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Tiggs, God loves YOU! God doesn't love you less by smoking. If you feel Him leading you to quit smoking, then you can trust Him to help you. You are covered by the blood of Jesus, you are a child of God, you are forgiven! As God wants what is best for His children, I believe He would want you to quit, however, His loving you is not dependent on what you do! Just talk to God about it.

Exactly. But we are not left in that sin. God is faithful to forgive us, and the new heart He creates in us, sets us free from the sin that controls us. The part that seems hard, is we try to be perfect in our strength, I'm not sure how to say it, but I think its only as we let the Lord lead us, and our relationship grows with Him, and yes, part of that is to be obedient, then we become more perfect as He is. To say one can never sin after baptism, I think is putting an impossible goal for a new believer to accomplish. God loves us, and is patient, and it is He who changes our heart. We need to seek Him, yet even this I believe is God drawing us near. Rely on God.

I'll admit my heart really isn't in this subject that much, but in the last few years, I've come to realize there are a lot of things i've been taught, that I've taken to be the truth. I've noticed I am not alone, another example is how the media keeps up the religion of peace, so more people pile on and repeat it, when in fact Islam is the opposite. I suppose much I will never know the truth about, but just realizing the most repeated phrases I hear, may not be fact. So to me, its not so much about the necessity of the atom bomb, but actually recognizing how much I thought I knew, may not be factual.

Could be, I truly do not know. Commander of U.S. pacific fleet said: The Japanese had, in fact, already sued for peace. The atomic bomb played no decisive part, from a purely military point of view, in the defeat of Japan. — Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, [68] and The use of [the atomic bombs] at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons... The lethal possibilities of atomic warfare in the future are frightening. My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children. — Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to President Truman, 1950, [78] The atomic bomb had nothing to do with the end of the war at all. — Major General Curtis LeMay, XXI Bomber Command, September 1945, [79] The first atomic bomb was an unnecessary experiment… It was a mistake to ever drop it… [the scientists] had this toy and they wanted to try it out, so they dropped it… — Fleet Admiral William Halsey, Jr., 1964, [79]

I don't ever remember questioning the history classes I took, yet many things were entirely left out and don't line up. Of course the victor writes the history books, yet if any other country in the world used an atom bomb and said it was only used to save lives, would that line be accepted?

I question the need to bomb Japan when they were running out of resources, air bombing was effective, and the Soviet Union just declared war on Japan. Why is it a stupid question to ask why we don't continue to obliterate evil with an atom bomb when in the long run it could be justified as saving lives? Japan didn't invade Pearl Harbor, but did attack it. During a discussion last month at work, I realized I had no idea why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, I just remember what was taught in history class, so I looked it up. Now, I question who gets to write these history books, and I can't say I know the true history, but it appears it was in response to actions taken earlier by the U.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote in his memoir The White House Years: In 1945 Secretary of War Stimson, visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act. During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives.[75]

Baptism is an act we do in obedience, to represent the old man has died-the act of obedience itself is not what forgives the sins or gives new life. To say a Christian is no longer able to sin leads me to think we must be perfect at all times. Where a Christian is forgiven, it does not mean we don't have struggles.

Its not really fair to print the facts, how can Islam be viewed as the religion of peace. You've said you have Muslim family members, are they ever open to consider how these are so opposite?

Interesting. Japan's leaders attacked us, in the end we dropped two atom bombs on civilians, in order to save lives. If this is indeed so noble of the "good guys", why don't we continue this practice? Is anyone who is against dropping an atom bomb on a civilian city to be labeled a pacifist? If your "not really interested in your vacuous empty-headed pacifism", then why respond at all? Seems your interested enough to what, let anyone who disagrees with you to keep quiet? Maybe the bombs did ultimately save lives, at least that is what our history books want us to believe. Actually, the bombing raids on Japan had actually crippled their resources, and General MacArthur felt air power alone would cause them to surrender, as in July 1945 the U.S. intercepted a cable which stated Japan wanted to end the war. Maybe the U.S. just wanted a return on its investment in the bomb, and wanted to showboat its weapon? At any rate, I am always confused when people dismiss unnecessary civilian casualties caused by "us", but are up in arms when "they" gun down civilians. The U.S. may do a lot of good around the world, yet not all of its actions are honorable.

Good point, if there are Christians using the word Allah, I don't know for myself, But, at this site I believe, there is a prevalence of allah referring to the god of islam. Does one have to make accommodations to those who are around one? I have never seen this to be an issue, maybe it is to others, I'll leave it alone after this also, God bless,

I have no quarrel with you, and I admit it is probably from tv that I equate allah with muslims. yet to try to take back that pronunciation seems to only add to confusion. And most people I know equate mormon god with the one true God, as most do not research mormons much.

