Join For His Glory for a discussion on how
https://christianforums.net/threads/a-vessel-of-honor.110278/
https://christianforums.net/threads/psalm-70-1-save-me-o-god-lord-help-me-now.108509/
Read through the following study by Tenchi for more on this topic
https://christianforums.net/threads/without-the-holy-spirit-we-can-do-nothing.109419/
Join Sola Scriptura for a discussion on the subject
https://christianforums.net/threads/anointed-preaching-teaching.109331/#post-1912042
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Who said it was?
You clearly portrayed Eph 6 as though it were a curse in your effort to create the false dichotomy that we must choose to either be Christ's bride, or warriors in armor.
Scripture presents no such dilemma. We are very clearly both things, and more; prophets, priests, and kings, just as one set of examples.
My question was -
Do you understand what the phrase means:
This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. 1 John 5:6
not only by water, but by water and blood.
JLB
The water is the word of God. The blood is the life he had in himself. Three things witness that he was the Son of God - the Spirit, the water and the life.
You clearly portrayed Eph 6 as though it were a curse in your effort to create the false dichotomy that we must choose to either be Christ's bride, or warriors in armor.
He came by water and blood.
Water is water
Blood is blood
How can you just decide that half of this scripture is symbolic (water = word) and the other half is literal.
Very dangerous interpretation method.
He came into this world by water and blood, not water only like all men who come into this world, but by both water and blood.
The water of His mother’s womb and the blood of her hymen as a virgin, proving He is the Messiah. Born of a virgin.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
The Holy Spirit is the Eternal Witness to this supernatural phenomenon.
JLB
I think he would have mentioned the virgin Mary if that was the case. But there's plenty of evidence he was speaking figuratively.
Right from David where he says 'my soul thirsts for God' and 'as in a dry and weary land where no water is.' to Proverbs 25:25 "Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country' Is he talking about the good news meaning the gospel?
To Amos who said there would come a day when the Lord would send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD." Amos 8:8:11 And they shall seek the word of the LORD and not find it.
To Jesus' teaching, "“Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4 and "If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. John 7:37 And Matthew 12:43
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none." So this man goes out into the world searching for the truth, passes through waterless places, can not find the word of God, then falls away or returns to his previous state.
To Peter who compares false teachers of the word of God to waterless springs.
2 Peter 2:17
These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm; for them the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved.
To Jude who calls them waterless clouds. Jude 1:12
These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead,
To Rev. 22:17 and the 'water' of life.
So John says he came by water and with water. In other words, he came by the word of God and with the word of God. So he came with the word of God to teach the word of God. And he came not with water (the word of God) alone but with water (the word of God) and the blood. The blood refers to the life.
But there's plenty of evidence he was speaking figuratively.
Ok then if He was speaking figuratively please explain what “came” by water and blood means if not a reference to the virgin birth of Christ.
If you see John refers to natural birth in this way in John 3:6 then its very easy to see came by water and blood is a reference to the virgin birth.
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:5-6
Born of water - Born of the flesh
Born of the Spirit - Born of the Spirit
Born of water and came by water is a reference to natural birth.
Came by water and blood is a reference to supernatural virgin birth.
JLB
What evidence in the scripture and context lend to the idea of figurative speaking?
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 1 John 5:4-8
JLB
The water is the word of God.
The water and the blood. The water is the word of God. The blood is the life.
The RSV says he came with 'the water' and even your Bible says 'the water'. Isn't he talking about the water Jesus gave us to drink?
The water is the word of God. He came by the word of God and with the word of God. The Word became flesh.
His teachings and his doings testify to the truth.
So what I hear you saying is that you have not yet gained victory over Death, and that for you with death their remains a sting.
What I see you saying is perfectly in line with the idea that God's design for us is foreign by nature; much better than we are inclined to believe. Salvation is like that!
"Who we are in Christ Jesus" is something we need to continually discover, and renew our minds to. We have an inheritance. A very rich inheritance!
Why do you put on the armor of Eph 6? Is it not so that you may protect yourself from the fiery darts of the enemy?
Why it is that you protect yourself from the fiery darts of the enemy? Is it because you still fear the sting of death?
Yet in a moment and the twinkling of the eye, we shall be changed and that corruptible must put on incorruptible, then shall be brought to pass the saying.. Oh death where is thy sting!
If you are called to battle, then wear your armor. If you have been called to the wedding, then you will put off your armor for a new garment.
I said no such thing. But that is what you wanted to hear. When you replied with "both are in the scripture", I simply stated that the scripture presents BOTH Blessings and Curses, Life and Death.