HUH?
You REALLY know how to open multiple cans of worms simultaneously...
Sister, you're the best.
Ok, so, I like the rule of thumb Dr. John Barnett came up with. His method has been to try and see the text through the lens of the literal, and if that doesn't work, then look at it through the lenses of a blend of literal mixed with allegorical/spiritual, and if that doesn't work then look at it allegorically as pointing to things temporal if not constrained to Heaven alone in the language.
Personally, I do that by nature...by way of having been born again. You see, not all who have perverse attractions are practicing the sin behind those attractions. Those are who I stand by and fight for in prayer and against the "Christian" hecklers. If they are practitioners of the perverse things, and they will not hear the admonition of the word of God, then I turn them over into His hands.
We are not called to be reactionaries, but rather pro-active toward all, being gracious and merciful toward all.
Romans 12:19 Beloved,
do not avenge yourselves, but [rather] give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance [is] Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
Again, we leave the perpetrators in the Hands of the Almighty, even though the flesh wants to do some repaying here and now...
Don't do it...apart from the few allowances. There are those who would say that what Jesus said is the ONLY allowance, and yet they say such on the basis of ignoring the OTHER things Jesus said on this same topic that any systematic study would reveal to anyone who would make the effort to seek it out.
We are free to engage in politics any time we so desire...so long as we uphold godly principles, morals, love, mercy and justice. This false idea that there's some sort of dividing line between the secular and the sacred, that's a concoction of secularists who don't want absolute morality brought into politics, upon which this country was grounded.
Some are afraid, others are not. We have an absolute promise from the Lord over creation:
Romans 8:28 And we know that
all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.
Notice the ALL THINGS...not some, and not most, but ALL in relation to those who love God, and who are called according to His purpose.
Suffering does one of two things...it either strengthens the one who is seeking godliness in their lives, or it shatters them because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 21:44 "And whoever falls on this stone (Christ) will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."
Now, granted, the context is about nations, but there are in most contexts truths that stand alone, and are therefore universal.
Not at all. What's sad is that so many who are called "scientists" have chosen to say things that are no better than mere pseudo science. You see, science doesn't say anything. It's scientists who say things... Some people put their faith into their pre-conceived notions that they have forced into the science they promote. Others allow science to lead them to the only conclusion possible, and that truth will always validate and verify God.
That depends on how you define "Christians." That noun has gotten to where it means almost nothing with there being so many who believe in a Christ of their own, or someone else, making.
Sex is good. Sex is wonderful...so long as it remains ONLY within the confines of marriage as the Lord defined for ALL of humanity in Genesis 2.
Not at all. People the world over have totally misrepresented what scripture says on this topic...even though that word is not in the Bible.
Salt and light.
Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Although it speaks much about money, it never says that money in and of itself is bad or evil. The LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil, just as it is written.
MM
here at CFS.
