dhchristian

Submitting to the Authority of the Pilot and giving Him the controls of your life, is liberating and not stifling. We Learn to soar on wings of Eagles. Ever read this fable? Fable of the Eagle and the Chicken A fable is told about an eagle that thought he was a chicken. When the eagle was very small, he fell from the safety of his nest. A chicken farmer found the eagle, brought him to the farm, and raised him in a chicken coop among his many chickens. The eagle grew up doing what chickens do, living like a chicken, and believing he was a chicken. A naturalist came to the chicken farm to see if what he had heard about an eagle acting like a chicken was really true. He knew that an eagle is king of the sky. He was surprised to see the eagle strutting around the chicken coop, pecking at the ground, and acting very much like a chicken. The farmer explained to the naturalist that this bird was no longer an eagle. He was now a chicken because he had been trained to be a chicken and he believed that he was a chicken. The naturalist knew there was more to this great bird than his actions showed as he “pretended” to be a chicken. He was born an eagle and had the heart of an eagle, and nothing could change that. The man lifted the eagle onto the fence surrounding the chicken coop and said, “Eagle, thou art an eagle. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The eagle moved slightly, only to look at the man; then he glanced down at his home among the chickens in the chicken coop where he was comfortable. He jumped off the fence and continued doing what chickens do. The farmer was satisfied. “I told you it was a chicken,” he said. The naturalist returned the next day and tried again to convince the farmer and the eagle that the eagle was born for something greater. He took the eagle to the top of the farmhouse and spoke to him: “Eagle, thou art an eagle. Thou dost belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The large bird looked at the man, then again down into the chicken coop. He jumped from the man’s arm onto the roof of the farmhouse. Knowing what eagles are really about, the naturalist asked the farmer to let him try one more time. He would return the next day and prove that this bird was an eagle. The farmer, convinced otherwise, said, “It is a chicken.” The naturalist returned the next morning to the chicken farm and took the eagle and the farmer some distance away to the foot of a high mountain. They could not see the farm nor the chicken coop from this new setting. The man held the eagle on his arm and pointed high into the sky where the bright sun was beckoning above. He spoke: “Eagle, thou art an eagle! Thou dost belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” This time the eagle stared skyward into the bright sun, straightened his large body, and stretched his massive wings. His wings moved, slowly at first, then surely and powerfully. With the mighty screech of an eagle, he flew. –(In Walk Tall, You’re A Daughter Of God, by Jamie Glenn)

It is that Will that we need to surrender to His will....nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42 Then we will have overcome as Christ Overcame.... To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Rev. 3:20) God Bless.

He first is our co pilot, we can only go so far with this we eventually have to give him the controls so that we can soar on wings of Eagles (Isaiah 40:31) But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Notice How this verse ties in with James 4 passage I quoted. When He is our co pilot, he is our savior, when he becomes our pilot he is our savior and LORD.

It is much easier for a poor man to let God control their life than a rich man, Hence the following: And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Mt. 19:24) This is the Laodicean malady... Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Rev 3:17) Let him do the flying and you will see the plane do things it was never capable of doing with you at the helm, he did after all make the plane and knows its abilities. People in the western world in general are afraid of this, "loss of control". But it is not a loss of control when HE is in Control, it is a loss of ourselves, putting to death the old man. God Bless.

