Exodus 24:9-11, Exodus 33:11, Exodus 6:2-3; and John 1:18

1. Has seen
   1. (Gen. 17:1)--"Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless;
   2. (Gen. 18:1) Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day."
   3. (Exodus 6:2-3)--"God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; 3and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them."
   4. (Exodus 24:9-11)--"Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank."
   5. (Num. 12:6-8)--"He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision.  I shall speak with him in a dream. 7"Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household; 8With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses ?"
   6. (Acts 7:2), "And he [Stephen] said, 'Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran . . . '"
2. Has not seen
   1. (Exodus 33:20)--"But He [God] said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!"
   2. (John 1:18)--"No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."
   3. (John 5:37)--""And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form."
   4. (John 6:46)--"Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father."

   5. (1 Tim. 6:15-16)--"He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."

Is Faith Enough? 2 Tim 4:7-8

7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

No link with the initial act of salvation, i.e., becoming a Christian.  It's only a statement that a path has been completed.  He has faith and he has done good works.  It does not say that you need works to qualify for salvation.  Also, "longed for his appearing" sounds like salvation comes from faith alone.  This is Paul at the end of an adventure, looking forward to heaven.

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Mat 24:10-13

10  At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
11  and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
12  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
13  but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

This is encouragement to stand firm even when everyone around you is causing problems.  It says the struggle to keep on the right path is worth it in the end.  It does not say that the people who turned away lost their salvation.  Some of the false prophets may be people that teach that salvation is the result of good works instead of just faith alone.  Good works lead to a good life and God's favor.  It does not say that a person has to accumulate a sufficient number of good works to merit entrance into heaven.

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Mat 7:21-24

21  "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22  Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
23  Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
24  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

What God asks, i.e. his will, is that we believe and do good things. The key phrase is, "I never knew you."  To know God is to have faith.  This section is saying that works alone is not what God wants.  God wants to know people.  He wants a relationship.  These people never had faith to begin with. They're just name droppers.  If we have faith, we are saved.  Then if we do good things, God is pleased.

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Mat 25:39-46

39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40  "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41  "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44  "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45  "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46  "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

These people have neither faith nor works.  They're lost.

---

Rom 2:11-13

11  For God does not show favoritism.
12  All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
13  For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

This says to do good things don't just talk about doing them.  It does not say that works is a condition of salvation.  Righteous means that God likes what you're doing.  You're doing the right thing.

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James 2:14-26

14  What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
15  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16  If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
17  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18  But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19  You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
20  You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
21  Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22  You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
23  And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"and he was called God's friend.
24  You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25  In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
26  As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

If you don't see any works there's probably not any faith there either.

(v. 2:18) "You have faith; I have deeds."  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

He is saying, "I can show you that I have faith by what I do, you don't do anything so you cannot show me that you have faith."  This is encouragement to do good things.  It does not say that salvation is connected to works.

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2 Pet 1:5-11

5  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10  Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,
11  and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It says to do good things and God will be pleased.  It does not say that you won't be saved if you don't do enough good things.  v.9 talks about a person who is saved but is missing the point about the need to do good things.  You're still your father's son even if he doesn't like what you're doing.  God will not abandon us.

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John 10:27-30

27  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
29  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
30  I and the Father are one."

This is saying that to know Christ is to have faith and is to be saved (i.e. eternal life with Christ) and that a person will always be saved no matter who or what may influence them to the contrary.

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Philipians 2:12-16

12  Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13  for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14  Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15  so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
16  as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

To work your out salvation means to express your salvation in the works that you do.  It does not say continue to work to earn your salvation.

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Philipians 3:8-17

8  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
10  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11  and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15  All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
16  Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17  Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.

Righteousness that comes from God is by faith, not by following the law.  Work to improve while looking to the future.  There's always something that can be made better.  Basic salvation is by faith alone, and just the beginning of the improvement process.

---

Eph 2:8-9

8  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9  not by works, so that no one can boast.

This says that salvation is by faith alone.  Good works are good and God certainly wants us to do them, but you can't say that you have earned your salvation by doing a sufficient number of good things.
 
