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Samie, I have clarified for myself, my own understanding of several passages of Scripture, because of dialoging in this thread. So thank you. But now I think we're stuck - at least for purposes of this discussion. You say we have to be "in Christ" in order for us to "come to" Christ. That just doesn't make sense. You say we have FREE WILL, but cannot exercise it unless we are already "in Christ". That makes no sense. What good is FREE WILL that one "cannot exercise" ? That means it's NOT FREE WILL. You say we are all "in the body of Christ" - when only "the bride" can share her husband's body. Husband and wife become "one flesh. And "the church" IS "the body of Christ" in the NT, just as Israel was the LORD's "wife" in the OT. The "church" is NOT all of humanity. Neither was/is "Israel". You say we begin our lives as "branches" attached to "the vine" (or "Olive Tree") - when Scripture clearly says we start out as "wild branches" and must be "grafted in". You say that all humanity was "saved" the same day Adam sinned, but "saved" doesn't MEAN they will receive eternal life (unless they do good WORKS). That's confusing.

Which concordance should I use? People here in CA often like, in discussing various topics cite one of the well known books that is known as a concordance. In this thread, I intend to give come basic information on the available ones that are most commonly used. As I am not going to give it all at once, I intend to lock the thread until I have finished with my basic information. At that time, I will open it up for discussion and comments. It should be noted that every concordances is based upon a specific translation/version of the Bible. In actual fact, one may be able to find such a concordance that is based upon their preferred translation/version of the Bible. For example, one can easily find a concordance that is based on: The NIV, the RSV, the NRSV and Catholic Bibles, among others. However, the most common ones were written a long time ago and all were based upon the King James Bible. It is those that I will reference in this thread and I will not get into others that may be based upon another translation/version. Generally one, with perhaps, a bit of effort can use a KJV concordance in study of another translation/version.

http://sundayadelajablog.com/astonishing-pack-lions-save-christian-missionaries-execution-islamic-militants/

Paul was NOT "in Christ" BEFORE the Damascus road experience which brought him to believe in Christ. Those "in Christ" are those who believe "in Christ". They are not "of the world". Those who are "in Christ" and "of God" are NOT "of the world". Those "of the world" are invited to come OUT from "the world" - to become "sons of God". Matthew 13:38 "The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. THREE things are mentioned in this verse: 1. the world 2. sons of the kingdom 3. sons of the wicked one BEFORE you become a "son of the kingdom" you are simply "in the world". BEFORE you become a "son of the kingdom" you are NOT "adopted in the Beloved" - NOT "grafted in" - NOT "in Christ". John 15:19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 17:6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. John 17:14 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:5 [Enemies of God] They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. 1 John 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is Paul's description of the Ephesian believers - BEFORE they came to faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (NKJ) How could they have been "without Christ" but "in Christ" at the same time??

I do not challenge the truth of the above story. It does exist in more than one version, all of which may be true. I have used one version in a sermon that I have preached. In the version that I have used, some Islamic men took a Christian woman outside of the village with the intent to stone her to death. Four lions came running out of the forest and lay down around the woman, driving the men off. The lions remained until the next day when a group of villages came and invited her to return. The bottom line is that we are in the hands of God. God does not always intervene. But, God's power is unlimited and He will be with us in any circumstances in which we are placed. That does not mean that we will be preserved from death. Death is a part of our human existence. But, when we experience death, we do not experience it alone. God walks that path with us.

NKJ John 5:40 "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." Jesus spoke this to the Scribes and Pharisees. They were unwilling to come (to plug in). So - apparently they HAD the WILL either to come or not to come. And they HAD the will BEFORE they either came or refused to come.

"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5) "I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Phil 4:13) I see nothing in these verses that says we have no free will unless we are plugged into Christ. Following your logic, once anyone willfully rejects Christ (i.e., "unplugs"), they have no more free will; and are incapable of choosing to return to Christ. This is a false teaching.

SIGH!!!..... For about the 1,000th time, it's called FREE WILL!!! It's something we are all born with. All men are born with free wills; but that doesn't mean that we are all born saved. We are all born with the ability to be saved, but that doesn't mean we are all born already saved. How is it that we can choose to reject the power to overcome; but we cant choose to accept the same power? Your arguments make no sense!

Food for thought--at least some of them. Life's priorities and successes 1. Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I'm working on for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, "Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile." 2. Today, I asked my mentor - a very successful business man in his 70s- what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, "Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing." 3. Today, after my 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn't recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said , "On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center. 4. Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face. 5. Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow. 6. Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother's hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, "I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often." 7. Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy 8. Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, "Why?" She replied, "So you can help me save the planet." I chuckled again and asked, "And why do you want to save the planet? "Because that's where I keep all my stuff," 9. Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter's antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it 10 Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, "I hope you feel better soon." 11. Today, I was feeling down because the results of a biopsy came back malignant. When I got home, I opened an e-mail that said, "Thinking of you today. If you need me, I'm a phone call away. "It was from a high school friend I hadn't seen in 10 years. 12 Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn't eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, "We can share it." The best sermons are lived, not preached. Never forget those who have touched your life. NOTE: No, I did not write this. I do not know who did write it.