solarkin

Until we are able to remember,
Untill we can recall,
The price each human pays is indeed quite appalling.
Nature, the teacher has no recourse.
God set Life in motion,and waits for us to answer.
How many chances,
Will the Creator grant us?

solarkin

Good topic.

padremike Loc: Phenix City, Al

Acts 8: 30-31. Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Explains plainly that the reading and understanding of scripture requires a knowledgeable spiritual guide. Phillip explained to the Ethiopian the scripture he was reading in Isaiah. Remember that at that time the only scripture was the Old Testament. Phillip baptised the eunuch and he took Christianity to the Ethiopians who to this day celebrate his feast day in their ancient orthodox faith. Previously the Ethiopians celebrated the Jewish faith which was brought to them by the Queen of Sheba after she left Solomon's court and she left pregnant by Solomon. To this day the Ethiopians celebrate Christianity with a spattering of very Jewish traditions. This is part of the history of Christianity which few Christians, especially protestants, are ever exposed and taught. Scripture was never meant for private interpretation. That does not mean that scripture cannot be used by many for different inspirations. There is a huge gulf between interpretation and inspiration.

mwdegutis Loc: Illinois

So you get your understanding of the scriptures on your own?

lindajoy Loc: right here with you....

Could the knowledgeable spiritual guide ultimately be ones self that has spent a lifetime " learning"? That learning always enhancing their wisdom of God as he/she practices or I should say tries to walk in the love of God??

Spiritual guides are always with us and I believe responsible for helping us fulfill the spiritual contract we make with ourselves before we incarnate...a continuation on the journey to truth of God's word...

Churches are moral reinforcement, a place to gather and worship together..Guiding us in their chosen roll of what they believe is meant in the bible...All interpretation of, rather than absolute anything of, right?

So, it is not, therefore, really an understanding of and with God that we wish to seek him out learning more of his spirit, that enhances ours??.. I believe "the reason" draws it's conclusion in our unwavering faith of God.. Nothing tangible so say many when if they took just a moment they see God is our reason of everything good.....The sun shines through to the Son that made us perfect to God but we must only follow in God's word and that induced by secularism ???? Who are the evil and ones that stir us from rather than to God??

I believe only what I have come to lean and hope continue to learn more as I go along....a spiritual journey, never ending, yes?

susanblange Loc: USA

Life is full of second chances. We can repent of our sins at any time. But when we die, we are judged and death is permanent.

susanblange Loc: USA

And with the help of the holy Spirit. I also have read Rashi's commentary on the Torah and writings by Herbert W. Armstrong.

tradexpertbuysell

I sent you a private message did you get it?

Dave

susanblange Loc: USA

Yes. It may take me a day or two to respond.

mwdegutis Loc: Illinois

I know you will discard this because you’ve already denied it but you should consider this taken IN CONTEXT.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:1-6 (ESV)

tradexpertbuysell

Take your time I'll send you the paper complete with illustrations when you respond and you can proof it for tentative publication, if you feel like it. The article is approximately four pages.

Again keep it confidential.

Thanks and best regards

Dave

susanblange Loc: USA

That is a circular argument, mw. You cannot use the NT to prove the NT. What would you think if I wrote a book and said you have to believe in me to be saved? And if you don't believe in me you will go to Hell? That is exactly what Jesus's message is.

padremike Loc: Phenix City, Al

Linda, the simple answer is no. Knowledgeable Spiritual Guides, trained clergy, are still required. But what has happened is the fracturing of Christianity into over 25,000 different denominations, sects, cults, etc, and that is only here in America. I don't know what's in the rest of the world. So who has the Truth? There certainly aren't 25,000 different truths all using the same scripture but having different interpretations. Furthermore, who does this confusion and strife serve? Certainly not a God who demonstrates time and again He is a God of perfect order. The New Testament is full of warnings from the apostles to keep to the faith and traditions taught to them by Christ and passed along to the churches they founded. No deviations, nothing added nothing taken away. Considering that the Church had no Canon of New Testament scripture for over 300 years but thrived and grew even during the persecutions, because the faith was passed on orally, exactly!

It was one huge step from the early Church to the idea we have today that all denominations, even whole religions, must be equally respected, now including Islam, to the belief that all religions are equally true. In the end, the inexorable logic of denominational pluralism led to only one possible conclusion. Since all religious ideas are equally true, even when they contradict each other, they must be equally irrelevant to public life and serve no purpose beyond private individual therapeutic needs. Do you wonder why atheism is on the rise? Can you accept a Christian blessing that says, "May the confusing, contradictory, Peace of the Lord be with you?" Of course not. Fortunately, God's grace flows where he says it flows and beyond that I cannot go. The old ways are still vital and there the Holy Spirt dwells in fullness. The Epistle of Jude tells us that the faith was once delivered by Christ to the saints (apostles) to last for all times. That is vitally important.

In my own search over many years I found only one Church that continues in the fullness of the ancient Christian Apostolic succession, nothing added, nothing taken away. The fullness of the Christian faith. But I am reminded that Jesus told his disciples that "if they're not against us they are for us."

padremike Loc: Phenix City, Al

Jesus didn't write the book but what he said was true. And those who actually witnessed what they saw and experienced wrote it down. And all of them, excerpt St John, suffered horrible martyrdom to include one of them being skinned alive. Not one of them recanted a single word and all went to their death praising Christ. They had nothing to gain except heaven. Believe what you want: that's the beauty and responsibility of free will.

tradexpertbuysell