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As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive. Genesis 50:20 NASB Here we have a very important verse in understanding the interplay between human autonomous thought, and divine providence. The...

Over the years I have pontificated upon my understanding of many biblical doctrines. Here is my testimony of conversion, first posted when I joined this forum in 2011: Conversion, salvation, and rebirth are terms used to describe both turning from a self directed life to one where you...

The dark side spokespersons have been claiming the military attacks upon Iran are "unconstitutional" because congress has NOT declared war. Never mind that Presidents have used military power without a declaration of war many times. That does not make their actions constitutional, as multiple...

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (NASB95) According to Hebrews 11:39 the Old Testament "saints" did NOT receive the "promise" but had to wait to be made perfect. I believe Psalm 23:6 presents the...

We till the ground, we plant the seed, we water, but God alone causes the increase: He alone calls out some from the realm of darkness into His marvelous light. So why till the ground, prepare the field, plant and water if it serves no purpose in harvesting the fields white for harvest? Do...

Even a superficial reading of scripture will provide a list of no-no's. Attributes of our Old Self can be found in Galatians 5:19-21. But the vice that fosters all of them is not listed. But another list, from Mark 7:21-23 does include vice that put us against God, the Anti-God vice. The...

According to classical thinking, there are seven virtues, four "cardinal" and three theological. In this usage, cardinal refers to pivotal, like a person facing north turning to the right and facing east, then pivoting again and facing south, and then to the west. Thus as far as human society...

In a recently closed thread, several unresolved controversies emerged. 1) Does Dead in Sin mean the person is unable to understand and affirmatively respond to the spiritual milk of the gospel? Both the Calvinist and Arminian leaning posters claimed the answer was YES. I said scripture does...

Did your mother ever keep you from snacking so you would be appreciative of the meal she had prepared? Mine did! Before the incarnation of Christ Jesus, the lost were kept (protected) under the law with its many drawbacks, such as no flesh was justified by the law. That made people look...

We know of two verses that indicate Christ is the cornerstone. See Ephesians 2:20 and 1 Peter 2:6. Clearly Christ is the cornerstone of the foundation upon which the household of God is being built. But just what does the "cornerstone" do? It is the "joining" stone connecting seemingly...

We know from the Old Testament about "manna from heaven" which provided physical nourishment to those delivered out of Egypt. See Psalm 78:23-25. But in the NT, "manna" is used to describe spiritual nourishment, and is otherwise described as "the bread of life" or the "bread of angels." My...

All of us born anew believers called on the "name" of Jesus. We believed "into" the name of Jesus. But just what does "name" mean in this context? If we come in the "name"of Jesus, that means we believe we are acting under His authority and for His benefit. See Acts 16:18. In John 1:12 we...

Once a person has been spiritually born anew, they are a "new creation." Our old human spirit has been born anew, but our newly created human spirit, made perfect by the washing of regeneration, still animates our flesh and blood physical body. We still have our memories of our old attributes...

The OT saints had to wait in Abraham's bosom until Christ provided the means of reconciliation by the blood of the Lamb. They had been chosen for salvation through their faith in God, but they had NOT been washed with His blood, which fully justified them, and allowed them to enter the kingdom...

I had not realized that a faction of Christians do NOT believe the OT saints were all taken to "Abraham's bosom" when they physically died, and had to wait there until they could be made "perfect" after Christ had died to provide the means to be made perfect. Sheol is a Hebrew word, found about...

Romans 11:32 has in interesting turn of phrase. Here is the NASB rendering of the verse: For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all. The Greek word, translated above as "shut up" means to catch, or enclose, or metaphorically to consign something somewhere...

More than poster seemed to indicate they believed when a lost person professed faith, the lost person is then automatically saved by God. In other words, if a lost person "believes," then they are automatically saved. No lost person who "believes" is ever not saved. God does NOT decide...

If we have peace with God, why fear Him? Because we love God with all our hearts, we do not want to offend Him in any way. That is our fear. We do not want to walk in a way that is unworthy of Him. Value all people, love our siblings in Christ, fear God, honor obedient Leaders such as your...

Matthew 5:9 is among the well know list of the "beatitudes." Who do you think are the "peacemakers?" The word (Greek G1518) is a compound word comprised of a word meaning "peace" and the word translated as "makers." This second word refers to someone who is working or making an effort to...

Cursed are the prideful, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Cursed are those who have no regret, who see the harm they themselves caused, but respond with "oh well." Cursed are those who reject God, who dispute His law, and see themselves as their own law. Cursed are...