Mark777

Sure! I detect past history! Mark

st. worm: "A lot of posters that I recall openly opposing the work of God through the sacraments because it is not logical and somewhat irrational are willing to embrace the Trinity even though acknowledging it can't be reasoned out nor understood by men. " Mark777: Would you explain further, please?

And...yea...He flooded the whole world because of evilness! Mark

Cool! You are in my prayers. Mark

1 John 1:1-3 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ." --------------------------------------------------------- Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

2 Peter 1:1 "Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours,by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. NASV

Acts 20:28 "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."

Titus 2:11-14 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

Philipians 2:9-11 "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Amen Eric!

Smalcald, You quote me as if I was quoting Scripture. I am allowed to invent my own analogy. I said "God's dealings with men" not "salvation" and Jesus is God, the one dealing with men. Mark

Roman 11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah--how he appealed to God against Israel: 3"Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? 4And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."5So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. 7What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."D 9And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 10May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."E 11Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! 13I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! 25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." 28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may nowH receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. 32For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. 33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" 36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. --------------------------------------------------------- Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV Copyright

God's dealings with man is like a snake - Israel is the head and we are the tail. We are a grafted tail at that. Mark

Colosians 1:15-20 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. --------------------------------------------------------- Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

Hello Greendrakkon, Jesus was testing the woman's faith. Jesus is God He knows the hearts of men. The lesson was for the woman and in the end for us. God reacts to faith above all things. At one time, before Abraham was called of God, everyone was a gentile. God called Abraham and Sarah out of the world to father not only nations but "the" nation. Israel was called as God's special people. They physically fathered the Messiah, they kept the writings and truths of God. They were used by God to teach the world in all ages. They have been used by God and are blessed by God. This isn't a racial preference. Abraham and Sarah were Chaldeans. The reason their descendants are special is that they believed God and followed Him. God made certain promises to them which He will keep. but He has also blessed the gentile world with the gospel and salvation. We are loved by Him also. Mark

Hey everyone, Watch this and tell me what you think. It is one hour and seventeen minutes long but worth it. It covers time in an interesting way - smalcald, it reminds me of your comment. http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?ei=UTF-8...p_p=hal+lindsey Mark

Q: How many Calvinists does it take to change a lightbulb? A: None. They would understand that it was God's providential decree that they be in the dark and would not want to interfere with God's decree. Thus they would discuss the theological implications of continuing to function in the dark. Mark

linnsue 55: "But the planet earth had become desolate and empty..." Where did you get this from? Mark

John 1 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understoodA it. 6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.B 10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- --------------------------------------------------------- Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

John 1:18 "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." --------------------------------------------------------- Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

Hey EG, You be sayin... EG:

Smalcald, You commented, "God is already living in the future, with those who will be saved; He is also here with us." I would love to hear more on this thought. Mark

Car, That was a close one! You are right, humor doesn't translate well over the computer. I have argued the same thing as you over many pages - I guess that was the joke. The poll on this thread only allows for two positions. I think there is a third position not covered by the theologians of the past. I am 100% that third position. Mark

Hebrews 1 1. God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2. hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; 3. who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. 5. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee? and again, I will be to him a Father, And he shall be to me a Son? 6. And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels winds, And his ministers a flame a fire: 8. but of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands: 11. They shall perish; but thou continuest: And they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12. And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, As a garment, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, And thy years shall not fail. 13. But of which of the angels hath he said at any time, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet? 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?

Revelation 5 1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, honour, and glory, and blessing. 13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.