Assurance of salvation:

[amadeus]

The bible without the Spirit is nothing more than an interesting book.

"It is The Spirit that giveth life."

At least that, but you know of course that there are people who disagree with you. Some of them are on this forum.
But give God the glory in any case!

 

[verzanumi24]

I believe that you misunderstand what the verse is saying. It is saying to study NOT to obtain answers but to show ourselves approved unto God. To me that means to study out of obedience. I do study in order to be obedient. Understanding when and if it is received does not come from the study but from the Holy Ghost:

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

I was simply addressing the importance of diving into the Bible and studying the scriptures to get a deeper understanding of what is being said. By doing that, I have learned a lot more than I would have had I not done that.

For example: if I had not gone to the Hebrew, I wouldn't have learned that when God made man, it was spirit that He imparted into Adam. The tranalator made it seem as if God blew air into Adam instead. Another example: If I had not studied the scriptures by going to Hebrew, I wouldn't have learned that when the scripture say that God made man a little lower than the angels, that it was not angels it's talking about. It was refering to God, and it means a little while lower than God. Meaning that man was made a little lower than God for a little while. God's intention is to bring man to His level of existance.

 

[verzanumi24]

All of us who are His sheep hear Him. What we hear if what applies to us as the part of the Body of Christ that we are.


Are you asking me to teach you? The starting place is always in the "lowest room". Anyone who starts higher than that may find himself back at the beginning in any case:

"When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 14:8-11

To me this means come to God each time effectively with a clean slate: no preconceived notions allowed, no established doctrines set in concrete, etc. If anything we already had before was correct or good, God will certainly reinstate it in us, won't He? If He does not, then I would guess that it has no place in us.

That's not what I meant. It's a simple question that I had ask. I meant that if you see anything that I have said that is not Biblically sound, then show it to me.

 

[amadeus]

I was simply addressing the importance of diving into the Bible and studying the scriptures to get a deeper understanding of what is being said. By doing that, I have learned a lot more than I would have had I not done that.

Nothing wrong with "diving into the Bible". I do that also at times. But I also know that sometimes I have studied scripture with one goal or question in mind and did not get it, but sometimes I received the answer to another unrelated question. It may have been a question I had asked at another time or one I had never asked. The open and hungry heart does make a difference. Sometimes, on the other hand, God has given me the answer I sought when I sought it. It is a matter of God's time. Sometimes our time does coincide with His, but sometimes it does not. We should ask for His help in that as well.

For example: if I had not gone to the Hebrew, I wouldn't have learned that when God made man, it was spirit that He imparted into Adam. The tranalator made it seem as if God blew air into Adam instead. Another example: If I had not studied the scriptures by going to Hebrew, I wouldn't have learned that when the scripture say that God made man a little lower than the angels, that it was not angels it's talking about. It was refering to God, and it means a little while lower than God. Meaning that man was made a little lower than God for a little while. God's intention is to bring man to His level of existance.

No problem with using those other sources or resources so long as we are careful to stay close to God in our search. This means to be in Christ or to be in the Spirit. I read the scriptures daily as well as study them. I always pray between chapters and more frequently as moved to do so.

In my daily readings, I alternate between English [KJV], Spanish [Valera] and German [Luther]. Sometimes God uses the other languages to show me something and sometimes He does not.

Give God the glory!

 

[amadeus]

That's not what I meant. It's a simple question that I had ask. I meant that if you see anything that I have said that is not Biblically sound, then show it to me.

If I see anything that God leads me to respond to I will certainly do so. I really do not look for errors in others for the purpose of correcting them. I try to stay on God's highway of holiness wherever it leads. I have missed my way altogether too often.

What is wrong for me in a given situation may not be wrong for another even though the situations may appear identical to me. We must remember that God always has all of the facts. I doubt that we ever do, but I could be wrong.

