Messages

1

Introduce Yourself / Re: Be Diligent

« on: June 06, 2021, 11:40:37 PM »

Hello,

This exchange of words is very interesting.  I am an acquaintance of Howard and am just observing to see if I would like to register for your site.

If I understand what you are saying, if you can get Howard to say the words or just answer your questions, then you will believe he is a Christian?  Please read I John Chapter 2:3-5.

If you have the training, please look at the translation of John 3:16 from the Received Text. "For so loved God the world, so as the Son of Him, the only begotten, he gave so that everyone believing INTO Him (note into), may not perish but have life everlasting. 

It appears you are not trying to understand what was written, and trying to discredit Him.  His article was never meant to discredit you or your ministry, but to start a discussion and bring up some issues.  Looking at your attitudes and demeaning replies such as labeling and taking his words out of context, it seems like you are resorting to bullying tactics.  Are pearls being casting before swine,  Matthew 7:6. I pray that this is not the case.  Please re-read your replies.  Did you really read the article objectively or did you just not understand it?  This discussion should have never resorted to personal attacks.

I am using Howard's login as I am not sure if would want to register on this site yet.

I do not wish to argue with you or Howard, but merely am reading the discussion to understand your opinions and point of views.

Daniel Lee
(Concerned seeker of the truth and looking for convincing evidence) 

2

Introduce Yourself / Re: Be Diligent

« on: June 06, 2021, 09:05:35 PM »

I did not attack anyone or any doctrine specifically.  It seems that this article is meaningful by your attitudes.  Are you spirit filled Christians or modern day Pharisees.  We are obviously wasting our time aren't we?  If you want respect, please first show respect.  You have my permission to remove the article, all postings, and to delete my account.

3

Introduce Yourself / Re: Be Diligent

« on: June 06, 2021, 07:56:12 PM »

Hello Timothy,

I did personally write this article.  I sounds like you are one of the say "The say the Magic Words people".  If you do not see salvation in my article, do you really understand what salvation according to the Bible is?  Maybe your doctrine is what I am addressing?  You do not seem to very Christian in your "Lord it over me answer".   The Bible does not allow us to merely accept an idea as real salvation.  It is very specific as that Yeshua must your Lord and Savior.

Howard.

4

Introduce Yourself / Be Diligent

« on: June 06, 2021, 05:51:21 PM »

Be Diligent
Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 6


Do not read this unless you have an open mind, as this may upset some people.

