Resting in Christ

Does Matthew 16:19 include the imputed power to forgive sin(s)? Is there any evidence in the Bible that Christians can forgive sins? Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

Very interesting artilce. Has anyone responded to Rufus' questions?

Before the return of Jesus, we will see many more false teachings. It's sad, though. Especially to read that John Wimber is implicated among these, (even though I've heard it before) as I found his 'Songs of the Vineyard' series of tapes very moving, and bought the whole lot quite a number of years ago. Perhaps he produced them before he went 'off the deep end'....so to speak.......does anybody know? What's so sad? Who is PetriFB? What is it the makes John Wimber and C. Peter Wagner so bad?

I thought about what Paul was relating about God. Paul was saying that God doesn't cause our pain and trouble but God comforts us so that we can comfort others who have been were we are. I have been horribly abused (emotionally, physically, sexually) and very deeply hurt by church but if someone comes to me who has been hurt like I have, I can understand what they are going through. If someone came to me and said, I understand, but they have not been in my shoes, I might wonder, "How would you know anything about how a feel?" But, later this week, something hit me. I was asking God how he comforts us because the aforementioned verse says God comforts us in all our troubles. We go to God and God comforts us but the missing link was Jesus. I had always talked with God as the Source but didn't understand that Jesus was the path to God. I can go to Jesus who feels everything and knows my hurts better than anyone, including my husband. I thought if Jesus is praying and thinking about me then that's the biggest comfort ever. For someone who used to believe with all of my heart that God hated me, to discover that he thinks about me (and everyone else, good thoughts) just really made a difference.

Thank God you believe in God! Without fear of Him to keep you in line it sounds as if you would run amok and threaten the safety of a good many good people. Have you read my testimony? You will see what type of person I was. Even when I knew Him but kept Him on the shelf. Sorry if I affronted you. I do have a friend who before I knew him was into drugs rather heavily. He had an experience, whether drug induced or not, I don't know, but it turned him around and in his mind Jesus had made this happen. So I know that people do have religious experiences that sometimes bring them through some rather bad times. But, I also know people who are gentle and considerate, who would never deliberately harm anyone and who go out of their way to be helpful, but who don't believe in God. They are atheists. My point is not believing in God does not drive people to do the things that you and my friend did before your conversions. Both of you believed in God, but this never stopped either of you from taking part in activities that you both later regretted. The message is that one can be moral without God. That really was my only point. Hi Cycel, I don't want the title "Christian Cynic", but my experience of people has been that the non-believing "gentle", "considerate", "helpful', 'moral" folks are either trying to get approval or are trying to impress others and/or themselves with their morality. My point is that "morality" without Christ seems rather hollow to me. I actually like a lot of these nice moral people, but I still feel a deep sorrow for them.

83 for me

Great!

Great! Keep on worshipping the King!

there is hard evidence that matter pops into and out of existence all the time Interesting, I'll take the bag full of 100's...

Spanking does less physical harm than a insect bite.

When last seen in the flesh, Christ judged us by willingly humbling himself on the cross. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

We were/are made to seek and humbly accept His will. His grace is amazing: it allows for so many mistakes. Sometimes I wonder how much choice we really do have (after our DNA, parenting and other spiritual and environmental factors are accounted for), yet He does at least allow us some insight to who He is, and what we are, and that's amazing enough for me.

Is Salvation a condition of our Spirit or our Soul?

Welcome, and thanks for your post!