old and new

Participant

Well done Is.

Ringo if life is a game to you it isn't to us.

If you feared God you would not show such disrespect to Him by calling it all a game.

Do you not stand in awe of the Creator of the sun ,moon and stars who keeps them in perfect harmony,who feeds the birds and sends His rain on all. He owes us nothing but has chosen for us to share eternity with Him.

c'mon mate lift your game

July 28, 2004 at 5:47 am#3306

ringo111

Participant

Yes, good. Is, when i have more time, I'll explain to you how they all fit together, without ignoring Jesus less publicised sayings.

****************

Now, Nik

Define a game.

Interesting isnt it, that you told me to then “lift my game”

Hmm.

For in my mind, a game is anything within set peramiters, set rules. And that is what life is. We feel those rules, and repercussions for our actions.

But in this game that GoD has made, Our actions echo into eternity, with our feelings of joy and sadness, no pain and pain, being the ultimate reward for either failure, or for victory.

Please explain to me, how life is not a game??? Instead of Just saying,

Quote

If you feared God you would not show such disrespect to Him by calling it all a game.

That is part of the game, to fear GoD.

Paul describes our lives, and compares them to a runner. A game. hmm.

For all a game is, a set of rules, now, say,……….

Lets take soccer, to play by the rules is to kick the soccer ball. If you went out with sledgehammers and killed ppl. That wouldnt be playing soccer now would it!!

The same with Life, GoD wants us to live acceptably to him, which means , we dont kill, steal, lie, be homosexual, worship idols, and whatever else.

And instead of this game ending, It lasts forever.

So think about it.

July 28, 2004 at 6:05 am#3307

Participant

Good stuff Ringo. I see where you are coming from.

But Christianity isn't about following rules. The Jewish faith is but we are not Jews. They can't understand how God has made it so easy for us while they struggle to obey every little regulation in the hope of doing enough to please God.

We are the most privileged people in creation. Jesus did a perfect job for us -it is finished!! Trying to impress God is a waste of time. And now He wants us to share in all the benefits without all that hard work.

And if we obey His instructions to be born again He has promised to send us the Holy Spirit, if we ask, to teach us and show us and empower us how to live for God and share the blessings with whoever wants them.Alleluia!!

July 29, 2004 at 11:26 am#3308

Participant

Amen Nick.

July 30, 2004 at 7:31 am#3309

Participant

Nick

Of course there are rules (commandments)

I can't just say I know Yahshua and do as I please expecting to get through because I know of the saviour. I must walk the way Yahshua walked. I musn't steal and lie, etc, etc.

But you will say that to know Yahshua would mean that I wouldn't do this. But you would then be acknowledging that there are rules (commandments) – albiet, written on the heart, but still rules (commandments).

If I have two children and I teach them the rules (commandments) of our house as they grow up, I would expect that they would continue to do them all the time (if they wish to be a member of my household). So, as they have gotten older, one son always follows the rules, the other son never does. If I am to judge fairly (which God through Yahshua will) which is a good son.

Ringo called it a game, which is correct when you read what he meant by a game. I would rather say it is a way for me to please Yahweh. I wish to be obedient – like the good son – and please Yahweh. Not because I have to but because I want to. Who wouldn't wish to please their maker. This is where the Jews have erred. God's commandments should be a joy to us as they show us how we should live our lives – love for your neighbour, not to steal, to share, to serve others, to love Yahweh above all others. We all need to soften our hearts and understand that the commandments are showing us how to love our neighbours and God.

July 30, 2004 at 8:32 am#3310

Participant

Rambling Rose I like your style.

The letters of Paul and the other apostles are full of exhortations to good behavior and these mirror the Law. But the letters are written to those who know the Spirit [over 120 references] and the law has been written on their hearts.

Few have discovered this amazing secret [the Gift of the Holy Spirit]and have sought and received that advantage which is still available to all those who ask. Many are still trying to please God through obedience to the law in their own strength.

All christians who have been baptised must seek the Spirit as their first priority or they cannot see the kingdom. Then the teachings become a framework for the Spirit to grow in you towards the nature of Jesus and allowing that fruit to enhance every part of our lives. So obedience to the law should become natural and not be an effort.

That is what Jesus meant when he said ” For whoever asks receives..what father among you would give his son a snake if he asked for a fish…..how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him”

We need the Spirit .

August 1, 2004 at 8:37 am#3311

Participant

All the Law boils down to the 2 great commandments.

Love God with all our heart, soul and mind.
Love others as we love ourself.

If we do these, we fulfill the Law in the sense that we will not steal, commit adultery and lie etc.

The Law needed to be written down because even though it is written in our heart, men also have to contend with a sinful nature and imperfect bodies. What is written in our heart then, becomes blurred as this knowledge passes through these imperfect filters.

When it is written down, then our selfish nature cannot say that Gods law is to do sinful things.

Of course now all true believers have access to the Spirit of God and Gods Spirit is more than enough to overcome this world and all it's lies and deception.

The Law is the mark and the Spirit is how we are connected to God. Hence that mark which we must rise above in order to fellowship with a holy God is attainable through the Spirit. All made possible by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

August 2, 2004 at 6:54 am#3312

Participant

Hi T8,
Most of the scriptures about the law being written in men's hearts relate to those who have experienced salvation and are filled with the Spirit in the New Covenant.
Hebrews 8.10,10.16 .2Cor 3.2-3and Jer 31.33f

But there is one about natural men
Rom 2 .14 ” When gentiles who do not have the Law keep it by instinct,these men although without the law serve as a law for themselves. They show that the demands of the Law are written on their hearts .Their conscience bears witness together with the Law ,and their thoughts will accuse or defend them on the day when ,in accordance with the gospelI preach, God will pass judgement on the secrets of men ,through Jesus Christ”

What a delight is our God.

