BibleStudent100

You are correct Jimmy about a man and woman who live together as roommates but who refrain from sexual activity. If that is the case, then no sin has occurred. But in today's parlance, if people "live together," then that connotes having sexual relations.

The Bible places fornicators and adulterers (even if they are in "committed relationships") in the same category as homosexuals. This understanding is repeated numerous times in the Bible, one of which is this verse: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, 1 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6: 9,10

Thank you for sharing the lovely photos. As Christians, we admire these plants and give due praise to the Creator, but sadly, most people simply admire the plants and think nothing of the Creator. They love the "creation" but completely ignore the "Creator."

The Bible warns that Satan and his demons are intent on misleading mankind. They take advantage of mankind’s despair and hopelessness to offer attractive, but false, solutions. (2 Corinthians 11:14) Hence, the Bible warning: “In later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons.”—1 Timothy 4:1. Thus, any supposed visits and seemingly beneficial guidance from such beings should be rejected, whatever form they may take. Those who would rather follow the advice of “extraterrestrials” than God’s Word are bound to be misled.

14 hours ago, AdHoc said: And it is for this same reason that God gave Joshua and the following Leaders of Israel the order to wipe out whole populations and animals. They had all been involved in sins that tampered with genealogy. Fascinating take on this AdHoc; this is new insight for me, especially regarding the "tamper with genealogy" concept, or might I edit as "tamper with reproduction." God takes very seriously the importance of life being transported through reproduction and this process must be honored and highly respected (no doubt the basis for women's menstruation cycle instructions in the OT as well). Homosexuality, bestiality, sex outside of marriage, orgies etc. would fall into the category of a misuse of reproduction. 14 hours ago, AdHoc said: And when Joshua conquered Canaan God let him do it slowly lest there be a vacuum of ruling and the beasts ruled the earth (Ex.23:29) I do not remember this verse, but yes, it is so logical! Killing off the wicked nations too quickly after the 40 years of wandering in the Desert would create a “power-vacuum” and lead to political and even cultural chaos. Even a wicked nation does provide some institutions and public services for its people, even back in those days. Again, the need for patience in waiting upon God to exact His vengeance. 14 hours ago, AdHoc said: God has set aside a set time, basically from John Baptist to the rapture, where He defers judgment to give men time to repent and be trained for the coming Kingdom. Regarding another example to support this understanding concerns the Amalekites who were a group of marauders who harassed the Israelites for centuries. Interestingly, they were condemned to extinction by God as early as Exodus 17:14, BUT it took until the time of Esther (Esther 3:1) to see the extermination of this group of people from history, both Biblical and secular. This is just one more example of the patience required by us all when we see the injustices of this world.

Well stated Com7. Just as an Israelite could have said, "what harm does this cat or dog pose, so why don't I let it live?" But in those instances when God declared that all humans and animals were to be killed, He meant it! In a similar way, we may have a personality trait that exhibits some vestiges of "worldliness," but it must be rooted out. I personally am working on avoiding violence in the movies I watch, which is why my Netflix account has many movies started, but which I abandon watching as the violence is too much. I'm just trying to improve in my personal application of these principles.

I enjoy this comment, AdHoc. It speaks to those faithful Christians who have been waiting for decades for God to end this wicked system of things. However, God shows more tolerance and patience to give more humans time to change their ways and although some of us may view God's justice as "slow," the Bible reminds us in 2 Peter 3:9, that "God is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance." Just as children view time differently than do older people (remember how long a school year was to us as children, versus how soon June of next year will be for us), God views the passage of time differently than we do and our challenge is to rely patiently on His time-frame, even if "justice" seems to be more "immediate" than it is.

For those Christians who become deeply involved in politics, please note the following about Jesus and his view of worldly affairs: World ruler. The Gospels state that the Devil offered Jesus rulership over “all the kingdoms of the world.” Think of how much good Jesus could have done for suffering mankind if he had wielded the power of a world ruler! What politically oriented individual sincerely concerned with mankind’s advancement could resist such an offer? But Jesus refused it.—Matthew 4:8-11. King. Many of Jesus’ contemporaries were desperate for a ruler who could solve their economic and political problems. Impressed by Jesus’ abilities, the people wanted Jesus to join the political process. What was his reaction? Gospel writer John states: “Jesus, knowing they were about to come and seize him to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain all alone.” (John 6:10-15) Clearly, Jesus refused to become involved in politics.

I am reminded of of Psalm 1:3, when referring to one who meditates: “He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, a tree that produces fruit in its season, the foliage of which does not wither. And everything he does will succeed.”