Back when I was growing up, the Bumper sticker "God is my co-pilot" was often found in the church parking lots, including mine, where my Pastor had that on his car. But this statement highlights the problems in the theology of today, which has grown even worse. God is no longer even the co-pilot, but a passenger with the person driving the car the Old man trying to live pleasing God. What should be the case in the lives of all believers is that God is the Pilot and we are the passengers. The Problem is not one of false doctrine, for many of them hold the right doctrines, the problem is not one of theological sufficiency or lack of hearing the truth, the problem is a lack of submission to the Authority of God in One's life. People say they want to draw near to God, they say they want to resist the devil, but they can do none of these things until they submit to God as James 4 clearly states, this is the one thing that begins our walk towards holiness and overcoming. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:7-10 You see, a Christian comes to salvation and receives Christ as His savior, But he is yet to be his LORD. Learning to submit to Him and His authority in your life is akin to a bride making herself ready for the wedding, this is the "great mystery" Which Paul speaks of in Ephesians 5 about the church.... When we are first saved, most only have Christ as their co pilot, but they still have their hands on the controls and if left in this will drive that Plane to its demise, But when we release those controls over to that co pilot and let Him fly the plane is when we will soar on wings of Eagles. He wants us to be passengers, not pilots or co-pilots, He wants us to fully believe in his ability to fly the plane, and to let him do that. The things that get in the way of this loss of control, are things like our mental capacity, our wealth and prosperity, the cares of this world, the Bible is full of these illustrations. The Most obvious example is when the Israelites came out of Egypt, they escaped Egypt miraculously, yet they did not enter the promised land because of unbelief, as exemplified by the writer of Hebrews in chapters 3 and 4. So the question here raised, is are you, like Israel, going to trust fully in God as your Pilot, Or you going to keep your proverbial hands on the controls and crash in the wilderness because you trust your own abilities and strength to save you? Is Jesus your Co-pilot, Is he your pilot, or is he just your passenger? Submitting to the authority of God is the Most liberating thing anyone can do in their Christian walk, I Know this seems counterintuitive, but I can attest to the truth of this. it takes the burden and guilt off of our hands of crashing and allows us to soar on wings of Eagles, this is what Christ wants for His Bride, this what it means for the bride to be ready for His coming, Are you?

And the TOS is what facebook and twitter are using to censor voices as well, this is systematic of a bigger problem in the world today and it is infecting the churches and even this forum, i say that with all respect. the moment you cannot call out someone for tyranny is the moment tyranny wins out. I Hope you understand the ramifications of this, as history is repeating itself, only now the silencing hides behind TOS's and instead of the gestapo. I Am not opposed to the battle field of ideas, never have been and never wanted anyone silenced which is why I rarely report posts. Part of that is calling a spade a spade, and not allowing them to hide behind their cloak. that is all I have ever done. Now if that person who is calling a person out is silenced, then they are free to promote their errors, and seduce those who do not see, and then the whole battlefield of ideas no longer exists and all you have is Propaganda of the dominant position. I Had a post that spoke about this on Mileau control which was censored ironically.... why? are you all afraid of this? Are you afraid of people having and being able to think critically by having all sides of the debate in the battlefield of ideas? You all have to make up your mind whether you are going to be like the world or if you are going to remain the salt of the earth, this is moderation issue, not an issue with the posters. There are also moderators here who are biased against certain posters, and I have their own words to prove this. To think the moderators are unbiased and objective is a mistake as well, who is moderating the moderators? Are they to remain unmoderated? Quite to the contrary, Just like in this country it is we the people who hold our leaders to account, so it should be on Forums such as this that the moderators are held to account by the people on the forum.... this probably may be threatening to you but it is not if you are doing your job honestly and without bias, but if you are holding a grudge against certain posters from past events and then use your position of authority to silence those voices, then you are guilty and should be held to account for this. Of course you are welcome to silence this criticism based on the TOS, or you can actually interact and restore faith in the governance of this forum by holding each other to account that the truth may win on the battle field of ideas and not be silenced by complainers and antagonists. Choice is yours, in silence i will know the truth of your motives.

Let's hope this does not end up with scripture being banned as well, because scripture is by nature critical and offensive and convicting.... censorship is a big issue in the world, apparently it is on this forum as well. I posted a link that dealt with censorship and it got deleted, How Ironic, and now I am posting scriptures and they are not getting approved. It is a slippery slope you are heading down to silencing the truth IMHO....

