I chose God..Or God chose me...

[fastfredy0]

Can you provide scripture...that the main method that God makes himself known...I’ve already posted this scripture..

Empirical observation show this IMO.
We know scripture is truth and it contains 66 books of truth call "special revelation". Special revelation is found in: (a) Miracles (b) Prophecy (c) Christ and (d) scripture (2 Timothy 3:15). Special revelation is that which is specific, and cannot be obtained through natural causes. (Psalm 19:7-14)

Then there was theologians call "general revelation". We know of God exists by observing nature. See Romans 1. The extent of knowledge and specifics are very hazy.

Then there is the Spirit leading us. There's lots of verses alluding to this. This is difficult to quantify and though scripture verifies its reality, it is nearly impossible to prove specifics. Like, I had a cousin who swore the Spirit was leading him to go to seminary. Was that true or was it desire of his 'flesh'? I don't know and no one can prove it IMO.

So, of all these sources of God's revelation which I cannot quantify for the most part, it seems that scripture is the vast majority of verifiable and quantifiable truth. I like to say 99% of revelation but I can't justify any number.

John 3:8

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

This above is how God births his children in the Spirit....were talking a Living supernatural birth here...His Spirit is delivered to the heart/ spirit of his child....he is the one who opens our heart/ spirit...to receive this new heart/ spirit within.

Agreed

 

[fastfredy0]

And thirdly, toward that growth and nourishment of our spirit, I heartily recommend reading the whole Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Bonded Leather (back cover). It's the best way to get a grounding in the mind of God which transforms our own mind.

I would add that after reading the Bible I would say the best way to make sense of it is to read Systematic Theology books.

 

[Ritajanice]

Empirical observation show this IMO.
We know scripture is truth and it contains 66 books of truth call "special revelation". Special revelation is found in: (a) Miracles (b) Prophecy (c) Christ and (d) scripture (2 Timothy 3:15). Special revelation is that which is specific, and cannot be obtained through natural causes. (Psalm 19:7-14)

No, i didn’t know scripture was truth, not until I was birthed in the Spirit...then I knew in my Spirit that God was real...100%...there is no scripture that says this, just your opinion as mine is.....he saves his way, as scripture I posted.

Then there was theologians call "general revelation". We know of God exists by observing nature. See Romans 1. The extent of knowledge and specifics are very hazy.

Then there is the Spirit leading us. There's lots of verses alluding to this. This is difficult to quantify and though scripture verifies its reality, it is nearly impossible to prove specifics. Like, I had a cousin who swore the Spirit was leading him to go to seminary. Was that true or was it desire of his 'flesh'? I don't know and no one can prove it IMO.

So, of all these sources of God's revelation which I cannot quantify for the most part, it seems that scripture is the vast majority of verifiable and quantifiable truth. I like to say 99% of revelation but I can't justify any number.

The Spirit doesn’t start leading us, not until we have been birthed....even then, it can take years understanding this...as he reveals it to our heart/ spirit, through his living word.

It takes years to develop a deep “ living” relationship with God through the Spirit.

It’s like any relationship ,it develops ..as we feast on his living word....we get to know him on a “ deep level”....it’s called maturing in the word of God.

 

[fastfredy0]

I have been told also that the rebirth is experienced differently by other people

My way if far different than yours. I believed everything my parents told me. They told me of Christ and I believed.

Weird anecdote: I believed in Santa too. Jewish kid next store said Santa was a fake; that his beard was held on by an elastic. I said, "NO WAY, Santa is real". Well, next time on Santa's lap I saw the elastic and my faith in Santa was destroyed.

.... anyways, faith in Christ comes from God via the word (my parents relating the word) and I still have that

... hmm, maybe not the best testimony (the Santa part, but true)

 

[fastfredy0]

I apologise if I have been disrespectful in any way

If you're going to be a part of the forum you can't be this nice and respectful. I think that's in the Terms of Service (or should be).

 

[Ritajanice]

My way if far different than yours. I believed everything my parents told me. They told me of Christ and I believed.

Interesting...

I believed all the crap my parents taught me on an emotional level. Led by my emotions ....then along came God and turned all that crap I was fed around..hope that makes sense.

