wingnut-

It will no longer be an unfaithful city, but I guess the understanding is lost on you. Take note of verse 23 since you bolded it, maybe it will shed some light on things for you. Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, Since Jesus will be reigning there for the millennium, no lamp is necessary. And just in case you don't get this part, He does not reign from Rome. Yeah, as tricky as the earth being destroyed by water once before and people living on it afterward, who would have thought that was possible? I guess Paul was mistaken then when he wrote the day of the Lord is the day in which Jesus comes back and gathers people then? The idea is that I point you in the right direction, not post entire chapters. If you had bothered to read them, then you would see that this is precisely speaking to the end times. Here is one such example. Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” This doesn't occur until they look upon the one they pierced, at least for those knowledgeable regarding what the prophets said. What is clear, is that you still continue to avoid the real issue at hand, which dismantles your entire theory. You cannot put the blood of the righteous and the prophets on any other city when Jesus Himself already proclaimed that blood on Jerusalem, it is just that simple.

For starters, the entire earth is to be destroyed by fire. II Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Jerusalem specific. Isaiah 1:21 How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them. 24 Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. 25 I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. 26 And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” 27 Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness. 28 But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. 29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks that you desired; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen. 30 For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. 31 And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them. Another witness to consider. Amos 9:5 The Lord God of hosts, he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises like the Nile, and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt; 6 who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth— the Lord is his name. 7 “Are you not like the Cushites to me, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir? 8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground, except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord. 9 “For behold, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall to the earth. 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.’ Chapter 9 of Amos is all about the destruction of Israel, but you should notice it is not all the people, only the sinners. Oh, and an important piece that follows this, Israel's restoration. Amos 9:11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, 12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this. 13 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. 14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God. Notice how it has to be rebuilt? It's mentioned several times in this passage alone. Of course the OT prophets had plenty to say on the matter, you know, all those prophets who Jesus put the blood on Jerusalem? You can keep talking in circles around this fact all you like, but it won't bring you any closer to the truth. Another thing that you are completely mistaken on, was your claim that what Jesus said was only referencing the past. Here is more from the same conversation. Matthew 23:34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. See there in verse 34, that is talking about things yet to come, not the past. Your claim this was only referencing the past is way off base. It is not the city that exists today, hence why Amos and the other OT prophets tell us that the land is rebuilt. Zechariah is speaking of the geographical location, not the modern city which will be destroyed as God foretold it would long ago. Judgement begins there, that is what prophecy states, read Amos chapter 9 for clarification. You should also note, that the millennial temple described by Ezekiel is too large for the current temple mount, way too large for it. He most certainly did not, as the verse posted clearly shows, Jesus put the blood of the righteous and the prophets on Jerusalem. This is an outright false claim that flies in the face of the scripture posted. I am quite sure you won't, and you definitely haven't even made an effort to this point. You keep trying to talk around what Jesus said, but offer no explanation, and not a single bit of scripture to support your symbolic claims for Rome. I'll give you a few examples of what constitutes actual evidence of symbolization. Revelation 17: 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. Jeremiah 4:30 And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. 31 For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.”

Welcome to worthy

Good to see you brother, praying.