 

[verzanumi24]

Nothing wrong with "diving into the Bible". I do that also at times. But I also know that sometimes I have studied scripture with one goal or question in mind and did not get it, but sometimes I received the answer to another unrelated question. It may have been a question I had asked at another time or one I had never asked. The open and hungry heart does make a difference. Sometimes, on the other hand, God has given me the answer I sought when I sought it. It is a matter of God's time. Sometimes our time does coincide with His, but sometimes it does not. We should ask for His help in that as well.



No problem with using those other sources or resources so long as we are careful to stay close to God in our search. This means to be in Christ or to be in the Spirit. I read the scriptures daily as well as study them. I always pray between chapters and more frequently as moved to do so.

In my daily readings, I alternate between English [KJV], Spanish [Valera] and German [Luther]. Sometimes God uses the other languages to show me something and sometimes He does not.

Give God the glory!

The source that I use is simple.....the Hebrew and the Greek. The indivduals that have translated the Bible into other languages are not always correct in what they transate. For example: The word Easter that is in Acts 12:4 in the KJV is not the correct tranalation. The Jews never kept Easter.....they kept pascha, which means Passover.

 

[amadeus]

The source that I use is simple.....the Hebrew and the Greek. The indivduals that have translated the Bible into other languages are not always correct in what they transate. For example: The word Easter that is in Acts 12:4 in the KJV is not the correct tranalation. The Jews never kept Easter.....they kept pascha, which means Passover.

I have no problem with that. I do understand the difference between Easter and Passover. I still use the KJV as my primary English Bible. It has always been my Bible from 1976 to date. If we are really led by the Holy Spirit, will the errors of men cause us real trouble?

 

[verzanumi24]

If I see anything that God leads me to respond to I will certainly do so. I really do not look for errors in others for the purpose of correcting them. I try to stay on God's highway of holiness wherever it leads. I have missed my way altogether too often.

What is wrong for me in a given situation may not be wrong for another even though the situations may appear identical to me. We must remember that God always has all of the facts. I doubt that we ever do, but I could be wrong.

What you say is why I make sure I do my own Bible studies. I don't leave it up to others to tell me what I should know, because they may choose not to do their responsibilty. And so, because of that, I would end up being ignorant. But Jesus expects those who have knowledge to teach those who lack.....He holds them responsible for what they don't do that they should have done.

John 21:15-17 (ASV)
15 So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Ezekiel 3:16-19 (ASV)
16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand.
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

When God put someone in a particular possition, He expect the person to do what He put them in that position to do. Not doing what the indivdual is put in the position they are in, will put that person in a undesierable situation, because God will hold that person accountable.

 

[verzanumi24]

I have no problem with that. I do understand the difference between Easter and Passover. I still use the KJV as my primary English Bible. It has always been my Bible from 1976 to date. If we are really led by the Holy Spirit, will the errors of men cause us real trouble?

If you believe the error it can cause problems.....a lack of right knowledge can destory you. One cannot hold God to words that He never said. So the truth is very important.

Hosea 4:6 (ASV)
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.

God rejects those who reject right knowledge.

 

[amadeus]

@verzanumi24
Thank you for your kind responses. Give God the glory!

We are accountable always to God for what we have done with what He has provided us. We are like those left with talents, one with 10, one with 5 and one with 1. Failure to properly use what we are given may mean a permanent loss for us. Now we are stewards, but if our stewardship is lacking, we will not only never become owners, but will also lose our stewardship:

"For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." Matt 13:12

 

[amadeus]

If you believe the error it can cause problems.....a lack of right knowledge can destory you. One cannot hold God to words that He never said. So the truth is very important.

Hosea 4:6 (ASV)
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.

God rejects those who reject right knowledge.

Have you said something different than I did? Ah, but you are looking at the written scriptures as the Word of God. I look at them as the dead carcass that needs to be resurrected in a person by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not make mistakes, but the Holy Spirit may be limited by a person who quenches rather than follows. Lot of places practice quenching the Holy Spirit and even teach people to quench the Holy Spirit. The danger comes when a person follows a man... even a supposedly good man in a supposedly good church... rather than following God.

