BIBLE STUDY TOPIC

[Maplen13]

Yea, I guess we should NOT debate, this is Education of the bible, Let's stick with it, and debate in the debate section.

Um... MsRR wasn't there a part where Jesus went into the desert for over 40 days, without food, to appose also to the "Gluttony" one of the deadly sins?

[MsRowdyRedhead]

The Bible is clear that God considers 40 days a spiritually significant time period. Whenever God wanted to prepare someone for his purposes, he took 40 days.Think back to the Old Testament. Noah and company in the Ark watched rain fall for 40 days and forty nights. Moses was up on Sinai receiving the 10 commandments for 40 days. The Israelites wandered around the desert for 40 years.
He was led about by the Holy Spirit in the wilderness for forty days and his former life in heaven was revealed to him by his Father, Yahweh God. His earthly commission from God was also revealed to him.
Of course, Satan had to go and try to tempt him to sin against God, but Jesus reminded Satan that it is God he must follow.
Text: Matt.4: 1-11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give His angels charge concerning You'; and 'On their hands they will bear You up, Lest You strike Your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.
In the next verse, he begins his preaching:
 12-16 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 1"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light;on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
I hope this clarifies your question!

[Walter313]

Sorry I haven't been on, this week has been the most hectic. Barely got time to sit down!

This isn't an exact bible verse, but what do you think of the Feast Days? I know several Christians who believe they should be celebrated. I personally don't, but I can't think of why exactly. :-\

[MsRowdyRedhead]

Although I do not always keep them, in our celebration of traditional Christian holidays, the Biblical Holydays should not be excluded. The motive for the Christian to celebrate Biblical holidays is to honor what our Lord has instituted.

"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts." (Lev 23:1-2)

Feast days are not Jewish in an ethnic sense or Christian in a religious sense but they are divine in a Biblical sense and therefore eternal and universal.

[Flash-әdge]

I think they're good to be celebrated, although we don't need to.

But, even if, I still encourage it since it's a reminder of what God has done.

Anyway, could I introduce a new verse?

What does everyone think about the ever-so-popular John 3:16 verse?

[MsRowdyRedhead]

“For God so loved  the world, that He gave  His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.â€�
To me it means that God loves us all greatly, that we can be saved if we exercise faith in Christ. God is gracious and merciful. 
The proper rendering of this verse would be:
"In this way God loved the world (all types of people), that He gave His only begotten Son, that all the believing will not perish, but have eternal life".

God being just, could not 'just' forgive mankind for their sins with no consequence..
Thus a price had to be paid.
Hebrew justice required like for like.  (hand for hand, life for life, eye for eye)
Since Adam was a perfect man, the price had to be a perfect man.
Since all of Adam's children became imperfect, we on our own could not 'pay the price'.
Thus God created his 'only begotten' son, to give up his perfect life for us.
Thus God 'gave' us the means of gaining everlasting life, that Adam lost when sin was introduced into the world.

Christianity does not exist to condemn us all as sinners, but rather, we are all sinners, cut off from our loving father, and Christ came to give us a way to escape from our fallen state.

Does that make sense?? 

My interpretation is not the only one possible. What does everyone else think?

[Lúcio]

Can I join in? I'm a new christian. Came back to Christ after falling away for a year and a half after I lost a girl I really liked. I was mad/depressed/nearly friendless/sad/struggling with addiction and now I'm still struggling with stuff, but definately making progress away from it. Never thought I'd get out of it. But I did thanks to MsRR, and many others! Thank you guys! Anyways, what do you we do here exactly? If someone could, I'd like just basic stuff to get me more familiar with Christianity (I'm a baptist btw).

[MsRowdyRedhead]

Everyone is welcome here, Kit. We only ask that you read and follow the first post.

[Lúcio]

Okay, coolio! So what now?

[MsRowdyRedhead]

We are just beginning with John 3:16.  Please read the whole topic and reply if you have something to add to the conversation.

[Flash-әdge]

Hey Kit, great to see you here

Anyway, here are my thoughts on that verse...

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.�

-John 3:16

"For God so loved the world... He gave His only begotten Son..."

From what I take, is that God loved His creation so much, that He couldn't leave us to our own demise. Thus, He was willing to give up His only Son, the only perfect man.

Since He is merciful yet just, Jesus was our only chance of salvation.

"...whoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

But, God made us with choice. Thus, it is our choice to accept His gift or not. If we should choose to accept His gift, eternal life is given to us. If we don't accept his free gift, however, our souls are led to perish in hell.

[MsRowdyRedhead]

Does it make sense that God "begot" Jesus specifically to save us?

[Flash-әdge]

I don't think He did, but I believe in the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I also believe that God has existed since before time began.

[MsRowdyRedhead]

I believe in the Trinity as well.

[Flash-әdge]

Well then, my thoughts are that Jesus became Man to specifically save us... but not that He was specifically existing to save us. Quite the opposite actually; we exist to give glory to an Almighty God.

[Lúcio]

Hey Kit, great to see you here

Anyway, here are my thoughts on that verse...

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.�

-John 3:16

"For God so loved the world... He gave His only begotten Son..."

From what I take, is that God loved His creation so much, that He couldn't leave us to our own demise. Thus, He was willing to give up His only Son, the only perfect man.

Since He is merciful yet just, Jesus was our only chance of salvation.

"...whoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

But, God made us with choice. Thus, it is our choice to accept His gift or not. If we should choose to accept His gift, eternal life is given to us. If we don't accept his free gift, however, our souls are led to perish in hell.

But we don't choose God, He chooses us, correct?

[Flash-әdge]

He chose to make us, He chose to give us a way to salvation, He chose to give us a choice.

My view is that we choose to accept His given gift... but He chooses to reveal the gift to us.

[Driver12]

John wrote in his first epistle that we love God because he first loved us (I John 4:19).

[Lúcio]

Can we talk about that verse next?


Edit: removing spam ~ MsRR

[MsRowdyRedhead]

I John 4:19
"We love because he first loved us."

No object is supplied for the verb love The obvious objects that could be supplied from the context are either God himself or other believers (the brethren). It may well be that the author has both in mind at this point; the statement is general enough to cover both alternatives, although the following verse puts more emphasis on love for the brethren.

I John 4:20
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"