Bible Questions Page 31

Will the saved in Christ reign with Him in heavenly places?

Does keeping the sabbath still a Command?

looking at the conversation of angel Gabriel to both Zacharias and Mary, we see that Mary is actually a carrier of grace .The word of the lord says I will have mercy on whom i will have mercy on. Both Mary and Zacharias did doubt the message of God but only Zachariah was punished, it was only when Mary received confirmation of how the child was going to be conceived that her faith or believe came into work. Let's take a look at verse 18 "whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. These were the words spoken by Zachariah to the angel, now let's look at verse 14. How shall this be? seeing I know no man" see right? They asked almost the question, but the fact that either Zachariah was a priest and should know better than doubting the word of God or the fact that Mary carries grace and lord Jesus Christ was coming from Mary and she needs to be pampered, angel Gabriel took time to explain to Mary, this only explains that we have grace more than ourselves. As a student I shouldn't follow the footstep of my friend who doesn't read but passes because grace differs, there are also those who will read more than I do but still pass more than them, that is what the scripture calls grace, when grace is in use, all protocols are broken.

Is 'KJV Standard' '1769 Cambridge Standard Edition'?

Good evening and morning! A couple of meditations.

1 Corinthians 9:10 - 11 "Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresherh in hope should be partaker of his hope.

If we have sow unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing we shall reap your carnal things?

If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

Do you not know that they which minister about the holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?"

Galatians 5:5- 8 " For we through the Spirit wait for the Hope of righteousness by faith.

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you."

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES (Part 9):

VII. OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF JAMES:

CHAPTER 1: The development of faith

CHAPTER 2: The activity of faith

CHAPTER 3: The maturity of faith

CHAPTER 4: The enemy of faith

CHAPTER 5: The function of faith

Do you think the book of James might be about faith?

I will share my introduction to 1 Peter, and also 2 Peter soon. God Bless!!!

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES (Part 8):

Acts Chapter 15 records that by the time the early church was formed, James the half-brother of Jesus was then in charge of and leading the church that was in Jerusalem. In Galatians 1:19, Paul says that when he went into Jerusalem, he looked for the leaders and he spent time with James the Lord's brother.

So, scripture, as well as tradition, backs up the fact that we are studying a letter that was written by the half-brother of Jesus Christ, a natural born child to Joseph and Mary, and who is the head of the church in Jerusalem.

There is also another letter in the New Testament that was written by a half-brother of Jesus and that is the book of Jude. It is a one-chapter book right before the book of Revelation. So, we have actually 2 letters in the New Testament by believing half-brothers of Jesus Christ.

And none of them of course pulled the "I'm the brother of Jesus" card to bring out their superiority or even to get favoritism from the early church. They all presented themselves as the servant and slave of Jesus Christ.

Can you imagine if your half-brother turned out to be the Messiah, God Himself in the flesh? "I knew there was something about that brother of mine. I mean, he never did anything wrong!" And then they still didn't believe until after His resurrection when He appeared to them. Then they believed.

But then can you imagine yourself living out your life saying that I am a slave to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ my half-brother? It just doesn't sound right, you know? But that's what they had to go through. And none of them pulled rank within the body of Christ that they should be treated better or different than anybody else!

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES (Part 4):

NOW WE HAVE THE INTRODUCTION TO JAMES:

I. JAMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

The Book of James is part of a collection of books in the New Testament that are called the Jewish Literature. The Jewish Literature begins with the Book of Hebrews and continues through to the end of the Book of Revelation.

II. THE THEME OF THE BOOK:

The theme of the book is found in James 2:20, "Faith without works is dead."

Let me just give you a small explanation of where I'm going with this. In the book of Hebrews, there is so much to study about faith. From a language standpoint, from a biblical standpoint, the word faith, PISTIS in Greek, means persuasion. It is a word that describes the influence and the ministry of God's Spirit over our lives. He's persuading us. He's ministering to us.



And so, when James says faith without works is dead, and you might pencil in there if you are a note taker that the word "works," when we see it in Chapter 2 means activity. Faith without activity is dead. He'll even say in Chapter 2, if you say you have the faith but there's no activity, can that faith save you?

And the answer is no. He even includes the answer in his question. He says no, it can't. That's just human faith. That's just an intellectual belief and agreement.