  Trouble Among Believers
with regards to Once Saved Always Saved

1 Cor 6:1-11, 19-20

1 If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints?
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! [14]
5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?
6 But instead, one brother goes to law against another--and this in front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
20 you were bought at a price.

---

1 Cor 6:9 says those people are heading in the wrong direction, but it does not say, if someone were to have done that, or were to do that, then they would lose their salvation.

What does it say?

v.6:9 is talking "about" a group of people.  But look at v.6:11, it's talking "to" another group of  people.

1 Cor 6:11
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

There are two groups of people, one group going to heaven; another not going to heaven.

The author is writing to the group that's going to heaven, and maybe stressing that the group going to heaven shouldn't look down on the group that's not on the right path, since some of them (us) came from that group.

The group going to heaven was washed, sanctified, justified, i.e. forgiven and cleaned up.  There's nothing there that says anything about, as long as..., or if ..., or unless...  It's not a conditional statement.

Look at v.20.  It says you were "bought" with a price.  It doesn't say anyone is going to sell you or throw you away if you don't perform properly.

I could see it saying, because you're part of the group that's been cleaned up and saved, you shouldn't do all those bad things like the unsaved group.

Paul, the author, is upset with these people. He wants  them to change and stop sinning.  He's saying in verses 8 and 9, to wake up, all these wicked things are what the unbelievers do, these are not the things that believers do.  But he's not making any threats that include loss of salvation.
 
  What is the Trinity?

The word "trinity" is not used in the Bible, but the concept is apparent in the text.  Trinity is used to describe God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit as three-in-one because sometimes the Bible represents them as distinct individuals and other times as one and the same.

Revelation contains a clear example of God and Christ being both the same person and two distinct persons.  God and Jesus both describe themselves as Alpha and Omega.  Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet; omega is the last.  There can only be one first and one last.  If God says He is the Alpha and Omega, and Jesus says He is the Alpha and Omega, then God and Jesus are the same person.

Rev 1:8
8  "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

First this verse says that God is the Alpha and the Omega. Then watch as it switches to Jesus as the Alpha and the Omega.

Rev 2:8,
8  "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.

Rev 21:6
6  He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Revelation 22:12-18
12  "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
13  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14  "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
15  Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16  "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
 

Here are more examples of three separate persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who sound like the same person:

Luke 12:8-12
8  "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.
9  But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
10  And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11  "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,
12  for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should  say."

John 14:16-17
16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--
17  the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither  sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you  and will be [73] in you.

John 14:26
26  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 15:26,
26  "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the  Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will  testify about me.

John 16:13
13  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all  truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Acts 13:2
2  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

John 1:1-2
1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2  He was with God in the beginning.

Eze 36:27
27  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
28  You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

Rom 8:9-11
9  You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
10  But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

1 Cor 3:16
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

The wording is in both directions, sometimes it sounds like all three are unique, sometimes all are the same thing, or the same as one of the other two.  Sometimes the Holy Spirit sounds like a force, other times like a person.  This is what the Trinity concept is.  God manifests Himself in different ways at different times.  Maybe Christ is as much of God as would fit into human form.

More examples, just like in the Revelation example above, only here both God and Jesus refer to themselves as the same "I AM."

Ex 3:14
14  God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.'"

John 8:58
58  "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

John 10:27-30
27  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
29  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
30  I and the Father are one."
 
  Baptism

What does it mean?  Does it make a person a Christian?  Is it necessary?  When should you do it?

Mat 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Baptize the disciples.  Disciples are believers.

Mark 16:15-16
15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Baptize the believers.  Some say this means that salvation is a condition of baptism as well as believing.  However, it does not say that those who are not baptized are lost.  It says that those who do not believe are lost.

John 3:3-8
3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.'
8 The 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."

First it says born of water and the Spirit, then it says born of the Spirit.  He's talking about people being baptized when they become believers.  He says the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  He doesn't say that baptism gives birth to spirit.

Acts 2:38
38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

He says you will receive the Holy Spirit when you accept Christ. Repentance and baptism are part of accepting Christ.  It says accept Christ.  This is a command to turn from worldly ambitions and be baptized.  Baptism is symbolic of the transformation;  emerging from the old way fresh and clean.