22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

Hardly brother, I mean, you post it, but somehow overlook the obvious. I'll tell you what, I will lay out exactly why you are wrong, and if you would be so kind as to discuss the points I make, then perhaps you could convince me you are right. Let's start with the above passage, specifically let's focus on verse 35 in particular. Let's look at it in comparison to what is said in Revelation. Matthew 23:35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Revelation 18:24 "And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.” Now, kindly explain how those mentioned in Matthew can be attributed to any other city than the one mentioned in Revelation. Let's not forget, Zechariah was one of the last prophets of the OT, there were only two around after him, according to what most believe. So if all the prophets prior to Zechariah were on Jerusalem, and ALL the righteous blood shed on earth were on Jerusalem, how can the city in Revelation be any other city? Point number two. Your theory rests on this idea that the disciples and apostles were afraid of Rome, too afraid to write it down. Interesting that the gospels are riddled with Rome, from the guards and centurions that spit on and mocked Jesus, cast lots for His garments, whipped Him, fashioned a crown of thorns for His head, and hung a sign on Him that read, King of the Jews. Yeah, looks to me like they were terrified of Rome, so terrified they name Pontius Pilate and other Roman officials in direct implication to their role in the crucifixion. The oddity here is, these men are our examples on how to stand up in the face of death, and your theory hinges on them being cowards. Their lives and deaths contradict this character assassination. They were anything but afraid for their lives. They were given a Spirit of power and might, not fear. It was not fear that led John to write Revelation with symbols either, it was simply done so that the book would get off the isle of Patmos, no other reason. Point number three, still waiting for you to produce the reference for Babylon being Rome. For some reason, you still haven't managed to come up with it as of yet. In case this is the best you have to offer, then I will address the one thing you tried to stretch it with. I Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. Now, you claim that this elect church at Babylon, is somehow supposed to be code for Rome. Really? Rome is not even mentioned, not even close to a symbolic reference. So maybe the thing to keep in mind, is that Babylon was more than just a city or an empire. Ezekiel 12:13 And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there. Are you familiar with the Chaldeans? If not, you should know they are still around today. And wouldn't you know, they are kinda known for having Christianity still alive and well in their culture today. I'll give you a hint, Chaldeans don't come from Italy, but somewhere in the Middle East. What you should notice about what Ezekiel prophesied, is that Babylon is not limited to a city, but is known in scripture for being the land of the Chaldeans. That is the Babylon Peter is referencing, and another important thing to note, his son Marcus is also specified. Could it be because Marcus was in Babylon and Peter was just passing on word from him? God bless

The more accurate translation is rebellion, it would be the most literal translation of the Greek. It really doesn't matter whether one calls it rebellion, falling away, or departing. What it is not referencing is the rapture, which Paul makes clear as I have already pointed out twice now.

Let me know when you are going to address anything I post. On this forum, we are not debating the person, but the topic. In this case, the topic is the falling away, or departing as you prefer. Let me reveal how far off you are from what Paul said, again. Take verse 1 apart one piece at a time, applying proper context. II Thessalonians 2 Now concerning Concerning what? the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, Two things, that is what Paul says, concerning two things. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, AND our being gathered together to Him. The and is an important part of the sentence, so here is a breakdown on what it means. and >conjunction 1 used to connect words, clauses, or sentences. 2 used to connect two identical words to emphasize progressive change or great duration: getting better and better. 3 (connecting two numbers) plus. 4 informal (after a verb) to: try and do it. See there, Paul connects the two things together, His coming, and our being gathered. II Thessalonians 2:2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Now Paul tells us that His coming and our gathering is the day of the Lord in the second verse. II Thessalonians 2: 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, In verse 3 Paul tells us that the day of the Lord will not come, until the departing (as you like to call it) comes first. This makes them two separate things you see, because you can't have a gathering before the gathering. First you have a rebellion, then His coming and our gathering comes after that. This is how it works in any language. This thread is about the falling away, specifically, not rapture positions. What is nonsensical, is trying to change the departing (as you prefer) into the rapture, when the rapture takes place afterward according to Paul. Once you accept what Paul is saying here, it dismantles the rest of the position anyway. God bless

I don't need a translation history, I can read the original text for myself. Regardless of the desire to change the word to departing, does not change the context of the passage. Here is the topic of discussion, from verse 1. II Thessalonians 2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, His coming and our being gathered together, one event. II Thessalonians 2: 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Here Paul tells us that the event is called the day of the Lord. The event is still what was stated in verse 1, His coming and our being gathered = day of the Lord. II Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, Don't be deceived Paul warns, because that day, being the aforementioned day of the Lord, will NOT come, unless the rebellion, falling away, or departing as you prefer, comes first. So as I already pointed out, your position is nonsensical, since the gathering or rapture is part of the event that comes after the rebellion, falling away, or departing. Doesn't matter what you want to call it, the point is, in context, it happens prior to the rapture as Paul says plainly. God bless

