To Brey: Long time my friend!!!

Actually, I wrote that to those Catholic friends of ours who will be celebrating their Lenten season. That is why I wrote:

"Calvary happened for a reason. Calvary has a logic. As the coming Lenten season approaches, may you  take time to ponder on Calvary. Why it happened? Why must it happen?"

By "you" here, I was here rerferring to our friends who will be celbrating it.  

I too believe personally that Christ never died on Easter. Personally, I dont use the word "Easter" myself when referring to Resurrection Sunday for it has pagan connotations.

The article was never written to set the correct date of the Lord Jesus' death. Whether they celebrate it on the right date or not was not my concern in this article. That is another issue altogether as far as the article is concerned.

If they wish to discuss as to when the Lord of glory died on the Cross........we can discuss it in another thread.

Thanks posting a link however for our guidance concerning the matter which you wrote about.

thanks.

Top Ten Signs You're a Foolish Atheist

originally posted by Danielle Kekoa on the DBC Women's Fellowship Website

10. You vigorously deny the existence of God, yet you frequently blame Him for all the "evils" in the world, all the natural disasters, and everything else under the sun that is wrong in modern society.

9. You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when creationists say that people were created in the image and likeness of God, but you have no problem with the evolutionist claim that we all evolved from slime by a cosmic accident.

8. You criticize fundamental Christians who believe the Bible, and say that it can't possibly be true because it's just a book written by mere men, yet you never question any of Darwin's writings or Richard Dawkins' books.

7. You can't seem to understand the primary differences between fundamental Muslims and fundamental Christians (hint: strap-on TNT. Plus - Muhammad says, “kill innocent people and yourself if you love me.” Jesus Christ said, “I’ll die for you because I love you”).

6. You say the Bible is full of fairytales and fables, yet you believe all life forms including plants, trees, insects, birds, fish, reptiles and mammals evolved from one species into another - As if evolution isn’t the biggest fairytale of them all.

5. You laugh at the Supernatural, even though scientists have calculated the odds of life forming by natural processes to be estimated less than 1 chance in 10 to the 40,ooo power – But you find nothing wrong with believing that billions of years full of random mutations would result in the impossible.

4. You accuse fundamental Christians of being intolerant, judgmental and hateful, while you foam at the mouth calling them freaking lunatics, ignorant, weak-minded, stupid fundies, and hateful bigots.

3. You ignore scientific concepts like cause and effect, and you don't realize that a closed system can be defined however the observer wants, so you throw out technological phrases to try to ignore the implications of thermodynamics by saying the laws of physics are not set in stone.

2. While all evidence, logic and reasoning point to a Creator and absolute truth, you prefer to hide behind relativism and a theory of evolution which does not, in fact, describe the creation of the universe at all, or why concepts of good and evil or morality exist.

1. Atheism fails to adequately explain the existence of eternal, unchanging truths, for it rejects the existence of an eternal unchanging mind. Atheism cannot offer man any eternal significance whatsoever. Temporary meaning in life is insufficient, for our accomplishments die with the death of the universe -- there is no ultimate purpose in a universe void of God.

1Jo 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. NKJV

The NKJV corrected the KJV translation:

1Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Sin is lawlessness. Even before the Law of Moses came sin was already in the world. Adam and Eve committed sin but they did not transgress the Law of Moses. They disobeyed God's command for them at that time and became a law to themselves.

Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The Kingdom is at hand because the King of the Kingdom already was present. They must change their attitude and recieve this King. The One who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Repentance is a change of attitude towards sin, God, self and the Savior whom God sent. No one can truly trust in the Savior if he has not truly changed his attitude about self. If he still thinks he can do something about his salvation, then he can never lean wholly in the Savior for it. If one has not truly changed his attitude about self, he has not truly changed his attitude about sin.

If one has truly changed his attitude about sin; hated it and ahbored it, then he will see how helpless and hopeless his condition is. Wretched man that I am who will deliever me from sin....i tried so hard not to sin but still it is within me...in my mind, in my heart though I already changed my attitude about it---someone must save me. I thank God for sending the Savior.