Acts 10:42-48
42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.  Then Peter said,
47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."
48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

These people received the Holy Spirit in response to understanding and accepting the message.  Then after they were saved, they were baptized as a symbol of what happened.
By the way, tongues = other languages.

Acts 22:1-16
1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense."
2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said:
3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city.  Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,
5 as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 "About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, `Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?'
8 "`Who are you, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied.
9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10 "`What shall I do, Lord?' I asked. "`Get up,' the Lord said, `and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.'
11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12 "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
13 He stood beside me and said, `Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 "Then he said: `The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'

This is Paul's conversion experience.  In verse 10, he calls Jesus Lord.  The others in verse 9 didn't understand.  Afterwards, it talks about getting baptized.

1 Pet 3:15-22
15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison
20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

In verse 21 it's the pledge that matters, not the washing.  The earth got washed during the flood.  Only the eight believers were saved.

All the support is for baptizing people after they become believers.  And it's not the baptizing that makes a person a Christian, it's accepting Christ.
 
 

Are There Many Ways to God?

It's always popular to say there are many ways to God and that Christianity is just one of those ways.  People are inclined to argue and politics is always trying to smooth things over and not draw any hard lines just to keep people from fighting.  It's difficult to say there's truth and falsehood, right and wrong, and that the Bible is the one source of spiritual understanding.

John 14:6-7
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Acts 4:12
12  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
 
  Is There a Hell?

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Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT)

1. Matthew 25:41,46
2. Mark 9:42-48
3. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
4. Revelation 14:9-11
5. Revelation 20:10,14-15

Annihilation

1 Timothy 6:16

1. Psalm 1:6
2. Psalm 37:20
3. Psalm 69:28
4. Psalm 34:16, 21
5. Psalm 92:7
6. Proverbs 24:20
7. Dan 2:35
8. Isaiah 1:28,30-13
9. Obadiah 1:16
10. Mal 4:1
11. Matthew 10:28
12. John 3:16
13. Matthew 7:13,13:40
14. John 15:6
15. Phil 3:19
16. 2 Thess 1:9
17. 1 Cor 3:17
18. 2 Cor 2:15-16
19. Romans 6:23
20. Hebrews 10:39
21. James 4:12
22. 2 Peter 2:3
23. Revelation 20:14

Universalism

1. John 12:32
2. John 3:17
3. Luke 3:6
4. Romans 5:18
5. Romans 11:32
6. 1 John 2:2
7. 1 Tim 4:10
8. Col 1:20
9. 1 Cor 15:22
10. Phil 2:11
11. 1 Cor 5:19
12. 1 Peter 4:6

2 Th 1:9-6
6  God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you
7  and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
8  He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
10  on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

Mat 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mat 25:46
46  "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Jude 6
6  And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

Luke 16:19-31, Rich Man and Lazarus

2 Pet 2:9
9  if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.

Rev 14:11
11  And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever.  There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."

Rev 20:13-15
13  The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.
14  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
15  If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

1 Pet 3:18-22
18  For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
19  through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison
20  who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
21  and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22  who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

John 5:26-29
26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.
27  And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice
29  and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

John 12:25
25  The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
 
  Funding Sources

Luke 11 (NIV)

37  When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.
38  But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.
39  Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
40  You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?
41  But give what is inside [the dish] [55] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
42  "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
43  "Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44  "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."
45  One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also."
46  Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
47  "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.
48  So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.
49  Because of this, God in his wisdom said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'
50  Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,
51  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
52  "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
53  When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions,
54  waiting to catch him in something he might say.

---

Some say the second part of v.42 means there is New Testament support for a rule that says Christians should pay 10% of what they've got to the church.  The New English Bible (NEB) footnotes this verse as controversial, as if someone along the way wrote it in there themselves.  The NEB note says with regard to v.42, "Some witnesses omit It is ... others."  Notice how it doesn't even get it's own verse number; again, as if someone just tacked it on the end.

Try reading all the "woe" verses without that phrase:

42  "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.
43  "Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44  "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."
47  "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.
52  "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

Notice how they all just describe a behavior pattern, none of them contain an instruction to the contrary.  Including the second part of v.42 breaks the smooth pattern, as if it shouldn't be there in the first place.