He makes exceptions as He is fair.Just as He keeps a record of those who fear Him and trust in His name.{Mal 3.16}

August 2, 2004 at 8:01 am#3313

Participant

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Aug. 02 2004,20:54)

What a delight is our God.

He makes exceptions as He is fair.Just as He keeps a record of those who fear Him and trust in His name.{Mal 3.16}

Yes

That is why I believe that God can judge all men. Whether we have heard the gospel or not. We all have a conscience.

con=with
science=knowledge.

I also think that some people serve God more through mere conscience than some who have heard the gospel and have the Spirit of God inside them.

e.g, Abraham lived in a time when the Spirit of God couldn't inhabit men. Yet God loved Abraham to the degree that we are called children of Abraham.

Mark 4:20
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

1 Corinthians 3
13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Matthew 11:11
I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

August 4, 2004 at 4:55 am#3314

Participant

Yes the conscience is the inner compass,and we are all born with it. But it is liable to corruption too.
” The Spirit distinctly says that in latter times some will turn away from the faith and will heed deceitful spirits and things taught by demons through plausible liars-men with SEARED CONSCIENCES..” 1Tim 4.1-2

But some consciences are also over scrupulous and harrass believers
“Little children let us love in deed and in truth and not merely talk about it .This is our way of knowing we are committed to the truth and are at peace before Him NO MATTER WHAT OUR CONSCIENCE MAY CHARGE US WITH, FOR GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEARTS and all is known to Him. Beloved if our consciences have nothing to charge us with we can be sure that God is with us…” 1 Jn 3 20-21

It too is not the ultimate guide. The Word and the Spirit are. Many, however are trusting their salvation walk to their church leaders and are sadly wandering away from safety.

August 4, 2004 at 6:48 am#3315

Participant

True

August 7, 2004 at 3:09 am#3316

Participant

Heb 4.16

“So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor and to find help in time of need”

Heb 10.19
” Brothers ,since the blood of Jesus assures our entrance into the sanctuary,by the new and living pathHe has opened up for us through the veil[the veil meaning His flesh] and since we have a great priest who is over the house of God, let us draw near in utter sincerity and absolute confidence, our hearts sprinkled clean from the evil which lay on our conscience and our bodies washed in clean water”.

The full meaning of these verses lies in the previous 2 chapters and a study of the OT with it's sacrifices, washings and sprinklings.

But it also shows the need for baptism and the inner associated restoration of our conscience. It shows how dramatic a change has now come about in that we can now pray directly to God and expect answers as if we were Jesus or Adam as we are in the mighty Son of God.

October 28, 2004 at 4:39 am#4348

Participant

Hi ,
The role of the Pharisees prior to Jesus interests me. Jesus said they and the scribes sat in the seat of Moses so the jews were instructed to obey them in everything.[Mt 23.1-3].Romans 11.29 says “God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

Now Moses allowed a change of the law to let them divorce their wives[Mt 19.8]. Jesus accused the Pharisees of putting loads on peoples backs that were too hard to carry. He noted the rules about tithing of mint and herbs but did not oppose these rules. was this accepting that they had the right to make these rules even though they became ridculous and distracted people from following the more important commandments?

Had they misused their given authority and destroyed the Law in a way by these changes so that it had become unreasonable to continue to obey it and a new covenant was necessary?

October 28, 2004 at 8:15 am#4349

Participant

Hi Nick

I feel these passages are saying that when the Pharisees are sitting in the Moses seat and are preaching from the Torah/Tanak, you are to listen to what they are saying as these are the words of God.

But, when the Pharisees leave the Moses seat they don't even practice what they preach. They have made up new laws of their own which they place over Gods laws.

In other words, read God's word as it is true. If what they say and do does not line up with it, it is false teaching.

Shalom

October 28, 2004 at 8:25 am#4350

Participant

Thanks RR,
Are todays jews still bound by the food regulations-tithing of mint etc?

October 28, 2004 at 8:42 am#4351

Participant

RR,
Mt 23 f ” The scribes and Pharisees have succeeded Moses as teachers,therefore do everything and observe everything they tell you……They bind up heavy loads ,hard to carry ,to lay on other men's shoulders while they them selves will not lift a finger to budge them….Woe to you scribes and pharisees ,you frauds. You shut the doors of the kingdom of God in men's faces , neither entering yourselves nor admitting those who are trying to enter….It is an evil day for you blind guides…You are like whitewashed tombs ,beautiful to look at on the outside but inside full of filth and dead men's bones…..Brood of serpents.How can you escape condemnation to Gehenna”

Having acknowledged their right and authority[in the seat of Moses] to do so Jesus accuses them of creating barriers to salvation and false teaching. He also says they are hypocrites and servants of Satan[serpents]

Is it possible Satan had taken over their work?

October 28, 2004 at 10:33 am#4352

Participant

Hi Nick

Reply to first question:
I believe a lot of the old biblical laws are still in force. However, I don't believe that salvation is found through these laws. I don't know about this being only for the Jews, are we not all grafted into Israel?

Reply to second question:
Anyone who goes against God's word is a satan (adversary).

Shalom

October 28, 2004 at 10:45 am#4353