Christians are to follow Jesus' steps 1 Pet 2:21, how?

[Highway54]

The God who was with Jesus AND WAS Jesus.

You are correct it was the God who was with Jesus. But of course that God is not Jesus, as he didn't anoint himself maam.

 

[miamited]

After church yesterday, my husband said, “the church is no longer the light of the world.”

Hi Dorothy Mae

No, the 'true church' will always be the light of the world. If you're in a fellowship where you don't feel the congregation is generally going in that direction, I'd encourage looking around for a Spirit led fellowship. I do agree that, especially in the last 10 years, many fellowships have gone waaaay too deep into politics.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Highway54]

Brother do you understand God BECAME flesh?

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.
1 Timothy 3:16

The Man Christ Jesus was made a little lower than the angels.

As a man He was anointed by God the Father, with the Holy Spirit, Who is the anointing.


All the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily.




JLB

The original Bible said He was manifested in the flesh sir, referring to Jesus not Jehovah. Easy enough to research JLB, if you care to know. Just look at a few versions, or Google it.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

You are correct it was the God who was with Jesus. But of course that God is not Jesus, as he didn't anoint himself maam.

The Bible says Jesus was with God and was God so yes He did.

 

[Tenchi]

You were context-centric, (not necessarily a bad thing), and I was not so, locked in,...so to speak.
I don't mind applying one point to several other situations.

I don't have a problem, either, with applying Scripture broadly - when context permits. Doing so, though, when context has clearly constrained the meaning of a verse or passage is a sure route to false doctrine. God's word is GOD's word; we play fast-and-loose with it at our peril.

 

[Tenchi]

The Bible says Jesus was with God and was God so yes He did.

Amen.

John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Colossians 1:15-17
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Colossians 2:9-10
9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

John 14:9-11
9 Jesus *said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me...

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Hi Dorothy Mae

No, the 'true church' will always be the light of the world. If you're in a fellowship where you don't feel the congregation is generally going in that direction, I'd encourage looking around for a Spirit led fellowship. I do agree that, especially in the last 10 years, many fellowships have gone waaaay too deep into politics.

God bless,
Ted

Hi Ted,

It’s not the politics. Is the unwillingness to take risk and speak out against moral evil which is what light is supposed to be. The day will come when US pastors will be required to hold wedding ceremonies in their churches for homosexuals. What will they do? They will be told to use appropriate pronouns or else. What will they do? The youth minister or “worship leader” who comes out trans will sue them if they fire them, what will they do? Too many had zero courage against closing down worship for a year or so or else. Compromise was easier to be “safe.” Courage, if not used like a muscle, gets weaker. And they had no courage, it will easy to rule them.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Jn 17:3 is the first step Dorothy.

When you know God, it’s the last step.

After many of Jesus' followers left him to go back to their normal lives, he asked his Apostles if they wanted to leave as well.

Doesn’t say they returned “to normal life.”

Notice what Peter told him maam: (John 6:68, 69) . . .Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Peter knew what authority he had. He didn’t understand him.

The only way we are aware of that statement, or life eternal at all is because of the Bible.

Millions have read the Bible and not known that.

And I fully recognize it may be true or it may not be, and only time will reveal the truth of the matter, but there are a lot of fulfilled prophecies that convince many that the Bible is not something mere man could product. Joshua said something to God's people millenniums ago that really applies today on this subject maam, he said: (Joshua 23:14) . . .“Now look! I am about to die, and you well know with all your heart and with all your soul that not one word out of all the good promises that Jehovah your God has spoken to you has failed. They have all come true for you. Not one word of them has failed.
Now they had literally lived those things and knew what he said was true, and we have seen so much of the rest of the Bible come true as well, much more than they ever saw, so that has moved me to believe that if it is yet to be fulfilled, it will be.

God pointed out in His Word that everlasting life would be given to some, and I believe it Dorothy.

There’s what the Bible actually says and what group report it says. They aren’t the same.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

The original Bible said He was manifested in the flesh sir, referring to Jesus not Jehovah. Easy enough to research JLB, if you care to know. Just look at a few versions, or Google it.

“God with us” means God manifest in the flesh. Easy to research if one knows the Bible.