Think about it.  If a monk did just write it in himself, wouldn't it be easy for his boss to look the other way, take the money, and then rationalize it by saying the money would be used for God's work.  Monks didn't have very much, of course, neither did anyone else.

If it costs 10% to go to church, or any other taxation amount for that matter, lots of people are going to stay home.
 
  Concepts for Development

Rapture

1 Th 4:15-18
15  According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18  Therefore encourage each other with these words.

---

Faith in God and Christ alone is what leads to eternal life in heaven.  The Bible does not teach that entrance into heaven comes from being good or from doing good things.  A false teacher will say that it does, and then conveniently provide a list of things to do.

I'm sure God wants us to do good things, but He doesn't want us to always worry that we haven't done enough to get into heaven.

Romans 3:21-31
21  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22  This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24  and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25  God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--
26  he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27  Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.
28  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
29  Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
30  since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
31  Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 4:4-8
4  Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.
5  However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
6  David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7  "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

Rom 4:13
13  It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Rom 5:1-5
1  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2  through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
3  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4  perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Rom 11:6
6  And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

Gal 3:1-14, 25
1  You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2  I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
3  Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
4  Have you suffered so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing?
5  Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
6  Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
7  Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
8  The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."
9  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10  All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."
11  Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."
12  The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."
13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
14  He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
25  Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Mark 5:34
34  He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Mark 10:52
52  "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Luke 17:19
19  Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

Acts 4:11-12
11  He is "`the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'
12  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Titus 3:4-8
4  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
5  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
6  whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7  so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
8  This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

---

Awkward Passages

Heb 6:1-5
1  Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
2  instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3  And God permitting, we will do so.
4  It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5  who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,
6  if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

These are people who were saved that do something like make a public retraction of their faith.  It doesn't say they lose their salvation, but they do lose their commitment; the kind we have in the beginning when everything is new and pure and exciting.  It may be an illustration of how once something goes sour in life and people square off and separate, they don't get back together.  If nothing else, it's a warning about how harmful that can be and how much we should work to keep it from happening.  This kind of thought fits in with the opening of Hebrews 6 where it talks about moving to concerns among established believers instead of about the issues of becoming a new believer.

---

Heb 10:26-29
26  If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
27  but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
28  Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29  How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
30  For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."
31  It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

These are people who understand but are never saved.  They deliberately avoid making a commitment of faith even thought they know about the concepts.  Their outlook is grim.

Select Proverbs (Bible version unknown)
Wisdom and Foolishness

• [7:4] Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend.
• [9:6] Leave the company of ignorant people, and live.
• [12:16] When a fool is annoyed, he quickly lets it be known. Sensible people will ignore an insult.
• [13:16] Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.
• [13:20] Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.
• [14:9] Foolish people don't care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven.
• [14:16] Wise people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.
• [15:14] Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance.
• [15:28] Good people think before they answer. Evil people have a quick reply, and it causes trouble.
• [16:21] A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.
• [17:12] It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.
• [26:4] If you answer a silly question, you are just as silly as the person who asked it.
• [26:7] A fool can use a proverb about as well as a crippled man can use his legs.
• [26:12] The most stupid fool is better off than someone who thinks he is wise when he is not.
• [27:12] Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.
• [29:20] There is more hope for a stupid fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.
• [31:6] Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery. [7] Let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness.

Correcting the Wise and the Foolish

• [9:8] Never correct a conceited man; he will hate you for it. But if you correct a wise man, he will respect you.
• [10:17] People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.
• [12:15] Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice.
• [13:24] If you don't punish your son, you don't love him. If you do love him, you will correct him.
• [16:22] Wisdom is a fountain of life to the wise, but trying to educate stupid people is a waste of time.
• [25:12] A warning given by an experienced person to someone willing to listen is more valuable than gold rings or jewelry made of the finest gold.
• [27:5] Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don't care for him at all.
• [27:17] People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.
• [27:22] Even if you beat a fool until he's half dead, you still can't beat his foolishness out of him.

Calm and Anger

• [10:12] Hate stirs up trouble, but love overlooks all offenses.
• [14:17] People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.
• [14:29] If you stay calm, you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how stupid you are.
• [15:18] Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.
• [27:4] Anger is cruel and destructive, but it is nothing compared to jealousy.
• [29:22] People with quick tempers cause a lot of quarreling and trouble.