Are not those words in Hebrew, the language Jesus spoke? Yes, I know that some linguists say Jesus spoke a variant of Hebrew, but are there any verses indicating that he ever spoke/understood, say Latin or Greek, languages commonly used in Israel in the first century? Or was his pre-human existence knowledge such that he knew all human languages? Granted, there may be some speculation in these questions, but I would be interested in some thoughts from the Worthy students. Thanks

So are there examples in the NT when Jesus spoke in different languages?

Great question Hartono. I would also like to add another question to yours: We all know how sinful David was (murderer, adulterer, etc.) and while others made mistakes and were quickly "dispatched," David was forgiven time and time again by God. Why was he shown so much "extra" mercy and forgiveness? This "extra" accommodation has always puzzled me...

Yes, there is no evidence that Jesus himself baptized anyone. Perhaps Jesus was concerned that if he baptized anyone that that act could incite excessive pride in those who were baptized by Jesus versus those who were not baptized by Jesus. I would be interested if there are other views on this matter by you good folks. By extension, under what circumstances today would one's baptism from earlier years have to be repeated (See Acts 19:5)?

Vine, everything you have articulated is spot on! As a high school teacher and community college instructor in the state of California, I am in the middle of the fray of transgenderism and so I am constantly surrounded by proponents of this anti-god trend. But I say very little, as those who promote the non-binary agenda are zealots and their minds are made up. Maybe they will change one day, but that is a realization they they have to come to along with an acceptance of Christ. A colleague of mine said to me last week that those who oppose the trans movement are like "Christian Taliban." If someone truly believes that, then he/she/they (pronouns get confusing) are indeed alienated from the Truths of the Word. Yes, these people can repent and change as 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 says that "some of you were that way" in referencing to past sin, but this extreme belief system of accepting and now promoting non-binary issues is in our faces everyday. Jesus himself focused on the message of truth: God's Kingdom. He did not get embroiled in the raucous and "left-leaning" issues of the day. We become righteously indignant, of course, when we observe these anti-Biblical teachings, but each one must carry his own load and make decisions for himself and his family. Years ago, I home-schooled my children to avoid exposing them to issues like the "trans movement," which is much worse today. I fear so many good Christian will invest too much time in trying to change what can not be changed. I finish with Jeremiah 13:23: "Can a leopard change its spots?" Some movements and even people are irreformable...

Jabre, your fight against yourself reminds me of the same struggle that the apostle Paul describes: the “fight” carried on now by each one who tries to make over his personality, to become fully pleasing to God. He says: “What I wish, this I do not practice; but what I hate is what I do. . . . The good that I wish I do not do, but the bad that I do not wish is what I practice. . . . The one working it out is no longer I, but the sin dwelling in me.” (Romans 7:15-20) Through inheritance, all humans have been brought forth “with error,” in sin. (Psalm 51:5) Also, all have added to that sin during their own course of life, the environment wrongly influencing them, be that video games, an inclination to view violence in movies and games or to view sex in movies or games. Even today a person can genuinely get rid of the things that he has ‘picked up’ from his environment, with the help of God’s Word, His spirit and his own association with God’s servants. But it is different with the things that come through his genetic makeup, that are a part of him, physically and mentally. True, he can fight these faults with considerable success, for the apostles tell us that we can ‘make our minds over,’ “put on the new personality,” ‘produce the fruits of the spirit,’ “hold a good conscience” and ‘maintain fine conduct.’ (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:24; Galatians 5:22, 23; 1 Peter 3:16; 2:12) But we cannot completely wipe out these bad inherited tendencies merely through such effort. The apostle said of his situation: “Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death? Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then, with my mind I myself am a slave to God’s law, but with my flesh to sin’s law.”—Romans 7:24, 25.

Thank you for sharing. The merchant was willing to make sacrifices to purchase the pearl. Are we willing to make sacrifices for spiritual matters to find spiritual treasure? Are we willing to give up lucrative careers and worldly glory and a top education, if these endeavors take away our time to serve God? Putting God first in our lives may be difficult, but what else can be compared to any sacrifice and inconvenience?

Since marriage binds husband and wife together, it is like a yoke. (Mt 19:6) Hence, for a Christian to marry an unbeliever would result in an ‘unequal yoking’ (2Co 6:14), making unity in thought and action very difficult. Still, the reality is that some Christians disregard this sage advice and then find themselves in this position. These individuals now have added further burdens to their lives, but they continue on with this unequal yoking and find themselves attending church by themselves, to give just one example of how an "unequal yoking" looks like. Of course, the "worldly" individuals are always encouraged to enter into a Bible study arrangement with a mature Christian so that hopefully, they "can be won without a word" (1 Peter 3:1).