If one has not truly changed his attitude about sin, then that means he has not truly taken God seriously. Take God seriously, it will result a change of attitude towards sin. Take sin seriously and you will realize how helpless and hopeless you are. Seeing how hopeless and helpless you are, you will look away from yourself to the Savior for salvation from the penalty, power of sin.

Luke 13:3
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

God is concerned about the inward motions of our hearts not just our outward acts. When you get the heart, you get the man--all of him. Change truly from the inside or perish.

Acts 3:19
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Repentance like faith always has an object. Faith is included in repentance. No man is born in the world naturally having faith in the Savior. Naturally as sinful and fallen cretures we look and confide to others and anything except the Savior for salvation and forgiveness of sins. Repentance--a change of attitude towards the Savior must be preached for the forgiveness of all sins. For it is He alone that can take away our sins [1 John 3:5].

Even if we turn away from sins now and hereafter...our acts can never blot away our sins in the past. Only the blood of Christ can do that. Trust in Him for forgiveness of sins:

Ac 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth [faith] in him shall receive remission of sins.

The Lord Jesus was not amiss or forgot repentance when He told Nicodemus: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes [puts their faith in Him] will have eternal life.

Nicodemus change your attitude about Me, Yes I am a teacher come from God but more than that I am the Savior of the world. You must trust in me and you will have eternal life.

Repentance is the attitude. Conversion is the event; the result of repentace--the change of attitude. You wont be truly converted if you dont truly change from within.

What is repentance?

Some say that repentance is turning away from sin. But this is only the fruit of repentance. Repentance is the root, turning away from sin is the fruit; the result of it:

Mt 3:8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, (NKJV)

To make it clearer...another translation might help:

Mt. 3:8 Let your change of heart be seen in your works

Note: Instead of "heart", it should be attitude.

Repentance literally means a change of mind; essentially a change of attitude. In the verse above, repentance is the change of heart. Let your change of heart [repentance] be seen in your works [acts like turning away from sin etc.]

Again repentance is the change of attitude; turning from sin is the result of it. One can do acts of repentance and yet not have a repentant attitude inside. But when one changes his attitude about sin, the spontaneous result of it is that the repentnat sinner turns away from sin.

Repentance is a change of attitude towards sin, God , self and Christ. When you change your attitude towards God, you will naturally [as an outgrowth] change your behavior towards God; you will revere Him. When you change your attitude towards sin; spontaneously you will change you behaviour towards it; you will leave sin. When you change your attitude towards self, it will result in not relying in the works of self for salvation; you will accept Christ as Savior. You will trust in Him alone for salvation and not in yourself and what you do but in Him alone and what He did on the cross.

"Repentance leading to salvation" is not being saved through works for repentance is a change of attitude towards sin, God, self, and Christ. Saving Faith is an attitude of the will towards Christ. Repentance is never complete when it has not reached the point of trusting Christ alone for salvation. [....repentance leading to salvation......]

Can one savingly trust in Christ without having changed his attitude towards God, sin and self? No. When one says: "Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" [Acts 16:31], implied in the directive is to change your attitude about yourself. You thought before that you can save yourself, but you can't. Your only hope is Christ. Trust in Him.

Implied in the directive to "trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" is the idea of changing one's attitude about sin. You are a sinner and you need salvation. Seeing the need of salvation implies that the genuinely repentant sinner sees the detestableness of sin. He sees the danger of sin and therefore seeks salvation. Christ died because of sin. He terribly suffered because of it. How can I relish and live in it? Changing one's attitude towards sin implies changing one's attitude towards God; He is to be honored.

When one has savingly trusted in Christ, He has already repented; he has already changed his attitude about God, sin, self and Christ. No one can have faith in Christ unless he has repented [changed his attitude towards Christ]. Faith is the chnge of attitude towards Christ. I did not trust in Him before for salvation; I trusted in myself. But now I changed my attitude towards Him; I trust Him now for salvation.