The Good and the Wicked

• [4:16] Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone.
• [11:7] When a wicked man dies, his hope dies with him. Confidence placed in riches comes to nothing.
• [13:23] Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor, but unjust men keep them from being farmed.
• [16:30] Watch out for people who grin and wink at you; they have thought of something evil.
• [28:1] The wicked run when no one is chasing them, but an honest person is as brave as a lion.
• [28:5] If you have no regard for the law, you are on the side of the wicked; but if you obey it, you are against them.
• [29:27] The righteous hate the wicked, and the wicked hate the righteous.

Good and Bad Speech

• [10:32] Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.
• [11:12] It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. If you are sensible, you will keep quiet.
• [12:18] Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.
• [15:23] What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion!
• [16:28] Gossip is spread by wicked people; they stir up trouble and break up friendships.
• [17:14] The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further.
• [20:3] Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.
• [25:11] An idea well expressed is like a design of gold, set in silver.
• [26:2] Curses cannot hurt you unless you deserve them. They are like birds that fly by and never settle.
• [26:17] Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.

Truth and Lies

• [10:10] Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.

Thoughts

• [4:23] Be careful of how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
• [12:25] Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.
• [14:10] Your joy is your own; your bitterness is your own. No one can share them with you.
• [14:13] Laughter may hide sadness. When happiness is gone, sorrow is always there.
• [17:22] Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.
• [27:21] Fire tests gold and silver -- a person's reputation can also be tested.

Forethought

• [14:12] What you think is the right road may lead to death.
• [15:22] Get all the advice you can, and you will succeed; without it, you will fail.

Friendship

• [17:17] Friends always show their love. What are brothers for if not to share trouble?
• [27:6] A friend means well, even when he hurts you. But when an enemy puts his arm round your shoulder -- watch out!

Pride and Humility

• [16:18] Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.
• [27:20] Human desires are like the world of the dead --- there is always room for more.
• [29:25] It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.

Rich and Poor Values

• [12:9] It is better to be an ordinary man working for a living than to play the part of a great man but go hungry.
• [15:17] Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate.

The Industrious and the Lazy

• [3:28] Never tell your neighbor to wait until tomorrow if you can help him now.
• [6:9] How long is the lazy man going to lie in bed? When is he ever going to get up? [10] "I'll just take a short nap" he says; "I'll fold my hands and rest a while." [11] But while he sleeps, poverty will attack him like an armed robber.
• [12:11] A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat, but it is stupid to waste time on useless projects.
• [12:24] Hard work will give you power; being lazy will make you a slave.
• [13:4] No matter how much a lazy person wants something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.
• [13:11] The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.
• [14:23] Work and you will earn a living; if you sit around talking you will be poor.
• [16:24] Some people are too lazy to put food into their mouths.

 

 
 
 

What's the difference between a
Catholic and a Protestant?

---

It's in the determination of final authority on controversial matters.

Is it the church or the Bible?

In Catholicism, the Pope claims the final right to interpret scripture.  That means the church has final say on all matters that concern it.  To be a Catholic is to accept the Pope's conclusions.  To disagree with his conclusions is to be a Protestant.

In Protestant thought, the individual believer makes the final decision on how he interprets the Bible in his own life.  Groups of Protestants form according to their common conclusions.

---

When conflict arises, I'm not comfortable trying to resolve it with the phrase, "What would Jesus do?"  This phrase tries to associate divine authority with a human interpretive conclusion.

I need to hear, "What does the Bible say?" And then listen to all the shades of interpretation.  This, I think, is what makes a Protestant.
 
  Grace vs. Works

---

What's the difference between accepting an authority structure and accepting a system of beliefs?

Accepting an authority structure leads to loss of individuality and conditional membership to a group only as long as the perceived authority is agreeable.  It builds insecurity because it's not possible to guarantee the authority's continued approval of all aspects of the relationship.  The person must fear being pushed out of the group as long as he wants to stay in the group.  Insecurity reduces quality of life and the authority can easily take advantage of a person's insecurity and use it for selfish gain.

