"Now to the MARRIED I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from HER HUSBAND. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to HER HUSBAND. And a husband is not to divorce HIS WIFE."
Almighty God calls the man "her husband" AFTER the divorce. There is no prohibition on getting married, as they can REMARRY THEIR SPOUSE. The prohibition is against marrying someone not their spouse, while the spouse lives. In the eyes of God, the divorced ARE STILL married. God didn't call the man in these verse "her ex-husband", rather, "her husband".
"A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord."1 Corinthians 7
"Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man." Romans 7
Genitive theou of God singular theon of Gods plural
Dative theo to or for God singular theis to or for Gods plural
Accusative theon God singular theous God
Vocative theos or thee God singular theoi Gods
John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God"
En arxe en o logos, kai o logos en pros ton theon, kai theos en o logo. (Literally, and God was the Word.)
As you can see from the above, the root word for God, "the", (th)eta (e)psilon, has two different endings in John 1:1, Theos, and Theon. The different endings account for their position in the sentence. This is not talking about 2 different people, nor two different Gods.
If I say, "The Lord saw Spot". "Lord" is the subject of the sentence.
If I say, "Spot saw the Lord". "Lord now gets a different ending in the Greek to show a different location in the sentence. It does not mean I'm talking about a different Lord.
If I say, "Spot saw the cat run after the Lord", I have another ending.
From Mare's "Mastering New Testament Greek" 1977, page 8-9
"Greek nouns used with the definite article, o, n, to (masculine, feminine and neuter) are called articular and are to be translated as "the....," e.g., "the man" or "the brother," etc.
----> *** Greek does not have an indefinite article like the English "a" or "an". When the Greek nouns do not have the definite article they are NORMALLY to be translated with the English indefinite article; e.g., "a man" or "an apple". HOWEVER, in the case of PROPER NOUNS, even when they are anarthrous (i.e., without the article) THEY ARE DEFINITE BY NATURE and can be translated with the English article "the"; e.g., kurios, the Lord; Theos, God, or The God." ***<----
This disproves the false notion that in John 1:1 that Theos is not the God. The omincron sigma ending simply denotes a different position in the sentence, and a difference voice for Theos as compared to the omicron nu voice for Theon. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (Theon) and God - (God need no definite article because of the above stated rule, but as a PROPER NOUN, definite, The God) (Theos) was the Word.
"En arxe en o logos, kai o logos en pros ton Theon, kai Theos en o logos" John 1:1
When you see Theos, God is the subject of the sentence. When you see Theon, God is the direct object of the sentence. You know this because of the ending.
(trust me, the letters look much different in Greek lettering and some have breathing marks and accents above them)
There is a two part message on submission and leadership by Dr. Voddie Baucham which carefully examines the origins of submission by breaking down the various texts. Which deal with them.
He explains some key words from the original languages which are often misunderstood which results in getting a wrong view of the texts and their instructions. He takes times to explain these key words and their uses in scripture. It takes about 45 minutes to listen to both parts if you skip the intros.
Nothing said by man will ever overrule what Almighty God has said in His holy word. God is crystal clear. But never, ever lose sight of this fact, this truth; that when God commands us to not do something, it is His love, grace, mercy, peace, and forbearance speaking for our protection and benefit. He is not cloistered away somewhere thinking about how He can spoil your fun. And when He sends His messengers to preach His truth, it is for our good and for our blessing.
"My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." JAMES 3:1
THE MYTH OF THE 3 PERMISSIONS
The first thing you must decide in your heart is, Does God lie? Will He tell you one thing in one place, and contradict what He says in the one place, by saying something opposing to it in another? Obviously, God does not lie, and every word He gives us, every command, is an expression of His love to protect us from harm we cannot fully see or understand. When He says you shall not _____________ (fill in the blank), it is because it is an unholy thing, it is harmful to the person who does it, harmful to those around the person who does it, and God in His love, is trying to protect everyone from that harm. God�s ten commandments are God's Ten Loving Blessings To Keep Us From Harm. The next thing we need to understand is that there are different target audiences in the various writings of scriptures. We need to make sure we know what constitutes the target audience, and the purpose(s) for God sending them the message He sent in the way He sent it.