This change of attitude towards Christ came only when I realized that I could not save myself; I am a helpless and hopeless sinner. This change of attitude towards Christ came only when I realized that sin is a serious problem in my life and that it is a detestable thing to God. I abhor it now. I do not abhor and leave it because i want to escape hell and want to go to heaven. No, not that. I have completely changed my attitude towards sin that even without Hell or Heaven I will leave sin because it is a detestable thing before God. I did not abhor and leave sin because i want to save myself. You see, i saw myself a helpless and hopeless sinner, I could not save myself I finally realized. My only hope is the Savior and I will trust in Him.

Question: Do we need to continually repent all throughout our lives? Absolutely Yes. As long as we are sinners we are to repent. Our attitude towards God must always be that of revering Him; our attitude towards self must always be that of "we are helpless sinners and we cannot saved ourselves"; our attitude towards sin must always be that of hating it; our attitude towards Christ is that of: "He alone is the Savior and I will continue to trust in Him".

The book of John was primarily written as an evangelistic piece:

Joh 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

But why is it that in the book of John we can never find the word "repentance" or "repent" in it... not even once? Does that mean that repentance is unecessary? Did the apostle John forget about repentance?

No, the book was writen that you may believe [savingly trust] in the Lord Jesus Christ and believing [trusting] in Him we may have life in His name. Believing or trusting in Christ you see is a result of one having changed one's attitude towards God, sin and self. One who has already trusted in Christ implies that he has already changed his attitude towards God, sin and self. No one can ever trust in Christ without having changed his attitude towards God, self and sin.

The words: "Sin no more" in John come only after the words: "Neither do i condemn you" and "See you have been made well." [apparently his wellness goes beyond the physical realm; he was also saved from the spiritual malady of sin. It is not surprising that the Lord Jesus as the promised Messiah of Israel when He heals the children of Israel He heals completely [physical and spiritual] where ever He sees people exercising faith in Him [see Mark 2:4-10].

After one has already been saved, after one has heard the verdict: "Neither do I condemn you" and "See you have been made well" our attitude towards sin will always be that: "I will sin no more"

Hello there my friend Brey........yes its been a long time.

Yes about repentance I will post it in another thread.........

Saving Faith: What is it?

The word ”believe” in the Bible when it comes to believing in the Gospel actually means to trust, to rely. This is not just a mental assent to facts. This involves the mind and the will. This is commitment of one’s salvation to what Christ has done in Calvary. Faith is taking God at His Word. God says: “Christ Jesus died for our sins and resurrected again for our salvation”. Saving Faith is just being completely satisfied with that, being completely satisfied with what Christ has done for us on the cross for our salvation.

The Elements of true saving faith:

a) Knowledge of the facts about Christ's saving work on the cross. How can you trust in Christ if you haven’t heard of what He has done for you?

b) Assent to the truth presented. This is acknowledgement of the facts about Christ’s saving work on the cross. How can you trust in Christ if you don’t agree and concede to the fact that Christ died on the cross for our sins and resurrected again?

c) Reliance and trust to the facts known and assented. This is resting and depending completely in what Christ has done for you.

You have knowledge about the fact that there is a place in America called New York City. You assented and acknowledged the veracity of its existence but it is understandable that you dont trust and rely in New York City. I mean what would you trust New York City for right? The place doesn't even know you. It is lifeless, mindless, listless and indifferent.

But it is altogether different with the Savior. You knew about the Savior probably for gazillion of years now. Probably you are one who acknowledges and concedes to the fact of His death and resurrection on the Cross of Calvary. Question is: "Have you relied on Him and His work on the cross for salvation? Have you trusted in Him alone for the forgiveness of all your sins?"

One time in the town of Rock City, torrents of fire poured out from heaven. People here and there were burned to ashes. In the midst of that city there stands a huge Rock standing strong and mighty like Gibraltar. You knew that the Rock would keep you safe.....you believe that it could withstand the onslaught and the downpour of fire from heaven. But here you are with your umbrella on, just standing there doing nothing.