     God used Moses to form the nation of Israel, setting up the priesthood for worship and Elders at the gate for civil government.  Israel was under the Old Testment Law and God actively lead them.  In time, the priesthood became corrupt and God used Samuel as His prophet.  (A teacher of God's will)  The people asked for a King, rejecting God (I Samuel 8:6-8).
     Eventually they began to follow rabbis (Teachers) and made this a position in their religion.  God sent His Christ to them, but the Israelites and their rabbis rejected God's Christ. To this day, they will not accept the Christ and God's plan for them,  however (Romans 11:25-27) they will one day.
     Christ established His new testment church using the Twelve Apostles (one sent for a purpose).  The local church was to be set up much like a large family.  Over seen by Elders (I Peter 5:1-3) for examples of Godly living and teaching and giving counsel (Titus 2:1-7).  Believers were to treat each other with respect and care, and no one was to Lord it over anyone.  (III John 9)
     However over time, the church became corrupt, making many new overlord positions and ruling the believers.  A position of Pope (papa), Matthew 23:9 (call no one Father in the spiritual sense) was set up and he acted much like a king.  The Pope demanded total control over everything, the church, the government, and the people.   He was to be the word of God to the point that the any common man who was caught reading or owning a Bible was disrespecting his position and would be condemned and even put to death.
     Around 1600 AD, the reformed movement started.  The reformers questioned the Pope and the corruption in His church.  They were labeled heretics, hunted, and when caught, they were put to death.  The reformers hoped to fix the corrupt church, but ended up forming a new church movement.
     The reformers had problems like understanding salvation (Armeniansim vs Calvinism).  They demanded to be strong leaders (much like a king) and made up the position of pastor by changing the word Shepherd in Ephesians 4:11 to Pastor, much like the Israelites did with the Rabbi.  The Elders were to shepherd and teach the local believers (I Peter 5:1-3).  These pastors wanted power over the church, the government, and the people (including non believers), completely disobeying Romans 13:1-7.  Some even killed believers for baptizing new believers when they accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.  (The baptizers did not believer that infant baptism was biblical).
     About this time the printing press was invented and the reformers wanted to get their translations of the Bible out so that the common man could have and read a bible.  Many of these bible translations change words and verses during the translating.  Many of the reformers hated the Jewish people and change the Christ's given Hebrew name of Joshua to Jesus.  Look up when the word Jesus was first used.
     A new movement began based on baptizing new believers.  So today we still have the Pope and his chruch, the reformers church, and the Baptist and their church.
     Many of the Baptist churches still use the pastor (overlord) as a position in their church ignoring  I Peter 5:1-3 and the teaching in Titus chapter 1 and I Timothy chapter 3.  Some Baptist churches call young men with little or no experience, just coming out of a bible college to rule over their church and the true elders.  Many of the untested young men do not understand eternal life and use just John 3:16 instead of the whole word of God.  Does just understanding and believing as truth that Joshua died on the cross for man's sin get you eternal life?  The word to believe in John 3:16 (pisteuo) has the meaning of clinging to or adhering to. We are told to teach Matthew 28:19-20 and let God do His' work (Hebrews 5:9 and John 14:23).  Many do not teach how to worship God in Spirit (Acts 5:32) and Truth (II Peter 3:18).  We need to study the word of God and not church doctrine, to truely worship God (John 4:23-24).  Some teach we are to accept everyone into our fellowship. Please read verses such as Ephesians 5:5-7, III John 9-11.  We have fellowship with believers (Psalms 119:63) who fear God and keep His commandments, while we ourselves fear God and keep our Lord's commandments.  (I John 5:1-3)   Most of these pastors will not teach the consequence of refusing to obey the Lord (I John 2:3-4).  It seems that a big building (with its costly overhead) and a big crowd lead by a likeable salesman (with a large salary, running his church like a business needing a cash flow to operate), is the new model of a good church.  When a person goes to college; do they need to pay a professor to teach and rule over them the rest of their lives?  In the church, should not all the older qualified men be Elders?  (I Timothy 3:1-7)?  Is paying a man to be an overlord (Pastor) Biblical? (II Thessalonians 3:7-10)
     Hebrews 5:11-13 show people who are not learning, while II Timothy 2:2 shows good teaching.  The law and the Old Testament were giving to Israel and we can learn much about God and his plan from it, but we are not under the law (Romans 3:20) .  The New Testament tells of Christ and his commandments (I Corinthians 14:37), and how to live, worship, and relate to our Lord in Spirit and Truth.
     Fellow believers should care and help a new believer grow (II Peter 3:18) until he can stand with his own relationship with his Lord, and not have a pastor acting like a priest trying to stand between him and his Lord.
     I ask you to turn from the wrong man made doctrines in many of our churches.   Prepare to defend the Faith (I Peter 3:15), study and learn (and believe) the word of God for yourself (Matthew 23:10 and II Timothy 2:15), but also the warnings in Ephesians 5:5-6 and II Peter 3:16.


     Please read Titus.  This book shows how the church is to be conducted, how the believer should live, and God's part in salvation and sanctification (Titus 2:11-14)  Read Romans Chapter 13 then Ephesians Chapter 5.  If you understand what is being taught in these 2 chapters, you are on your way.

May God richly bless you,


An Old Christian

5

Introduce Yourself / Howard's Introduction

« on: June 06, 2021, 05:50:27 PM »

Hello,

I am an older Christian.  My secular college major was biochemistry.  My religious college training was Baptist.  I have worked with Institute of Creation Research.  I have worked with the Indian Bible College and in various prison ministries.  I have had to step in and lead churches when pastors have passed away and served in almost all parts of Christian ministry.  I have been lead to do my own research and have found some churches do not teach all the facts.  Therefore my teaching encourages believers to do their own reading and trust the Word of God when properly interpreted (2 Peter 3:16).