Friendly Bible Study - participants must agree to Nicene Creed.

[APAK]

Another contribution to Study - 3...

As Christ is the head of the Body of believers...Eph 1:19-23, we should then know in spirit we are the one and only Body when we invoke same Jesus, the Son of God, into our hearts.

Act 4:17-17 shows real demonstration of spirit power, that produces 'instant' physical miraculous healing by invoking the Son of God's name (his spirit, of his God) in the midst of those that accepted this power, and still afraid to use it themselves or to speak of it to others.

There was a lot of shaking going on in the LORD's house. Acts 4:29-31: Peter and John, in one accord and as one voice: To all his servants, in prayer, for the Father's sake, to use the name of Jesus in boldness, to heal and perform all types of miracles. And after this prayer, the place and the audience were so shaken and on fire in the LORD for his Son, as they instantly became filled up consumed by/with the Spirit of God to get out there and boldly preach and heal.

Part of my personal testimony for salvation went down in a similar fashion. When I was led to the Christ and his Father, after my work mate and I said a prayer together on my response to salvation and his word, I was suddenly shaken up and filled with the Spirit. I was POSSESSED in spirit, truly!

 

[GTW27]

Blessings in Christ Jesus Carl. I had really hoped this Bible Study would of caught on. What would have been nice is if we had some one in here that was rich that could afford to fly a group of us to a location and have a Bible Study all together and face to face. But I could only dream. Thank you for your time and effort in this Carl.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Blessings in Christ Jesus Carl. I had really hoped this Bible Study would of caught on. What would have been nice is if we had some one in here that was rich that could afford to fly a group of us to a location and have a Bible Study all together and face to face. But I could only dream. Thank you for your time and effort in this Carl.

We could all meet on Zoom or such if there was enough interest !!!!

 

[Rita]

Not sure what has happened to the group as not Many have responded to study 4 - or much else in the last few weeks. Xx
I do wonder if they lost the link or, like Apak , didn’t get any notifications

 

[Carl Emerson]

I am ready to launch Study 5 - it is hard to gauge how we are going with such little feedback...

 

[Rita]

I am ready to launch Study 5 - it is hard to gauge how we are going with such little feedback...

Yes it must be - I wonder whether it might be worth tagging everyone when you post the next study ( all those who initially were active in the discussion on study one.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Yes it must be - I wonder whether it might be worth tagging everyone when you post the next study ( all those who initially were active in the discussion on study one.

Yep... worth a try...

I am looking at the next topic being the Baptism in the Holy Spirit - I could get into Acts or one of Paul's letters.

Do you have a preference???

 

[Rita]

Not really, my conversion was never dramatic and unlike many cannot speak in tongues, many around me over the years question faith if that doesn’t happen ( If you couldnt Speak in tongues it meant you had not recieved the Holy Spirit ) To be honest if I had started to speak in tongues around my non Christian husband I think he would have had me committed !!

 

[Carl Emerson]

Not really, my conversion was never dramatic and unlike many cannot speak in tongues, many around me over the years question faith if that doesn’t happen ( If you couldnt Speak in tongues it meant you had not recieved the Holy Spirit ) To be honest if I had started to speak in tongues around my non Christian husband I think he would have had me committed !!

Is there a topic you would really like to get to grips with ?

 

[APAK]

OK study 4 is about the Character of God.

This is a critical issue because without a clear and balanced understanding of the Character of God, theologies become skewed.

Many folks struggle to marry the Compassion of Jesus with what seems like the unjustified judgements of God in the OT - this should not be so.

When understood correctly the so called 'negative aspects' of God's Character are actually for our good.

The destruction of Sodom for example teaches us about how deeply God cares about the poor when they are neglected by the wicked.

We will do this Study a little different to encourage more members to participate.

Instead of my giving you the verses - lets all dig into the Scripture and post verses that bring a balanced understanding of God's Character..

For background reading - I post this essay I wrote some years back on this topic.