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. ( Acts 4:29-31) Your Exegesis is just a way to make scripture say what it does not plainly say, by convolution and making it more complex than the plain common sense reading of the text. A thousand years is a thousand years. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:42-45) Using convoluted exegesis and making scripture overly complex is the tool of those who would lord over the flock as opposed to minister to the flock, in so doing, that person can then introduce heresies to the flock... this is what Nicolaitanism means, literally to "rule over the laity" and this is What Christ Jesus Hates, as do I. He used fishermen and tax collectors to start his church, not philosophers and priests. Paul the most educated of them all had to have a Damascus road experience to count his past zeal and credentials as dung before he could become a minister of the Gospel.

A thousand years is a thousand years, this is simple common sense, no exegesis required, no convoluted theological language to explain the simplicity of scripture, Just like Paul said: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Cor 11:3) Subtility= Panourgia, Which is cunning craftiness, and a Specious or false wisdom. This basically is theosophy, which is what you are promoting, nothing more, and I am not the only one here who sees this here. So the question then becomes, should we "play along" or expose this to others who do not see? I choose to expose this for the benefit of others.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Rev. 3:21) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Rev. 3:22)

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1;6-8 Even the apostles Knew The kingdom was to be restored to Israel and Christ would reign as king at some future time.... But first came Pentecost and the church age and the preaching of the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. Simple concept really.... Simplicity is in Christ Jesus (2 cor 11:3)

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Mat. 11:15)

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. (1 Cor 3;18-20)

I Agree, but the institution known as church today consists of the wheat and the tares. You are looking at the purity of the church, I am looking at what is known as the church in todays world. The institutions are full of tares among the wheat of the field. The faithful and the saints make up the true body of Christ, and then there are those who claim to be who are not, those operating under seducing spirits and not the Holy Spirit. Then there are those who are into churchianity, self deception, half hearted belief, complacency, and Lukewarmness, and are fence sitters. It is those people that are in the church that need ministering lest they be caught in the snare of the seducing spirits and fall away..... Many will fall away as promised by scripture who are living in partial unbelief, as the temptations and cares of this world wax worse and worse. The church has gotten them out of bondage and slavery, but will they cross the river to the Promised land is the question. There will be two end time revivals, one is false, and the other is the latter rain spoken of By Joel and James Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James5:7-8) We do not know who of that complacent and half hearted group will Join the faithful and the saints in full belief, But the key is those who love the truth will not fall into the strong delusion. If right now you are seeking truth honestly with your heart, and that is your desire he will guide you into all truth, but if you are opposing the truth you will fall for the strong delusion, and that is where self deception and denial in this Laodicean age falls into play.... Most are still living in denial that they have need of anything because they have been sold the lie of easy believism and textualism, as opposed to life saving faith, believed with the heart and lived in relationship with Christ Jesus the LORD. Here is the hard part to digest, Most who call themselves Christians are not part of the body of Christ yet, for they are not living in full faith, but rather in partial faith, claiming Jesus as savior, But not having submitted to Him as LORD. They are in denial that they have a problem, and are self deceived, and until they take the steps outlined in the Epistle to the Laodiceans they will never overcome that denial. Using the analogy of the wheat and the tares, though they are wheat, they are being choked out by the tares in the church who are teaching complacency. Most people here on this forum are living in complacency 70%..... About a quarter are tares..... And Maybe 1 in 10 or 1 in 20 are among the faithful and the saints and part of the true body of Christ. I realize this is offensive to some here, but this is the truth. Most of those who are living in complacency are easily seduced by these seducing spirits at work, and I again will point you to the videos I have shared with you in PM's as they are vital to this understanding. The Question I ask is which one are you? Is Jesus Your LORD, or are you being seduced by these seducing spirits? Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:13-16)

The church as we know it today consists of the wheat and the tares living together, rather than uprooting the wheat by removing the tares they remain together until; the time of the harvest.

