What does this mean?

[Guest]

Where did Jesus ever say that Paul was led by Satan? I must have missed it.

[Dr. Rich]

Ya, I guess you did. Ya missed a lot of other important things too! (Hint--know anything about the prophecy on the wheat and the tares?)

[Jodie]

Hey Rich, I'm curious, do you know anyone who thinks they are a tare?

[Guest]

Yeah Rich, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say, I bet you think you're the wheat.

[Dr. Rich]

Jodie, See Matthew 13:27 "The Owner's [bond] Servants came to Him and said,,," If you would read and attempt to understand this prophecy you will see that only the servants of the Master discover that there are weeds growing among the wheat-AND they discover this just before the harvest. It is clear to me that the tares do not know who they are until it is too late.

The important thing to understand here is that only the servants know the difference. Rev. 1:1-3 is also only for the [bond]servants for they will be the only ones that understand the book of Revelation correctly. The wicked will never understand because they don't think that they are wicked.

It is my opinion that Paul was duped just as Joseph Smith and Muhammad and other so called prophets were duped. I was duped too, that is until I decided to follow the instruction that Jesus gave us to build a firm foundation upon His words ALONE!

[Jodie]

Rich, Where does Jesus say that we are to follow His words ALONE? Do you have text to back that up?

[Dr. Rich]

Jodie, I apologize. I assumed most people knew what Jesus said about building a solid foundation in Matthew 7, specifically verse 24. "Therefore, everyone who hears these words of MINE and puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock."

[Jodie]

Rich, I just checked 4 different versions of the bible and not one of them has the word ALONE in this verse. Please tell me where you are getting this from?

[Dr. Rich]

I just did. If you can't see where Jesus said "MINE" then I can't help you and I doubt if anyone else can. (He did not say to build your foundation on someone else words.)

[Jodie]

Yes I see the word "MINE" however I do not see the word "ALONE" nor do I see the words "MINE ALONE".

[Guest]

So He said mine. So what? She wants to know where it says mine ALONE.

[Dr. Rich]

Come on you guys, don't be jerks! Go read what I wrote--it was MY opinion, Dah??? I NEVER said "ALONE" was anywhere. Now you have me rolling my eyes! Jesus said to build the foundation upon His words and take this to mean just what He said. You guys need some sleep!

[Guest]

I guess I would rather be a jerk than a idiot.

As far as your opinion goes, If you took that and .75 cents, you could still buy a Coke, in some places.

it was MY opinion, Dah??? I NEVER said "ALONE" was anywhere.

Then why did you use the word ALONE. You're putting words in Jesus' mouth.

[Jodie]

If it is your opinion why are you attributing it to Jesus? And, FYI...I am not a jerk, thank you very much.

Also, what kind of doctor are you?

[Archie777]

The Bible is the basis and foundation of my faith and experience in Jesus. Yes, it contains inspired discrepancies; nevertheless, it is my anchor and my guide. It points me to Jesus as my personal Savior and Friend. It is doctrinally sound and harmonious from Genesis to Revelation - which, in my mind and heart, includes Mark, Luke, and Paul.

[Musicman1228]

No one likes to think of themselves as a fool. A fool is someone that either can be or has been fooled. Foolishness is believing something to be true when it is in fact a lie.

Note that in the prophecy of the Ten bridesmaids Five were wise and Five were foolish. All are in the Kingdom of Heaven at the time when the Master comes as a thief in the night.

NO ONE sees themselves as one of these foolish bridesmaids, but there they are in all their glory, claiming to know the truth when they (in reality) believe lies as if they are the truth. So who are these fools?

It has been my experience that whenever someone say that they are not a fool is when they just proved it by saying they are not. If you make the claim that you are not a fool then you probably are.

The WISE know that they can be fooled and take the necessary steps to see to it that they are not fooled. They accept the responsibility that Jesus gave them to "see to it that no one deceive you." Again, if you say you have not been deceived then you have been. No exceptions.

The reason why people are fools is that they have no self-honesty in recognizing that they have been fooled. Satan loves this, and can play on their hubris, getting them to rail against those that point out the obvious. The first step to recovery is to recognize the problem and acknowledge the condition. Then and only then can you become wise.

The foolish are fools because they say they can't be fooled; the wise are wise because they recognize that they can be fooled and take the necessary steps to inoculate themselves against the deception.

[Dr. Rich]

Richard and others, did you see any quotations marks around the word ALONE? I think not! Now let it go already! This whole thing you attempted to do here is ridicules and to me you were both acting like jerks. A 'jerk' is one who actually attempts to annoy someone without any grounds to do so.

[Jodie]

The Bible is....doctrinally sound and harmonious from Genesis to Revelation - which, in my mind and heart, includes Mark, Luke, and Paul.

Amen and thank you Archie!

[Dr. Rich]

Jodie, if this is so, could you please explain the prophecy on the wheat and the tares? Can you identify who is who today? If so, please do so.