What Is The Correct Way To Approach Interpretation of God's Word?
When it comes to interpretation of a verse or a passage, one must ALWAYS read the bible so that it never contradicts itself. We cannot interpret a verse or passage with multiple possible meanings so as to cause it to be in direct conflict with another which has only one possible meaning. LUKE 16:18 can only be read one way, without any exceptions. Where one verse (such as LUKE 16:18), or passage is clear and unambiguous, and another can be interpreted multiple ways, we MUST exclude any reading or interpretation of the verse or passage which causes it to be in conflict with other passages which can only be read one way. Any interpretation which causes the verses or passages to come in conflict is an illegitimate interpretation.
Also, we have to understand the culture of the target audience. Matthew was written to the Jews who had this special year long betrothal period, where the husband and his bride were considered married, but they did not consummate the marriage until the year had passed. This year long betrothal period must be taken into account when comparing statements about divorce and remarriage from Matthew with scripture directed at different cultures. To fail to note the differences in the cultures and their marriage rituals is fatal to a correct understanding of God's word and His intentions with regard to this particular subject matter. Mark was written to the Romans, who had no betrothal period. Luke was written to the Greeks, who also had no betrothal period. What is said in Matthew does not contradict what is said in Mark or Luke, nor does it modify either of them in any way. Any reading of the Matthew passages must be consistent with the reading of the crystal clear statements in Mark and Luke.
The verse in Luke 16 stands alone. Different topics are on both sides of this verse. It is not contradicted by any other verse in the bible, or God would have to contradict Himself, and be a liar. But we know that God does not lie. If there were exceptions available to the Greeks and God did not say them there, then God would be misleading people, and therefore God would be lying. However, there are no exceptions available there, once the marriage is consummated in the Roman and Greek cultures. If anyone divorces and marries another, they commit adultery, so says God to the Greeks and the Romans. If your spouse divorces you, and someone marries you, that person commits adultery, and therefore you commit adultery. By stating this truth under slightly different scenarios to the various people groups represented in the different gospels of the scripture, God covered all of the possible ways to express the relationships in a divorce and remarry.
LUKE 16:18
�Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery." (NO EXCEPTION) This is the most succinct statement on the issue of remarriage following divorce in all of scripture. This verse stands alone in the chapter. It is concise, and it is unambiguous. Whatever you read any place else in scripture must be read to be consistent with this no exceptions statement. There are no exceptions and no one, to the best of my knowledge, has ever come forward to challenge the validity of this stand alone verse. That is to say, I've never heard anyone suggest this verse is not part of the original text.
MARK 10:2-12
"The Pharisees came and asked Him, �Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?� testing Him. And He answered and said to them, �What did Moses command you?� They said, �Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.� And Jesus answered and said to them, �Because of the hardness of your heart (SIN) he wrote you this precept. BUT from the beginning of the creation, God �made them male and female.� �For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh�; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.�" (To paraphrase Jesus: NOT! You folks got it all wrong. Ain't what Dad said, (Who is Moses to overrule Father?) And ain�t what Dad intended either. So just stop it!) In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. So He said to them, �Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.�" (no exception) Let me throw some light on the disciples reaction from Matthew 19 which is not mentioned in Mark.
