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DesertSW

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  1. Not true. No offense, but that's a lame explanation. In Eph. 3:1-3 “the dispensation of the grace of God” is specifically called “the mystery” (i.e., secret). It is thus designated for two reasons: 1. It had been “kept secret since the world began, but now,” through Paul, had been “made manifest” (Rom. 16:25). “In other ages” it was “not made known” (Eph. 3:5). Rather, “from the beginning of the world” it had been “hid in God” (Ver. 9), “hid from ages and from generations, but now… made manifest to His saints” (Col. 1:26). 2. It was at the same time the explanation, the key, to all God’s good news, including that which had been proclaimed in ages past. It explained how it was that Abel could be declared righteous by bringing an animal sacrifice, “God testifying of his gifts” (Heb. 11:4), how Noah could become “an heir of… righteousness” by building an ark (Heb. 11:7), how anyone could be saved under the dispensation of the Law, and how it is that we can be saved today by grace through faith alone. Thus we have in Paul’s epistles, not only the gospel [good news] of “the secret” (Eph. 3:1-3), but at the same time, “the secret of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19,20). This great secret, revealed to and through Paul, has rightly been called the capstone of divine revelation, for it concerns God’s eternal purpose in Christ. Through Paul, the chief of sinners saved by grace, God has now made this glorious secret known to us (Eph. 1:9) that we, in turn, might make it known to others (Eph. 3:9).
  2. The Apostle Paul wrote almost 2/3 of the New Testament. Yet, most modern preachers only teach out of the 4 gospel writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They take what Paul wrote and read it back into the gospels but without the mystery that was revealed to and through Paul, we would not have a full understanding of what grace is. The question posed that most can't answer is WHY did Jesus chose Saul (later Paul) to write and be given further revelation from Jesus Christ? When there were 12 (Matthias replaced Judas) apostles, yet Jesus set them aside shortly after His resurrection and assention and put Paul on the path. Couldn't one or all the 12 apostles complete the mission? Why was Paul chosen? He wasn't even around for Jesus' earthly ministry and did not follow Jesus like the 12 did. Quite the opposite. Paul "ravaged" the early church and persecuted them. Most people can't even answer what the mystery is? What is this mystery that Jesus Christ speaks of and gave it directly and only to the Apostle Paul?
  3. I believe the lack of understanding of what LOVE is and how it works, especially in a marriage, is the main reason why 1 in 3 Christian marriages end in divorce here in the USA.
  4. I never said that God's nature changes. I stated that God changes in the way He deals with mankind. God's love and human love are two different things as one if infinite and infallible while the latter is finite and fallible. While the garden involved mankind making a decision that caused God to change His dealings with mankind, the old covenant to new covenant was a change that God made, not mankind. In that instance, God made the change, not based on something man had done, but God had decided to introduce a new covenant and way of dealing with man. Hebrews 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Luke 22:20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. So there is nothing here in disagreement. Unless one is looking to create an argument for arguments sake. Returning to the point at hand. Marital love is a verb that requires action from both spouses. It is not a permanent state of emotional enthusiasm. Love is an emotion and action. It is both but true love is a verb which means action. The emotional part of love comes and goes, it's part of human nature. One day you "feel" loving and the next day you don't.
  5. I will answer your question but the problem with your question is that it contains a flawed statement within it so the question itself is wrong. Point 1- "God does not change" God is His nature does not change but the way He deals and interacts with mankind does. So God does change in how He deals and interacts with the world. For example, God told Adam & Eve to stay in the garden, then He told them to leave. God told mankind to worship Him by bringing offerings to the temple, then God said that the temple offerings must stop as He completed the final offering once and for all. There are probably hundreds of such examples of God changing on how He deals with mankind. God is not a robot, He does change in how He interacts with man. That verse "God does not change" is probably one of the most incorrectly quoted and applied verses out there. Point 2 - Enthusiasm is a human emotion. It comes and goes like the sun and waves. It's there one minute, gone the next. That is part of being a human. The same enthusiasm you had when one meets a girlfriend or kisses a spouse for the first time, will wain and no longer have the same enthusiasm. It may come back but it also may fade away. Love is a verb, it's action. God's love was ultimately shown on Calvary 2,000 years ago. Yet, that love is still active today because one can believe on that act that was done 2,000 years ago, believe today and be saved. That is love, a verb of action. Not just an emotion that comes and goes. So to conclude. God does change, His love is permanent as shown by His action on the cross. It is not a flawed emotional feeling that we have as fallen human beings, which comes and goes. We are told to love in God's Word and that love in God's Word is a verb, not just a feeling. Jesus said, if you love me, take up your cross and follow me. Jesus said, if you love me, feed my people. God demands action with love. Many Christians see love in a marriage as merely a feeling which it is not. It's action. Feelings come and go. I've heard Christian people say, "I don't love my spouse anymore", which God's response to that is found in His Word. Love is not just a feeling, it's action. So the statement of "I don't love my spouse anymore" is a flawed statement because it's premise is wrong. That person who makes that statement doesn't truly understand what love is according to God's Word. They understand it as seen through the secular earthly perspective of merely an emotional feeling.
