Speculation

[Stan]

it is amazing how much conversation takes place on things that are not clearly discussed in  the Bible.  Yet things that are clear, like how we should treat others and the poor are totally ignored.

Who is man that things we can fully describe God, when we, at best, can only think in human terms.  I know this, he is God, I am Human, and I can only think like I am a human. I can not grasp the universe with no beginning, A God who has been around forever, without a start or a finish.

[Naomi]

Interesting that you should post this, it has been a soap box that I have been on for sometime. The operative word here is clearly  .... why do we find it necessary to look for the obscure when God's word is so simple and easy to understand.  And if it is not a salvation issue why should I spend my limited time and energies trying to understand, when there are people wating for the Good News Of Salvation & a loaf of bread.  Farther along we will understand.  We have an eternity to spend with our Lord.  Then perhaps we will understand 

[Samie]

Interesting that you should post this, it has been a soap box that I have been on for sometime. The operative word here is clearly  .... why do we find it necessary to look for the obscure when God's word is so simple and easy to understand.  And if it is not a salvation issue why should I spend my limited time and energies trying to understand, when there are people wating for the Good News Of Salvation & a loaf of bread.  Farther along we will understand.  We have an eternity to spend with our Lord.  Then perhaps we will understand 

​Jesus made clear, that SEPARATE from Him, man can do NOTHING (John 15:5). It is not then SPECULATION to say that  the brand of gospel being popularly preached goes against this plain statement of our Lord. Why? Because the popular Gospel goes along this line: Believe to be attached to the Body of Christ.

Now, Believing is exercising Faith. Faith is fruit of the Spirit. Fruit results form being attached to the branch.

Hence, the popular Gospel teaches that Fruit-bearing comes BEFORE attachment to the Branch.

I believe my spending LOTS of time posting the same thoughts OVER & OVER time and again, is spending time bringing the Gospel our Savior wanted preached before He comes again (Matt 24:15).

[Stewart (SDA)]

So often, it seems, we take a certain position, and lean on our own understanding to support ourselves in it. But our own understanding is always "a staff of reed", and hopefully we are learning not to trust it. Our "own understanding" will not support us, and we will fall over [hurting and/or embarrassing ourselves] if we rely on it. But perhaps we see no alternative to operating this way (for many people it is the only thing they know), and yet the Bible teaches -warns- "lean not on your own understanding". (Prov 3:5)

There is a tendency to trust our own hearts too, and yet the Bible teaches "he who trusts in his own heart is a fool." (Prov 28:26.) Feelings and impulses are never safe guides, but to move from principle [Bible principle] is always a safe, good, way.

There is "milk" and "meat" in the Bible of course, and the apostle explains that even in Paul's writings there are "some things [that are] hard to be understood" (2Pet 3:16)... No, we should not expect to understand everything about the things of God. But we should not take this to mean that we cannot understand God at all --  God is working hard to have us understand Him and His ways.

"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom... But let him who glories glory in this, that he understand and knows Me" (Jer 9:23-24). We should expect to understand Him, and the more we understand Him the more meek and lowly we will become.

 

[8thdaypriest]

Stan,

IF all we needed to know was "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind and strength, AND your neighbor as yourself" - THEN why have this forum? 

Maybe we should all just quit posting, and go out to serve our "neighbor". 

But - maybe we NEED to better understand just who "the LORD" our "God" IS.  Is He one divine being, or two, or three? 

Maybe we NEED to better understand just HOW we "love" our God - what actions demonstrate our "love" for Him?   

Maybe we NEED to better understand just HOW we are able to "love our God" and "love our neighbor" - by the spirit of "Christ in you, the hope of glory".  

The SDA Church has 28 fundamentals - right.  Those are concepts (some would say truths)  that are essential for our understanding.  Else why call them "fundamental".  

It's true.  There is some speculation posited here.  But there is mostly a LOT of excellent dialog, which motivates me to study, and strengthens me when I find those pearls of understanding.

Thanks for this forum !!!