 

[miamited]

Hi Dorothy Mae

Is the unwillingness to take risk and speak out against moral evil which is what light is supposed to be

Then you have a different set of Scriptures than I do. The Light of the world is Jesus, and the 'true church' will be merely a reflector of that light. But Paul wrote specific instructions to us in any attempt we might think is representing God in our acts of moral superiority over the lost.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

Specific instructions on this very subject!! For the lost we are to merely share with them the love that God has shown them through Jesus. For those who claim to be a part of us, but fall into sin, yes, them we are to judge. This idea that some christians have, that God expects us to save the world through condemnation of their sin, is nowhere found in the Scriptures. In fact, even if that were a possibility, it would mean that God's word isn't true. For His word declares that HIs judgement is coming. But it isn't yet time. Even Jesus declared while walking among us that most people are on the broad road. He didn't say those following the broad road might be greater than the number saved. He fairly well assures us that the lost, in the end, will far outnumber the righteous.

How, from that, you get that some nation of people are going to rise up in godly righteousness is quite beyond me. follow the Lord's example. Tell everyone you meet of the love of God through His Son. For those who will accept it, baptize them. Then teach those who have accepted the truth of God and been baptized into the faith, all that our Lord has commanded them.

You see, and you may not agree, but the plan has never been that everyone was going to receive God's promise. Even though it is God's will that everyone come to the truth, the Scriptures seem pretty clear that isn't going to happen. But the Scriptures are pretty clear about our instructions and purpose as we sojourn in this life among the lost. READ THE BOOK!!!

This is what bothers me so much about some overly political' fellowships. They have somewhere gotten some false understanding that we just need to enact God's law as the law of the land. Not even realizing that even God's people were unable to maintain such a governmental system upon the earth. I mean, have you really not read of all the condemnation of the prophets of God, who spoke to His people and how God Himself referred to them as stiff-necked. wicked and adulteress people.

When you try to tell those who neither know or believe in some God that you personally know, you're doing the same thing that Moses did with Pharoah! "Who is your god that I should honor him?" Trust me, or not, the plan only works when we start with Jesus. And for most of the inhabitants on the earth, even that proclamation is a tough nut to swallow.

That's how the 'true church' reflects the light of the world. It promotes the gospel, that all may here; some might believe and be saved.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Hi Dorothy Mae

Then you have a different set of Scriptures than I do. The Light of the world is Jesus, and the 'true church' will be merely a reflector of that light. But Paul wrote specific instructions to us in any attempt we might think is representing God in our acts of moral superiority over the lost.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

Specific instructions on this very subject!! For the lost we are to merely share with them the love that God has shown them through Jesus. For those who claim to be a part of us, but fall into sin, yes, them we are to judge. This idea that some christians have, that God expects us to save the world through condemnation of their sin, is nowhere found in the Scriptures. In fact, even if that were a possibility, it would mean that God's word isn't true. For His word declares that HIs judgement is coming. But it isn't yet time. Even Jesus declared while walking among us that most people are on the broad road. He didn't say those following the broad road might be greater than the number saved. He fairly well assures us that the lost, in the end, will far outnumber the righteous.

How, from that, you get that some nation of people are going to rise up in godly righteousness is quite beyond me. follow the Lord's example. Tell everyone you meet of the love of God through His Son. For those who will accept it, baptize them. Then teach those who have accepted the truth of God and been baptized into the faith, all that our Lord has commanded them.

You see, and you may not agree, but the plan has never been that everyone was going to receive God's promise. Even though it is God's will that everyone come to the truth, the Scriptures seem pretty clear that isn't going to happen. But the Scriptures are pretty clear about our instructions and purpose as we sojourn in this life among the lost. READ THE BOOK!!!

This is what bothers me so much about some overly political' fellowships. They have somewhere gotten some false understanding that we just need to enact God's law as the law of the land. Not even realizing that even God's people were unable to maintain such a governmental system upon the earth. I mean, have you really not read of all the condemnation of the prophets of God, who spoke to His people and how God Himself referred to them as stiff-necked. wicked and adulteress people.

When you try to tell those who neither know or believe in some God that you personally know, you're doing the same thing that Moses did with Pharoah! "Who is your god that I should honor him?" Trust me, or not, the plan only works when we start with Jesus. And for most of the inhabitants on the earth, even that proclamation is a tough nut to swallow.