Being fluent in Greek it always amazes me to watch people butcher the language. One has to search deep to come away with departing, which is why it is not translated as such, because it really isn't the intended usage. Even if one wants to translate it as departing, it doesn't change the passage in context. The topic is His coming and our gathering (rapture), and says that this will not take place before the falling away (or departing as you prefer). So what your rendering does is claim a rapture before a rapture. That is attempting to make scripture say something it does not, not to mention it is nonsensical. God bless

Then produce where it is, shouldn't be that difficult. For example, I can produce where Jerusalem is symbolically linked to other cities. Again I would refer you to Ezekiel 16. No it doesn't. There is no evidence to suggest Peter was in Rome when he wrote this, or that he was referring to Rome at all, this is why a precedence would be necessary. You have decided that it is because it fits your theory, but you have no biblical support for it. Peter could have very well been speaking of Jerusalem here, since that is where he spent most of his time. However, I would suspect he was somewhere within the former region of Babylon, which is present day Iraq. Again I would refer you back to Ezekiel 16. I suppose it's just a coincidence Ezekiel was all about the Babylonian exile. This is a disturbing bit. What was accomplished at the cross? What Jesus is referencing in the passage is what He accomplished at calvary, not what occurred in 70 A.D. Sin and death were defeated, and in doing so, He fulfilled all the law and THE PROPHETS. The blood is still on Jerusalem for that reason, and aligns with exactly what is said in Revelation 18 regarding Babylon the great. Revelation 18:24 "And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.” That is only true of Jerusalem, because it was in that great city that sin and death were paid for, for all time. You can't have the blood of the righteous (saints) and the blood of all the prophets placed on Jerusalem in one place, and then claim it is on another city elsewhere. That is ridiculous. Why people want to ignore what scripture actually says is beyond me, this shouldn't even be a debate, it is so obvious it is staggering. God bless

Ella, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

Hezbollah's idea of direct conflict is strapping bombs on women and children and sending them into crowded markets. It would be refreshing if they had the courage to fight, but of course they do not, they don't stand a chance against Israel and they know it.

Praying

Daniel 11:40 “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through.41 He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. 44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him." The word used for south in the Hebrew in this prophecy, is not the typical word used in regards to direction, it is Negev. This to me indicates the king of the south will most likely be Egyptian. What else we see in this passage is that Israel is not included in those he is fighting against, but indicates he is fighting on their behalf against their surrounding enemies, of which only Edom, Moab, and most Ammonites escape. The Jews will see him as the conquering messiah they have always anticipated, delivering them from the threat of foreign invaders. God bless

One either has a relationship with God, or one does not. If we have a relationship then we know who it is we are communicating with, and know when the Holy Spirit is working through us. When you feel joy at the news someone has accepted Jesus, you know where that joy comes from. When you mourn over some tragedy that befalls a complete stranger, you know that sorrow is heartfelt. When you know a brother or sister in the Lord before the conversation ever goes to the speaking of it, you know how you knew it. There are many ways to know, if one is walking with Him. God bless

The Holy Spirit. John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Welcome to worthy

If you want to discuss something other than the OP, start a thread on it.

You are reaching here, because if that were true, we would not have a book in the bible called Romans, it would be called Babylonians. There is no code in the bible for Rome being Babylon, if so, produce it. Revelation isn't about John's day, it is about the future, and the time of the anti-christ, and he will be ruling from Jerusalem according to scripture. Not according to Jesus. Matthew 23:34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. God bless

4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.