Since faith is a word that describes the presence and activity of God's Spirit in a person's life, faith without activity is a dead faith. With faith being the moving and ministering of God's Spirit, if God's Spirit isn't there and active in your life, you have a dead faith.

That's from a biblical perspective. That's not religious, and especially here in America, where faith is being promoted as coming from man, human beings, that we produce the faith, that we have to believe in order for God to bless us. Faith without works is dead.

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES (Part 3):

But James has some very, very hard and very deep teachings for us, even to the point that he says that if you become a friend to this world, you have placed yourself as an enemy of God.

So which one do you want to do? Do you want Satan to be your enemy where all he can do is rattle our cages in the physical realm. He can't stop us from following Christ. He can't stop us from having a relationship with Christ. He can't take us away from Christ. He can just hassle us.

So, would I rather have Satan be my enemy, or God? And that's the question and the encouragement that these believing Jews were given, which means that there's going to be teaching and encouragement that even goes beyond what we need to know, because we don't have their difficult circumstances.

But the teachings are good. They're true, and especially when he's teaching about faith. This entire book is on faith. But after Paul's writings comes the Jewish literature. That would be the book of Hebrews through the book of Revelation. Under the Jewish literature, you'll see all of the Jewish literature, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation.

And again, the book of Revelation is best understood from a Jewish perspective, because of the 404 verses in the book of Revelation, there are 800 allusions and quotes from the Old Testament brought over into the book of Revelation.

The book of Revelation was written because of Jewish believers who were suffering and even some sitting in prison waiting to die. The book of Revelation is to show them that even if they did die for their faith, the victory would be later when Jesus comes back.

So, it's the whole panorama of what we have in the scriptures of everything from creation to the end of the world in one book. And we have to handling these from a Jewish perspective. And I think that you will see that it makes more sense that way than to say that James is writing to the Christians in our day.

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES (Part 2):

As we get more into 1 Peter, he says don't think it's strange that you're going through fiery trials, because in the physical, there's going to be a challenge by Satan to get us to stop trusting the Lord. Because of our natural human senses that we function in naturally, we have a tendency to judge the Lord and His faithfulness based on the help we receive in our physical circumstances.

And these brothers are turning it around and saying no, the difficult circumstances, and we see this in 1 Peter Chapter 4, that difficulty accompanies salvation because we're talking about two different realms. We're talking about the teaching of scripture that tells us that Satan is the god of this world, the physical realm that we live in. Satan is the spiritual force that's energizing this worlds system and all the physical things around us.

So, once we switch from living according to our fleshly desires, and we surrender our life to Christ, then everything is reversed. We're no longer at war with God. We're now at war with Satan, or else he is with us, because we have said I'm out of your system and I now belong to Christ. But I still physically live in Satan's system. It's just that he does not own me, he does not possess me. But I still have to go out into his system and trust the Lord.

So, everything is reversed once you get saved. What used to be friendly to you in the physical realm, even the people who used to be friendly to you in the physical realm, they will no longer be friendly. And the circumstances will be very difficult, trying to get us to the point where we get discouraged and just quit in our trusting of the Lord because we think trusting the Lord is going to change our physical circumstance. And we get tired of waiting, and sometimes the circumstances get worse. So, we say "Why trust the Lord?"

More than opinion is revelation. Matthew 24 has in part been LITERALLY fulfilled. In the year 70AD, verses 1 and 2 were fulfilled with the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews throughout the world during 1878 years of severe plagues and curses, in addition to insufferable pain, according to Deuteronomy 28:15-68, 53 verses of strong and severe punishments.

Now, verses 3 to 8 are being fulfilled, the beginning of sorrows, and the decay of the Churches with the development of apostasies and iniquities-verses 9 to 14.

Then, the last week- Daniel 9:27- is about to start and with this event the persecutions of the first half of the week-42 months- Revelation 13:5- by the Beast of sea, culminating with the establishment of the Abomination of Desolation for 1,290 days in the second half of the week (plus 30 days)-verses 15 to 27 combined with Daniel 12:11 and 11:v.31. It is the END of this world and a sign of the coming of JESUS: Matthew 24:3 combined with Revelation 11:15-18. Blessed is he who waits and comes at 1335 days- Daniel 12:12 , 45 days after finishing the Abomination of Desolation. GET READY

To all

Greetings in Christ JESUS

I'm astonished/surprised by the fact of the readers /students of the Bible don't discern that MAN already existed before GOD said: "Let us make MAN in our image, after our likeness: and ... "

Yes man already EXISTED, but NOT in the IMAGE of GOD; MAN was only and only made of the dust of the earth whose breath was in his nostrils- Genesis 2:7 and 15-17, and Isaiah 2:22.