That's how the 'true church' reflects the light of the world. It promotes the gospel, that all may here; some might believe and be saved.

God bless,
Ted

If christians had believed that, we’d still have slavery, no orphanages, no homes for the elderly, no hospices and hospitals and no schools and universities and no human rights. We’d just have churches huddled together letting the world suffer. Jesus relieved human suffering not merely establish a group who could be happy they there going to heaven.

 

[miamited]

If christians had believed that, we’d still have slavery, no orphanages, no homes for the elderly, no hospices and hospitals and no schools and universities and no human rights. We’d just have churches huddled together letting the world suffer. Jesus relieved human suffering not merely establish a group who could be happy they there going to heaven.

Hi Dorothy Mae

I'm just relaying what the Scriptures say on the matter. Sure, there have been a lot of great things done for Christ, by believers in this world. Jesus said that his followers might do grater things than he. BTW, you really think that all hospice facilities and hospitals and such only came about through some proclaiming of sin to the people?

No, we'd have fellowships of Jesus' church doing the good work that God the Father had prepared for them to be doing. Running and supporting political agendas isn't one of them. Helping the needy, destitute and broken is. As I understand the teachings of Jesus on how we should care for one another. Even those who are not of us, we are to have love and compassion for them. Realizing that they are exactly like we were at one time. And tell them about Jesus.

God bless
Ted

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Hi Dorothy Mae

I'm just relaying what the Scriptures say on the matter. Sure, there have been a lot of great things done for Christ, by believers in this world. Jesus said that his followers might do grater things than he. BTW, you really think that all hospice facilities and hospitals and such only came about through some proclaiming of sin to the people?

They came to be because christians built them.

No, we'd have fellowships of Jesus' church doing the good work that God the Father had prepared for them to be doing. Running and supporting political agendas isn't one of them. Helping the needy, destitute and broken is. As I understand the teachings of Jesus on how we should care for one another. Even those who are not of us, we are to have love and compassion for them. Realizing that they are exactly like we were at one time. And tell them about Jesus.

God bless
Ted

You are missing a great deal regarding the scriptures if you thinks it’s a tell sinners about Jesus club. Christians cares for people, their bodies and all of them. It’s quite a heritage.

 

[miamited]

Hi Dorothy Mae

You are missing a great deal regarding the scriptures if you thinks it’s a tell sinners about Jesus club.

Seems to me that's exactly what the gospel is.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

That's what the assignment of Jesus' church is.

God bless,
Ted

 

[miamited]

Something maybe worth reading: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opin...&cvid=cd84186f9a17425ba1a0729811595aa9&ei=129

God bless,
Ted

 

[donadams]

The Christian sacrament* of baptismal regeneration is required for the new covenant and salvation!

*this promise acts 2:38-39 is a sacred oath from God ez 36:25-27 and a sacred oath is a sacrament!

Initiation!!!


Faith & Baptism is the initiation of the new and eternal covenant!

You cannot enter on you’re own or by “faith alone”!

You cannot receive Christ or grace by “faith alone”!

“Accept Christ as you’re personal lord and savior” is fundamentalist tradition not found scripture!

Jn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

2 pet 1: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Baptismal regeneration a new creation in Christ! 2 Cor 5:17

A sacrament is an oath! A sacred promise from God! Ez 36:25-27
Acts 2:38-39 (this promise)

No baptism no grace!

A sacrament is an outward sign for all men including infants And a gift from God to help us see what he does inwardly and invisibly by his grace!

As grace Washes our souls in the merits of Jesus blood from original and personal sin, so the outward action of washing is visible!

without the outward action the inward action cannot take place!

Jn 3:5 Titus 3:5 water and washing
acts 22:16 wash away your sin!

Jn 3:5 Born again BY water and the spirit! Not by “faith alone”!

They did not go to Jerusalem and preach “accept Christ as you’re personal Lord and savior “

They went to the river (water) and they baptized! Jn 3:22

A covenant requires an outward sign of the inward action of grace!

Ez 36:25 I will sprinkle you with clean water and you shall be made white as snow.

Acts 22:16 washing away your sins.

Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

1 pet 3:21 baptism saves you.