You're most welcome sister, so glad the psalm was of comfort to you.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Great! I'm glad to hear you recognize the Holy Spirit has come. I don't subscribe to any denomination, so that really isn't relevant to the discussion, but in regards to your comment about people seeing the Holy Spirit differently, I'm not sure what you mean. There is only one Spirit, and He speaks the same truth to all, which is why we are instructed to test the spirits and make sure they align with the truth. If you need to put me in a category, then think Berean, I compare what is said to what scripture says. Here is a perfect example of you saying something that does not align with scripture. Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. John 8:12 [ I Am the Light of the World ] Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." If one has the Holy Spirit, their light is shining already. The problem with what you are implying here, and you may not even realize it, is this. If what you propose was true, then everyone from the early church until this enlightening, was walking in darkness and lost. Nearly 2000 years of futility by your theory. If it were a dual prophecy, then it shouldn't be so hard for you to explain when Christians were given the land, disobedient to God, then removed from the land given to "their fathers", and scattered among the nations. The truth of the matter is they were not, this is about the nation of Israel and the nation of Israel only. There are two groups that still need to be joined together as one, this will not occur until Israel is restored spiritually, which is what Ezekiel is addressing, Israel's restoration. I think you may be making the same mistake they are, and confusing what the actual promised inheritance is with earthly Jerusalem. Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. The same place Jesus told us about. John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. The promise is the New Jerusalem, and that does not come down until it is done! The wall of separation between the two was brought down by Jesus, but what benefit is that to those who don't yet believe in Him? Here is the problem with your position, Peter already pointed to this prophecy being fulfilled for those born again at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out. Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ It is not future for those filled with the Holy Spirit, it is past, and the lights are already burning. For unbelieving Jews this is not so, yet, that is what will occur in the future, and the when of it is not a mystery. Zechariah 12:10 [ Him Whom They Have Pierced ] “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. What God is doing, is removing the blinders that have been on Israel as a result of their disobedience and idolatry. God put the veil there to open the way for the Gentiles to come to salvation, so He will remove it at the proper time, in accordance with what is written. Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” John 12:38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Romans 11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.” Gentiles Grafted In 11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! Romans 11:25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. God has a different plan in dealing with Israel, to bring them to Jesus at the proper time. Two distinct groups, with different futures, all must be met to fulfill prophecy and bring the entire flock into one sheepfold, under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We already have the Holy Spirit when we are born again. You are not addressing the issues with Ezekiel 36, for example the verse where it states they are given a new heart and a new spirit. Since when does the circumcised heart of someone born again need to be replaced? And since when does the Holy Spirit need to be replaced with a new spirit? What you propose as a dual prophecy is in error, which is why you cannot reconcile these things. You are making sweeping statements, and all I can conclude is that you live in an area and are surrounded by people who are not Christians, and are not born again, whether they claim so or not. No one born again should be content to live in sin, and if that is the case, then they are under a delusion. The world is getting darker, and lawlessness is increasing, there is no doubt about that, but the wheat is still present. I run across complete strangers all the time, and instantly feel a kinship to them. Then at some point I will notice a bracelet claiming Jesus, or some trinket on their key chain praising the Lord. The kinship I felt before noticing this, is the light of the Holy Spirit shining, and they are known as a brother or sister before the words ever need be spoken. Praise God! Brother, let me put it like this. I understand that because I am blunt and/or direct, I may come across as rigid. But to address your questions, if I didn't care about others being unprepared, I would not have bothered to correct you. You are misapplying scripture, whether you realize it or not. God has His plan for Israel, and has already laid out His purpose for the church, and these callings are irrevocable as Paul states in Romans 11. I am not pointing out your errors, or your improper paraphrases to be unkind or argumentative, but because what matters is the truth, and the truth is found in scripture. Truth is not flowery words and eloquent speech, which as a writer I could certainly incorporate if pleasing men was my goal, but it isn't. I am more concerned about serving God than whether or not what I have to say is pleasing to the eye, I simply prefer to get to the point. When someone needs encouragement, I encourage. When someone needs comfort, I comfort them. And when someone says something that opposes scripture, I correct them. Not out of spite or anger, but out of love, in all things. God bless

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Start by confessing your sins, ask forgiveness and for Him to guide your steps as you learn to follow Him.