All Comments (14)

ANGELA B:

Although the New Testament was written in Greek, its authors were predominantly Jews, who have a remarkable and unique way of using tenses, often in the present future sense.

It is necessary for a full understanding to take all scriptures into account, of which I mention a few.

Jesus was the first born from among the dead. He was resurrected, we're not.

Paul likened our natural bodies to seeds planted in the earth to spring forth in spiritual form following death. That is death and rebirth.

We have received the earnest of the expectation, a downpayment, as it were, of the life to come, but not here yet. If we have, indeed, received the Holy Spirit, we are as embryos, not babies and certainly not adults.

Peter said to make your calling and election sure. There's still work to be done before attaining to salvation.

Paul celebrated his victory over death only at the end of his life, having run the race successfully.

Jesus said it most plainly. "He that endures to the end shall be saved." If one is already born again, a new creature as he is, it is unnecessary to endure to the end, since one is once and forever immortal.

I might yield on the point, except that I witness so many persons, such as George W. Bush, who say they are born again yet believe in killing and war. These things are not of the Spirit of Christ; they are not the fruits of the Spirit clearly ennumerated in scripture. They are evil, and to suggest that the Holy Spirit is evil or commits evil is blasphemy, as Jesus himself averred.

Jesus never killed anyone, neither did he advocate killing anyone, nor did he sanction killing anyone. He had the power, even as he hung on the cross, to annihilate mankind, yet he laid down his life rather than kill, and commanded his disciples to follow his example. "Yet will I show you a more excellent way."

When persons calling themselves born again Christians stop killing and waging war, I might accept their claim.

Jesus did talk about being "born again" and that is true but where did He ever put a time constraint on it.

Some people talk about God but have never met God, the Trinity, and some underestimate God and for that matter want God to be the putrid piece of garbage that they think that He is.

God is a being of Pure Love and He has a Plan for ALL of His People, which happens to be ALL OF HUMANITY, to be with Him in His Kingdom.

I was taught that Jesus took ALL of the sins of all humanity upon Himself, was anyone else taught this?

It is immaterial if anyone believes this or not, it is either true or not.

Christianity is part of God's Plan and you can be a christian and not even know all the reasons for christianity, I will tell you this tho, it is not to set up a theocracy of earth.

One of the reasons for Judaism, God choosing and forming a people, was to make it safe enough for God to become one of us and live long enough to do what He came for by the obedience of people with a free will.

God is a searcher of hearts and minds, not of religious affiliations or lack thereof.

It does say in the bible that it is God's Will that All be saved and even tho there appears to be some that at the present time disagree with this, well they will have to take that up with God, it is His Plan, I am just a messenger.

Take care, be ready, see you all in the Kingdom.

Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

To Mr.John Stevens,

This is in response to your comments; If you remember the entire "New Testament" was when Jesus (God in the Flesh) was revealed. Prior to that, we were all condemned and separated from God and all stood on the same ground as sinners who could not even stand in the presence of God. In the "New Testament", Jesus speaks more about hell than even. Also, if we don't have to be born again, why did Jesus say it: John 3:5-8 5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[a] gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You[b] must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." Also, most of us who are considered born again, evangelical Christians live obedient to the Lord out of love and reverence for Him, and of course: Mark 8:36 - What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

I believe scripture says that all sins are deadly; Romans: 6:23; For the wages of sin is death (physical and spiritual death), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Also, I don't believe "authentic christians" and leaders that are really called by God live a life of human depravity and slaves to sin. Pride I believe, creates and allows us to make excuses for our sins and to keep walking in them. As we can see by so many false prophets/teachers/televangelists, they all have covetousness/greedy hearts. If the Ten Commandments are used properly not to gain heaven but to understand our sin/human depravity then we will not habitually sin, we will confess our sins and change/turn from them if we are really who we claim to be. The only sin that is unforgivable is blasheme against the holy spirit.

Ego is the Devil's playground. If you want an example, look at Cheney and Bush.

"Holy Cow, GARYD, have you been there?????" Excellent question, GABY (HAYES?).

I'm just curious as to whether or not GARYD believes, as so many fundamentalists do, that everyone is doomed to hell who isn't a "born-again Christian," whatever that is.

Hell is hardly mentioned in the Old Testament, and frequently in the New Testament it simply refers to the grave (sheol). However, there is a tremendous fascination with hell among fundamentalists, who seem more fearful of hell than fearless in faith.

Incidentally, Mr. Taylor, I commend you on your succinct answer. So many pastors drone on so sonorously without respite that hell itself might well be preferred to their sermons. And, it is all too true what you have said, as Janis Joplin sang, "Oh, Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz? My friends all drive Porches, I must make amends."

Senior Pastor Emeritus, Concord Baptist Church of Christ writes:

"Greed has corrupted our practice of Christian faith with the heresy that God exists to satisfy our lusts and gluttony."

Respectfully sir: to Christian outsiders this isn't exactly a REVELATION.

We were very poor. When I was young my father would send me to Christian Church on Sunday mornings with a nickle. When the plate came around I would swap it for a dollar bill. In this way we would all have lunch-money for a week. He often said we would live well if there were more Sunday mornings.

But, as you have pointed out, there is only one.

Considering that our planet is being damaged daily by factors at least in part due to overpopulation, it seems to me that a gargantuan sin is made by some heads of religions or by some leaders of certain ethnic groups to ban their followers from practicing birth control.

Didn't have to Gaby. It is what logic dictates. I cannot believe a just God having a one size fits all Hell in which the only punishment is a lot of heat more or less evenly distributed after all that which does not kill you out right you will eventually become used to.

Holy Cow, GARYD, have you been there?????

Pagan everyone sins. We literally can't help ourselves. It is as much genetic as learned I suspect. Hence almost all religions including a good many of the best of the pagan ones have historically talked about getting beyond the 'self'. We are all of us Christian and non Christian motivated by selfishness whether or not we have chosen to examine our motives which the over whelming majority of humanity does not wish to do.

The chief punishment of the Christian Hell isn't the fire in fact the fire is one last mercy from a loving God simply because it take your mind off far worse things. Not the least of which is the fact that in hell why me is never a rhetorical question. It always gets an answer at length and in great detail. That's what all the screaming in hell is about people trying to flee themselves...

I would caution you, GaryD, against taking that to mean that 'All non-Christians are selfishly motivated.' I know you're told that a lot.

Which is mostly how I hear it, these days, to be honest.

What Rev. Taylor here says, though, reminds me of the Catholicism of some of my respected recent ancestors, whose voices aren't much heard lately.

*wink* Welcome to the fray, Reverend. It gets pretty stupid, but it's America. :)

Sorry Reverend you're close but you just missed it. At the heart of every sin lies selfishness.

Rev. Taylor writes
“Greed has corrupted our practice of Christian faith with the heresy that God exists to satisfy our lusts and gluttony.”

That is shocking news for Christians Rev... They believe in God and accept Christ as His only begotten Son eagerly taking hold of His promise of salvation. The problem is some Christians just continue on in the (Taking) part. In their minds they exist - to afford God the opportunity to work for them. They rationalize such a mindset by attending church, studying the Word, steering clear of trouble, etc. In other words – God, you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours, and we’ll get along just fine.
Truth be known all Christians at times have wrestled with this kind of spiritual greediness, some remain settled in there quite comfortably.