MATTHEW 19:10-12
�His disciples said to Him, �If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.� But He said to them, �All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother�s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven�s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.�� They FREAKED OUT, and said, whoa, if you can�t get a divorce, nobody get married cause you're locked in for life. And Jesus said, well, yeah, but very few will get it. Again, between the statements in two passages, Luke 16, and Mark 10; it says that whether you are the person who asked for the divorce, or the one against whom it was obtained, if anyone marries a divorced person, in either case, they commit adultery. Now, is Almighty God lying here in these two passages, or has He told the truth? Because if the exceptions you think there are, are there, but God has not disclosed them to the Greeks and the Romans, then He has misrepresented the whole truth to them, because He has willfully made it appear that there are no exceptions, (if what you say is true), and God is found to be a liar. What is said in Matthew 19 mirrors what is said in Mark 10, with the inclusion of the exception clause which was written to the Jews, because of their unique marriage rituals. I will address Matthew 19 further towards the end.
What does God require of the person who obtains a divorce?
1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11 NKJV
"Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife."
1. According to these two verses, 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11, does it matter why a woman departs from her husband? yes no
2. Does the command in these two verses, to remain alone or be reconciled, apply to men as well as women? yes no
3. Are there any exceptions to the command to stay unmarried or be reconciled contained WITHIN these two verses? yes no
4. If God expects the one who went after the divorce to stay alone or be reconciled, what does this mean for the person who is left by the one who departs?
4. (a) In these two verses, are the ones who are left, whose spouse departed from them, also supposed to look towards reconciliation or remain unmarried? yes no
5. Within these two verses alone, is there an absolute prohibition against the one who obtains the divorce from marrying another person while their husband/wife remains alive? yes no
6. Does God ever contradict Himself, by saying one thing in one place, and something contradictory somewhere else? yes no
7. Does the Holy Spirit lead people to contradict a command in the holy bible? yes no
7. (a) If someone is being lead to do something which violates a command of the holy scripture, are they being lead by the Holy Spirit; that is to say, is it the Holy Spirit who is leading them to violate that command? yes no
8. Does "the truth" set you free (JOHN 8:31), or is it just a tool of mean spirited people who want to spoil your fun?
9. Have you ever told someone they shouldn't do something wrong before they did it, because you knew from God's word that He didn't approve of such conduct? yes no
10. If yes, were you sinning or just being mean spirited just because you gave them a warning to obey God and His word? yes no
11. For those who have children, when you set boundaries, and tell them they can't do certain things; do you set those boundaries because you hate them and want to hurt them; because you love them and want to protect them from harm they do not fully understand, or for some other reason?
12. Has God changed His mind about the commands in these two verses because we live in a different culture? yes no
13. Is there any expiration date on the command to remain unmarried or reconcile with your spouse? yes no
14. How does ECCLESIASTES 5:1-7 inform your understanding of what God requires of someone who is intending to get married, as it relates to 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11?
"Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool�s voice is known by his many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed�Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But you fear God."
1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11 - "Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife." Even after a divorce, God still identifies the man as �HER HUSBAND�, which makes her still HIS WIFE.
EXODUS 20:17 �you shall not covet your neighbor�s wife (husband)�.
Can we agree that Almighty God has given a crystal clear, no way to read it any other way command that if you are the one who goes to court and gets a divorce, you are only allowed by God, two options?
Option A Stay unmarried.
Option B Reconcile/remarry your husband/wife.
And can we agree that this is not just a command for women, but it is also intended for men? Now logically, if God intends that the person who obtains a divorce should remain open and available to remarriage to their ex, doesn't it necessitate that the one put away also remain available for remarriage to the ex? Or is God going to say to one, hold yourself available for remarriage, but to the other say, you go run along and do whatever you want? Is that the nature of God, to give conflicting direction to people?
And where is there an exception to this statement in this passage? Where does it say that the person put away doesn't need to stay available for remarriage? Such a concept would have to be read that into the text, because it is not stated, and it is inconsistent with the main intent of the two verses, that there be reconciliation; preferably before a divorce, but if not, after the divorce. In case anyone has a problem with my use of the word command in the age of grace, New Testament era, allow me to share with you from 1 JOHN 2.
"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, �I know Him,� and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." If one reads the full chapter, and indeed, the whole of 1 John, it is without dispute that the New Testament confirms that new commands were given for the age of grace, and old commands were reiterated for us to follow.
