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Bible Study Faith Is A Simple Test: To Find Out If You Are Teachable?

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JAG ..

Member
{To the unbeliever}
{and to be considered by we Christians}

"Have faith in God"

If it turns out that you are not teachable,

then obviously you know more than God knows

and there will be no place for you in God's Heaven.

Heaven can have only one Supreme Being.

A Supreme Being that will never consent to become a student

to be taught wisdom and truths by one of His creatures.

Jesus said, "Have faith in God." {Mark 11:22}

And you say? :

(1) I will.

or

{2) I will not.

__________

Agree?

Disagree?

Thoughts?


``
 
Faith requires content. The question does not define the content of faith.

For example, a Muslim could answer your question affirmatively. As you define it, does that Muslim probably have faith?
{1) This is a Christian board.
Not a Muslim board.
And just for the record: not a Mormon or JW board.

(2) The context of the OP clearly refers to the content of the Bible (see the bold red
below.

JAG Wrote:
"Have faith in God"

If it turns out that you are not teachable,

then obviously you know more than God knows

and there will be no place for you in God's Heaven.

Heaven can have only one Supreme Being.

A Supreme Being that will never consent to become a student

to be taught wisdom and truths by one of His creatures.

Jesus said, "Have faith in God.( Mark 11:22)
End quote.

Best.

JAG
 
{1) This is a Christian board.
Not a Muslim board.
And just for the record: not a Mormon or JW board.
Agreed

You didn't answer my question (not that you are obligated to).
What is the content of faith? Jesus can say "have faith", but if one doesn't know what faith is, Christ's statement is of little use. It's your thread so you should be willing to explain/define what you mean IMO.

Aside: There was another thread in which people defined faith. There were about as many different opinions as there were people given their opinion.
 
Agreed

You didn't answer my question (not that you are obligated to).
What is the content of faith? Jesus can say "have faith", but if one doesn't know what faith is, Christ's statement is of little use. It's your thread so you should be willing to explain/define what you mean IMO.

Aside: There was another thread in which people defined faith. There were about as many different opinions as there were people given their opinion.
Thanks for your thoughts.

Regarding my content of faith:
For we Protestants, each individual Christian will in fact decide for himself what the
content of his faith is. We have no Pope and we Protestants do not bow down to our
denominational Headquarters, if or when, they attempt to tell us what, or what not, to
believe.

Nonetheless, the vast majority of we Protestants firmly believe in all the traditional orthodox
doctrines.

I know I do.

I believe strongly in all this below:
I am a Trinitarian ~ one God manifest in Three Persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
The Deity of the Lord Jesus John 1;1
The Virgin Birth of the Lord Jesus
Salvation by faith through pure grace. Eph 2:8
The Bible is the inspired wood of God 2 Tim. 3:16-20

The following is the one and only hope of mankind:
The Cross Romans 5:1
The Resurrection (Jesus conquered Death here and we therefore will live because He Lives. Eternal Life)
The Ascension ( I go to My father")
The Exaltation (now seated at the right hand of God Almighty)

And all the above to be realized via:
John 3:3 you must be born again (regenerated)
John 3:16 you must believe in Jesus as your Savior
Galatians 5:22-23 you must allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruits in your life:
love, joy, peace, gentleness etc

That up there is certainly not an exhaustive list of my dearly held content,
but it will give you a good idea of what my personal content is.

I will add this , , ,

I am basically a Reformed Presbyterian in doctrine but I avoid like the plague
all the bickering and squabbling that goes on between so-called "Armenians"
and so-called "Calvinists" ~ I have much bigger fish to fry, than get bogged
down with stuff like that.

Thanks for your interest in what I wrote in the OP.

Best Regards.

JAG

PS
I welcome your questions.
If you have any more, I'll do my best . . .




``
 
That up there is certainly not an exhaustive list of my dearly held content,
but it will give you a good idea of what my personal content is.
Thanks for your comprehensive answer.

I have come to the opinion that the exact contents of faith cannot be stated ... faith IMO is, to a degree, qualitative as opposed to a quantitative list. I was interested in your take.

Thanks

Aside: My believes align with your list save I don't mind debating/squabbling.
 
many churches don't emphasise the importantand of the trinity .

t.d. Jake is a modalist many listen to him
 
Thanks for your comprehensive answer.

I have come to the opinion that the exact contents of faith cannot be stated ... faith IMO is, to a degree, qualitative as opposed to a quantitative list. I was interested in your take.

Thanks

Aside: My believes align with your list save I don't mind debating/squabbling.
You're welcome.
Nice chatting with you.

