God's Word/attribute of timeliness

Mark Henninger
How much of the time does God’s Word deny God’s attributes?

Wiping out heathen nations in OT times, God may have seemed not to have the attribute of love. Was God’s attribute of love then or ever denied by Scripture? Are any of God’s attributes ever denied by an accurate Bible?

Discussion

Exodus 32:32-33

stridge
What do most of you think the “book” in these verses means?

Is it The Lamb’s Book Of Life or a list of people that once favored God but had gone away from Him ,and now face earthly death? .

Discussion

What commission ?

Marty H
I was reading in a thread and saw where Jim had made the following post -

◦Each believer will give an account for his faithfulness and obedience in all things (the Great Commission included!).

Its easy enough to understand that not many of you see things quite like I do. And thats fine. But I don’t see things as I do just to have something to disagree on. I see what I see because with my limited understanding, Thats what I see the Bible saying.

Mat 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

Discussion

A Call for Pastor Theologians

ssutter
I want to draw attention to one of Sweeney’s theses in particular (see the previous post): #5, namely, that “theology can and should be done primarily in the church, by pastors, for the sake of the people of God” (p. 199). Sweeney writes:

Discussion

Eating Christ, Part 2

Kevin T. Bauder

NickOfTime

Read Part 1.

The Bread of Life

In the confrontation of John 6, the crowd attempted to manipulate Jesus into becoming the provider for their material needs. In return, Jesus encouraged them to attend to their spiritual needs, implying that He was the Messiah who could meet those needs. Faced with this claim, the crowd demanded a sign. Alluding to the nature of the sign that they wanted, they said, “Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness—he gave them bread out of heaven.” Jesus knew that they were looking for another free meal, so He replied that Moses didn’t give them the real bread. He could offer better bread, bread that comes down out of heaven, bread that gives life to the world. The crowd took the bait, exclaiming, “Evermore give us this bread!”

That was exactly the reaction that Jesus had anticipated, and His reply went straight to the heart of the matter. “I am the bread of life,” He declared. “The one who comes to me will never hunger, and the one who believes on me will never thirst.” That was certainly not the kind of bread for which the crowd was angling.

Jesus had already used the metaphor of eating. He acknowledged that there is a temporal food for the nourishment of the body, but He pointed out that food for the soul is more important. The spiritual food is received by believing on the one whom God sent. In Jesus’ metaphor, eating stands for believing. Bread stands for Him, and He is to be received or “eaten” by believing His claims and trusting Him.

When Jesus presented Himself as the “bread of life,” He was strengthening this analogy. His emphasis was clearly on inner reception of His person and claims: anyone who comes to Him will never hunger, and anyone who believes on Him will never thirst. In the metaphor, to eat is to believe.

Discussion

Is Preaching Mandatory?

Dan Miller
Do you believe that Scripture demands that the church have regular times in which one man (the pastor) stands before the assembly and preaches the Word without interruption or discussion?

“demands” = This is not just a practical matter or a matter of wisdom; Scripture commands it.

“preach” = Say what the Word of God says.

“without int. or disc.” = This cannot be done with a group study type format. A church that tried that, even if they maintain orthodoxy through a pleurality of elders is disobedient.

Discussion

Good Works and Social Activity

Charlie
Matthew 5:14-16 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
I’m interested in the nature of these “good works” that make the church (assuming, then, that the sermon on the mount is directly applicable to us) the “light of the world.”

Discussion

Two Services or Build?

Jamie Hart
Cornerstone has been at the 80% capacity mark for sometime and we have seen our growth level off. We are still a small church (averaging in the 100s) and I’m a little reluctant to go to two services at this size as it may kill our momentum (this has been my experience at another church). We have the money to remodel to get us larger sanctuary, larger foyer, but that would not include any more classrooms. To get more classrooms, we would have to build (not remodel) and that means a capital campaign…and with the economy where it is in Elkhart, I’m reluctant to do that as well.

Discussion