God's Tolerance of Divorce is NOT the same thing as Permission to Marry Another. The 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11 command stands without exception, without an expiration date, and regardless of the reason for a divorce. See also LUKE 16:18, and MARK 10:1-12.
THE MYTH OF PERMISSION GIVEN TO MARRY SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE EX, BASED UPON THE 3 EXCEPTIONS
The issues in the various texts, are the marked distinction between fornication/sexual immorality and marital adultery; the relationship of the various parties, i.e. the one who obtained the divorce, the one against whom the divorce was obtained, or a third party; and the timing involved. This was the situation Joseph contemplated with regard to Mary. MATTHEW 1:18-21 They had been betrothed, and were considered husband and wife, but the consummation of the marriage had not occurred, and would not occur until, as it says in MATTHEW 1:24-25, after Jesus was born.
MATTHEW 1:24-25.
�Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.�
The Jews, and only the Jews, (with regard to the target audiences of the 3 gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke); had a betrothal period of 1 year, where the couple was considered married, but the marriage was not consummated. If the woman was found to have committed PORNEIA and the husband divorced her, he was not causing her to commit MOXITAI. If she had not committed PORNEIA and the husband divorced her, he would be causing her to commit MOXITAi because the divorce would have been illegitimate, and they would still be bound together in the eyes of God.
MYTH #1
MATTHEW 5:31-32 Because Moses commanded people to document the divorce. there is an exception available which allows you to remarry after divorce without committing adultery. WRONG!
�Furthermore it has been said,
�Whoever divorces his wife,
let him give her a certificate of divorce.�
�But I say to you that
whoever divorces his wife FOR ANY REASON EXCEPT sexual immorality PORNEIA
causes her to commit adultery MOXITAI;
AND
whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery MOXITAI."
Let�s restate the exception:
Whoever divorces his wife for PORNEIA - sexual immorality
does not causes her to commit MOXITAI - (marital) adultery;
In all other cases, or if he divorces her for any other reason, he does cause the adultery MOXITAI. The exception doesn�t mean it doesn�t happen, it just indicates whether or not the husband is the cause. The exception addresses the question of what the man causes, and under what circumstances. The exception is the lone reason he does not cause her to commit marital adultery MOXITAI. That is to say, for all other reasons, he causes the wife he puts away to commit adultery. The exception is when she already defiled herself, by committing PORNEIA. Then it is not on him, it is on her. That is the exception. It is a strong warning to the man to not casually put away their wife;, he has the grave responsibility of their wife's sin any time they cause their wife to sin. If he puts her away for any reason other than her sexual sin prior to the time of the consummation of their marriage, he will bear the blame. Nothing in this verse says that a person who is in a marriage which has been consummated can get a divorce, marry another person, and not commit adultery.
From: Blue Letter Bible blueletterbible.org Textus Receptus, Bible Gateway biblegateway.com 1894 Scrivener New Testament
But g1161 de
I g1473 ego
say g3004 lego
to you, g5213 hymin
That g3754 hoti
whoever g3739 hos
g302 an
divorces g630 apolyo
his g846 autos
wife, g1135 gyn�
for any reason g3056 logos
8except g3924 parektos
sexual immorality g4202 porneia sex before consummation of the marriage
causes g4160 poieo
her g846 auten
to commit adultery: g3429 moichao sex outside of marriage, after consummation of the marriage
and g2532 kai
whosoever g3739 hos
g1437 ean
marries g1060 gamese
her that is divorced g630 apolyen
commits adultery. g3429 moichao
MYTH #2
MATTHEW 19:9 teaches that a man can divorce his wife for marital adultery (and other reasons besides sexual immorality), marry another, and not commit adultery. WRONG!
�And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.�
Again, let�s restate it for clarity.
�And I say to you, Whoever divorces his wife, for any reason besides sexual immorality PORNEIA, and marries another, commits adultery MOXITAI.
