Alive

Yes of course the blood cleanses our sins, but you know there is more to the work of Christ than this...right? The old nature needed to be dealt with....born from above, etc.

You can't resurrect the old man. He is dead. That is the point of the death on the cross. You can walk according to the dictates of the flesh. A very different thing. The important thing is to understand the awesome wonder and power of what the Father wrought in Christ and in us. Its only then that we can move on from the old...when our minds are renewed to the point of walking in 'true freedom'. This is a very different thing. We have been set free from the 'law' of sin and death. The law and flesh are dead things to the mind that is set on Christ and walks after the Spirit.

I like the illustration of placing a note into a book and mailing that book here and there. Everything the book experiences the note experiences. The history of the book, is the history of the note. We were placed 'IN CHRIST' by the Father...like the note in the book. We died in Him on the Cross, were buried, we rose and we ascended. This is history. It happened as ordained by our Father. Everything that Christ is--we are. We cannot add to this work. The understanding must start with this as the foundation. Everything has to be consistent with the Cross and Resurrection and Ascension. Christ's work and the Father placing us 'In Him' solved all the problems of 'Old Adam' and provided for the Father's 'eternal purpose'--to have many sons. To share 'being' with the universe He constructed. He didn't just sever us from the old Adam--He killed him and we were resurrected from that death to a 'New Life' Governed by an entirely new economy. This economy is as far from the 'principle of law and death' as the heavens are above the earth.

Forgiveness? So very important and so very much at the core of all things Christ. How much do you need forgiveness? I think, this is one way to look at this and what has been my own experience. As the years went by, I realized more and more just how much I need forgiveness. One might think that as a Christian matures, the need for forgiveness would wain. It does not! Just the opposite. It became much more than a 'mental assent', but a deep groaning understanding. This resulted in being an easier conduit through which that aspect of the Lord could flow toward others. Not my doing, but rather the result of the Lord's work in me. Forgiveness is not an emotion or lack thereof--but an issue of Life. I think the Lord was so emphatic in His response the disciples, because He wanted them to keep it in mind and discover it as He dealt with them. True forgiveness comes hard to natural man. There is no lack of forgiveness in the economy of our Lord. This is a very deep well that can be accessed.

Inquirer--are you still there? I must first ask you--is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior?

My mom once said to me that happiness is an over rated concept and that the key is 'contentment'. I agreed.

Ha! BYOB. I love it.

Conjecture--he may have gotten killed, but the Lord had a different plan for him. He asked the man of God and was given his answer. The lesson I get from this is that the Lord is 'reasonable' and His primary gauge is the 'heart'.

Excellent, Greyjoy! Amen, as they say...I agree. We christians can be quite the taskmasters, if we are not on our toes. I believe what you are saying is fundamental to our experience 'in Him'.

I am not sure that the USA is going to be a major player at the end.

In my view, and I see no reason to change it---the Millennial is a true natural reign on the earth. I prefer the word translated 'new' in Peter to be 'renewed' or remodeled, so to speak. I am convinced for a great many reasons that natural living humans will continue to live and reproduce. This guy has them all destroyed---period. I can't accept that.

Justin---that is quite a construct he has accomplished. I read several of his other articles as well. I have problems with it. I could be wrong, but he seems to be a purveyor of 'fear'. As far as his picture of the 1000 years? He has made what I see as assumptions in key areas.

There is no life higher than 'God'. That is plain. Everything else was created. His Life is not. He is the 'I am'. Before anything was, He is. There is no denying this...again, this is the point. His eternal purpose. His ultimate goal. To reproduce and to share His very being with the Universe He created. If we accept these things as true, then the implications are clear. This doesn't mean that we now see fully. But not yet seeing fully, can't negate the core truth. When that day comes and we no longer see through a dark glass, this core truth will flesh out. No pun intended. All doctrine must fit into core truths. This is the great key to understanding scripture.

Enoch--he walked with God Lazarus--what was it like? I mean the tomb incident. For the bad guy--Pharaoh. I would ask him just as I would ask Adam. "What were you thinking".

I am pretty sure that our Lord measures 'greatness' very differently than most men. The minds of men see things in terms of comparisons. You know, comparing this with that as a way of deciding whether or not a thing rises above another thing. The principle, it seems to me, behind this is competition. The principle, mind you. I don't mean necessarily competition between aspiring individuals, but a 'principle' that is very different than that found in the 'Kingdom of God'. There is only One that is Great...we are His servants. That is the only metric blessed of the Lord. When we serve others, we serve Him. Paul was a fanatic. Much can be learned from him in this regard. Not the doctrine, but the life and behavior. IMO.

This still doesn't succinctly explain what you believe. It sounds like more refutation.

The more natural talent and ability a person has---the more the Lord seems to temper that. If one is committed to following Him. This is both common and commonly understood among believers who have come along a ways.

Can you fellas explain in a short paragraph just where you differ? Perhaps--consider this an exercise in brevity and clarity. :-)

For myself---there is plenty to keep me occupied in my Bible. As well as the writings of brethren about the same.

My heart sang when reading this! The Iranian people turning to Christ...Glory to His Name.

Discerning individuals the world over agree!

As long as I can recall, there has been conjecture on this and that regarding the end times. Not a single one has ever been what good meaning folks has hoped for. The only ones that have 'stuck' at all, and much less tied to specific events is the prophecies and such related to an increase in immorality and Godlessness in general. Unless of course, we take 1948 and 1967 as being specifically related to specific scripture. Going back even to the crusades, folks were all worked up. We will know, when the time comes---there will be no doubt.

Well--I certainly believe that His wrath won't fall on His sons. We will hear a loud shout and the trumpet and be changed and called up to meet Him and then come on down with Him and witness the sword in His mouth dish out some wrath.

I think the so called rapture is when the Lord shows up to begin the 1000 years. I am not sure what that is called, though.

Good job, DH! Your last posts contained a lot, but it seems we only differ on the Pre-trib rapture. I am not at all convinced of that. No matter---either way, we keep our eyes on Him.