While many even forget the immediate textual context many more forget the overall context of the Book they are reading. And most all forget the historical context. Very very few will consider the historical cultural context.
If you are a person who considers and factors in ALL theses contexts, chances are your understanding of the verse and Bible in general will be in conflict with most all Christians.
Oddly enough there is the "Reform" crowd who prides themselves on the overall context of the Bible through the use of systematic theology. The problem with this is systematic theology is a product of western thought and hardly applicable to eastern thought the context in which the Bible was written. Therefore they end up cherry picking verses to support their theology.
What's even stranger is this Western/Greek thought process has invaded Othrodox Judaism. In their attempt to deny Jesus as Messiah they have resorted to the same tactics as systematic theology. It's as if the whole word has gone mad.
Although in the New Testament we do start to see a syncretic blending of western and eastern thought because of the prevalence of Hellenism in the Jewish second Temple period.
Everyone who begins to study will first encounter hermeneutics. Yet for the dishonest, hermeneutics just becomes another tool to twist things to their preconceived doctrines.
At this point in life, with what I've seen, experienced and studied; there is no more important requirement to the understanding of Scripture than the indwelling Holy Spirit - no matter how ignorant a person is of the real facts - the Spirit will make it applicable to their life. After all, what is more important; knowing or doing?
"Every translation of the Word of GOD Almighty has many errors."???
"When read correctly, the English translations bring a person back under the law instead of Grace."???
And gracenotwprkssaves thinks he knows how to correct all the errors even though he is not a Greek or Hebrew scholar. However there a lot of very good translations from the original Greek and Hebrew by many excellent Bible translators with just a few minor errors!!
Zecharyah and the RC Popes believe that we are saved by **THE RIGHTEOUS THINGS WE HAVE DONE** and by our own **GOOD WORKS**and that the Blood of Jesus does not forgive all the sins of those whom God has **CHOSEN**??
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
**SALVATION IS 100% FREE WHILE ETERNAL HEAVENLY REWARDS ARE 100% EARNED**!!
**SALVATION IS 100% FREE**
Titus 3:3,4: At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and **LOVE** of God our Savior appeared , He saved us, **NOT BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUS THINGS WE HAD DONE**, but because of **HIS MERCY**!!
John 1:12,13: To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, **NOR OF A HUMAN DECISION** or a husband's will but, **BORN OF GOD**!!
John 6:37,39,44,65: Jesus says, "**ALL** that the Father gives Me **WILL** come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will **NEVER** drive away... And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall **LOSE NONE** of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the Last Day.... No one can come to Me **UNLESS** the Father who sent Me **DRAWS HIM**, and I will raise him up at the Last Day!!... No one can come to Me **UNLESS** the Father has **ENABLED THEM**!!"
Ephesians 2:8,9: For it is by **GRACE** you have been saved, through **FAITH**—and this **NOT FROM YOURSELVES**, it is the **GIFT OF GOD**—not by works. So that no one can boast. For we are **GOD'S WORKMANSHIP**, created in Christ Jesus to do **GOOD WORKS**, which God prepared in advance for us to do!
Romans 12:3: For by the **GRACE GIVEN ME** I say to every one of you. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourselves with sober judgment, in accordance with the **FAITH GOD HAS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF YOU**... We have different gifts, according to the **GRACE GIVEN TO EACH OF US**!!
Romans 9:15,16,18: God says, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy...Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. {But God's saints still preach God's Word to everyone}
John 15:16: Jesus says, You did not choose Me, but I **CHOSE YOU**and appointed you so that you might bear **FRUIT**--**FRUIT** that will last!!
Matthew 22:14: Jesus says, "MANY ARE INVITED**, but few are **CHOSEN**!"
Mar 13:20: Jesus says, "If the Lord had not cut short those days, no on would survive, but for the sake of the **ELECT**, whom He has **CHOSEN, He has shortened them!"
{The Lord has shortened the Great Tribulation from 3 1/2 years or 1278 days to 1260 days}
John 13:18: Jesus says, "I am not referring to all of you, I know those I have **CHOSEN**!
Ephesians 1:4-8; 11,12: In love He **PREDESTINED** us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will--to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding... In Him we were also **CHOSEN**, having been **PREDESTINED** in accordance to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity to the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be to the **PRAISE OF HIS GLORY**!!
I Thessalonians 1:4: For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has **CHOSEN YOU**, because our Gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction!
I Peter 2:9: But you are a **CHOSEN PEOPLE**, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you might declare the praise of Him who **CALLED YOU** out of darkness into His wonderful light!!
Revelation 17:14: They will make war against the **LAMB** but the **LAMB** will overcome them because He is **LORD** of lords and **KING** of kings and with Him will be His **CALLED** **CHOSEN** and **FAITHFUL** followers!! {Riding on white horses right after the Marriage Feast of the **LAMB** as per Revelation 19:7-20!}
Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death, but the **GIFT OF GOD** is **ETERNAL LIFE**!