However, if she had already committed sexual immorality PORNEIA, and he divorced her for that reason, he would not be guilty of committing adultery MOIXITAI if he married another,
AND, (something separate but also true follows)
whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery MOXITAI (NO EXCEPTION).�
Similar to Matthew 5 where the exception there addresses the question of what the man causes related to his wife, in the MATTHEW 19 passage, it is a question of what happens with regard to the man when the man who divorces his wife marries another. In the case where he divorces her without her being guilty of PORNEIA - (sexual immorality/fornication), prior to the consummation of the marriage, he commits adultery. But if she has committed sexual immorality/fornication PORNEIA, and NOT adultery MOXITAI, and she has been put away for that reason, he does not commit adultery MOXITAI if he marries another. The exception is whether or not the man commits marital adultery MOXITAI, and it is based upon whether or not she had committed PORNEIA, AND, whether or not he had put her away for that reason. If he divorces her for any other reason than her having committed PORNEIA and marries another, then he commits MOXITAI - marital adultery. Then his adultery MOXITAI is on him, and it is not on her. That is the exception from Matthew 19. Like Matthew 5, it is a strong warning to men to not casually put away their wife, for they are saddled with the responsibility of their own sin any time they divorce their wife for any reason other than PORNEIA. PORNEIA and MOXITAI are distinctly different words with very different implications and consequences for each action. This is not mere semantics. There is a very real difference, one compared to the other. If the man doesn�t like the way she looks, because she steals, because she set his hair on fire, or any other reason than her PORNEIA prior to the consummation of their marriage, he commits adultery when he divorces her and marries another. And do not lose sight of the fact that this passage also has to be read in such a way as to be in complete agreement with 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11, LUKE 16:18, and MARK 10:1-12.
MATTHEW 19:9 Textus Receptus, 1894 Scrivener New Testament
And g1161 de
I say g3004 lego
unto you, g5213 hymin
g3754 hoti
Whosoever g3739 hos
g302 an
shall put away g630 apolyo
his g846 autos
wife, g1135 gyn‘
except g1508 ei m‘
it be for g1909 epi
fornication, g4202 porneia
and g2532 kai
shall marry g1060 game
another, g243 allos
committeth adultery: g3429 moichao
10and g2532 kai
whoso marrieth g1060 gameo
her which g3588 ho
is put away g630 apolyo
doth commit adultery. g3429 moichao
MYTH #3
1 CORINTHIANS 7:15 - When it says God has called someone to peace in this verse, God is giving such individual permission to marry another after they have been put away by an unbelieving spouse, and they won't be committing adultery. WRONG!
"But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace."
Many people use this verse to justify teaching that people can marry another if their unbelieving spouse departs without committing adultery. What they fail to realize, is that later in the same chapter, if you keep reading, you see the subject matter change, and Paul describes what happens when you marry.
1 CORINTHIANS 7:25-28
"Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress�that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you."
So it is no longer the believer who was put away by he unbelieving spouse to whom Paul is speaking, but now Paul is talking to virgins, those who have never been married, and he cautions them. When one marries, they get trouble in the flesh. I have never heard of peace being equated to trouble in the flesh anywhere, in any context, outside of this twisted attempt of some to say that God calling a person to peace is a pass to marry a person other than the spouse from which you are divorced. If God was/is granting anyone peace, it didn't/doesn't include new trouble in the flesh. Such a reading of this text, that peace includes permission to marry without committing adultery, flies in the face of the entire body of scripture. The Lord says it is a grave thing to teach wrong doctrine, and I urge you to caution, for if you cause others to stumble because of your wrong teaching, the Lord will require it of you.
