind of pig. They raised these pigs, and they were all black pigs, and they used them for demonic sacrifice.



If you study through the history of the Jews, you'll find that down through the history, when Antiochus Epiphanies came in and actually desecrated, or defiled the temple, he sacrificed a pig on the altar.



Leviticus Chapter 7 Verse 11 says that the pig is unclean to the Jews. But these are not Jews. These are Gentiles, and they are demon worshipers. And they raised these pigs for their worship.

So it is interesting and it sort of gives you an indication as to why these demons would ask permission to enter those pigs, and why Jesus allowed it!

Who/What Restrains the antichrist