Leaderboard

Greetings again Samie, This seems to be directly opposite to my understanding. If we are brought up in a Godly environment, or later come in contact with the Bible and its message, we gradually learn aspects of Christ and start to believe in him. When our faith has grown we reach the stage where we understand the gospel in its simplicity and beauty and we affectionately believe and espouse this and we are motivated to be baptised into Christ. This stage of growth could be considered to be accepting “the Faith of Christ”. But this term can also represent the fullness, the purity, the perfect moral character, the beauty of character, the wisdom hidden and revealed, the complete trust that the Son of God had in God, His Father. This is “the Faith of Christ” that endured the suffering of the crucifixion and death, and resulted in victory over sin in Himself and on behalf of all others. When we believe and are baptised we identify with this saving faith revealed in Jesus, and only then are we “in Christ”. Yes, we do seem to preach a different gospel. Kind regards Trevor

I seem to remember a President who was a very self avowed christian and tried to act in that was while in office......he was pilloried from pillar to post.....but then he was a Democrat!!! Can someone tell when and where a nation who advanced 'christian values' through legislation or other means, was a freedom of choice/thought/action/belief/speech nation? As Deb pointed out its been tried and failed. I have listened to the above thought over the years and the bottom line comes down to "my interpretation is the correct one"! No thank you! I want no part of that of that system of oppression. Freedom, poppycock!

From todays sermon.....'our special values and beliefs are less important than loving one another'.

the Jews thought by creating more laws, they would bind themselves by obedience to to the will of God. The idea we can make people be better by law is dangerous. passing more and more laws does not make a nation more moral. Church people attempting to express more authority in government and make more laws that involve morality as they define it.. will not be corrective to the nation. getting church people involved in reaching for the arm of government authority and increasing Christian legislation will not cause anyone to know God or cause our land to be healed. it's great for our vice president to say.. if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray.... i will hear from heaven and heal the land. what legislation will he support to bring this about. he represents government not church. this is eerie to me. He is using scripture as a Spiritual leader... and knowing the religious right has been working to control and use government to somehow moralize the country... by legislation... i cannot help but see the same efforts by the Jews and how it was an epic fail.. and they ended up crucifying Jesus.

Doug asked Why not? & What's the difference? That is not the issue that I have been discussing. I have been telling what the law says and how it is applied. You have now introduced a totally different subject. If you really want to know Why, go to the legislative history of the law. You just might find the answer there. If you want to know the difference, take a basic course in understanding the law. Briefly, under the law, the rights that an individual has may differ from the rights of a legal entity and the individual at that moment of time that the individual is representing the legal entity.

Yes lets think about that!! What was happening back in the 50s?? That might give us all a clue as to why we have all these wonderful laws!! Does the "moral Majority,' "the religious right," "christian right," etc., etc., come to mind?? These are groups that started implanting candidates into our political system, to keep us from "sinning!!" So very true, before we didn't need the Johnson amendment from those that are now trying to keep us on the right path!!!!!! Would we????? Really????? Enforced!!!!!! That will come soon enough!!!!! I say stand up for the separation of church and state, not allowing the government to blurr those lines!!!!!

They aren't "different groups." They are one and the same. "Sons of God" always refers to those who receive God and are obedient to His laws. This group is inclusive of heavenly as well as human beings. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God . . ." (John 1:12). Essentially, "sons of God" is synonymous with "saints."

I can, and do, frequently mock and laugh at myself. It is the attacking of others through ridicule and mockery that I cannot abide.

I knew I liked you, even though I could not remember you. Your honesty is very much appreciated. While we may disagree on many things today, honesty will bring us into agreement and understanding at some point because to honest people truth is paramount.

It has been a few years but if I remember my civics class the constitution was worded in such a way as to protect against a government established religion. It is not separation of church and state it is "making no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion While I am not crazy about the idea and would not attend a church very long that was political from the pulpit,how is this the state establishing a religion or prohibiting the free exercise of your religion? Black churches have done so for decades,many democratic politicians have spoken in black churches.

Wingnut and Rachel, Keep up this discussion! I'm intrigued! I have been on the fence on whether the millennium is on earth or in heaven for quite some time. I have believed for many years that it takes place here on earth; but in the past Rachel has presented some powerful and scripturally robust arguments that life is impossible on earth after the 7 bowls; so I feel strongly both ways, if that makes sense.