I Have no problem with this in concept whatsoever, there is continuity, but there is also separation. We no longer offer sacrifices in a temple as the temple no longer exists, correct? Yet Christ is our Passover lamb, so the Law of sin and death is replaced by the Law of the Spirit of Life, thus the church is distinct from the nation of Israel, and a simple reading of Romans 11 will tell you this, as well as being an extension of Israel, which was a "shadow" of things to come . Israel's future is in restoration, But in Christ Jesus now there is no Jew nor Greek, we are all members of one Body whether we are Jew or gentile, so long as we are in Christ Jesus, we are the church, not Israel. Israel as a nation, will however be restored once again, not only naturally but as the center piece of Godly governance in the world. The Church was never given this role, Our kingdom is not of this world, Israel's is, and will be. This being the distinction between the gospel of the Kingdom which was preached by Jesus and John the Baptist, which will once again be preached (Matthew 24:14) shortly before the second coming Versus the gospel of grace unto salvation preached by Paul and the church. The Church as we know it will no longer exist, as Judgment begins at the house of God, and we, the church are that house in this age. Judgment involves both sweet and bitter (Little scroll in Rev. 10) Sweetness in the form of a rapture for some, bitterness for others in the form of the wrath of the lamb as the tares are separated out for the fire. What is left of the church on earth at that point is the whore of Babylon, as the faithful and the saints are raptured and in glory, while those left behind will face the wrath of God, and that wrath is severe (read Rev. 17-18)

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (Mat. 11:25)

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:20) You ignored a whole link about what the church age is, so do not accuse me of not answering your question. The Word church is in the Bible and the word age/ages are in the bible. The age of the Fathers refers to the time before Moses, Now though this Phrase "age of the fathers" is not found specifically in scripture, the concept is as Israel appealed to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as their fathers. It is all just simple reasoning. Before the church began and the time of grace came there was no church after acts 2 there was a church Therefore after acts 2 is when the church age began, and we are still living therein as the church is still active and operating in the world. This is just simple logic even children can understand....edited out the end of this sentence as it clearly violates the TOS.

I gave you scripture, verse 5 speaks of ages, and the mystery of this age, what age is that the age of the grace of God being manifested to the gentiles, this is the church age. Paul speaks of this in Romans 11, calling this the time of the gentiles... So sorry you are incapable of having a civil conversation without belittling the opponents response as this is not how you have a conversation, a dialogue, so it is not worth debating with you further, because you are incapable of using simple logic to draw conclusions. Simplicity is in the teachings and Gospel of Jesus (2 Cor 11:3) complexity and elitism is part of the harlot religion of Babylon. Question: "What is the Church Age? Where does the Church Age fit in biblical history?" Answer: An “age” is an historical period of time or an era. Some historians divide human history into many epochs and name them according to their defining characteristics: Middle Ages, Modern Age, Postmodern Age, etc. Biblical history, too, can be divided into different eras. When those divisions emphasize God’s interaction with His creation, we call them dispensations. More broadly, biblical history can be divided into two periods, roughly following the division of Old and New Testaments: the Age of the Law and the Church Age. The Church Age is the period of time from Pentecost (Acts 2) to the rapture (foretold in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It is called the Church Age because it covers the period in which the Church is on earth. It corresponds with the dispensation of Grace. In prophetic history, it falls between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27; Romans 11). Jesus predicted the Church Age in Matthew 16:18 when He said, “I will build my church.” Jesus has kept His promise, and His Church has now been growing for almost 2,000 years. The Church is composed of those individuals who have by faith accepted Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord (John 1:12; Acts 9:31). Therefore, the Church is people rather than denominations or buildings. It is the Body of Christ of which He is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23). The Greek word ecclesia, translated “church,” means “a called-out assembly.” The Church is universal in scope but meets locally in smaller bodies. The Church Age comprises the entire dispensation of Grace. “The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). For the first time in history, God actually indwells His creatures, permanently and eternally. In other dispensations the Holy Spirit was always present and always at work, but He would come upon people temporarily (e.g., 1 Samuel 16:14). The Church Age is marked by the Holy Spirit’s permanent indwelling of His people (John 14:16). Scripture makes a distinction between the nation of Israel and the Church (1 Corinthians 10:32). There is some overlap because, individually, many Jews believe in Jesus as their Messiah and are therefore part of the Church. But God’s covenants with the nation of Israel have not yet been fulfilled. Those promises await fulfillment during the Millennial Kingdom, after the Church Age ends (Ezekiel 34; 37; 45; Jeremiah 30; 33; Matthew 19:28; Revelation 19). The Church Age will end when God’s people are raptured out of the world and taken to be with the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:51-57). The rapture will be followed in heaven by the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9) as the Church, the Bride of Christ, receives her heavenly reward. Until then, the Church carries on in hope, exhorted to “stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). https://www.gotquestions.org/church-age.html

