WHO IS THE RULER OF THE EARTH?

[GodsGrace]

Yes, this is the attitude of those who suffered under them should have same as Jesus had. But there is the justice of God that is real as well. Jesus taught in many parables that the Jews who convicted him and saw to it that he was crucified were heavily judged and suffered the judgement of God. Those who pierced him saw the judgement of God and it was terrible. So there is also justice with God. In this we also trust Him.

Correct.
God is:
LOVING
MERCIFUL
JUST

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Because we have different opinions.
LOL

Remember the good ol' days when a thread started out like this:

"The tribulation will probably start this year."

And ended like this 752 posts later:

"Yeah, let it simmer for 5 minutes before you serve it. You'll love it!"

 

[electedbyHim]

The problem with commentaries is they have to be studied because they are too wordy and hard to understand. Bring 'em down to our level and aim for three, maybe four, succinct sentences that state your feelings, thoughts, or convictions about the topic at hand. You'll get better at it with practice. I can be rather verbose, but I learned from reading short posts over the years from people in forums that wordiness isn't what grabs me; hit and run, profound snippets do.

That is what draws me to commentaries. I like how they breakdown Greek and Hebrew words. I am closer to teh verse by verse commentaries instead of chapter commentaries. I have had many Christians tell me I only need the Holy Spirits guidance to teach me not a Pastor or books. That is not Biblical in any way.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Grace and peace to you.

 

[GodsGrace]

What happens is the next generation ramps the sins up of the present generation exponentially. It only multiples in a society, never lessens (unless God intervenes dramatically). The measure of the level of depravity of a society is the measure of what is done in the light without shame in the present generation that it used to blush at and practice in the dark in the previous generation.

Well said.
I fully agree with your statement but can never find the right words to express it !

 

[Cooper]

The problem with commentaries is they have to be studied because they are too wordy and hard to understand. Bring 'em down to our level and aim for three, maybe four, succinct sentences that state your feelings, thoughts, or convictions about the topic at hand. You'll get better at it with practice. I can be rather verbose, but I learned from reading short posts over the years from people in forums that wordiness isn't what grabs me; hit and run, profound snippets do.

Here is a "hit, run and profound snippet," the commentators know their subject.
.

 

[GodsGrace]

That is what draws me to commentaries. I like how they breakdown Greek and Hebrew words. I am closer to teh verse by verse commentaries instead of chapter commentaries. I have had many Christians tell me I only need the Holy Spirits guidance to teach me not a Pastor or books. That is not Biblical in any way.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Grace and peace to you.

I have to agree with you that we cannot fully depend on the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit makes us understand truth, but we have to be told what that truth is when it's not
very clear. This is done, also, by attending a couple of churches whose teachings you respect.
The truth will eventually come to you, even if it takes a few years.

I agree with the advice Jethro Bodine has given you.
As I had said to you...it's easier to explain what YOU believe than what another person believes.
(one that might write commentaries).

 

[GodsGrace]

Here is a "hit, run and profound snippet," the commentators know their subject.
.

Yes, Cooper.
But WHICH commentary do we believe?
Every biblical scholar has his own belief system and ideas.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I second your emotion on commentaries. Especially for believers who are putting Scripture first they can be incredibly helpful.

I get useful tidbits now and again in the few times I've used them. But, truthfully, I find them just plain wrong sometimes, lol, and certainly denominationally bent. My opinion about the matter is to just read the scriptures for yourself for about 10-15 minutes a day and talk about the scriptures openly with your brothers and sisters. Denominationalism has it's value. It really does. But not when it comes to learning the whole truth.

 

[Cooper]

That is what draws me to commentaries. I like how they breakdown Greek and Hebrew words. I am closer to teh verse by verse commentaries instead of chapter commentaries. I have had many Christians tell me I only need the Holy Spirits guidance to teach me not a Pastor or books. That is not Biblical in any way.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Grace and peace to you.

So instead, you listen to your like minded friends and not the scholars.
.

 

[GodsGrace]

So instead, you listen to your like minded friends and not the scholars.
.

Aren't commentaries written by scholars?

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I have to agree with you that we cannot fully depend on the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit makes us understand truth, but we have to be told what that truth is when it's not
very clear.

Yes. The Holy Spirit is our discerner of truth, not a teacher that makes it so we don't need gifted and anointed people to instruct us. It is by the Holy Spirit that we can tell if something someone is saying is really truth or not. We still need people to tell us the things that need to be discerned. I think this is all in keeping with God's intention that the body be united and that all it's parts need the other parts. Even the unpresentable parts that require special modesty, and the weaker parts that are indispensable, as mysterious a truth as that is to me, lol.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

So instead, you listen to your like minded friends and not the scholars.
.

Scholars, for all their learning, are, in general, too denominationally bent.

 

[Cooper]

Yes, Cooper.
But WHICH commentary do we believe?
Every biblical scholar has his own belief system and ideas.

For uniformity, we won't go far wrong here.

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/
.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I have had many Christians tell me I only need the Holy Spirits guidance to teach me not a Pastor or books. That is not Biblical in any way.

I agree 100%. Even with the potential for denominationally biased error, we still need to be told what it is that we are to discern as being truth or not by the Holy Spirit. There's much value in hearing even incorrect teaching. So, good or bad, we need teachers in the body of Christ.

 

[Cooper]

Scholars, for all their learning, are, in general, too denominationally bent.

You mean the forums.
.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

You mean the forums.
.

No, scholars. I mean scholars. But surely there's too much representation of the cults in forums these days. I don't remember it being this bad in years past.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Here is a "hit, run and profound snippet," the commentators know their subject.
.

Uh, no they don't. Some do, some don't. Some know some truth alongside their error. So you can get some good out of them. I think it dead wrong to think they are 100% the truth. If you do that then you have to do what wondering was getting at...which one(s) do you believe? You're better off just taking bits of truth from one source and adding it to the bits of truth from another source and arriving at the truth that way.

 

[Cooper]

Aren't commentaries written by scholars?

Yes, commentaries are written by scholars. That is why we need to turn to them, instead of our friends from the same belief system.
.

 

[Cooper]

No, scholars. I mean scholars. But surely there's too much representation of the cults in forums these days. I don't remember it being this bad in years past.

It is the scholarship we need. Not the contradictuary posts on the forums.
.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Yes, commentaries are written by scholars. That is why we need to turn to them, instead of our friends from the same belief system.
.

The 'same belief system' is what I was referring to about denominationalism. When you talk to other believers you get exposed to other thoughts and insights on things. That's a good thing.