Well, only after the fall GOD planned(GENESIS) to make man in His image, but how? GOD is Spirit, invisible. What is the image of a spirit?

First step: GOD's decision. Genesis 1:26-GOD said(to JESUS, the beginning), Let us make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness( Hebrews 1:3 combined with John 5:17 and John 1:11-13): and let them have dominion over the ...

2nd step: Execution of GOD's plan: Genesis 1:27 -So GOD created man in His own image, in the image of GOD created he him; male and female created He them. John 1:11-13 and John 5:17

.

Remember: 1 Corinthians 15:45-47

47 The first MAN is of the earth, earthy; the second MAN is the Lord from heaven(is from a celestial /spiritual environment)

45 The first MAN Adam was made a living soul(whose breath is in his nostrils- Isaiah 2:22); the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual

Genesis 1:31

And GOD saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (This sixth GOD's Day just finished)

Revelation 11:15-18

15...The kingdoms OF THIS WORLD are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever

...

And the nations will be angry, and GOD's wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be Judged, and that should give reward unto the servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear His name, small and great; and should destroy them which destroy the earth

GOD BLESS

INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS (Part 1):

All of Paul's writings are at the beginning of the teaching section. And the second section of the New Testament teaching section is the Jewish literature section (Hebrews through Revelation). The book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrews (Jewish people).

We have to understand it from a Jewish standpoint. Even in the book of Revelation, there are 404 verses, but there are over 800 allusions or direct quotes of the Old Testament, the Tanak. It's very Jewish. All the symbolisms come from the Tanak. We have to understand the Jewish literature from a Jewish background.

We as Gentiles get lost. Sometimes people will take things out of Paul's writings, and some out of Peter's writings, and they try and connect the two. But Peter is talking about Jewish things, and Paul is talking to the Gentiles about something else. We have to be careful about how we connect these together.

Again, the Jewish literature by the writer of Hebrews, and James, and Peter, the apostle John, and Jude, the truth or the concept in their teachings will also match Paul's. It's just applied in a Hebrew or Jewish way to a Hebrew person. So, we can still learn from them. We just have to properly in context understand.

Now, when I said that the New Testament is like a proof text, it's because anything said, even in the Jewish literature, if it doesn't line up with Paul's teachings and understanding, if all of that doesn't line up with the teaching of Christ, then it's not of God.

We can discuss prophecy in the Old Testament and disagree with each other, but the bible is very clear about the prophecies of the Old Testament. Do people still prophesy like they did in the Old Testament? Do they still do that today?

Whatever the message is, even if it is presented as a "message from God", one's own belief, or whatever the presentation is, we must stay with the arrangement that I just mentioned. If what someone is saying to us is from God, Paul would have taught it.

INTRODUCTION TO PHILEMON (Part 3):

VI. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF PHILEMON:

PHILEMON CHAPTER 1: THE PORTRAYAL OF THE GOSPEL

VERSES 1-3: The Introduction

VERSES 4-7: Paul gives the Description of Philemon.

This is not to describe him so that people recognize him. But Paul knew how to address people and how to get people to be receptive to the things that he would like them to do.

What happened was, here in Colossae, a man named Philemon had a slave by the name of Onesimus. Well, Onesimus decides that he's going to steal his master's valuables and run away. And he wants to get as far away as possible because if he's caught, he could be killed. That's one of the punishments.

So, he decides that he's going to take all the valuables and pay for his way to Rome because if you get to Rome, nobody's going to find you, and nobody's going to come all that way just to find you as a runaway slave!

Somehow, as Paul is in prison, Onesimus can't keep his hand "out of the till" there in Rome either, so he winds up in jail. And he runs into another prisoner by the name of Paul. And so, he hears Paul preaching and teaching the gospel. And Paul is ministering to him, so Onesimus receives Christ and is saved.

And Onesimus tells Paul what he did. He stole from his master and ran away, and that's why he's in Rome. So, Paul inquires as to where he's from and he says Colossae. So, Paul says I've been to Colossae, and I know some people from Colossae. What's the man's name? He says Philemon. And Paul says I know Philemon. He has the church in his home in Colossae.

