Be Blessed, Gibs,

You would not be the first person to walk out of my Sabbath School class; nor would you be the last.

On the other hand, I have had many people walk in and stay, as well.

One man's revelation may well not be another man's revelation.

"I am chief" is in the present, continuous tense.

Yes. Thanks for that clarification Rob. And you are correct.

Hey JoeMo - from what I have seen on this forum - you present the clear Word of God. I would be most happy to come and to actually STAY in your class.

Not sure where you go to church - But if I am ever there - I would most certainly attend.

Thanks, Woody - that blessed me! I would be honored to have you in my class!

Only the truth will be forever, all that is untrue will end with this age. This age of lies and deceptions is soon to come to an adrupt close!

"Our brethren should be willing to investigate in a candid way every point of controversy. If a brother is teaching error, those who are in responsible positions ought to know it; and if he is teaching truth, they ought to take their stand at his side. We should all know what is being taught among us; for if it is truth, we need it. We are all under obligation to God to know what He sends us. He has given directions by which we may test every doctrine,--"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." If the light presented meets this test, we are not to refuse to accept it because it does not agree with our ideas."--Gospel Workers, pp. 300, 301. {CW 43.3}

"Eve really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save her from the penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this was what led to her fall. In the judgment men will not be condemned because they conscientiously believed a lie, but because they did not believe the truth, because they neglected the opportunity of learning what is truth." {CC 15.7}

" Christ declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." His followers must be as near like him as possible. We cannot speak as he spoke, and yet we are to imitate him; for he is our pattern. We are to erect no false lights, present no heresies for truth. We must know that every position we take can be sustained by the word of God. It is a day when the commandments of men are everywhere urged upon the people as the commandments of God. But it is a solemn, a fearful thing to teach false theories, and lead minds away from the truth which sanctifies the soul. {RH, August 25, 1885 par. 14}

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

When we find some reason to "kill the messenger", figurately speaking, instead of dealing with the Word as it reads, then we have a problem within ourselves needing to be submitted to the Master.

God blesses!

Cool. And I promise to be a good student.

That of course is not meant to infer that if a person speaks as a result of being called by God, he/she will not receive the excrement of the vast majority of those who are satisfied right where they are.

"....—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. " 2 Timothy 3:11-13 NKJV

God blesses!

And praise God for that. It means we wont have to live in this cesspool down here any longer.

"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25 NKJV

God blesses!

Yes, that's good news, but the cesspool includes the love of self....In fact that's the driver behind all sin, yet we never really deal with it...

I would say that this doesn't need repeating but here it is for those who believe the commandment of God was done away. And also for those who, when they fall, need the Helper to put them back on track. As I understand it, the prodigal son had Jesus' robe of righteousness placed on Him as soon as He embraced the Father.

"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;" John 14:14-16 NASB

"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
1 John 2:2 NKJV

God blesses!

Jesus bore the sins of all who have sinned, that all might accept the gift of life. Those who choose not to turn away from their sins and receive the cleansing of Jesus' blood through repentance, repentance also being a gift of Jesus, make ineffective that gift.

"Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." Acts 5:31 NKJV

"And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Galatians 3:29 NKJV

I'm unsure if the second promise will apply to those who refuse to accept the old testment prophets, of which Abraham is one.

"But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’"Luke 16:31 NKJV

God blesses!

LifeHiscost,

I appreciate your input, it is needed, even though we may not be received we tried. The rendition of John 14:15 states it as it should. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

With All our Hearts and Soul and they are our desire to do and part of us. Then His Divine Nature in us we are more than conquerors. He is our Helper Strength and stay and impervious covering, a sure Pavilion over us.

We are truly blessed by the way He has made for our Salvation.

May all be blessed in it by coming to Him!

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

"...so all the world from east to west
will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I create the light and make the darkness.
I send good times and bad times.
I, the Lord, am the one who does these things"
Isaiah 45:6-8 NLT

OTOH there is at least one other translation that puts it this way,

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." KJV

And then there are four,

"The One forming light and creating darkness,
Causing well-being and creating calamity;
I am the Lord who does all these."