I simply think for clarity's sake we can not allow all things to be permissible. Some may need the information explained, to avoid confusion. Once you allow "any" word to be used in any way, then communication breaks down.

Ok, so how do we know when "allah be praised" is from a christian or a troll?

The whole point is Satan wants everyone to think there are many paths to "Allah" This is a lie, and the word is being used to further this lie.

With Trump speaking his mind, it is easy to dismiss him as a candidate. Just think how easy it would be to dismiss all the politicians if they would all be so open! Knowing the career politicians are careful to ensure they remain in power instead of acting in the best interests of our country just makes Trump a possibility despite his flaws. If people had any trust in politicians I don't think Trump would stand a chance, but he knows, as we know, there is no confidence in politicians, most even accept the actions of Hilary are to be expected of our government. So yes, it would be a hard lesson so to speak if Trump is elected. Question is, would it be any worse with Trump than we have now?

All things were created that have been created, "in the beginning", which occurred in 6 days. Jesus, the word, has no beginning, but was present in the beginning of the world. Jesus was before time was.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth + everything created in 6 days, including man + complete listing of begats from Adam to Jesus = no gap!

mega, that makes it sound like God does not desire "all" as only some are chosen. Do you believe in free will?

It clearly states "made". Not restored, recreated or anything else. God created in six days. I thought along your line of reasoning, maybe 5 or 6 years ago some good folks here at worthy showed how actually studying the wording of the bible leaves no room for a gap. You have to add to the bible and ignore certain scripture to make this gap theory work. And the stumbling block is when we refuse to believe and submit to God's word,

Thanks noob! Now this time I understand you, maybe i just need the practice. You have a way with words, there is really quite a lot expressed in your second sentence here, it would take me much effort and several paragraphs to adequately state the same, lol! Let me just offer you encouragement in that I find your expressions very interesting!

Still trying to understand, now I agree scripture states we are chosen. And God's will is for all to come to Him, correct? But yet, He does not override our free will, or are you saying in some (or all) cases He does? Now, as in the case of Saul, and I would venture to guess many others (if not all, lol), the direct revelation is pretty hard to ignore, yet even though it is impossible to ignore God, it is not impossible to reject Him, as it requires dying to self to choose Him. You mentioned the soveriegnty of God, and maybe I misunderstood, but it led me to believe your saying God does over ride our free will. In my personal life, and those I can observe around me, I see what looks like God going to extreme, sometimes wondrous, and sometimes heartbreaking steps to get our attention, yet I'm not convinced He is removing our free will. Anyway, this thread has reminded me that I wanted to get in depth in a study of God's characteristics, I am sure it has been discussed here but i've never been able to get the search function to work for me. Thanks for your time, and the good reading,

Surely God does desire all sinners to come to Him? Yet once again, if man is given free will, than depending on how you understand "the elect among sinners" could mean those that choose Him? Again, in my mind it seems like a circle where I can't get everything to line up lol. And based on all the discussions on this, I may not be the only one.

I also am having trouble following what this means, I've read it several times, maybe its been too long since I've routinely read your posts lol. Need the practice. Good seeing you again noob!

This, I agree with, as it is not of our own we come to believing, but faith is given to us, yet the aspect of free will confuses the issue for me, as God does choose us, yet allows us free will, so adding in the verse that God wills everyone to come to Him, well, i never find the end of this circle lol!

You are claiming the entire creation account happened in the first verse of the bible, then, without explanation, it directly goes to a "Re-creation" event. If everything is being re-created, then why is verse three creating light again? Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. So we have everything made in six days, and no gap mentioned, but rather each day had a day and a night, in sequence, and each created has no "re" in front of it. Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. No gap spoken of here. But it does state "from the beginning". As in not the second beginning, or a beginning after a gap, or a beginning after a judgement. And actually, does the bible state that the fallen angels have been cast out before, or during creation? I could not find support of this, maybe I missed it, but I am wondering if it is possible the fall happened after the six days of creation. As for the "I don't believe God's creation was in vain, waste and desolation." I agree. Scripture states: "Now the earth was formless and empty," I read this as meaning creation was not finished. The words you supplied indicate something that I have not found in scripture. Where you supply "replenish", my bible states "fill". Genesis 1:28 “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it" It seems when wording is played with, imagination can run wild.