It is Known as the dispensation of the grace of God to the gentiles, See also Romans 11:25 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, (See Eph1:10ff) Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. (Ephesians 3:1-7)

If We Do Not Lose Heart By Francis Frangipane The prophet Daniel warns of a time when Satan will "wear down the saints of the Highest One" (Dan. 7:25). How this occurs in the final hours of the age remains to be seen, but this battle is already occurring today. The final effect of what seems like never-ending delays is that believers are worn out. Do you know anyone who is weary with his or her battle? Are you yourself weary? I know many who seem trapped in situations that should have been remedied months and even years ago, but the battle continues against them. Situations and people, often empowered by demonic resistance, stand in opposition to the forward progress of God’s people. As a result of constant demonic opposition, many Christians gradually accept a quiet, but weighty, oppression on their souls. This battle to wear out the saints may be rooted in conflicts with children or spouses; perhaps it is some unresolved issue or division within their churches. It may be a work conflict or health battle, yet on and on it goes. Like a skilled and masterful thief, the enemy daily steals the joy, strength and passion of Christians, and many do not even realize what they have lost or how much. The scale is actually larger than our personal struggles. Consider the various conflicts in the world. Some have continued for generations. We can understand why, even in the midst of great worship and praise by the redeemed, there is a place under the altar in Heaven where the saints continue to ask, "How long, O Lord?" (Rev. 6:10). Fifty-eight times in the Bible, from beginning to end, the phrase how long is echoed by those who grew weary with waiting. Sometimes the delays are God-ordained to perfect faith and character. On the other hand, there are also occasions when Satan seeks to resist the fulfillment of God’s plans until we grow weary and quit. Satan is the dragon whose goal is to "drag-on" the battle with draining, wearying delays. He persists until we wear out, give up and quit praying. Additionally, as situations stretch beyond reasonably expected conclusions, weariness of soul can also exacerbate the original situation, leading to fleshly reactions or just overreactions, which also need resolution. We lose patience, eventually seeking relief rather than victory. This compromises the standards of God and conscience. Perseverance There is a reason the book of Revelation mentions the word perseverance seven times. Over and over again we see those who persevered and overcame. It is one thing to have vision, another to have godly motives, but neither will carry us to our objectives by itself. We must also persevere. The root of the word persevere is the word severe. We must face the fact that en route to victory our trials may get severe. Likewise, it is with severe faith -- severe or extreme steadfastness -- that we inherit the promises of God (Heb. 10:36). James tells us: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4). Endurance. Perseverance. Steadfastness. These are the qualities that breed character, that transform the doctrine of Christlikeness into a way of life. "Let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect." The key to true maturity, to a life "lacking in nothing," is perseverance. Character Before Breakthrough We mentioned Daniel earlier as a prophet who warned about Satan’s ploy to wear down the saints. God gave him a vision of the end of the age. Here is what he wrote: "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them" (Dan. 7:21). This is the nature of the battle. There are times we feel war storming against our souls, overpowering us. But the prophet said the sense of overpowering continued only "until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom" (v. 22). There is a principle here that, once understood, will lead to victory in our battles. If we endure, if we climb higher into God, if we refuse to lose our trust in God, a time will come when the Ancient of Days enters our circumstances. Looking at our newly developed character, which has grown strong through perseverance, He will pass judgment in favor of our cause. God looks at our character, forged in the fire of overpowering delays and battle, and says, "Good, this is what I was waiting for." Whatever your battle, whether you are praying for your country or standing for your children, whether your cry is for the lost or for the end of some local or personal conflict, remember: it is not enough to sow the right seeds or even have the right soil. We will only reap "if we do not lose heart" (Gal. 6:9 NKJV). https://francisfrangipanemessages.blogspot.com/2020/07/if-we-do-not-lose-heart_46.html#more