God's Word clearly teaches that faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit and eternal life are all 100 percent **FREE GIFTS OF GOD** and that the two main incentives for doing good works is being thankful to God for these amazing **FREE GIFTS** and to **EARN HEAVENLY ETERNAL REWARDS** which God has promised His chosen saints for faithful and loving service. Whereas those who believe in **SINLESS PERFECTION** believe that we have to earn our salvation and eternal life by doing **GOOD WORKS** and being **SINLESS** and that the only eternal reward is gaining eternal life by what we do; and if we commit even one small sin after we are saved we will loose our salvation and eternal life. And so man and not God becomes the Author and Finisher of our salvation.
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
**AND SO SALVATION IS 100 PERCENT **FREE** but **ETERNAL REWARDS** are 100 percent **EARNED**!!
Ephesians 6:8: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will **REWARD** everyone for what ever good he does!
Revelation 22:12 Jesus says, “Behold I am coming soon! My **REWARD** is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!”
Matthew 16:27: Jesus says, “The Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels and **THEN** He will **REWARD** each person according to what he has done!”
Luke 11:33,34: Jesus says, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a **TREASURE** IN HEAVEN** that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your **TREASURE** is, there your **HEART** will be also!"
Luke 14:13,14: Jesus says, "When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be **BLESSED**. Although they cannot repay you you will be **REPAID AT THE RESURRECTION** of the righteous!"
2 Corinthians 5:9,10: We make it our goal to please Him... for we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15: His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his **REWARD**. If it is burned up he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
How to Win Heavenly CROWNS:
I Corinthians 9:24-27: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes in to strict training. They do it to get a **CROWN** that will not last; but we do it to get a **CROWN THAT WILL LAST FOREVER**! Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize!
2 John 1:8: Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be **REWARDED** fully!.
Revelation 3:11: Jesus says, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your **CROWN**!”
2 Timothy 4:7,8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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!
The **CROWN** of Life for those who persevere under trials and persecution:
James 1:12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the **CROWN OF LIFE** that God has promised to those who love Him!
Revelation 2:10 Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the **CROWN OF LIFE**!”
Matthew 5:11,12: Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your **REWARD IN HEAVEN**!”
Luke6:22,23: Jesus says, "Blessed are you when people hate you, when they reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and **JUMP FOR JOY**, because great is your **REWARD IN HEAVEN**!"
This is something I've studied for years and it has been very difficult.
For example the New Testament has no qualms about Jesus being a demigod in the Greek sense of things.
Western thought doesn't like this to much so they interpret the situation as a "Trinity" to avoid the demigod stigma.
The Jews on the other hand cry; polytheism!
Yet if we go back to older Jewish writings there is a sense of a unexplainable two YHWH's. Therefore they now interprete it as an angel or Sheliah (legal representative).
Go further back to the oldest written Sumerian texts and we have a world with gods and God. Much of this has made its way into our Bible but very few recognize it. For example the beginning of Psalm 82 or the Deuteronomy 8:8 in the DSS.
I posted but Prophetic7744 is again taking a big off topic dump right in the middle of a good conversation. I'm out - see ya, have a good day. Thanks for the cool topic. It was good while it lasted.
At this point in life, with what I've seen, experienced and studied; there is no more important requirement to the understanding of Scripture than the indwelling Holy Spirit - no matter how ignorant a person is of the real facts - the Spirit will make it applicable to their life. After all, what is more important; knowing or doing?
End quote
Yeah, enquiring minds wants to know! Knowing or doing ??? What is your application ? do you have a head full of knowlege about God or a heart full ?
Makes me wonder what spirit you have since you claim Jesus as Messiah but are mean to others here like me and Parrot. Yes, I am done being nice again. My anger is righteous anger.
Zechlup quote
I posted but Prophetic7744 is again taking a big off topic dump right in the middle of a good conversation. I'm out - see ya, have a good day. Thanks for the cool topic. It was good while it lasted.
End quote
The scriptures offend you in some way. I knew they did. Your heart is stony.
Zechlup quote
Prophetic7744,
Why are you mean spirited and hateful?
Why do you disrespect the conversation of others with OFF TOPIC posts?
Why???
We weren't bothering you.
Why can't you be a nice person?
Why?
End quote
I think you need to ask yourself that question, no?
I pray that you can't look into your mirror any longer because of your wicked heart and ways and come to Jesus broken and repentant!!
Then your life will truly begin. Your whole entire world will change. You will have a heart like his.
P.S. Parrot...dont take my mystery religion quote and run with it. ..I still believe that Jesus fulfilled all prophecy in the first century . God married Israel once..Jesus married the Bride once ...he has no more shed blood. He won't come again as another sacrifice.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
The last enemy was DEATH... in the first century. The adversary has no power over the grave anylonger since Jesus took the keys of hell and death from him. Yay!!
1 Corinthians 15:26 King James Version (KJV)
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
P.S. Parrot...don't take my mystery religion quote and run with it. ..I still believe that Jesus fulfilled all prophecy in the first century . God married Israel once..Jesus married the Bride once ...he has no more shed blood. He won't come again as another sacrifice.
End quote
In referring to mystery religion, I meant as in whatever form Zech subscribes to.
Being he claims Jesus as Messiah but is hateful and contentious on the forum.
Calling scripture that Parrot posted a dump. Calling me names on the forum and mocking me , calling me satanic .
I pray that the Lord God Almighty purges your heart of anger and malice. I pray he circumcises your heart.
“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Ps. 51:6–7).