Accepting a system of beliefs enhances individual identity because it defines a person's own conclusion after considering the system.  It builds confidence and motivation which in turn improves quality of life.

Works theology emphasizes joining an authority structure.  Grace theology emphasizes accepting a system of beliefs.
 
  Creation or Evolution?

---

Maybe the whole creation vs. evolution discussion is a waste of time. Maybe the real question is, "How did life begin on Earth?" And by the way, there's no good techincal answer.

But, if you insist:

Darwin, and certainly others, noticed that animals like birds and reptiles changed from generation to generation and adapted to their environments based on survival of the fittest.  A force exterior to the animal's internal reproductive system i.e., natural selection, decided which characteristics would dominate in the next generation(s).  Natural selection guided the change.  It looks like there is plenty of evidence showing adaptive change within a species.

Dogs have been bred from wolves.  Certain characteristics have been selected by people for continuation into the next generations.  Selective reproduction guided the change.  There certainly has been change within the species.

If we keep breeding dogs for several hundred million years, can we make a fish?  That's about all that can be said.  It's all inconclusive.

If natural selection and people can guide change, then what could God do if He put his mind to it?

--

Suppose things do evolve on their own, and with the right set of circumstances and lots of time, one species can morph into another.

Suppose evolution is a property of matter.

Where did all the matter come from?  First there's matter, then a big cosmic bang that creates elements, then the planets, then atmosphere, then a biosystem that gets more complex with time.  None of this excludes God from the process.

The seven days of Genesis could easily be seven phases of change and development. It's okay to read it as allegory.
 
  Methods of Leadership Selection

---

Acts 1:21-26 (NIV)

Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.  For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."  So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.  Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart.  Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."  Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

• This is an example of a new leader being selected by drawing straws.

---

Acts 6:3-6

Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.  We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."  This proposal pleased the whole group.  They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.  They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

• This is an example of a group choosing leaders for itself.  It doesn't say that the apostles had the final say.  They accepted the selections without question.

---

Acts 15:22

Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers.

• This is an example of the whole church choosing.

These three Biblical examples all use different political selection methods.

---

Rotating Leadership

John 11:49

Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 

---

1 Timothy 2:8-10

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.  I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

• This, some might say, means that all men should pray with their hands held over their heads, and women shouldn't wear gold wedding rings or pearls in church.

Not everything can be taken at face value.  Sometimes it requires a broader interpretation.  On some things, like politics, the Bible does not recommend any one particular thing.
 
  Leadership Selection Issues

1. How should church leaders be selected?  I don't mean what should their qualifications be.  I mean how should we decide who gets put in charge?  And for how long?  What political model should we use?

 
2. What happens if the person in charge isn't doing a very good job but doesn't want to give up the position?

 
3. What should we do if a very desirable leader comes along but the current administration is unreceptive for selfish reasons?

 

 
 
 

Statement of Faith

---

The Bible

The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments.  We believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God, and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen men.  Scripture thus at one and the same time speaks with the authority of God and reflects the backgrounds, styles and vocabularies of the human authors.  We hold that the scriptures are infallible and inerrant in their original form.  They are unique, full and final authority on all matters on which they bear, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.

---

Doctrinal Points

1. The Trinity.
2. The spiritual lostness of the human race.
3. The substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Christ.
4. Permanent salvation by grace through faith alone.
5. The physical return of Christ.

---

Some Questions to Ask Before Going to a Particular Church

1. This is an excerpt from a conventional statement of faith.  Do you accept it or reject it as your own personal belief?

 
2. Summarize what the Bible says about life after death.  Include a discussion on heaven and hell.

 
3. What does the Bible mean when it uses the term "salvation?"

 
4. How does a person obtain salvation according to the Bible?  What does baptism have to do with it?

 
5. Does the Bible say that it's possible for a person to lose their salvation?

 

 

The Secret Formula

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1. Find a way to keep people of different age groups apart.  If you don't, the older people will take over and the younger people will leave because there's nothing for them.  There's always been and a generation gap, and there always will be.  Program around it, don't try to overcome it.  Nothing says everyone has to be in the same place all at the same time.