INTRODUCTION TO TITUS (Part 3):

We have documents and accounts of how if you were a believer, and if you happened to know who a Christian was, and you said I need a fellowship to go to, they would check you out first to make sure you were not a spy or some kind of government official.

But you would be interviewed at least two or three times to see if they want you in the fellowship. Are you going to be a problem? What are your motives? How sincere are you?

It's just the opposite of today where churches are trying to get in as many people as they can, almost not caring who they are. Just show up!

But back then they were very selective as to who they received into their fellowships to make sure that they're not going to have a problem, and to make sure your motives are in sincerity.

So, Paul left Titus there on the island of Crete, and Titus was known as a bulldog type of person, not like Timothy who was timid and needed to be reminded to have a little courage and to stand up for the truth of Christ. But Titus was the other way around. You didn't want to tangle with Titus. So, Paul left the right man in the right spot.

III. THE HISTORY OF TITUS:

His name is mentioned 13 times in the New Testament; 9 times in 2 Corinthians. He was a Gentile and was saved during Paul's first missionary journey ( Galatians 2:3).

Paul called Titus three things:

1) My genuine son in the faith ( Titus 1:4).

2) My brother ( II Corinthians 2:13)

3) My partner and fellow worker ( II Corinthians 8:23).

Titus traveled with Paul in all of his missionary journeys and was used by Paul to minister mostly in the city of Corinth. After Paul's first imprisonment, he traveled through the Island of Crete with Titus. Paul left Titus there while he went on to Macedonia.

INTRODUCTION TO TITUS (Part 2):

So, can you imagine somebody being left behind to be in charge of all of this? And we're talking about multiple fellowships. When we say churches, we're not talking about church buildings in every city. We're talking about home fellowships. There were no public worship services until around 313 A.D. when Constantine legalized Christianity and combined it with Sun worship, which is the primary form that we have today.

But it is interesting that these churches, the Jewish people, and the formation of churches in the homes, seems to have come from the Jewish regulations that in order for a synagogue to be formed as an official synagogue, you had to have at least 10 Jewish men in the city. If you have at least 10 Jewish men, you can have a synagogue.

Now Jewish people can still meet together, but they're not considered an official Jewish synagogue unless they have at least 10 Jewish men. Well, the fellowships in these home churches, the rule was, according to historical documents, that they could only have between 10 and 15 people per home fellowship. They could have no more than 15. This was for the purpose of keeping track of one another, making sure everybody's taken care of, and also for accountability purposes.

In the church, not only in the island of Crete, but all through the body of Christ in these home churches, they held people accountable. If they weren't walking with the Lord like they should, they held them accountable.

And when the great persecution broke out in 64 A.D. by Nero, it lasted until 313 A.D. All that time, there was persecution against believers, and churches had to meet underground. They had to meet privately and out of the way of everybody knowing.

Am having trouble with Matthew 6:22-23. Can see it's a metaphor, but not really sure what the metaphor is. Read the commentaries, but don't feel solid with them. Feedback, anybody? Thoughts and guesses welcome.

How did Christ heal the young man with palsy?

His friends letting him down before Christ ,Christ is sitting and waiting, perhaps even smiling as the dust clears as this person arrives before Him!

Why didn't Jesus touch him and let Him go? What instead would Jesus do and what would be the outcome?

In Genesis 1-4. Sons of God. I need a better understanding of these scriptures.

It seems as though, I keep hearing that the nephilin took women to marry. Had children.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY (Part 2):

God has laid it out very simply, and we can see that as we go through. The problem is not what God's word says verses what people believe it says. The problem is that we believe by doctrine, but not by function, that Jesus Christ is the head of His church. He's in charge. And if He says this is the way I want my church to be, then that's the way it is. It has nothing to do with what I believe or don't believe, or what I care for.

It's really responding to Christ as head of the church and knowing that this is His letter saying here's how I want the church to be when it officially gathers together for an assembly, to represent Christ, to worship Christ, and to learn of Him. So, it is very important to understand that perspective. You will probably find at least one thing in 1 Timothy that's going to offend you, maybe even make you angry.

Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16, that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for:

DOCTRINE: The book of Romans is the doctrine of the Christian faith.

FOR REPROOF: That is conviction, and that's 1st and 2nd Corinthians.

FOR CORRECTION: That's the book of Galatians.

FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: That's Ephesians through Philemon. Of course, Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, and those are called prison epistles, or prison letters because they were written by Paul in his first imprisonment in Rome, along with Philemon.