You cannot enter on you’re own or by faith alone!

2 pet 1: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,


Baptism!

God breathed life into Adam, gen 2:7 and we received this life from our fathers!

Christ breathed on the apostles our spiritual fathers, we receive the new covenant life of God’s grace from them thru faith & baptism! Jn 20:21-23 Mk 16:16 acts 8:36-38 eph 2

Born again! Born from above!

'The Father has set his seal' on Christ (John 6:27) and also seals us in him (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:23, 4:30). Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism,

Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life." 87 The faithful Christian who I has "kept the seal" until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith," 88 with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.

St. Paul tells the faithful at Ephesus that they have been “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” This is in terms of an indelible character imprinted on the soul in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. It is not as if this invisible mark is simply decorative. Rather, through it, we are enabled to participate in Christ’s mission and in his offices of priest, prophet, and king. Eph 1:13

Sealed by God eph 1:13 sealed by God (ez 36:25-27) in the ark of salvation by baptism just as Noah was sealed by God in the ark of the flood gen 7:16

1 Pet 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us!
(Ark of Noah a type of the church, member of Christ and his church and salvation by baptism!)
(Outside the ark of Noah none were saved, outside the church (the ark of salvation) none are saved!)

Sealed in the ark, sealed in the church the ark of salvation by God thru baptism!



Christ instituted the holy church for the salvation of all men, (repent and believe the gospel, with the institution of the sacraments to convey grace to sanctify souls!


Effects of faith & baptism!

Ez 36:25-27 washed in baptism, with a new heart and the Spirit
Jn 3:5 born again in baptism
Mk 16:16 faith & baptist
Acts 2:38 repentance & baptism
Acts 8:36-38 faith & baptism
Acts 22:16 baptism washes away sin
Rom 6:3 died with Christ
Col 2:12 risen with Christ
1 cor 12:13 baptized into the church
Gal 3:27 by baptism put on Christ
2 Tim 1:10 eph 2:1 and 5 brought to life
2 cor 5:17 new creation
Eph 1:13 sealed by the Holy Spirit
Eph 4:5 one faith, one baptism
Eph 5:26 faith and baptism
Titus 3:5 baptismal regeneration
1 pet 1:2 washed in Christ’s blood
1 pet 2:9 the kingdom of light
1 pet 3:20-21 baptism saves us!

“Faith alone” accomplishes nothing!
1 cor 13:2 even all faith (alone) without charity avails NOTHING!!!

Faith and baptism!

Scripture says none of the things about “Faith alone”!

Only James 2:24 a man is justified by works and not by “faith alone”

2 Peter 1:11
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Christian sacrament of baptism is the Initiation into the new covenant and must be ministered to you by the apostles!

Thanks

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Hi Dorothy Mae

Seems to me that's exactly what the gospel is.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

That's what the assignment of Jesus' church is.

God bless,
Ted

Jesus was referring to the end of the Mosaic age, not the end of the world. That happened in 70AD. Since then the gospel messengers have been sent or gone around the world and changed the world to a different place. There is now more prosperity, less death, less poverty, more means of education, better health and well-being than any time in history. The Gospel is doing its work to change the nations. It is really exciting. It is more than just going to Heaven when we die, which has become the churches message in the last 100 years so I can see you having that view. Wherever the gospel has gone and taken root, tyranny falls, freedom roots in the culture, education and hospitals follow and people move out of poverty. The west is losing that as it loses its christian base.

 

[Hopeful]

I don't have a problem, either, with applying Scripture broadly - when context permits. Doing so, though, when context has clearly constrained the meaning of a verse or passage is a sure route to false doctrine. God's word is GOD's word; we play fast-and-loose with it at our peril.

If you were the author of this thread, you would have the latitude to "keep it small, pointed, and concise".

 

[Highway54]

The Bible says Jesus was with God and was God so yes He did.

No maam, the Bible does not say that. Some versions of the Bible does. Best listen to the teachings of Jesus in who God is.

 

[Highway54]

“God with us” means God manifest in the flesh. Easy to research if one knows the Bible.

Not at all, God was still in heaven and spoke at Jesus' baptism. Jesus himself stated God was a spirit. As the Bible said, God was with us in the fact that He sent His son to die in our behalf Jn 3:16