  6. In marriage, like in Biblical stories, love is not a permanent state of enthusiasm. Sometimes God gets frustrated with His people that He loves and harsh words are said. True Biblical marital love involves a Godly love.
  7. God so loved the world that h\He gave Him his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus Christ went to the cross and died for our sins because He loved us so. So yes, God is love and His love is an acting verb.
  8. Love is a verb. That's the first thing to remember when asked, what is love? It's an active engagement with all kinds of feelings-positive ones, primitive ones, and loathsome ones. But it's an active verb. It's often surprising how it can kind of ebb and flow. It's like the moon. We think it's disappeared, and suddenly it shows up again. That's love in human beings. It's not a permanent state of enthusiasm. Hollywood, books and poetry have corrupted what human love is like in this fallen state of humankind. 1 Cor 13 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails Most Christians have skewed understandings and definitions of what marital love is and how it works. Marriage is not easy and marriage involves two fallen and imperfect people, coming together. Wedding vows should include something like, "I will screw up on a regular basis, and, on occasion, I'll admit it"
  9. Today marks the 2 year anniversary of my divorce. I still love my ex-spouse and she broke my heart. Healing has taken place but the scar still remains. As my Christian counselor said, "Christian's will disappoint & hurt you, given enough time, they will do things that they shouldn't do"
  10. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. John 12:25 The 12 apostles lost everything in the end and died horrible deaths due to their faith. The Apostle Paul likewise. I've noticed Christians will fall into two categories: 1 - They love this world and life and if offered to go to heaven today, they would turn it down 2 - They live in the world but are not of the world and if offered to go to heaven to day, they would accept it The Bible is pretty clear what mindset the Christian should have when it comes to the above... Many Christians want to be successful and travel, save up 401K's and have a great retirement (Bible talks nothing about retirement, it's a modern invention), etc. Those things in and of themselves are not wrong per say, but they are not the mindset of what God wants us to have. Modern Christianity preaches health and wealth but the Bible preaches something totally different.
  11. I just go with it. Fighting it is a losing battle. It's like aging, I'm 44 years old. I am not the young person when I was 20 or 30 years old. I get treated differently in job interviews and get rejected at times because of my age. It's just the way it is. My prime has come and gone. That's just life. I am waiting to see my Lord and Savior in heaven. My eyes are on heaven. Jesus said, "love not his world" and the Apostle Paul said, "to live is Christ, to die is gain...I desire to be in heaven and be with the Lord as it is better by far..."
  12. Your scenario is different because the divorce happened BEFORE you became a Christian. I am specifically referring to Christian divorces. Those who divorced who are Christians.
  13. Thank you for saying that but I have a hard time believing that. When I posted about another couple divorcing, you replied that they are not saved and that they are just phony Christians, in name only. That's what happens every time. A Christian says they are divorced or divorcing, the first thing comes is judgment and condemnation that they are unsaved. You said it yourself:
  14. Full disclosure. I am also a divorced Christian but it was NOT my choice to divorce. My spouse made that decision and I fought it and rejected it but she chose to do it. So I am the "damaged goods" and the way I get treated is a 3rd class citizen. That's just the way it is. Most Christians I meet are kind of naive about marriage and most are shocked to discover the 33% divorce rate. Barna reported it but people didn't want to accept it. When Christians behave and mirror the unsaved, it's a hard pill to swallow but it is reality. In the men's group I attend, half the attendee's are divorcee's. I do get treated differently for being a divorced Christian. It is what it is. Nothing I could do about it. Only recourse is that I tell them it wasn't my choice to divorce, it was my spouses.
  15. You violated the rules! I clearly stated: (BTW - Please don't post the beaten horse response that they weren't Christian to begin with. It's an excuse to cover up the real problem that real Christians do divorce. )
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