Recent content by Ascetic X

That is a fantastic story! When I was in high school, my gorgeous cousin Vicky spent the summer in my parents home. She was a year younger. I was so proud when my friends saw us together. My dad gave me $100 to show her a good time, which was a lot of money in those days. Not having a sister...

I always thought that salvation was a new birth. Since no matter how I behave, I will always be the son of my earthly father, it seems like the same principle holds true for remaining a son of my Heavenly Father. What confuses me is how there are cults, disgraced pastors, and abusive churches...

No, I do not object to Biblical metaphors. We have the sharp sword of the Spirit for when “we struggle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 In Roman...

Constantine was not Christian. He maintained pagan titles and practices for much of his reign, showing at best a gradual, complex shift to a meager. Christian orientation, rather than an immediate, sincere, total break from Roman polytheism. In fact, he was only baptized by an Arian bishop...

I think I understand your zeal, but may I gently respond? You may dislike the word “defend”, but we may need to explain why we believe the Bible or why we prefer a certain version. But I don’t think we should get in bitter heated debates. I also don’t think anyone can be argued into faith. We...

@Tea - God warns sinners about how He will punish them, like with Nineveh, but when they repent, God withholds the punishment. God is not just arbitrarily changing His mind. It’s called mercy. At a certain point, mercy may no longer be available to a person or nation, if they go too far in sin...

This states that we who are born of the Spirit “blow” or move where we will, and people hear us, but cannot tell where we came from, or where we are going. We move mysteriously, because we are recipients of the new birth and are children of God. The world cannot understand “where we are coming...

Yes. The necessity of worshiping God is a central theme throughout the Bible. Worship is not merely a ritualistic practice, but a fundamental, highly personal response to God's nature and actions. In the historical context, both Jews and Samaritans had specific locations, rules and rituals for...

@Charlie24 - Not worried at all. Putin cannot even win a war against the Ukraine. The oil tanker was seized for allegedly being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. The tanker, called the Skipper, loaded an estimated 1.8 million...

Venezuelan sanctioned shadow oil vessels transporting oil to terrorists and drug traffickers pushing dope into USA via a system of corruption involving high-ranking military and political officials known as the "Cartel of the Suns" (Cartel de los Soles). This label originated from the "sun"...

Bible didn’t exist for 400 years? The Old Testament (Septuagint) was the Bible used by Jesus and his disciples, then more was added as the 4 gospels were written, plus letters by Paul, John, James, Peter. So scriptures were being used and circulated, by word of mouth and scrolls, from the very...

Nestorianism is a 5th-century Christian doctrine, named after Nestorius, that taught Jesus Christ was two distinct persons—one human and one divine—rather than one unified person with two natures, leading to the rejection of the title Theotokos (Mother of God) for Mary in favor of Christotokos...

If Jesus was standing in my room, I would like for Jesus could discuss some of the many things He did, including things He said, that are not recorded in the gospels. John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that...

We may pray fervently for something, and if we do not receive it, we may be disappointed in the unwanted result, but we cannot be disappointed in God. We must believe that God is love and He is in control. This is where faith is challenged and becomes difficult, but must be maintained. We...

Fullness of time = It refers to the providential historical events that made Jesus’ teachings relevant and made the early Christian message accessible and impactful, such as: A common trade language (Greek). Roman infrastructure (roads) for travel, to facilitate evangelism. A widespread...