Restoring Reverence for God.​

There is another issue that has contributed to a weak church today.
Our Father wants to express Himself to the world today through the family of God - in His fullness.
Social pressure has led to us presenting a palatable Gospel without the aspects of God’s nature that might offend.
We have failed to allow expression of many of His attributes and in doing so have made our God ‘PC’
To get a balanced picture of His character it is necessary to consider the whole of scripture and not just the New Testament.
Many believers have struggled to reconcile the Christ from the New with the God of Israel from the Old.
The aspects of God that have been conveniently ignored are in fact crucial to a strong Church. These could be called the ‘negative’ attributes of God, are not ‘nice’ and include the following…
Our God judges, is jealous, hates sin, is terrible, destroys, gets angry, consumes like a fire, takes vengeance and is intolerant.
Presenting a soft view of God has lead to having a generation of believers that have little comprehension or experience of the “fear” of God. There is a corresponding lack of wisdom among us, compounded by the modern trend towards young leadership in some Churches. By fear, I mean to honour and respect for a God who is Awesome and Holy. This is not to be confused with an unholy fear associated with sects and cults to control adherents.
This failure to represent of the fear of God to the Church has also meant that the Church’s voice in the world is muted.
How do we correct this lack of knowledge of such an important part of God’s character?
Three things come to mind.

Firstly, these aspects of God’s character are more often than not expressed through God’s prophets. You may ask - where are they? In many cases the structure and dynamic of our churches fails to make room for such a ministry. The one who is brave enough to say that we need to repent is often seen immediately as imbalanced ‘flakey’ or plainly deceived. In the early church there was a fellowship of prophets serving the family of God to bring His word. This is virtually unheard of today and would likely be viewed as a dangerous clique. This grouping of prophets in a district should be welcomed and serve to bring God’s Word to the Shepard’s in the area.

Secondly there has been a trend away from preaching and towards teaching. It is not surprising that preaching the Gospel has less appeal in the modern church as we are exhorted to go out and preach whereas most preachers stay in and preach. In staying in, they are all too often addressing a convinced audience. As in the early church, preaching should be done in public where the unsaved are. This is where the word of judgment has a significant place. Preaching with signs following in the market place results in radical conversions, which in turn challenge the church and stimulate renewal.

Thirdly our current generation seems to lack the personal close encounters with the Almighty that many of us remember, permanently changing our lives. I still recall a prayer time with students at Otago University in the 70’s when ‘God passed by…’ I was speechless for several hours. An encounter of that nature leaves one with a permanent deep respect and healthy fear of our Lord for a lifetime.
We sing about His awe, but if there was revelation knowledge of His holiness our gatherings would be more likely to command His respect and fear.

Scriptures on this important topic please...

Carl, if it weren't for @Rita ...Rita's prompt/email I got today, as her post, I would not have gotten to part 4. Why I do not get these notifications now is beyond me.

Ok, there's a bit to cover in part 4...on your 2nd point...

(Act 13:42) And as they went out, they pleaded that these words might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.
(Act 13:43) Now when the meeting of the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
(Act 13:44) And the next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.


In Acts 13:42-44, where the other nations begged to hear the words of the apostles the next Sabbath. This is an example pf preaching in the right place, then and for any time, and today. If Christ drives us to the marketplaces and byways of the world to reveal God's truth and his word, then it's always the right time and place to do this spiritual work.

I agree, with added emphasis, that teaching is the staple diet in the 'churches' today rather than a mix of both, teaching and preaching. It seems that teaching is a safer route to go at the pulpits today, or it is because these teachers lack the Spirit to drive them to emotional and passionate preaching?

 

[Rita]

Honestly Carl I am open to any subject you feel led to do, so please carry on with what you were going to do.
On your point Apak, don’t you find that now a days the emphasis has been for non believers to go to the church, rather than the church ( believers ) to go to the people.
Also I often found that events / meetings were planned by men and then prayed over to be successful, rather than being “ led ‘ first

 

[APAK]

Honestly Carl I am open to any subject you feel led to do, so please carry on with what you were going to do.
On your point Apak, don’t you find that now a days the emphasis has been for non believers to go to the church, rather than the church ( believers ) to go to the people.
Also I often found that events / meetings were planned by men and then prayed over to be successful, rather than being “ led ‘ first

Having not been to a 'regular' church building, or in attendance at a brick and mortar placed for years now, I can still see that more seekers are 'attending church' than the entrenched vintage ornaments in within them. The latter are usually there to socialize, catch up with friends and acquaintances and minister/pastor, and to hear the canned comfortable news about God. So when they leave the building they may feel that have achieved more positive godlike energy and blessings to last them for another week.