/Big Grin
Regarding bickering and squabbling:
I did that on the Internet for a very Loooooooooooooooooooooooog
time and I did it one time to many, and get fed up up with it. I've been
in so-called "debates" with 90 page threads. I've been on forums where
there was zero moderation and the gutter language was as bad as it
could get. I have also been on forums where it was all 100% the
intellectual stuff where they intellectualized the insults and made
them sound "academic" as they rattled on and on and on and on
endlessly ~ one such site was the old now-gone ODN (Online Debate
Network) where the owner Apok and about 25 other high IQ brains
"went at it" constantly for years and years.

I spend all my time these days writing pieces ~~ and now and then
presenting the simple gospel message. Regarding the latter, the
We-Came-Here-To-Bicker-And Squabble Crowd call that preaching as if
that's not allowed on the Internet and a bad thing to do. I ignore them and
keep on preaching. If they get nasty I put 'em on Ignore and forever forget
they exist.

/just saying , , , LOL. . .

Best Regards.

JAG
 
Regarding bickering and squabbling:
I did that on the Internet for a very Loooooooooooooooooooooooog
time and I did it one time to many, and get fed up up with it. I've been
in so-called "debates" with 90 page threads. I've been on forums where
there was zero moderation and the gutter language was as bad as it
could get.
I hear you. All good points. I don't think it is a complete waste of time as it makes you think your position, but if you are trying to change minds then one would be frustrated IMO.

Aside: Too bad you don't debate ... I think you would be on my side so I could just take a break, sit and watch and type I AGREE. :yes
 
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{To the unbeliever}
{and to be considered by we Christians}

"Have faith in God"

If it turns out that you are not teachable,

then obviously you know more than God knows

and there will be no place for you in God's Heaven.

Heaven can have only one Supreme Being.

A Supreme Being that will never consent to become a student

to be taught wisdom and truths by one of His creatures.

Jesus said, "Have faith in God." {Mark 11:22}

And you say? :

(1) I will.

or

{2) I will not.

__________

Agree?

Disagree?

Thoughts?


``
It's easier to say "I will" and do nothing even if you think you are trying

“’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’”


And When the time comes to exercise faith, the words that comes out of your mouth will decide whether you will fly or stay the next turn an angel will stir the water of grace peradventure it turns in your favour.

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.

Most thing we say defile us and ground us from flying with faith. However Jesus ask us to fast and pray so we can at least be able to say little words like " peace be still" .... "Be thou removed and be cast into the sea" .... "Rise up and walk".... "be opened".... "Take your bed and go home"

If we can say these words and hold on to these little words that they will work in Jesus name. They will work maybe today or tomorrow when God wills (without doubt), then our faith is working.
 
{To the unbeliever}
{and to be considered by we Christians}

"Have faith in God"

If it turns out that you are not teachable,

then obviously you know more than God knows

and there will be no place for you in God's Heaven.

Heaven can have only one Supreme Being.

A Supreme Being that will never consent to become a student

to be taught wisdom and truths by one of His creatures.

Jesus said, "Have faith in God." {Mark 11:22}

And you say? :

(1) I will.

or

{2) I will not.

__________

Agree?

Disagree?

Thoughts?


``


The correct structure of that verse would be —


Have faith (of) from God.

In this passage Jesus is teaching them in response to Peter saying…

And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Mark 11:21-23



So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 20:21-22


  • if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.



How does faith come to a person; How does a person receive faith?





JLB
 
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I hear you. All good points. I don't think it is a complete waste of time as it makes you think your position, but if you are trying to change minds then one would be frustrated IMO.

Aside: Too bad you don't debate ... I think you would be on my side so I could just take a break, sit and watch and type I AGREE. :yes
Regarding debate not a complete waste of time:
Agreed.
We're all on a journey.
What I mean is:
There is a JAG-2000 . . . and a FF-2000
There is a JAG-2021. . . . and a FF 2021
21 years makes a difference in our interests, our needs, and what we decide to do with our time

Back when I was continually bickering and squabbling I obviously thought, at the time, that I needed to do that.
And it was very easy for me to engage.

Now I get bored to tears with it ~ for one thing as the years roll on, you began to see an
endless pattern of repetition. Both sides say the same things over and over and over again and again
and again. True in atheists vs. Christian threads, true in abortion threads, true in Armenian vs. Calvinists
threads.

And . . .politics ! . . . LOL . . (political "debates" . . what can I say! It's an insane asylum.)

Just being chatty here:

I came to the conclusion a good while ago that:

(1) all human problems are at root, spiritual problems
(2) there are only spiritual solutions to spiritual problems
(3) there are no political solutions to spiritual problems
(4) political policies CAN temporarily "fix" the problem for awhile
but the same root problem will merely go underground and later
resurface . . . . in a new form . . . . . with a different name.

Why is that?

(5) Because the Lord Jesus and His gospel is the one and only cure for
human problems.

Here is what solves human problems:

(A) John 3:3 you must be born again (regenerated)
(B) John 3:16 you must believe in Jesus as your Savior
(C) Galatians 5:22-23 you must allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruits
in your life ~ love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience etc

ANYTHING ,, , , NOT , , , A,B,C will FAIL as a permanent fix to the human problem.