Within seconds you were turned into a heap of ashes. You knew about the Rock. You acknowledged and assented to the truth that the Rock could keep you safe. But you did not trust in it. If you did..you would have had thrown away your umbrella and hid safe under the mighty Rock.

Have you trusted in Chirst and His work alone in the cross for your salvation?

How do we know if we have true saving faith?

Faith is only true or false depending on the object your faith is anchored on. Some speak of faith as if faith is the Savior. Faith is just the spiritual hand that accepts the free salvation of Christ which He wrought in Calvary. Faith is not the Savior. Even if you have the strongest faith in the world, but if it is not anchored on the Savior, it saves you not. Even if you have the most stable and the most firm faith in the world but if the Savior did not die on the cross for our sins, no salvation avails us.

How do we know if we have true saving faith? If my faith is in the right object who is Christ the Savior, then my faith is true. If my faith is anchored on my good works, my own character, my own religiosity then that kind of faith is false, no matter how strong it is.

Asked yourself: When I prayed the sinner’s prayer did I trust in the prayer I made to Christ for salvation or did I trust the Savior through that prayer?

Why is it only through faith are sinners saved? Why not faith plus good works? Why not faith and good character?

The answer to this question depends upon the nature of the saving work of Christ on the cross. The reason why salvation is by faith alone is because of the perfect saving work of Christ on the cross. Christ's work on the cross was eternally complete and perfect. And that work was for you and me. Since, it is eternally complete and perfect, the only logical thing helpless sinners can do is to rely on it, have faith on it. You see, we don’t add to anything to that which is already complete and perfect, we remain satisfied with it in simple faith. As one man said concerning the work of Christ: "We don't improve on perfection."

Question: If God the Father was perfectly and eternally satisfied with the work of God the Son on the cross for our salvation, why can’t we be satisfied with it by simply relying on it? The work was done, the work was complete, the work was perfect and eternal, the work satisfied God completely, perfectly and eternally so that the only thing that remains for a helpless sinner to do is to have faith in it, depend upon it for salvation, appropriate it by faith.

If it sounds so simple, then you got it!!!!! It’s simple because it was not you who died on the cross for your sins. It was done on the ground of pure grace and mercy by God to sinners like you and me who cannot do absolutely anything to save ourselves. Praise God who is soo good, merciful and gracious!!!!!!

What is the difference between saving faith and positive thinking?

Faith always has an object [which is God’s reliable Word] to latch on]. While positive thinking has nothing stable and solid to stand on than cobweb presumptions, suppositions and personal ideas. Faith is standing on the Rock [the Word of God] while positive thinking is walking on cobwebs of our own making.

True, there is positive thinking in faith so long as the Word of God allows you to. But not all positive thinking is the result of faith.

Supposing you enroll in a positive thinking class, you haven’t heard about the Savior because you don’t read the Bible in the first place. You don’t know the truth that “Christ died for our sins and resurrected again for our salvation.”

However, you believe that there is a place called Hell and a place called Heaven in the after life. You want to go to heaven and so you inquired your guru about it. And your guru tells you: “Ah, you want to go to Heaven?!!?, okay, its quite simple actually. What you need to do is to always think that after you die you will go to heaven. Do not entertain doubts that you will be in Hell when you die. Do it everyday of your life and your on your way to Heaven.”

Question: If you take the advice of that guru, do you think you will go to heaven when you die?

If your answer is “NO”. Then the next question would be: “But you really, really believed that you will go to heaven? After 40 years of thinking that you will go to heaven when you die, you have made yourself believe that you will go there, why won’t you go to heaven?”

The answer: Because you did not trust or have faith in the saving work of the Savior. You placed your faith in positive thinking not in the Savior and what He did on the cross for you.