If Philemon is part of this group, what's it doing on the end? 1st and 2nd Thessalonians were written to the Christians in Thessalonica. 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, these are called pastoral epistles, or pastoral letters.

Good evening all.

Let's make this clear, A Christian should do ALL he can to live a sinless life.

The question is, Can he do it?

John 1:29.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.

This is the penalty of sin!

Christ was the perfect sinless offering, God wouldn't take no less than the perfect sacrifice.

That's the only sacrifice that could be offered!

Who offered this perfect Lamb? God. John 3:16.

Would Jesus be the Lamb of God if he fell short and only committed one sin but did his best? No! It had to be perfect from the time he was born until his death on the cross.

Jesus didn't inherit a sin nature as a son from Adam as we.

Jesus was begotten of the Father!

This was a display of love from God in offering up his own son.

We can't offer up a sinless life in these sinful bodies.

Yes, we can do our best and have a good report in what we do in the body,

But we can never get from under the cover of the blood of Christ.

You could never make atonement for yourself and come to the Lord "NAKED"!

This is shown in Exodus 19:11-25.

No matter how well you do or how spiritual you are when you die you will not be sown incorruptible.

However, you will be SOWN IN CORRUPTION; SOWN IN DISHONOUR; And SOWN IN WEAKNESS;

When you are raised, you will be RAISED IN INCORRUPTION, RAISED IN GLORY, AND RAISED IN POWER:

Then you will cast off this body of sin and Death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:42-43.

Question;

Is doing your best enough for salvation?

If you do your best all your life "as most of us do" However, commit one sin, are we saved?

If so, Why?

God bless.

Brother CJF asked if

Is the Godhead one God or 3 persons

See,in my view,what matters and prevails is the Word of our GOD. First of all, the Word is GOD-Jo.1:1-,self-executing/self-executable, great mystery, well, it's the Power.As we all know, the Word was made flesh,i.e. materialized in human form exactly according the EXPRESS IMAGE(is written in the Bible,in the book of the Lord)of the Person of GOD-Heb.1:3;Phil.2:6-11 combined with Col.1:15-19,among other references,and the NAME that the Person of GOD chose for He Himself was JESUS/YESHUA Mat 1:20-21

By the way,JESUS has Genealogia,He is the stone which was set at nought of you builders(the Jews),which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other NAME UNDER HEAVEN given among MEN, whereby we must be saved- Acts 4:11-12-EXCEPT JESUS/YESHUA.(NOTE:Adonai,Jehovah,Yahweh,HaShem,Yehovah,Elohim,Yahusha, YEHshia,YEHvah has nothing to do with salvation or for salvation),neither for to bow before this colection of"God pseudonyme"

Concerning the person of the Holy Spirit,who is like our Lord JESUS- Revelation 1:12-13, in fact he is unknown as a person, mainly because he has no Genealogy as JESUS has, without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days,nor end of life;but made like unto the Son of God;abides a priest continually,something after the similitude of Melchisedec

It's a profound mystery-1Cor.2:9-11&7

9 But as it is written,Eye hath not seen,nor ear heard,neither have entered into the heart of man,the things which GOD has prepared for them that love him

10 But GOD hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:for the Spirit searches all things,yea, the deep things of GOD

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man,save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of GOD knows no man,but the Spirit of GOD

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory

To CJF, Derek, and all,

First, I ask your forgiveness, and say the KJV is one of the most trustworthy English translations, but they are not perfect. When we study pray, and the Holy Spirit will give us understanding, we can trust the Holy Spirit will lead and teach us because the Spirit is truth, 1 John 5:6 do not doubt that. Believe the Scripture by being led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions of man.

(Milk, then meat) it is a lifelong walk, and some answers will not be known but the one answer that matters is Jesus is the way.

John's gospel, his letters, and Revelation have one thing in common, to show and give evidence that Jesus is the Christ/Messiah, the only begotten Son of God who the Father sent, and in Him is life, our salvation, eternal life. Acts 4:11-12 The Father sent the Son John 4:34 John 5:30 John 6:29 Jesus came down from heaven to do the will of the Father John 6:38.

Jesus came out from God John 16:27 Jesus is the beginning of creation Rev. 3:14 Before Mary could touch Him, He said I ascend unto my Father, and to my God John 20:17 John's writings are full of who Jesus was, is, and will be.