[skyblue888]

"If any man among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." 1 Cor.3;18.

sky

[Jodie]

Rich, if you are annoyed that's your problem. I am not responsible for how you decide to react to a situation. If you feel the need to call me a jerk that's a reflection on you not me. It's only your opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

I asked a geniune question about the word "ALONE" because you stated it in your post. I am seeking God's truth and if I missed something I want to know about it! Now that you have clarified, that in fact, it is only "your opinion" I can get back to God's full truth now.

[skyblue888]

The Bible is the basis and foundation of my faith and experience in Jesus. Yes, it contains inspired discrepancies; nevertheless, it is my anchor and my guide. It points me to Jesus as my personal Savior and Friend. It is doctrinally sound and harmonious from Genesis to Revelation - which, in my mind and heart, includes Mark, Luke, and Paul.

The work of the letter of the law is to point us to Christ, of our need of a Saviour, but once it has accomplished its purpose, how do we receive Him? By faith, of course, but what does that mean? Some people say all they have to do is to say, Lord I give you my heart. But is that the faith the Scriptures speak of? How can we give Him our heart? "Lord, take my heart for I cannot give it. It is Your property. Keep it pure for I cannot keep it for You. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self." C.O.L.159.

We cannot give Him our heart for it is His property. He bought it. We can only consent for Him to take it. He takes it the moment He comes into our heart. But how does He come into our heart? "We receive Christ through His word and the Holy Spirit is given to open the word of God to our understanding." M.B.112.

We receive Him through His word, not merely written but spoken, for Jesus said, "The words that I SPEAK unto you, they are Spirit and they are life." John 6:63. Proceeding out of His mouth the law of ten precepts is "the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus." Rom.8:2. Received from His mouth, the ten commandments are "living oracles". (Acts 7:38) Then they impart power, they beget life, even a new life in Christ Jesus!

Thus it is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the MOUTH of God." Matt.4:4.

The law of ten commandments engraved on stones or merely written with ink kills. It is a ministry of condemnation and death. 2 Cor.3:6,7. It shows us our exceeding sinfulness and our dire need of Christ. But that same law, received from Christ's mouth, is the ministry of the Spirit and "the Spirit is life because of righteousness." 2 Cor.3:6-9; Rom.8:10.

Thus we read, "The law of ten precepts of the greatest love ever presented to man is the Voice of God from Heaven speaking to the soul in promise. There is not a negative in that law although it may appear thus." E.G. White, Bible Commentary,Vol.1, p.1105.

The Lord opens our ears that we may receive His law from His mouth that we may live even forevermore. "Out of Zion the Lord had commanded the blessing, even life forevermore." Psalm 133:3. "Incline your ear, Hear, and your soul shall live." Isaiah 55:3. For "I know that His commandment (proceeding from His mouth) is life everlasting." John 12:50.

May the Lord Jesus open our ears that we may hear as the learned, (Isaiah 50:4,5; Psalm 40:6)) that we may hear the voice of Him whose word (spoken word) can renew the soul unto everlasting life. John 6:68.

This ministry of righteousness has been made possible solely on account of the all-sufficient merits of Christ's infinite sacrifice. As we come to God trusting wholly in the merits of Christ's shed blood for our acceptance with Him, the Lord opens our ears that we may hear the law from His mouth. Then it is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and we are made free from the law of sin and death, as long as we continue in this faith. In other words, the life thus received is in like manner sustained, by every word that proceeds out of the MOUTH of God. Matt.4:4. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen!" 2 Tim.4:22; Revelation 22:21.

This is what it means to eat His flesh and to drink His blood as far as our spiritual nature is concerned.

Your thoughts.

sky

"The Word of the Living God is not merely written, but spoken. The Bible is God's voice speaking to us, just as though we could hear it with our ears. If we realized this, with what awe would we open God's Word, and with what earnestness would we search its precepts. The reading and contemplation of the Scriptures would be regarded as an audience with the Infinite One!" Testimonies, Vol.6, p.393.

[Jodie]

Jodie, if this is so, could you please explain the prophecy on the wheat and the tares? Can you identify who is who today? If so, please do so.

Prophecy?? Why do you call it a prophecy? The wheat and tares is a PARABLE. Jesus used this story as an illustration to help all God's children understand what will happen to the righteous and the wicked at His second comming.

As far as identifying the wheat from the tares, it's usually fairly easy to see the obvious thorns among the roses. However, I do not profess to know any man's heart, and ultimately that judgement belongs to our Creator and to Him alone. And, I praise Him for this because I have no doubt that if it were left up to the sinful hearts of human beings we'd all be toast.

[skyblue888]

Some parables Jesus spoke are prophecies. When He spoke them Jesus was looking down the ages with His eyes fixed upon our time. In other words, they were written more for us than for the Jews. The parable of Matt.22 is a perfect example of that and the parables of the 10 virgins, and the parable of the net, and the parable of wheat and tares.

[wayfinder]

Why don't we let the Son of God explain the need for and use of parables.

An Explanation

Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables ?"

11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

12 "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance ; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables ; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

14 "In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND ; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE ;

15 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'

Of which group are you, of which group am I? Would it not be important to know.