The place needs a shaking-up once in awhile, and more often than that...

Yes, the Spirit of God needs to drive these events first rather than just filling in a square for a meeting or event that fulfills the diocese's, parish's community church administration requirements.

'No Spirit left in this church' is the sign that should be plastered over many church billboards today. Like a 'going out of business' sign as most are anyway today.

 

[Rita]

I haven’t attended church for over ten years now, I left because I felt conflict of interest in how ‘ church was done ‘ their had been a church split because ‘ many didn’t want the Holy Spirit to be evident ‘ and I just started to question many things.

 

[APAK]

I haven’t attended church for over ten years now, I left because I felt conflict of interest in how ‘ church was done ‘ their had been a church split because ‘ many didn’t want the Holy Spirit to be evident ‘ and I just started to question many things.

Mine was a similar experience, about 35 years ago....never turned back. Since then it has been with various cell groups, family Bible studies and self-taught experiences led by the Spirit all the way.

You cannot but question the pastors and the community there....you have to...

I remember one of the last places I attended, my eyes were laser-focused on the pastor's eyes. We we about 7 or 8 pews back on the right side facing the front.

During and after the sermon part, I felt a sudden mental reaction coming from the pastor, as he gazed back at me as he spoke the bottom line or the apex of his message. As if he could read my mind and sensed that his words meant very little to me...that is was all wrote, not spirit-led. I never went back there again.

 

[Carl Emerson]

In all honesty . . . I've been lurking from time to time . . . I've thought your idea that we all be adherents to the Nicene Creed a good one, and, if that were so, I'd love to be involved, but it is not so, and so I'm not inclined.

Much love!

Hi Marks,

Yes the Nicene Creed is essential agreement and it eliminates a lot of contention.

The only other rule is to avoid debate on the trinity.

It seems there is a technical issue with folks getting alerts so I will pass this onto the Mods.

Nice to have you showing interest. :)

 

[Rita]

In all honesty . . . I've been lurking from time to time . . . I've thought your idea that we all be adherents to the Nicene Creed a good one, and, if that were so, I'd love to be involved, but it is not so, and so I'm not inclined.

Much love!

A bit confused as all of us doing the study are adherents aren’t we ?
This is a private group ……

 

[Carl Emerson]

I believe the posts are visible to all but participation is conditional on adhering to the Nicene Creed and not debating Trinity.

@Angelina understands how it was set up and can confirm.

FYI - I have just asked her about members not getting notifications.

 

[Rita]

I believe the posts are visible to all but participation is conditional on adhering to the Nicene Creed and not debating Trinity.

@Angelina understands how it was set up and can confirm.

FYI - I have just asked her about members not getting notifications.

Which forum is in it as when I click on to the Bible study forum I cannot see the group , also in order to find it I often have to use the link in my pm - That’s why I thought it was a private group. If it’s public then I wish I had known as I have shared more personal things here !

 

[APAK]

In all honesty . . . I've been lurking from time to time . . . I've thought your idea that we all be adherents to the Nicene Creed a good one, and, if that were so, I'd love to be involved, but it is not so, and so I'm not inclined.

Much love!

Is there a concern in these words of the 2nd century? @marks ...because it's not on of a few 3rd century modified, paganized and Trini-zed version?.

In all honesty marks, if your measure of true belief, in faith of Christ and his Father, reflected in your 'Christian' walk/life, stands firmly on mere human words, then I must question the truthfulness your confession for Christ and his Father.

The Original Apostles’ Creed is a Christian creed that is believed to have been written in the 2nd century AD. It is also known as the “Symbol of the Apostles” or the “Apostolic Creed”. The creed is a statement of faith that summarizes the core beliefs of Christianity....until later on..

Here is the original text of the Apostles’ Creed:

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost/Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost/Spirit, The holy catholic Church, The communion of saints, The forgiveness of sins, The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen.”

Why not come into the light and stop lurking about, and contribute some?

 

[Carl Emerson]

Yes @Rita - I apologise for the situation - I have no idea how some members seem to see us, and our own members miss out on notifications but @Angelina is looking into it. Maybe some have PM'ed me and shared the link to our 'private space' with others. Very sorry for your concern.