What I posted was not a lie, it is a fact, maybe I should not have posted it on an open forum like this. I wanted to inspire the study, searching for the truth, and not causing doubt. It touches on a subject that many consider non-discussable, the Trinity doctrine.

This is from my heart; this doctrine has been placed equal to the gospel of Jesus. In many Churches, you are not saved and are not a Christian if you do not believe and confess this doctrine. Does the Church have the authority to say this?

Is there any Scripture that says our salvation is dependent on this doctrine that was 400 years after the Scriptures we have? Was it even discussed by Peter, John, Paul, or in any of the letters we have? I'll leave it there.

I am sorry if I have offended you.

Love you all and God bless,

RLW

INTRODUCTION TO 2 THESSALONIANS (Part 1):

We find in 2 Thessalonians that Paul's going to say that if anybody comes to you, whether it's through a spirit, making reference to somebody giving "personal revelation," by a spirit! Or whether it's through a letter, and 2 Thessalonians was written because a false letter was being circulated by false teachers that had Paul's name on it.

So, he says even if it's through a letter, or through a spirit, and it counters and contradicts what we're saying, it's false! Of course, how would the Christians in Thessalonica know that some of the things went against what Paul taught? And that's why he hurried and turned around and wrote a second letter to the Christians in Thessalonica.

I. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Paul and his companions Silvanus and Timothy ( II Thessalonians 1:1; 3:17). Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.

II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:

To the believers in Thessalonica who were made up of mostly Gentiles, but some Jews believed also (Acts17:4).

III. THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN THESSALONICA:

Paul evangelized the area of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea during his Second Missionary journey along with Silvanus and Timothy ( Acts 17:1-9).

Paul ministered in Thessalonica for at least three weeks ( Acts 17:2).

Unbelieving Jews stirred up the unbelieving Gentiles against Paul ( Acts 17:5-9).

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy left Thessalonica and went on to Berea ( Acts 17:10).

Hostile Thessalonian Jews followed Paul to Berea and stirred up the people against Paul ( Acts 17:13).

Paul left Silvanus and Timothy in Berea while he went on to Athens ( Acts 17:14).

Paul sent for Silvanus and Timothy to join him in Athens ( Acts 17:15).

From Athens, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to check on the welfare of the believers there ( I Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Paul also sent Silvanus back to Philippi while he went on to Corinth ( Acts 18:1).

Silvanus and Timothy rejoin Paul in Corinth ( Acts 18:5).

There is a great Divide in the Christian world today!

The Many. There are those Christians who believe they can never stop sinning, and even so, believe they will attain salvation/heaven. They reinforce this sin message between themselves, all the while continuing to live worldly lives, and assuring themselves that sin will be all around them engulfing them for the rest of their lives.

1 John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:"

1 John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

James 4:8 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

The Few. Then there are VERY FEW Christians who believe they can actually stop sinning with the help of God's Holy Spirit, and they strive to do so everyday, as the scriptures command, eventually overcoming sin, and winning the ultimate prize Salvation!

1 John 3:6 "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him."

1 John 3:9 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

Now when we compare the above (2) Christain mindsets - we can now put this verse below into the proper perspective:

Matthew 7:14 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

A good question to ask ourselves EVERYDAY - Do we want to be counted in the Many, or the Few?

GBU

P1: Re-read some scriptures last evening and would like to write them here.

All of John Chapter 13 ; Chapter 14

John 1:4 "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

Colossians 1:15 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature."

Romans 8:32 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

Hebrews 1:8 "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."

John 1:3 "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

Hebrews 1:3 "Who being the brightness of his glory and express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"

Romans 8:29 "For whom he did foreknowledge, he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren."

1 Corinthians 1:29 "That no flesh glory in his presence"

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

Luke 1:31 "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS."

Matthew 1:19 "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privileges."

Isaiah 53:1 "Who hat believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"

Philippians 2:5 - 6 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."

Hebrews 6:20 "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."