Babies are innocent and ignorant of the evil of the world and we love them very much, of course. But babies are sinners too, starting at the moment of conception. By being born into Adam's line, all men have come under the "law of sin and of death" (Romans 8:2). Sin has "ruled as king" over mankind, enslaving them (Romans 5:17). Sin is viewed not only as the actual commission or omission of certain acts but also as a law or governing principle or force operating in us, namely, the inborn inclination toward wrongdoing that we inherit from Adam, which the Bible calls "weakness of the flesh" and imperfection (Romans 6:19).

Thank you Starise for giving us some balanced perspective on this issue. I drive a Tesla and I love it, but I have done a little research on how the battery is sourced and mined and produced and that process itself is not very environmentally friendly, which is in part, why US companies and regulators have lagged behind in their development and manufacturing on US shores. In Southern California there is a region called the "Saudi Arabia of Lithium," (https://dot.la/salton-sea-lithium-2658577206.html) and companies are rushing to develop this key mineral in the production of batteries. This area is not too far from where I live and some are concerned about the environmental damage (when I retire I am leaving the area, so I worry only a little), but it is true that the US needs to create their own supply-chain as we transfer to electric means of transportation versus ICE. This is a lengthy process and will cost a tremendous amount of money (just think about how many gas stations across America need to be converted to charging stations, to give just one example). As a high school teacher, I worry about the youth who are going into the ICE maintenance programs, as will their career still exist in 10-20 years from now? There will always be some ICE, but as a Tesla owner, I never take my car in for maintenance and the guys at my local shop, all of whom know me, must wonder what happened to that teacher who always in for one reason or another. Still, I harken back to the Bible: "It does not belong to man to direct his own step" (Jeremiah 10:23); at some point, even though man uses (or should use) his own judgement and logic, we have to leave these matter to a higher power. Great discussion!

Thoughtful breakdown Dennis. After you reminded me that an angel wielding sword would have to take out a minimum of 12 Assyrian soldiers per second (I would argue a 10 hour night, which would mean more deaths per second), I wonder if that was a literal sword or if the word "sword" was a word that represented another spiritual technology that was non-understandable for humans, but was the only way to convey the slaying capability of an angel.

A young whipper-snapper was I, but now that I am in the old-timer status, I can say that time does pass by quickly! I try to be modest and implement "wisdom" in the way I live my life (Proverbs 11:2) by not trying to deny or ignore my additional years that place me square in the target of my "days of distress." Modesty in what I can accomplish, coupled with a positive, non-defeatist attitude helps me to avoid this result: "If you become discouraged in the day of distress, your strength will be meager” (Proverbs 24:10). Instead, a modest person shows wisdom, making the best of a situation.

Many of the kings of Israel placed their full faith and confidence, NOT in God's ability to protect them, but in their own military might or in certain alliance treaties with surrounding nations. Time after time, God condemned them for their lack of faith in Him. Similarly today, too many Christians put faith in the military or technological prowess of their governments, but what does God have at hand in dealing with them? *A hurricane controlled by God can disable battle ships *A big snowstorm can disable military jets *Solar flares could knock-out advanced communication systems *Etc. The bottom line, with just the power of storms, all the technology and military might that nations have can be easily eliminated. "Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs" (Ps 146:3).

Jesus still had his fleshly body when offering the bread. This body, whole and entire, was to be offered as a perfect, unblemished sacrifice for sins the next afternoon. He also retained all his blood for that perfect sacrifice. “He poured out his soul [which is in the blood] to the very death.” (Isa 53:12; Le 17:11) Consequently, during the evening meal he did not perform a miracle of transubstantiation, changing the bread into his literal flesh and the wine into his literal blood. For the same reasons, it cannot be truly said that he miraculously caused his flesh and his blood to be present or combined with the bread and wine, as is claimed by those who adhere to the doctrine of consubstantiation.

Regarding Enoch, we know he was a prophet of God and he foretold God’s coming with His holy myriads to execute judgment against the ungodly. Likely persecution was brought against him because of his prophesying. But when God “took him,” could that not mean that God just cut short his life at age 365 years and was “transferred so as not to see death,” or experience the pangs of death? Regarding Elijah, when he ascended into the windstorm, did he die? Does not the Bible indicate that Elijah was geographically transported to another location as he was still alive and active as a prophet some years later: 2 Chronicles, 21:12-15?

So in view of this scripture, how should Christians view "interfaith"? We know God's law to ancient Israel strictly forbade religious fellowship with the surrounding nations; is it the same for Christians?