 

[verzanumi24]

Have you said something different than I did? Ah, but you are looking at the written scriptures as the Word of God. I look at them as the dead carcass that needs to be resurrected in a person by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not make mistakes, but the Holy Spirit may be limited by a person who quenches rather than follows. Lot of places practice quenching the Holy Spirit and even teach people to quench the Holy Spirit. The danger comes when a person follows a man... even a supposedly good man in a supposedly good church... rather than following God.

I don't take the position that God's word is like dead carcass.

 

[Triumph1300]

This is what he said, Verzanumi.
You forgot the part he said about the Holy Spirit!
Don't be a deceiver by misquoting people.

I look at them as the dead carcass that needs to be resurrected in a person by the Holy Spirit.

 

[amadeus]

I don't take the position that God's word is like dead carcass.

It is why Jesus said this:
"... Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." John 6:53

His flesh alone hanging on the cross was dead but then the Holy Spirit resurrected that dead flesh. It was not red spilled blood from a body of flesh that gave Life, but the Holy Spirit which is the Blood of the Body of Christ, which we are:

"[God] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." II Cor 3:6

 

[amadeus]

This is what he said, Verzanumi.
You forgot the part he said about the Holy Spirit!
Don't be a deceiver by misquoting people.

Thanks for understanding my friend.
Give God the glory!

 

[verzanumi24]

It is why Jesus said this:
"... Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." John 6:53

His flesh alone hanging on the cross was dead but then the Holy Spirit resurrected that dead flesh. It was not red spilled blood from a body of flesh that gave Life, but the Holy Spirit which is the Blood of the Body of Christ, which we are:

"[God] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." II Cor 3:6

Jesus never said the scripture was like dead carcass.....it's life. To feed on Jesus means to study God's word. Jesus said the prophets testified of Him.

 

[Triumph1300]

To feed on Jesus means to study God's word.

Not without guidance of the Holy Spirit.
If you'r not guided by the Spirit you are just reading a book.

Jesus never said the scripture was like dead carcass.....it's life.

Neither did Amadeus.
Read his post.

 

[amadeus]

Jesus never said the scripture was like dead carcass.....it's life. To feed on Jesus means to study God's word. Jesus said the prophets testified of Him.

Yes, to feed on God's Word, but without the Holy Spirit the written words are dead. The Book is not filled with the Holy Ghost. People are filled with the Holy Ghost.

Jesus is Life! Books, even Bibles are also dead, but like Jesus dead on the cross they have potential which can be quickened by the Holy Ghost in a person.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

But the scripture is dead without the Holy Spirit. Why do you suppose an atheist who really is an atheist can read the scripture with the wrong spirit to use it against inexperienced and ignorant believers without being converted themselves? They don't have the Holy Ghost in them.

But even newly born in the Spirit person who stands against such an atheist in the Holy Spirit of God will not be defeated.

 

[verzanumi24]

@verzanumi24
Thank you for your kind responses. Give God the glory!

We are accountable always to God for what we have done with what He has provided us. We are like those left with talents, one with 10, one with 5 and one with 1. Failure to properly use what we are given may mean a permanent loss for us. Now we are stewards, but if our stewardship is lacking, we will not only never become owners, but will also lose our stewardship:

"For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." Matt 13:12

But how many in the churces take that seriously? How many are using their gifts towards making the world a better place? How many are even preaching the kingdom of God?

 

[amadeus]

But how many in the churces take that seriously? How many are using their gifts towards making the world a better place? How many are even preaching the kingdom of God?

Perhaps not many, but what can we do to change that? All we can do is our part, which is small enough, but did not Jesus take 5 loaves and two small fishes and multiply them to feed a multitude?

What is our part? That is where we need to be and where we need to work... in our part.