P2 follows

Sin Kept Out of the Kingdoma

All professors and people consider where you are and from whence you are fallen, you that plead for sin and say none can be set free from sin while they are in the world; you plead for a hold for Satan in you while you are here, and where will you have him cast out, or what fellowship can you have with God so long as the serpent is head in you?1 You are separated from God and knows him not; for what communion hath light with darkness?2 God is light, and he that dwells in God dwells in light, and in him is no darkness at all; but while you live in sin you are in darkness,

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Remember thy father Dives, in whose steps thou walkest, and the same way leads to the same end. The Lord saith that "the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all that forgets God."10 But the deceit in thee says that thou mayst live in sin while thou art here and have thy thoughts in the world, and yet thou shalt enter into the kingdom of heaven too. Now who must be the liar, whether God or thou, O vain man? Was it not sin that separated God and man at the first, and thinkest thou to be reconciled again so long as sin stands in thee? Man was not created in sin, but pure and holy, in the image of God;11 and while he stood here he had communion with God and had the pure wisdom of God by which he was able to see into the wonders of God and to give names unto all creatures.12 But so soon as he had committed sin he was stripped of all this and became naked, and was thrust out of paradise, and was cursed from the Lord; yea the ground was cursed for his sake;13 and all this because of sin which thou thinkest so light of. For odious is sin in the pure eyes of the holy God, and didst thou but know thy condition as thou liest in sin, in thy first birth a child of wrath, and one to whom all the curses in the Book of God are due, thou wouldst tremble at sin and not plead for it, wherein thou plainly showest thyself to be the servant of the devil. And when thou thus abusest the goodness of God, that having left the failings of others upon record as warnings to all that come after not to do the like,14 and these thou makest use of to encourage thee in thy sin and filthiness; and because God is merciful to pardon sinners at what time soever they repent, therefore thou art encouraged to live in sin the longer, unrepented of. Now all that have eyes in their heads may plainly see whose child thou art: for the apostle saith, "Know ye not that the longsuffering of God, and forbearing, leads to repentance";

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it doth so to the children of God; but that scripture is fulfilled in thee which saith, "Because judgment is not speedily executed on the wicked, therefore his heart is set in him to do wickedness."16 And thus thou makest the mercy of God a cloak for thy unrighteous actions, and yet thou wilt talk of a redemer and of faith in Christ; but O friend where is thy redeemer witnessed while thou art yet in thy sins? What art thou redeemed from? or what art thou redeemed to? Those that are redeemed are set free from the servitude of sin,17 but thou servest sin so long as thou obeyest the motions of it; then where is thy freedom? Canst thou witness Christ died for thee, and thy sins still alive? How wilt thou witness his death in thee, or thyself dead with him? The saints that were dead with Christ were dead to sin; and (saith Paul), "How can you that are dead to sin live any longer therein?"18 and saith also, "Those that are dead with Christ are free from sin and are become servants of righteousness"; again he saith, "Now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruits unto holiness, and the end thereof eternal life."19 But while thou livest in sin thy fruits are unholy, and the end thereof is death; and then where is thy redemption? They who are redeemed by Christ are redeemed from earth and earthly things, unto God again, from whence they had fallen, out of every tongue, kindred, people and nation, and are made unto God kings and priests, to reign above sin on the earth,20 and are made conformable to his image again, which was lost by sin. But what conformity is there in thee while thou art in sin? Thou art not like him, but like the devil; for every sin is the image of the devil, who sinned from the beginning. And while thou committest sin, thou holdest forth the image of the devil in thee, who is thy father: and Christ told the scribes and Pharisees,

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who professed to be the children of God but lived in sin, that they were of their father the devil,21 for his works they would do. For every sin is the work of the devil, and (saith John) "He that commits sin is of the devil," and saith, "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested: to destroy the works of the devil."22 Whosoever can witness Christ manifested in them can witness sin destroyed; but if thou say thou canst witness Christ manifest in thee, and yet commit sin, thou art a liar: for the Scripture saith, "whosoever abideth in him sinneth not; whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him, and whosoever saith he knows him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him."23 And saith the Holy Ghost, "whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not"; and saith again that "whosoever is born of God sinneth not, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God"; and saith plainly, "In this are the children of God manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."24 God in all ages hath known his by their obedience;25 but thou sayest thou mayest live in disobedience and yet be counted one of his too. But where is thy mark by which thou art known from the world? Those that are God's are marked and known from the world,26 but thou art in love with the world and canst conform with them in all their ways, words, works, and worships, and yet would be counted one of God's too.27 O thou deceiver, thou deceivest but thyself and men that are like thee; for thou canst not deceive the Lord. Take heed, repent, halt no longer between God and the world.28 If thou wouldst own God thou must disown the world, and the world will disown thee: thou canst not have both.

James Nayler