To all,

We say “all scripture” is “100% God breathed” and “infallible” and these are true statements; BUT, what has man done to scripture? Was there anything lost in translation between languages? Was anything added or removed? Where are the original documents – they’re available for the OT? We have been conditioned to accept the Greek over Aram…[Read more]

@ Berean,

This is one large merry-go-round; a circular trajectory we travel. Over the last year I have been on a quest of sorts wanting, seeking, and searching for scriptural truth. Took my questions to the pastors of the church only to be told I’m wrong and even told I needed to stop studying so much…what the what!?!? In this process I began q…[Read more]

@ Berean,

Your assumption is the angels where involved in the physical act of creation – not at all what I said or implied. I am merely stating God spoke with them as he did in Job when the angels presented themselves. This experience in Job can’t possibly be the only time the angels present themselves before God, I would be safe in saying thi…[Read more]

@ Gene,

Not familiar with the “seven spirits of God” teaching as you have summarized; please provide a little more background (ie scripture references). I don’t need a book explanation, just pointed in the “right” direction so I know where to begin the study. I do my own research so as not to cloud my thinking or have doctrinal bias implanted.

Thanks

@ Berean,

I’m going to go back to when I spoke earlier about the possibility of God speaking to the angels at creation.

Is it true, most, if not all, the writings of the scripture where written by Jews? So, should we interpret the scriptures from a Hebraic understanding or use our modern English for understanding? Does our understanding today o…[Read more]

@ Berean,
You said Christ was equal with God, I asked for scripture to support it.

You said God “required” a “partner” to redeem and judge the world, I asked for scripture.

Now you bring up “divinity”, how did we arrive at divinity when we were talking about equality and a partnership? Then to accuse me of being “trained” to not “see” over a to…[Read more]

@ Gene,

If I had been armed with this “knowledge” 30 years ago…I’m here now, just have to run the race a little faster. 🙂

@ Berean,

You missed my earlier post when I stated my faith, Unitarian isn’t it – Non-Denominational and Southern Baptist. What faith do you identify with?

You also say God “requires” a partner, thus making God small and incapable. This premise is neither scriptural or truthful and I vehemently reject that concept! You believe in a triune god, a…[Read more]

@ Berean,

You wrote:

And now why did God (the Father) choose to do all things through his Son? (creation, redemption, judgment)

That’s the big question.

The answer is that He couldn’t do it all alone.

I) Can He create the heavens and the earth ALL ALONE ?

THE ANSWER IS YES.

II) CAN HE JUST REDEMPTION HUMANITY ALONE?

THE ANSWER IS NO.…[Read more]

@ Carmel,

You: “THE WORD” IN John 1:1 is not just a word but also A SPIRIT, to be precise A TRIUNE SPIRIT!

Substantiate this claim scripturally and can you do it without John’s writings? Can you substantiate this claim using the old testament? Since the new testament didn’t exist for 300-400 after Christ, the old testament was what the apostle…[Read more]

@ Carmel,

You: “read very attentively my post, and ponder.” ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!

This is the first and only time I will say this, if you continue to treat me as an idiot because I don’t believe in a doctrine the same as you, I will ignore everything you post and there will be zero recognition of anything you respond to me with! I have dealt…[Read more]

@ Carmel,
For curiosity sake, what do you do for a living (if retired, what did you do prior) and what faith do you most identify with?

Not to sound like I am prying or to seem I am demanding of you information that I wouldn’t give. For a living I am self employed running a home repair business, along with a side gig making custom wood pieces. I…[Read more]

@ Gene,
Thank you for your kind words, I am just someone searching for truth in a world filled with lies. No idea how what I share will be received, time will tell. 🙂

@ Berean,

Since Jesus was with God at the foundation of the world and is the one God is speaking with, that would mean there were two separate beings of the “godhead” in heaven at creation. Having two beings does not support the monotheistic faith the Jews have? Deut 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord”. However, jumping to John…[Read more]

@ Berean,

That’s a good question! Was man made in the image of God and the angels? Verse 27 would suggest no, as man was made specifically in God’s own image (and likeness) and not the angles. The point of the comment was to show God does interact with the heavenly body and the “us” and “our” (with a Hebraic understanding) was believed to be the…[Read more]

@ Berean,

Let’s look a little deeper in to John 17:5

“Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.” Does this mean Jesus was with God before creation or is Jesus stating God foreknew the outcome even before creation and was part of this greater “plan” for mankind? I’m thinking th…[Read more]

@ Jodi,

Thank you for the welcome. This has been an amazing and an eye opening journey. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do have a lot thoughts and even more questions. Looking forward to participating in the conversations here and possibly offering up some new thoughts in the process.

No one gave a concise answer to why John didn’t just say “Jesus” in the opening of the book, why use “word”. Do our biases add to confusion and make it more difficult to understand? I think the reason for no concise answer is we really don’t know why John wrote the beginning like he did – I do have a thought for later. I believe, as Gene does, tha…[Read more]

WOW!!!!

This debate concerning who the “word” is in John 1:1 has been going on for almost 20 years, almost 24,000 comments, and still no agreement of who or what the “word” is! We have this side pitted against that side, with both sides claiming they are correct. This is insane! It’s like we have traveled back in time to 325AD and are sitting at…[Read more]