Openly Curious

A belief in the Trinity is not essential to one's Salvation the Trinity and Salvation are two different things. For one to be saved one must confess his sins and believe in their hearts that Jesus died and arose again Romans 10:9 For this act is only the beginning of one's salvation simply believing and then confessing that belief starts the relationship with God the Father. As you progress in this newfound relationship with Christ you will discover the trinity as you will then have access to the Heavenly Father Romans 5:2 & Ephesians 2:18 As a child of God being adopted into the family of God through His Son (who is also our elder brother in the family of God) you no longer are estranged (a bastard child spiritually speaking) you now have access to your heavenly father and can approach Him in the relationship and ask what you will according to His will. The forgiveness of sins gives you this assurance 1 John 1:5-10 to approach God the Father and He will hear you personally 1 John 5:13-15 also John 14:13-14 as you learn to confide in and trust God with your life. As a newborn babe in Christ you will need to grow and mature in your faith and knowledge of Him and you will need the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you into all truth as the Spirit of God will bring comfort and teach you the truth if you become a student of His Word as throughout one's Christians life and walk with the Lord the Holy Spirit should be the most earnest of our inheritance Ephesians 1:11-14 & 2:13-22 it certainly is mine because the Spirit of God will bring to your rememberance time and time again His words to comfort you in all of your trials in life no matter what they are you will never be alone again. So the trinity in not at all essential to one's Salvation. Salvation is the door to the Trinity God Richly Bless you in your Studies Openly Curious

The particular verse you are referring to in Revelation 22:19 is referring to the prophecy in which God had given to John the Revelator while on the isle of Patmos Rev. 1:9 God had sent an angel to John Rev.1:1-3 to signify and show unto him the things God was going to do in the future endtime events. God used visions and dreams as the method of showing these things to John. John was instructed by God to write these things down in a book that book is now known as the book of Revelation that John wrote Rev.1:11 John was also instructed to send the book to the seven churches verse 11 (those seven churches at this time in history were the only ones that had been established which you can read being established in the book of Acts in the Apostle Paul's journey's) But John was to make a copy of the visions and dreams and the things the angel told him and send one copy of the book that he recorded (Revelation) to each of those seven churches. Because God wanted the church to know and have the knowledge of these endtime events Rev. 1:3 And because of John's faithfulness and obedience to God this knowledge has been faithfully handed down to the church to this very day. The words of the book of this prophecy in Revelation 22:19 is referring to the book of Revelation that John was to write and give unto the church. However, a stern warning was given that if anyone was to tamper with and change the things in the book (that if any man was to take away from the book) then the conquences of this action would be #1-God would take away their part out of the book of life #2-they would not have a place in the holy city and #3-they would not have any part in the future things (future events) recorded in the book of Revelation. This is very important because God has plans and He has included the believers into that plan as well as non-believers so for one to tamper with true prophecy is to tamper with the true destiny of mankind which will be eternity in heaven or eternity in hell the decision is based upon one's own decision in life. And for one to tamper with the book of life and change the truth that God has given to the church about these things is to take away his own salvation because he didn't believe in the record Rev.1:2 that God gave to the church which is the Book of Life. God richly bless you in your study Openly Curious

[size=7 How does one lose their rewards? How does one get their rewards? What are the rewards that we are given? Please give Bible to back up your answers if possible I am a Bible based person so if you mean to persuade you have to be Bible based. Openly Curious

What does it mean to be a doer of the Word? I understand how to hear the word it is simply listening. Openly Curious

First I would like to say Hi to you and tell you I understand what you are asking advice on here. I personally think that you should leave the door open to reconciliation and not even be considering dating right now. It appears your mindset is already going in this direction and the enemy (Satan) is sure to play hardball in this area. As far as your child is concerned staying single is a great example to them that it should always be one woman and one man for life that signal will be heard and seen by the example you lead in front of them. Making your choices is very important and shouldn't be made lightly for it will affect others yourself, your child, your present husband, and the future husband of choice should you choose that avenue. However, I do think it is unfair to give advice based on one side of the marriage not hearing about why your husband left you leaves room for doubt on my part in your sincerity. So, this being the case I will ask you a question to ponder within your own heart. Was there areas in your relationship with your husband that you were wrong in on your part and refused to change? The grace of God will meet every need we have and if your marriage needs more grace the Lord will surely grant it if we will only repent and do the right thing and forgive others their transpasses against us. This is the ingredient for success in life with ourselves and God and with others. So, leave the door open to reconciliation as an example to your child of God's forgiveness (what a word picture). God can restore put back together the things we mess up and we can start fresh and new again. God Bless Openly Curious