Yes we are wretched, But we were also created in the image of God, and when he created us he declared everything was very good.... There is within each of these wretches a desire for truth, justice and Love, Even the most wretched of Atheists out there yearn for these things. there is an empty place in all of us that we seek to fill where God is meant to dwell, and we try to fill this in many ways, but ONLY one WAY satisfies this emptiness, and that Way is Jesus Christ.

We all see in Part.... Calvin saw in Part, Arminius saw in part, Paul even saw in part, he is the one that said this in 1 cor. 13. the sooner we as believers can admit this the sooner we can have the fellowship of the saints in which the whole becomes more visible. Wouldn't that be a great contrast to the divisiveness being pushed by the media in this day and age??

the person who wrote then OP I did not read other comments so I do not know what was said by others. I asked for his thoughts, He gave them to me. If I wanted to address Josheb I would have quoted him. Josheb's comment was a snide remark and should have been reported.... If I were to read every comment on the forum I would not have a life.

Yes, indeed, you have five hundred years of Scholars telling us that all believers are saints. But you have the Bible saying that saint by definition is one called out from and separate from the group. For example, Aaron was called a saint, But Moses was not (Psalm 106:16). This error has been perpetuated for 500 years since Luther and has been a reaction to the heresy of the veneration of the saints in the RCC, and all that came with it. In throwing out the bath water they threw out the proverbial baby as well. I Am not here to argue this with you, but to encourage you to look into this, through scripture and the teaching of the Holy Ghost and not scholars as good or bad as they may be. There is a truth here that nullifies a great divide between Arminian and Calvinist that has divided the church for centuries. I Did indirectly address this. The Will of man is surrendered to the will of God in the valley of doubt. this is when the efforts of the new found believer to live holy come into conflict with their unholy (sinful) nature, and they learn to put off the old man and Put on the new man (These are the scriptures that apply here.) In that Process full assurance of faith comes to that individual believer as they surrender their will to the will of God. You cannot say I believe in the full assurance of the faith and have eternal security because you believe a doctrine, but because you have lived through this experience and KNOW this assurance as you KNOW Christ Jesus as your Savior. It is not a mental ascent but a lifelong experience of putting to death the old self and cross carrying, coming to the point of Paul in saying I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2;20) The problem with teaching this doctrinally is that because people believe the doctrine they have the assurance. A.W. Tozer calls this textualism, Let me quote his words on this for you so that you can understand this better. The error of textualism is not doctrinal. It is far more subtle than that and much more difficult to discover, but its effects are just as deadly. Not its theological beliefs are at fault, but its assumptions. It assumes, for instance, that if we have the word for a thing we have the thing itself. If it is in the Bible, it is in us. If we have the doctrine, we have the experience. If something was true of Paul it is of necessity true of us because we accept Paul's epistles as divinely inspired. The Bible tells us how to be saved, but textualism goes on to make it tell us that we are saved, something which in the very nature of things it cannot do. Assurance of individual salvation is thus no more than a logical conclusion drawn from doctrinal premises, and the resultant experience wholly mental. http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=19117&forum=36 This is a big problem not just in reformed thinking but fundamentalism in General, This is a protestant problem and a Catholic Problem and a human problem, as our faith is misplaced in our mental capacities versus living our life for him. We Know Jesus on an intimate level, not on a mental level, yes we can augment that knowledge with theology and I am not opposed to this, but if the relationship is not there, there is only head knowledge about Him, and he will say "I never Knew you" the same is true of falling away from the faith, Until we as believers reach the full assurance of the faith there are the cares of this world and the trials that can turn you away from that faith. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:22)