No one gets saved by saying to himself every single day of his life: “I am saved…….I am saved……….I am saved…….. I am saved……I am saved.” You get saved by placing your faith [or trust] in what Christ already did for you. About the work of salvation, the Savior said: “It is finished”

When I say: “I am saved…….I am not saying that out of the cobweb of my own presumptuous ideas, I am saying that because the Word of God says: “who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” Ro 4:25

The Word of God says that because of the death and resurrection of Christ for my sins I am justified or saved, placing my faith on that Word, then I can positively think: “I am saved.”

Positive Thinking killed Johnny

3 A.M, Wednesday. A fire broke out in the neighborhood. Johnny’s neighborhood block was ablaze in a great conflagration, a great fire was ravaging the houses and in a minutes time his house would soon be in ablaze as the others. Johnny’s brother bellowed to him to get out of the house and scamper out of harm’s way. Johnny refused to heed his brother’s warnings because he believed that God would spare their house from the raging fire. And so, even though fearful for his life, Johnny stayed in the house. In no time, the fire burned up the house and destroyed it completely. That was the last time Johnny’s brother saw him alive.

Why? What went wrong? Did Johnny not ‘believe’ and had ‘faith’ that God would spare him. Actually, what went wrong was that Johnny presumed that God would spare him from the conflagration. It was not faith it was positive thinking. He had no word [promise] from God that God would spare him from the fire. In fact, what Johnny did was sinful. He was tempting God [he had no Word from God that God would spare him]. He should have moved out of harms way and have faith that whatever happens everything is under God’s sovereign control and that God would take care of their needs etc. since God promised in the Bible that in everything: “I will never leave you nor forsake you”.

But God never promised us [Church Age people] in the Bible that our houses would never be burned, or that we will never be injured or that our health would always be intact etc. To expect such things without the solid basis of God’s Word is presumption. However, I can look all things that happen to me this way: “Whatever God allows to happen in my life, I know that this will be for my good, that this will conform me to the image of Christ because God said so [Romans 8:28-29].”

What is the opposite of faith? If you have doubts does that mean that you don’t have faith? Is doubt the opposite of faith?

The opposite of faith is not doubt. The opposite of faith is unbelief. You can have doubts and still have faith……read below you can see faith and doubt is found in one person at the same time:

Mt 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

You can even have unbelief and still have faith!!!!!!!

Mr 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

[See also Mat. 17:20, the apostles of the Lord Jesus had some moments of unbelief] This is possible because a saved man has two natures: a) sinful and b) divine.

I dont think there was a "time" for the day.

God showed Moses how he created the earth. It must have been shown in parts else Moses might still be looking at it today.

Somewhat a movie where they fade to black and out to show the different things that happened over a course of a day. Maybe that's why he calls it evening and day.. hehehe

Each day, in my opinion was a purpose.



"My fathers still works till now, and I also work"

Here is my two cents worth:

The evangelical and dispensational scholars of the Bible have reached a consensus that the word "day" in Genesis refers to a 24 hour period.

If we let the Bible interpret itself, all speculations will be laid aside:

The word "day" in Genesis in Hebrew was also used in Exodus 20. And there in Exodus the word "day" means a literal 24-hour day.

Ex 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

About:

Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

God has always been a worker. God created the universe in six days. And there after rested or ceased from His work of Creation. After that He began the work of Sustaining His creation.

When man fell, God then began His redemptive work. Soveriegnly controlling Providence for the Son to come into the world. Now He is still working preserving His redeemed, convicting sinners, saving sinners, sustaining His creation, controlling Providence, doing good to all [evil and good alike].

He is working. A new creation is coming: a new earth, a new heaven where righteousness dwells forever. For one to be a part of that, one must first be a new creature in Christ.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The word "new" actually means to renew. And that entails work.

I realized that in my Christian life now, GAZING upon [or beholding as the Bible termed it] Christ is not only essential but everything in my walk with and IN the Lord.