I prefer the latter.

God blesses!

Woody,
I am the student here. I would likely be gone from this site if it wasn't for people like you. Bless You Brother!

Saved By the Grace of Jesus,
JoeMo

LHC,
Please explain the following verse in light of your comment above:

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7)

By creating good, evil was automatically created; since evil is simply the absence of good.

That is my conviction. And it's from the Word, in or out of context. To continue in sin is to eliminate by choice, one's name as recorded in the book of Life.

"But nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed shall ever enter it, nor anyone who commits abominations (unclean, detestable, morally repugnant things) or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life."Revelation 21:27 AMP parenthesis their's LHC

God blesses!

Duty calls me away but I'll be back later to answer what is a very good question.

God blesses!

Well...I reckon we can throw out some NT writers....what were the final words of a famous writer, something about not being able to do what they should do, but what they didn't want to do!!

This out of context use of text snippets can go on for ever, from any point of view. The Bible does not support anyone getting to heaven through lack of sinning. Why can't we just admitt that it is only through Christ that we make, non of our own merits, but Christ only and just stop there!!!! We need some honesty, it is either salvation through Christ or our own works, not a combo!!!! Why does this topic go on and on, on multiple threads??????????????????

I think I answered that in post #69243. There is some difference between different translations and the majority that I saw favored the word "calamity" in place of evil.
I personally found Young's Literal Translation probably the closest to the truth of the original Greek text, "prepare evil".
That fits in better with this text. Matt 18:7 NKJV

God blesses!

Here's a snippet you might enjoy, though I'm not sure it fits into the rejection of the Word that says upon receiving Jesus, we are a "new creation"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roZkYfbqpS4

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

God blesses!

Just another snippet to reveal someone who is still on the production line but knows she's not who she use to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grGGxlPJZF8&feature=related

God blesses!

I agree CoAspen, virtually every topic I see somehow eventually disintegrates into salvation through Christ or our own works. I grow weary of it; yrt I get sucked into it more often than not due to the sheer outrageousness of some of the items that get posted.

"Are We Redeemed?",

That is the topic, and now just how far off topic is Salvation? Yes we are redeemed when we come to Christ and then when repenting we become born again.

Those who are redeemed will be overcomers; they will be elevated, pure, one with Christ. --S. T., May 31, 1896. {HL 12.1}

Repentance is a sure must,

"Every day that you remain in sin, you are in Satan's ranks; and should you sicken and die without repentance, you would be lost. No one can force you to give your heart to Jesus, no one can compel you to throw off the yoke of Satan. You may choose to do his bidding, to be children of the wicked one; you may rob God of your time, you may refuse to serve him, because the infatuation of sin, the service of Satan, is acceptable to you. But can you afford this? Can you afford to rob God by withholding that which he has purchased for himself? Would you choose to please the Lord's worst enemy? Would you have Christ make all that sacrifice on Calvary's cross for you in vain? Jesus has given every evidence that he loves you, in that he died to make you happy through the treasures of his grace in this life, and to make you happy in the future immortal life. {RH, December 24, 1889 par. 8}

That I find to be the truth and we ought to take heed I do believe.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

One of the definitions of "repentance" is "turning around; thinking differently". It's time to turn around and think differently about our own ability to impact our salvation one way or another. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more that He already does; and there is nothing more that we can do to make Him love us any less.

More grace, God, more grace!
JoeMo

Yes JoeMo, I agree, God loves all men dearly and is wooing as many as He can get to come to His proffered Salvation.