Neither the GOP or the Donk Party has ABC in their political platforms.

Question: Am I an idealist?
No.
Politics will NEVER go away.
By the way, me and my entire family always vote Republican.
Sometimes we have to hold our nose and vote Republican.
I am a political Conservative (yet I know Christian morality cannot be codified
(and enforced) apart from a police state.)

Sin is the problem.
And the one and only way to hugely reduce the amount of sin in America
is A,B,C up there actually realized.

So?

So I spend my time, these days, pushing forward ABC up there.
How could I not do that, since I am convinced that ABC is the one and only
true permanent fix for America (and the world.)

God Bless.

JAG

PS
By the way, regarding solutions to human problems that are apart from
ABC that is, apart from the Lord Jesus:

My view: Trying to find solutions to human problems apart from the Lord Jesus
is the very definition of a False Religion.

Think about it.


``


``
 
The correct structure of that verse would be —


Have faith (of) from God.

In this passage Jesus is teaching them in response to Peter saying…

And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Mark 11:21-23



So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 20:21-22


  • if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.



How does faith come to a person; How does a person receive faith?





JLB
Regarding "How does faith come to a person? How does a person receive faith?" :
My view:
■ We have a part in it ~ our Free Will. At some point, we choose.
■ The Sovereign God has a part in it ~ faith is a gift from Him to us.
The Bible nowhere explains how our Free Will and God's Sovereignty work together
so I let that dilemma rest in Deut :29:29 "the secret things belong to God."

There are many Biblical points to make regarding the "how" of faith:
Some examples:
We have to repent of our sins.
We have to become like little children.
We have to ask ("I do believe, help me with my unbelief")
We have to hear the word of God ("Faith comes by hearing . . .")

You probably know some aspects of the "how" regarding your questions
up there, that I don't know . . .

I'd love to read your thoughts on that.

Best.

JAG


``


``
 
The Bible nowhere explains how our Free Will and God's Sovereignty work together

I agree, since the Bible doesn't mention "God's Sovereinty" nor
man's freewill" I think its best we stick to scripture.




JLB
 
Now I get bored to tears with it ~ for one thing as the years roll on, you began to see an
endless pattern of repetition. Both sides say the same things over and over and over again and again
and again. True in atheists vs. Christian threads, true in abortion threads, true in Armenian vs. Calvinists
threads.
Agreed.
What is truth? How is my bias distorting truth? How do I determine truth? Where am I wrong? Yahda, yada.



Because the Lord Jesus and His gospel is the one and only cure for
human problems.
Agreed, though not to all humans but to His chosen humans. Seems we're on therapeutics till we die.


Here is what solves human problems:

(A) John 3:3 you must be born again (regenerated)
(B) John 3:16 you must believe in Jesus as your Savior
(C) Galatians 5:22-23 you must allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruits
in your life ~ love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience etc
Agreed. Glorification seems the ultimate solution. These are but therapeutics IMO.

By the way, me and my entire family always vote Republican.
Sometimes we have to hold our nose and vote Republican.
I am a political Conservative
I classify myself a a libertarian. I vote republican and hold my nose also. I wrote in TED CRUZ the first time Trump won, but voted for Trump the 2nd time. Trump as a person sucks, liked his policies. I couldn't stand McCain. Romney turned out to be less than I hoped as did Bush II. Being in Texas, I can waste a presidential vote on whoever.



So I spend my time, these days, pushing forward ABC up there.
How could I not do that, since I am convinced that ABC is the one and only
true permanent fix for America (and the world.)
I just complain to myself ... but in a more thoughtful moment I realize God is in charge of all things (though many disagree)


Trying to find solutions to human problems apart from the Lord Jesus
is the very definition of a False Religion.
I look at it as all predetermined. God creates what we call problems and then addresses them as He seems fit.
 
i don't think we can overrule or deny God's plan

shall a man command God ?
  • Job 23:13 But He is unchangeable, and who can turn Him? And what He wants to do, that He does.
  • “Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases”(Psalm 115:3)
  • the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will”(Proverbs 21:1)
  • “he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’”(Daniel 4:35).
  • Ephesians 1:5 He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—
  • Romans 11:34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” 35 “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
  • yahda, yahda
 
  • Job 23:13 But He is unchangeable, and who can turn Him? And what He wants to do, that He does.
  • “Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases”(Psalm 115:3)
  • the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will”(Proverbs 21:1)
  • “he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’”(Daniel 4:35).
  • Ephesians 1:5 He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—
  • Romans 11:34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” 35 “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
  • yahda, yahda
I'm neither reformed or arminist who posted that . I see problems with both ,but we can say to maker you will do our will ,we kneel to Him.
 
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