 
2. Help single people form small group relationships with their own gender.  They need a base of friends to support them through the pitfalls of finding a spouse.  But don't over do segregation and cut off their market access.

 
3. Write a statement of faith for the big issues, but don't use it to start a dictatorship.  Nobody will stand for someone else controlling their belief acquisition process.  It takes time to understand things and people want to figure it out for themselves.  You can help when they ask.

 
4. Look for people with ideas and help them experiment with implementation; that is, if they don't have "center of attention disorder."

 
5. Don't let leadership people stand around at the front door and make contact with everyone like some kind of check point that has to be navigated.  Give people some space to be anonymous if they want to be.

 
6. Very few people in the general population know how to sing, and the rest of them certainly don't want to make fools out of themselves trying to learn in public.  Present performed music as it becomes available rather than requiring people to sing when they're uncomfortable doing it.

 
7. Leadership positions have to change on some kind of schedule.  The church will turn into a personality cult if they don't.  The only people that you'll see after a while will be the ones who are comfortable with the leader.  And when there's any kind of disagreement, the ones without the authority will leave rather than be told what to do by someone they don't want to follow who's going to be in charge of everything forever.  And they may stay home for a full generation, waiting for someone to get out of the way.   Authority is the most addictive and divisive substance in the world.  Don't let it concentrate.

 
8. You don't have taxing authority.

 
9. Be sensitive to the kind of clothes that people are comfortable wearing.  Don't make them feel like they have to wear something else.

 
10. If you're in charge, be available, but never cross into someone's private zone without a clear invitation.

 

Warning Signs of a Dangerous Organization
 

An oppressive authoritarian  power structure.  This means that leaders only give orders and no other people are allowed to question the orders or initiate ideas of their own.  Such leaders will actively suppress the ideas of others in order to preserve or increase their own authority.

No leadership accountability.  A person in charge can do as they please and no one else can have any influence.

The organization is in pyramid form.  The further down in the chain of command a person is, the less influence they have.

Leaders and their families are regarded as superior to everyone else.

Pressure to conform to the personal mannerisms and styles of those with the most authority.

Pressure to give first priority to the financial goals of the organization rather than on personal or family responsibilities.

Pressure to spend excessive amounts of time promoting the goals of the organization at the expense of personal responsibilities.

Distrust of anyone not under the authority of the organization.

Narrow philosophies suggesting that only this organization knows the right way to go.

Suppression of honest and open discussion about the actions and motives of those who are in charge of the organization.

Ostracism or prejudice directed at anyone who leaves the organization.
 

 

Oxford Scholars

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Setting:  Roger and Lizzie, two upper crust English students, Scott, the Yank at Oxford, and Igor, his assistant.

Sign on Table:  Oxford University Library, Manuscript Room

Opening:  Roger and Lizzie at the table with stacks of newspaper pages in front of them.  The pages are cut to about 12" x 18".  They're examining them as they would examine old literary manuscripts.

Roger:  Awfully lot of fog lately, wouldn't you say Lizzie; I mean even for this time of year.

Lizzie:  Certainly seems to be, yes I'd tend to agree with you Roger.  And it always seems to bother Grand mama so, especially now that she has the manor nearly all to herself since Uncle Edward passed away.

Roger:  Yes, (pause) quite.

Lizzie:  Fascinating reading, wouldn't you say Roger?  The way the ancients wrote, with such clarity and depth.  I should think that our modern world owes them quite a bit.

Roger:  I'll say.  Sophocles is my favorite.  I've been particularly stimulated by Oedipus the King; one of his most famous works you know.  And it's absolutely miraculous the way these manuscripts of his work have been preserved; especially considering that he was born in 495 B.C.

Lizzie:  Yes, remember what Dr. Osgood had to say last Summer when we were at the "dig" in Greece; how we can be certain of the authenticity of Sophocles' work.  There are 193 surviving manuscripts from antiquity.  It's by making a comparison with these ancient manuscripts that we can be sure that what we're reading today, is what he actually wrote.

Roger:  And as I recall, there are a good number of other manuscripts that still survive for other ancient authors.  Caesar has 10, Aristotle has 49, Demosthenes has 200, and Homer is the most well documented of all with 643 surviving manuscripts.

