George Fox

[Permie]

The bible tells us that we are made in God's image.

The bible also tells us what God is... Light and Love.

That we as individuals may be in the dark and have not love does not change that we are made in God's image. We are just banished from communion with God as long as we prefer the darkness and evil over that which He made us to be: Light and Love. Return to whom we are, and we return to communion with God. This is the purpose of religion... to rejoin that which was separated.

[Guest LadyC]

oh my gosh. are you serious? why so much emphasis on the Bible.

well, that's really easy enough to answer. because if we don't study what is in God's written word, then we won't be able to distinguish the voice of the Holy Spirit from our own inner voice, (the voice of our flesh) or from satan's voice.

satan used scripture (incorrectly and out of context) while he was tempting Jesus for 40 days. how did Jesus respond to satan? by quoting scripture correctly.

if we do not know the word of God, we can not recognize the Holy Spirit.

[Guest LadyC]

The bible also tells us what God is... Light and Love.

the homosexual feels love for someone of the same sex.

the pedophile feels love for a child.

the adulteress feels love when she slips in bed with someone other than her husband.

the teenage boy feels love when his hormones are racing.

not all love is of God.

this thread has nothing to do with being made in God's image. but being made in His image does not mean that He dwells inside an unbeliever. He doesn't.

[MorningGlory]

The bible also tells us what God is... Light and Love.

the homosexual feels love for someone of the same sex.

the pedophile feels love for a child.

the adulteress feels love when she slips in bed with someone other than her husband.

the teenage boy feels love when his hormones are racing.

not all love is of God.

this thread has nothing to do with being made in God's image. but being made in His image does not mean that He dwells inside an unbeliever. He doesn't.

[Permie]

The bible also tells us what God is... Light and Love.

the homosexual feels love for someone of the same sex.

the pedophile feels love for a child.

the adulteress feels love when she slips in bed with someone other than her husband.

the teenage boy feels love when his hormones are racing.

not all love is of God.

this thread has nothing to do with being made in God's image. but being made in His image does not mean that He dwells inside an unbeliever. He doesn't.

Love is not necessarily about feelings. Feelings, emotions, can lead astray. I posted earlier what the bible said was love, which was:

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and part of 8

"Suffers long" doesn't feel good. Being kind in the face of hate doesn't feel good. Envy may feel fun or enticing, but it is not good. Parading self is pride as is being puffed up; this is putting ourselves more important than another and is not love. It may feel good to be rude, but it is not love. Skipping over a few, because I know you know all this, right? Endures all things... this cannot possibly "feel" good.

God's love is not about how we feel.

but being made in His image does not mean that He dwells inside an unbeliever. He doesn't.

What does it mean then?

oh my gosh. are you serious? why so much emphasis on the Bible.

well, that's really easy enough to answer. because if we don't study what is in God's written word, then we won't be able to distinguish the voice of the Holy Spirit from our own inner voice, (the voice of our flesh) or from satan's voice.

satan used scripture (incorrectly and out of context) while he was tempting Jesus for 40 days. how did Jesus respond to satan? by quoting scripture correctly.

if we do not know the word of God, we can not recognize the Holy Spirit.

Reason I was asking is because you were putting so much emphasis on proving statements by scripture. Jesus gave us one new commandment and that was to Love One Another.

If we do that in the manner as shown in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, then is not scripture fulfilled? Any voice that would influence us to do anything other than those things are not of God. Satan came to kill, steal and destroy. If we do not love, as those scriptures instruct, Satan wins. This is how we can tell if the voice we hear is from God or not.

Do you think it is possible to know how to love like that, as shown in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, without the bible? Would someone who knew love and loved like that, would they follow another voice?

Edited January 24, 2010 by Permie

[canuckamuck]

Wow, this thread is full of half truths.

It is for reasons like the disagreements here that God in His infinite Wisdom inspired writers, through His Holy Spirit to put down in Words the truth.

The truth existed before the printing press, But all those who followed God had a version of God's word to follow, even Adam.

Please do not ever assume that you can process the trials of life without the filter of truth which is God's great gift to us.

In the beginning was the Word.

I have to leave now, but I will return, hopefully to see the Bible lifted up.

[Guest LadyC]

boy, i wish this next question would be answered, with just a yes or no, by every person in this thread, and that would be the end of it. but i know that won't happen.

so here's the question...

is the following statement TRUE or FALSE?

just answer it as either true or false with nothing else, ok?

if our "inner voice" or what we believe to be the voice of God (i.e. Jesus, i.e. the Holy Spirit) contradicts in ANY WAY what is said in scripture, then it is NOT the voice of God.

true or false?

[Believer1997]

Oh oh oh.... Me Me Me - let me answer!!!! true!!!!

[Permie]

Reason I was asking is because you were putting so much emphasis on proving statements by scripture. Jesus gave us one new commandment and that was to Love One Another.

If we do that in the manner as shown in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, then is not scripture fulfilled? Any voice that would influence us to do anything other than those things are not of God. Satan came to kill, steal and destroy. If we do not love, as those scriptures instruct, Satan wins. This is how we can tell if the voice we hear is from God or not.

Do you think it is possible to know how to love like that, as shown in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, without the bible? Would someone who knew love and loved like that, would they follow another voice?

so then, really the rest of the Bible is just wasted words? all we need is those 4 verses?

how can you discount the importance of the Bible while in the same post quote from it?

I don't discount the bible. I already said it was very valuable to me. My point, however, was missed, but your second post leads nicely into what my point is.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

I hate to tell you this, but you can find this sort of love in a human that does not know Christ.

Jesus' parable:

28

[MorningGlory]

Absolutely true!