THE WORD RAPTURE APPEARS NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE SO DON'T GET HUNG UP ON A WORD YOU CAN'T FIND. THIS TERM "RAPTURE" COMES FROM THE TRANSLATED WORDS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF 1 THESSALONIANS 4:17 WHERE IT SAYS, "THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE "CAUGHT UP" TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD." THE WORDS "CAUGHT UP" MEANS RAPTURE TO TAKE OUT. THE CHURCH HAS USED THIS TERM FOR YEARS TO DESCRIBE THIS GREAT EVENT THAT IS YET TO TAKE PLACE IN HISTORY. THE PARTICULAR SCRIPTURE ABOVE IS REFERRING TO THE CATCHING AWAY OF THE SAINTS PRIOR TO THE EVENTS RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS. HOWEVER, IN THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS THERE ARE SEVERAL CATCHING AWAYS (RAPTURES) ONE CAN SEE IF THEY STUDY. FOR EXAMPLE THE TWO WITNESSES FOUND IN REVELATIONS 11:12 "AND THEY HEARD A GREAT VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING UNTO THEM COME UP HITHER AND "THEY ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN IN A CLOUD" AND THEIR ENEMIES BEHELD THEM." ALSO IN REVELATIONS 14:1-5 THE 144,OOO THAT WERE SEALED BY GOD BACK IN REVELATION CHAPTER 7 THAT WERE IN THE EARTH AT THAT TIME ARE NOW HERE IN CHAPTER 14 OF REVELATION STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD SINGING A NEW SONG THE ONES WHO HAD BEEN REDEEMED FROM THE EARTH HAD BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE WORLD AT THAT TIME AND PRESERVED BY GOD BECAUSE THEY KEPT THEMSELVES FROM BEING UNSPOTTED. ALSO IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ENOCH WALKED WITH THE LORD AND HE WAS NOT GENESIS 5:23-24 "FOR GOD TOOK HIM" AND THE STORY OF ELIJAH GOD TOOK HIM OUT OF THIS WORLD IN A CHARIOT OF FIRE. SO, THERE ARE MANY RAPTURES AS I'VE POINTED OUT THAT ARE RECORDED AND MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE. BUT SINCE THE BIBLE ITSELF DOES NOT USE THE TERM RAPTURE TO DESCRIBE THESE EVENTS. THEN I PERSONALLY USE THE TERM "CAUGHT UP" WHICH IS A BIBLE TERM TO DESCRIBE AND SHOW THE TEACHINGS IN THE BIBLE ABOUT THESE EVENTS. MOST PEOPLE WANT TO USE THE ARGUMENT SINCE THE RAPTURE IS NOT MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE THEN IT MEANS THE TEACHINGS ON THE RAPTURE ARE NOT TRUE OR RELEVENT WHICH IS MISLEADING AND NOT TRUE. MOST OF THE FICTION BOOKS OUT ON THE MARKET TODAY ARE NOT TRUSTWORTHY WHEN IT COMES TO TELLING AND DESCRIBING FUTURE EVENTS RECORDED IN THE BIBILE THEY DON'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO DESCRIBING OR FORTELLING OF THE HORROR THAT WILL BE UNLEASHED UPON THIS EARTH DURING THE END TIMES AND MOST MATERIAL OUT ON THESE SUBJECTS ARE BASED ON ONES IMAGINATIONS AND IDEAOLOGY RATHER THAN SCRIPTURE SO PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE WORD OF GOD AND STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED SO YOU WILL COME TO SOUND DOCTRINE AND SAVE YOURSELF AND YOUR HEARERS IN THE END. GOD BLESS OPENLY CURIOUS

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ONE TO BUILD HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK? Openly Curious

A fork in the road is a serious place in one's life for it will determine your destiny whether good or bad and should by no means be taken lightly. The Word of God tells us that there is safety in a multitude of counselors so I applaude you for asking advice. However, for one to make a good choice at a crossroad in life it takes good sound judgment. This good sound judgment in which I speak of is having a good sense in knowing right from wrong. For if one knows the right way and choses it then their path will be blessed by their good and right judgment. But if not then the opposite is true and bad judgment in choosing the wrong over the right will be disaterous not a good turn out. The closeness in which you speak of having with your parents should have no bearing on the choice you make here for it is not about them it is all about you and your destiny where are you going in life. If you will notice that your parents are doing the same thing with their lives choosing their destiny in what they think is best for them not you. I see from your post that you are 25 years old and are an adult and you seem to have a general sense of what you really want to do. Which from my understanding it is #1 move out #2 move to a city #3 get a job #4 get a place of your own #5 eat anything you like and #6 choose your own friends. The numbers 5 & 6 of your plans lead me to believe you are in search of freedom in which you do not presently have within your parents place you feel controlled. You must be cautious in seeking your independence and freedom because temptations will defiantly be pulling you in this area and if not careful you could make an unwise choice based upon those temptations in which the enemy(Satan) has put into your path to possiblely deceive you in your walk with the Lord. Your choices in life should never be made on silly things like the kind of friends you want or the things you eat (not that you are doing this) I am just making a point. Those type of things should have nothing to do with you wanting to be a mature adult. As long as you live with your parents you will always be treated like a child and it will never be different as long as you continue to live as a child (even being 25 years old) under your parents roof. To be an adult it means being mature and taking the responsibility of being an adult which means taking on the work of your own outcome in life. Which from my impression of your post you still seem immature at this point but at the same time you seem like your ready to take the plunge into adulthood which may come for you at age 25 some people mature faster than others. When I first read your post I was reminded of a passage of scripture in the book of James 4:13-17 where it speaks of a type of person that had made their own plans and had decided that either today or tomorrow they were going into such and such a city (their city of choice) and that they would stay there for about a year and make a lot of money then they'd be rich basicly they would get gain. But then there was a warning for nobody has a promise of tomorrow and that we should say If it be the Lord's will we will do this or that. The point I am making here is that you to have made your own plans in what you want to do with your life at this point 1-6 above move out move to a city get a job get your own place eat anything you want and choose your own friends this is the plan that you are boasting about. I am deeply concerned that you have left the Lord's will out of your plans and that these current plans of yours is solely based on selfish reasons which is your own will not the Lord's. I would strongly urge you to reconsider your current plans and include the Lord into them then make the right choice about your own destiny. Which I believe is becoming a mature adult. For it is the Lord's will that you have your own family one day which will intail having your own household run by you and your husband to be if marriage is in your future. Don't fall prey to selfish desires and temptations you may have in your mind about what it will be like having your own way in life eating whatever and having the friends you want. Those things is not what it is all about so please pray and read God's word for He will guide and give you wisdom in this matter if you include and seek His will in this important matter. God Bless Openly Curious