Lizzie:  Yes, I think this is a page from the Iliad; and it's remarkably well preserved.  Have a look at this section Roger.

(Enter Scott, the Yank at Oxford, and his assistant, Igor.  Igor walks dragging one foot sideways and is hunched over.  Igor is carrying a large stack of manuscripts, much bigger than the stack that Roger and Lizzie are looking at.)

Igor:  Look Master, over here, here's a table we can sit at.  (They bump into things and cause a ruckus.)

Scott:  Excuse me.  Do you mind if we share this table with you.

Roger:  Be my guest.  (Lizzie nods approvingly.)

Scott:  Okay Igor, let's start with Romans.  Do we have a manuscript of Romans?

Igor:  I'm looking Master.  I'm Looking.  Must be here somewhere.  (He shuffles through the manuscripts.)

Roger:  Romans, that's an odd sounding name for a manuscript.

Lizzie:  I can't seem to place the name either.

Scott:  It's from the New Testament.  We're studying Biblical Archaeology.

Roger:  The Bible!  I can't believe that any intelligent person would study the Bible.  It has no historical basis at all.  What nonsense.

Lizzie:  Really!  It's just a silly myth for school children.  Don't you know anything?

Roger:  Must be one of those loony colonists.  Spent your whole life at the village idiot's convention, did you?

Lizzie:  Why would anyone study the Bible?  A book like that, as old as it is, must have been changed hundreds of times as it's been copied by hand, over and over and over, and over again.  And all of those different versions; they're all called "new" it seams.  The New International American King of England Version and all the rest.  Let's be serious for a moment.  You're wasting your time.

Roger:  Study the great philosophers like Plato and Socrates.  Many of their contributions to analytic thought are still with us today.  (He looks up and says philosophically)  "All we are is dust in the wind."

Lizzie:  Yes.  "Like sands through the hourglass; so are the days of our lives."

Scott:  Well, okay.  Let's give this some thought.

Igor:  Yes, let's do that.

Scott:  You say you have how many manuscripts from Sophocles?  A couple hundred or so.  And some of the others?  A few here and a few there.  You were particularly proud of Homer having 643 as I recall.  Do you know that the New Testament has 24,633 surviving manuscripts.  24,633.

Igor:  Yes, lots of them.

Scott:  There's more than 5000 Greek manuscripts.  We have the Uncials, the Minuscules, the Lectionaries, and the Papyri texts.  There are over 10,000 Latin Vulgate manuscripts.  There's the Ethiopic, Slavic, Armenian, Syric Pashetta, Bohairic, Arabic, Old Latin, Anglo Saxon, Gothic, Sogdian, Old Syriac, Persian, and the Frankish texts too.  And of course there's also the Dead Sea Scrolls for Old Testament verification.

Roger:  Well yes, you seem to have a point there.  The Bible does seem to have been well preserved.

Lizzie:  Yes, but so what.  A lot of things have been well preserved, like old bones and teeth. What does that prove?

Scott:  Okay.  Fair question.  Now give me a chance to explain.

Igor:  Yes, listen.

Scott:  The first thing is this.  When we read the Bible, we find that there are no mistakes anywhere in the whole set of Old and New Testament books.  Nothing is out of place, and nothing contradicts itself.

Secondly, because we've got all these old manuscripts, we know that it's been accurately preserved over the years.  What we have now, is what was originally written.  We've got manuscripts of the New Testament that date back to the year 130 A.D.  That was nearly 2000 years ago.  (Or say the exact number of years slowly and emphatically.)

And here's the third thing.  If there are no errors in it now, and there were no errors in it when it was written...

Roger:  (interrupting)  Yes, but everyone makes mistakes.  History tells us that people make mistakes.  If it was written by people, then surely there would be a mistake in there someplace.

Scott:  That's precisely our point.  Only God could "inspire" the authors, to write without error.

The Bible comes from God.  That's why it's without error or contradiction.  And we have all kinds of historical evidence that proves that the Bible hasn't been changed over the years.  It's the same now as it was when it was written.  When we read the Bible, we're actually reading God's thoughts.

Lizzie: (contemplatively)  That certainly is something to think about.

Roger:  I think I'll have to agree.