Christ is my position with God. God views everything that happened to Christ as having happened to me. If Christ was crucified then I am also crucified, if Christ was buried then i am also buried, if Christ resurrected then i am also resurrected, if Christ was taken up to heaven and was seated in the heavenly places with God then God also views me as having undergone all these positionally.

When i look at myself, i do not see myself as having died, buried, resurrected and seated in the heavenly places. But my position is Christ not myself. When i turn away from myself and gaze upon Christ, the Bible tells me that IN Christ I have undergone all of those things............IN Christ.

As long as a man is alive IN Adam, sin always has power over him. That is a Bible doctrine. But I have died WITH Christ. And therefore sin has no power over me:

Ro 6:7 For he who has died [with Christ] has been freed from sin.

Are you one who has trusted in Christ? if yes, then live out this truth in your daily life. Always be gazing upon this truth in faith. Do not give in to what you feel, but let the Word control you. You died with Christ and therefore freed from sin and so therefore live like it even if you dont feel like it. Faith is not a feeling. It is taking God at His Word.

If light appeared when He said: "Let there be light". If everything appeared by the Word of His mouth, then if God has said: "You died with Christ" [which He did indeed said in the Bible], then let the man that died with Christ and resurrected with HIm and therefore freed from sin, appear.

Everything should be according to what He has said. If you resurrected with Christ then seek those things which are above in Christ. What are the things that are above in Christ with God? Is there sin there? NO. Is there unholiness there? NO Is there unrighteousness there? NO.

Col 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Col 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Col 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Col 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Col 3:5 Therefore [ as a word of application since all of the above are true to us IN Christ] put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

If you have been seated in the heavenly places IN Christ [Eph. 2:6], then seek to live a heavenly life here on earth. The Lord Jesus [our position] when He was on earth was always the Heavenly One while He was here on earth. Notice the "IS" in the verse below:

[Now remember that He uttered these words while He was already here on earth] Joh 3:13 "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

He was here on earth physically but He was also in heaven positionally.

If I am IN Christ then i am also with the Father in intimate closeness as anyone can be IN Christ. Way back in the Old Testament dispensation, no one can enter the Holy of Holies except the High Priest, and that once a year ony.

But now IN Christ i am with the Father. I am in His presence while I am here on earth now. I am in His special presence as the Son. Not in the sense of His omnipresence which makes Him present before everybody, but in His special redemptive presence where only those IN Christ can avail themselves of.

Everybody is before God in His ominipresence but not every one is in His special redemptive presence. Only those who are IN Christ are of the latter. If you are of such presence Christian, what should our manner of life be before Him IN Christ?

This truth gripped and struck my soul that I was awed of its reality. This ought to make me walk carefully before God. I am in His presence and sin in my life is not fit with the special and divine presence I am in. How could i bring the stench of sin in His special presence? How could I bring in dirt and garbage before Him?

Christian live out what you are IN Christ. Always gaze upon these truths in faith.

Here is a short story sent to me by a friend via email. It is my prayer that God would use this to edify fellow believers in Christ. It was sent to me by GirlNextDoor. God bless her.

THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS

A true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona
Submitted by: Aaron Cardenas 9 September 2,000

Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens. Well, here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, She looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.

She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me." Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it.

Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will."

to be fair, Icemoon is correct,

The Temple sacrifice (sin offerings), is able to take away sins, the only 'weakness' is that this is temporal, in that it have to be repeated on a yearly basis. The reason I think is that bulls and goats are temporal.

The Old Testament word for "atone" with regards to the blood of animale sacrifices means to "COVER" not "TAKE AWAY".

It does not take away sins. It covers sins on credit for the future sacrifice of Christ but it does not take away sins. The Lamb of God when He came takes it away.

Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Heb 10:11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

This way God is able to "wink" at sins done in the previous ages. However when Christ came to sacrifice Himself, He took all of it away. The sin question was settled at the cross.

The term first resurrection is not an isolated event. It is a series of resurrection which Christ's resurrection is the firstfruit. Strictly, it was Christ's resurrection that was first from the dead.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

1Co 15:23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.