"It is not position or rank by which the Lord estimates. He looks to see how much of the spirit of the Master you cherish and how much of the likeness of Christ your work reveals. He who listens most earnestly and intently for the voice of God loves the Lord the most, and as he loves most he is most beloved by the Father. "Learn of Me," says the greatest Teacher the world ever knew, "for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." {21MR 337.7}

There has been need for this prayer to be offered: "Oh, my best friend, my Maker, my Lord, shape me and mold me into Thy divine likeness. Make me entirely like Thyself. Refine, purify, quicken me, that I may represent the character of God." Religion and business are not two separate things, but one. All that trust in the Lord implicitly will be tested and tried. Then the superscription of God will be placed upon them. {21MR 338.1}

"Christ's redeemed ones are His jewels, His precious and peculiar treasure. "They shall be as the stones of a crown,"--"the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." [Zechariah 9:16; Ephesians 1:18.] In them "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." [Isaiah 53:11.] {GW 517.2}

"The world estimates a man by the amount of money he has, by the value of his residence and its furniture, or by the number of acres in his estate. Christ places a different estimate upon His people. He calls those who obey His commandments His jewels. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." {ST, November 24,1898 par. 9}

He wants all to come and His yoke isn't heavy or His Way hard. He gives Himself to us in Spirit, Our Divine Helper, "Christ in You" if you will.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

When the subject of being redeemed, on a topic entitled "Are we Redeemed" is somehow frowned upon, it is time for me to move on.
God blesses those who will be blessed. Even Jesus moved on when the towns He visited found His presence without redeeming value.

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so..."Psalms 107:2,3 NKJV

God's blessings, Gibs!

LifeHiscost,

I pray God's blessings to you also as you walk His Way.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

After watching Gov. Romney's awesome speech last night, I was preparing for teaching on Hebrews on Sabbath. I came across this awesome passage:

"We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. FOR SINCE THE MESSAGE SPOKEN THROUGH ANGELS WAS BINDING; AND EVERY VIOLATION AND DISOBEDIENCE RECEIVED ITS JUST PUNISHMENT, HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE IGNORE SO GREAT A SALVATION? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will." (Hebrews 2:1-4)

How had I missed this amazing scripture before? It speaks directly of the sacrifice of Christ being our only hope for salvation There is no greater hope of walking into the Kingdom of Heaven than by claiming the blood of our dear Savior as the all-encompassing and acceptable sacrifice for our sins. Thank you, Jesus!

Sometimes, I get weary of debating the means of my salvation; then I come across a verse like this. My amazement and gratitude is renewed and refreshed. God has something new and wonderful for us every day if we just wait upon Him and look for it!

Many are ignoring it and don't realize it because we have a more artful deceiver than they ever suspected.

"The wicked one is in continual controversy with God, seeking to make of no effect the mission and work of Christ. Christ came to save sinners; but when some hear the word, and become convicted, and their hearts are weighed down by a sense of their sins, and stirred by the forgiving love of God, lest they should be wholly persuaded to become the followers of Christ, the enemy immediately seeks to entice them to their former allegiance to him, by presenting to them the attractions of the world and its lusts, and the words of truth are made of no effect. The heart that has long yielded to the influences of the world, that has long indulged in the gratification of its own selfish desires, is not prepared for the reception of the word. {RH, May 31, 1892 par. 7}

Satan ever works to carry out to completion the scheme of rebellion which he originated in the courts of heaven. When Jesus, the sinner's only hope, draws the soul by the cords of his love, the enemy begins a work of opposition, and tries to turn the attention of the one who is moved to seek Jesus, to the world. He engages the mind of the seeker in his delusive snares, and catches away the word of truth; for his falsehoods seem more palatable to the natural heart than do the truths of heavenly origin, and men accept them, rejecting the word of truth. But we can be saved only through the reception of the truth, whose power will sanctify and refine the soul, for the gospel of Christ is adapted to the need of a fallen, apostate race. {RH, May 31, 1892 par. 8}

All should fully realize how much He Loves us, as He laid down His Life for us. But in return do we love Him enough to do His will and be fallen and surrendered on Him.

He must be first and best and here He tells us so,

Lu 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Lu 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Ask ourselves, are we really His?

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Nothing speaks quite so eloquently as one who is converted and walks daily with the Word, which I might add refers to more than one on C/A.

God blesses!