"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, RIGHTLY dividing the word of truth." - Almighty God
THE THREE TAKEAWAYS
1. Do not divorce. MATTHEW 19:6,8
2. If you do divorce, do not marry anyone other than your spouse, unless and until your spouse dies, or remarry your spouse. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:10-11,39 ROMANS 7:2
3. If you marry someone other than your spouse while they are alive, you commit adultery. LUKE 16:18 MARK 10:1-12, MATTHEW 5:32, 19:9
"But let your �Yes� be �Yes,� and your �No,� �No.� For whatever is more than these IS FROM the evil one."
"And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
"I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one."
"But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one."
How is it you have a problem with the term the Holy One of Israel and His apostles used for the father of lies, nor understand that lies come from him?
"I ... have been told I would have a better understanding of God's grace than someone who was beaten into believing." Were you shown this in scripture? What is the basis for believing this if it did not come from God's word? Experience? Do you believe one size fits all? I assure you it does not. "And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh." It is just as wrong to never hold up God's unchanging standards of holiness and to never require accountability, as it is to never show grace or mercy.
I will never all you to rob me of the grace God has given me to obey His commands, including the following:
"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
God has the exact same attributes in the exact proportion and arrangement in the New Testament as He did in the Old Testament. To point to certain attributes and to say He had them in one testament, and to point to others in the other testament, is to suggest some change in His character.
Of the 275 times the word "mercy" appears in scripture, 221 are in the Old Testament, and the vast majority are related directly to the character of God. The is not an attribute that God acquired in the New Testament. That is a lie of the devil. And in case you still don't understand, the evil one = the father of lies = the evil one = Satan = many other names. Asking why I call the devil the evil one is like asking why I call God Lord, or the Almighty, or the Ancient of Days, or the Lion of Judah. Speaking of lions....
And what of this nonsense about how many times I mentioned the name of God? I used 3 different names/titles of God, and one of them a number of times in the 2 posts of mine above.
I will continue my answer regarding the rest of your assertions as God wills. In the mean time, oppose the preaching of His holy word and the upholding of His holy standards at your own peril.
Do not take instruction from those who are unskilled in the Word.
Posted : 28 Aug, 2016 03:10 PM
"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, �If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.� 33 They answered Him, �We are Abraham�s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, �You will be made free�?� 34 Jesus answered them, �Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. 37 �I know that you are Abraham�s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.� 39 They answered and said to Him, �Abraham is our father.� Jesus said to them, �If you were Abraham�s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.� Then they said to Him, �We were not born of fornication; we have one Father�God.� 42 Jesus said to them, �If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God�s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.� Before Abraham Was, I AM 48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, �Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?� 49 Jesus answered, �I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.� 52 Then the Jews said to Him, �Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, �If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.� 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?� 54 Jesus answered, �If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, �I do not know Him,� I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.� 57 Then the Jews said to Him, �You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?�
58 Jesus said to them, �Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.� 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by."
Rather than answer point for point, and allow the text to speak for itself, and have an honest exchange, some of you draw many many off point scriptures into the discussion. You question me because I follow the example of Christ, defer to God the Father, and Jesus His Only Begotten Son; and I revere His holy word. Questioning experiences to determine if the word of God is true is not what mature Christians do. They do not refuse God's word because of the source. You ask endless questions, not to learn the truth, but to find some reason to find fault.
"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice."
How is it that you do not know Christians can sin if you are so wise? How is it you do not know salvation is eternal? How it is you say mature Christians lose their ability to minister because they have become mature in the Lord and skilled in the use of His holy word? How is it you think it okay to disobey the direct command in the scriptures to not rebuke an older man? How is it you don't know that you are commanded to judge open sin in the lives of people who associate with the church, and who claim to be Christians (1 Corinthians 5)? How come you think it is okay to add to the word of God? "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."
The meaning of life is to know God and Christ (John 17); the primary purpose is to love God (Mark 12). God says the mark of knowing Him is obeying His commandments (1 John 2); and the evidence of loving Him is feeding His sheep (John 21) You can't know God intimately if you don't know His holy word. You can't feed His sheep if you don't know His word. You can't know the value of the soul of a man if you don't know God's word. Daily feasting upon His holy word is critical to right thinking.
"Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
Do not follow those who are not SKILLED in the word. Anyone who rejects maturity in the word, saying it disqualifies you from ministering to God's people, is a liar, and should be rejected as an heretic. (Titus 3:10)
"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
I will not run down every vain rabbit trail. The teaching of God's word is clear. This is the unmistakable truth of the matter.
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit."
When you reject God's word, because you think you see some flaw in the messenger, God says you reject Him, not the messenger.
Do not take instruction from those who are unskilled in the Word.
Posted : 18 Aug, 2016 06:26 PM
"The Pharisees came and asked Him, �Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?� testing Him."
"Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.�"
"Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, �Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?�"
"Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven."
"And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 54 lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him."
"I have repeatedly asked you one simple question, and you continue to deflect and refuse to answer it." DavidsPsalms
Would Jesus dignify such a question with a response? Where did he learn to question like this? When will the question about washing my hands be asked? Where was he when Rand487 couldn't figure out that Christians sin and that salvation is eternal? Where was he when Zimneno was struggling with the issue of martyrdom? But he has made himself available to ignore the command, "But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned." Titus 3:9-11
"To kiss or not to kiss, that is the question." ADAM7777
"And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. 38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. 39 Then the Lord said to him, �Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. 42 �But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.� 45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, �Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.� 46 And He said, �Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore the wisdom of God also said, �I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,� 50 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. 52 �Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.� 53 And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 54 lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him."
No, this is NOT the question.
Also, he makes a huge assumption here; "When Eve answered satan in innocency, she spoke as told to her". Where is this said in scripture? I've studied the whole bible and do not recall such scripture to back his claim. He has only speculation. And, he tries to divert the conversation away from the clear point, which is absolutely echoed in other parts of scripture, that you shall not add to the word of God. This is affirmed in both the Old and New Testaments.
The real question is this, "Peter, do you love me?" When did Jesus ever keep asking anyone if they were committing a particular sin? Even with the woman at the well He never directly asked her if she was sinning. We know He repeatedly asked about their hearts, and their thought life. This is why you and these others are not to be followed. You have no clue where the heart of Jesus is focused. It isn't on the externals. Does that mean commands are not to be followed? No. But what pastor goes around with a checklist and asks people if they are committing a particular sin without any reason to ask other than to ask to see if it is something about which he can accuse the brethren?
The first time I preached was when my Cult evangelism professor set me up to speak following the presentation of a film at Homestead Air Force Base about Jim Jones and his twisted cult. I gave the message after the presentation of the film, and we had a q&a following. That was in 1979. Do you kiss people when you greet them is the kind of manipulative question Jim Jones would ask, and then it would get worse.
God willing I will post something on judging in the next week or two regarding the judging we are not to do, and the judging we are commanded to do. You might want to read 1 Corinthians in preparation, so you will understand the background, and are able to keep things in their proper context.
Do not take instruction from those who are unskilled in the Word.
Posted : 16 Aug, 2016 01:19 PM
Once again, rather than submitting yourself to God when corrected, you point to another person. You do not acknowledge the truth of the scriptures cited, but act as if your obedience to them is dependent upon the actions of another. It is not. I must decrease, Christ is the center of attention here. I have refused to make the story about me, because I am not the one on whom you should focus. "Looking unto Jesus". Stop looking at me, accept the commandments of God, and obey them in humility, not looking to others to divert attention away from your sin. Stop fishing for sin, asking randomly if people commit a particular sin, so that you may accuse them.
"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, �I know Him,� and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." 1 John 2
"He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Proverbs 29
Do not take instruction from those who are unskilled in the Word.
Posted : 16 Aug, 2016 12:04 PM
"Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, �Lord, who is the one who betrays You?� 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, �But Lord, what about this man?� 22 Jesus said to him, �If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.�"
Accept the instruction and rebuke of the Lord. Do not attempt to deflect by pointing your finger at another person. God will have none of that.