The Second Coming of the Lord like the first is a period of time not an isolated event. He spent 33 years here on earth in the First Advent. The same way with His Second Coming. First it will be marked off the Rapture of the Church before the Tribulation, then at His Manifestation to Israel after the Tribulation, the resurrection of the just will take place:

Da 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Without REvelation 20 we would think that the two resuctions here will take place at the same time. But further revelation tells us that these will be separated by a period of 1000 years.

Re 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Re 20:5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection

Re 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

After the one thousand years however, the second resurrection will take place. The resurrection to everlasting contempt mentioned in Daniel:

Re 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

Re 20:13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

Note: "REsurrection of the just" is a techinical term that refers to the believer's bodies being transformed and glorified.

Previous 'resurrections' [Lazarus etc] did not have this characteristic. Though he will experience THE RESURRECTION in the future with a glorified body that death will not take anymore.

Distinguish between resurrection temporal, resurrection to everlasting shame and contempt and resurrection glorious when reading the Bible.

Originally posted by Devils_advocate:
[b]This question is for Christians who believe in the pre-tribulational rapture only. The rest need not answer. Thank you for your cooperation. It is much appreciated.

Yes, the question is can a Christian who keeps sinning but try to repent but too in bondage go up in the pre-tribulational rapture? I also ask this for backslidden Christians and lukewarm Christians. Can they go up in the rapture before the tribulation? Even if he/she is sinning at the moment of the rapture?

Next, what is the qualification for the rapture? Salvation by grace or good works before a holy God, ie. keep as holy as poss.? Will there be Christians left behind or will all irregardless of condition go up in the rapture?

Thanks for all your answers.[/b]

1) There is a new position that has emerged regarding the Rapture. The Partial Rapture view. I personally believe that this is wrong.

The verses below does not refer to partial Rapture:

Lu 17:34 "I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.

Lu 17:35 "Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.

Lu 17:36 "Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left."

Lu 17:37 And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?" So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

NOtice verse 37, that when they asked the Lord "Where?" the Lord did not say to my Father's house but Rather "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

Not all of Israel in the Great Tribulation will enter the Melinial Kingdom, they do not enter because of unbelief. Only those who are born from above will enter it. The Lord will punish them at His coming since they will have allied themselves to the Antichrist and oppress the believing remnant of Israel in the GReat Tribulation together with the men who who will attack Israel at the Armageddon:

Re 19:17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,

Re 19:18 "that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.

So our question is: What does the Lord mean in these verses that one WILL BE TAKEN?

Lu 17:34 "I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.

Lu 17:35 "Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.

The best commentary of the Bible is the Bible itself. In a parallel acount in Matthew we are told that 'taken' there just means death just like in the days of Noah when the Flood set in and the unbelieving taken:

Mt 24:38 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

Mt 24:39 "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Mt 24:40 "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

Mt 24:41 "Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

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2) all our sins have been covered positionally by the blood of Christ. God knew in advance how many and what sins we will be committing from birth to death and He has atoned for it on the cross of Christ.

The Rapture is a clear doctrine of the Bible. Rapture just means 'caught up'
Paul was not wrong when he wrote:

1Th 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

The question however that is in question is when will that take place? Is it before Revalations 6-19, in the middle or after it.

1) If one can clearly see the distinction between Israel and the Church, he will clearly see that the Great Tribulation is for Jacob [israel] not for the Church, that the 'caught up' doctrine Paul is predicting in the verse above is before the Tribulation.

2) if one can rightly divide the Word of Truth that the Rapture doctrine was revealed to the Church [though it has a type in the Old Testament] not to Israel, that the caught up doctrine is a mystery, then it is easy to see that the caughting up will be before the Tribulation.

Originally posted by Pope Nicholas:

Has the New Convenant replaced the Old Convenant, making the latter null and void?

Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

Heb 8:8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah--

Heb 8:9 "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD.

Heb 8:10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people

Heb 8:13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Those verses above will be fulfilled when Christ return