Weird anecdote: I believed in Santa too. Jewish kid next store said Santa was a fake; that his beard was held on by an elastic. I said, "NO WAY, Santa is real". Well, next time on Santa's lap I saw the elastic and my faith in Santa was destroyed.

.... anyways, faith in Christ comes from God via the word (my parents relating the word) and I still have that

... hmm, maybe not the best testimony (the Santa part, but true)

Thanks for sharing Brother...it opens up my understanding much.....especially sine Eleanor explained what she did to me.

I didn’t realise my vision was “tunnel vision “.....phew...i could still be looking down that tunnel....

 

[Ritajanice]

If you're going to be a part of the forum you can't be this nice and respectful. I think that's in the Terms of Service (or should be).

 

[fastfredy0]

No, i didn’t know scripture was truth, not until I was birthed in the Spirit

That makes sense. Scripture is the seed and God causes it to germinate in some and lie dead in others.
I imagine about the first consequence of being born again is believing scripture to be TRUTH.
Aside: The fact that you did not recognize scripture as being truth before being born again does not change the fact that it is truth and I was answering your question as to the sources of God's revelation and the relative important of scripture to other things that testify about God. (This is getting wordy... )

The Spirit doesn’t start leading us, not until we have been birthed....even then, it can take years understanding this...as he reveals it to our heart/ spirit, through his living word.

It takes years to develop a deep “ living” relationship with God through the Spirit.

It’s like any relationship ,it develops ..as we feast on his living word....we get to know him on a “ deep level”....it’s called maturing in the word of God.

Agreed ... and I maintain that the Spirit uses Scripture as His main material tool to instruct people.

 

[Ritajanice]

Agreed ... and I maintain that the Spirit uses Scripture as His main material tool to instruct people.

Amen!!...I’m starting to get it.....for me, the Spirit used scripture as his main material tool to instruct people.

After I was birthed in the Spirit....I knew I needed that spiritual knowledge from God’s word....see....we both agree....

 

[fastfredy0]

I believed all the crap my parents taught me on an emotional level. Led by my emotions ....then along came God and turned all that crap I was fed around..hope that makes sense.

Well, my parents and their parents and all uncles and aunts were Christians so I got fed less crap.
Hmmmm, except that the pittance dad gave me for an allowance ... that was crap. *giggle*

phew...i could still be looking down that tunnel....

we all look down a tunnel to some degree. Well, maybe not @Eleanor ... *ducks as he perceives of incoming projectile*

 

[Ritajanice]

Well, my parents and their parents and all uncles and aunts were Christians so I got fed less crap.
Hmmmm, except that the pittance dad gave me for an allowance ... that was crap. *giggle*

Excellent.....and .about your allowance.

we all look down a tunnel to some degree. Well, maybe not @Eleanor ... *ducks as he perceives of incoming projectile*

@fastfredy0 I have to look a lot of your words up in the dictionary.... as well as Eleanor’s,

I actually knew what incoming projectile means...

 

[fastfredy0]

I have to look a lot of your words up in the dictionary.

I use big words to hide my low IQ from others .... thank you "spell check"

 

[Eleanor]

Well, my parents and their parents and all uncles and aunts were Christians so I got fed less crap.
Hmmmm, except that the pittance dad gave me for an allowance ... that was crap. *giggle*


we all look down a tunnel to some degree. Well, maybe not @Eleanor ... *ducks as he perceives of incoming projectile*

Watch your back!

Don't be steppin' on superman's cape.

 

[Ritajanice]

I use big words to hide my low IQ from others .... thank you "spell check"

I love the fact that we have all been able to discuss the word of God....in a kind and respectful manner....it’s really opened up my mind....it’s like God has been in the discussions we’ve all been having.

 

[makesends]

The renewing of our mind is ongoing for all believers and we’re all at different places of understanding.

Not that you implied this, but the prevailing opinion/mindset out there seems that there is one road and we're all at different places on it. Thus, someone further down the road can say to someone behind them, "I've been where you're at." But nobody has been "in my shoes". They don't know what they are talking about, they can't put themselves in my place.

I remember the old Christian Rock group, Love Song, singing a song called, "Welcome back", in which one of the lines goes something like, "...and you have all that lost time to make up for...". But a repenting believer doesn't have "lost time to make up for". He has gone through precisely what God had ordained from eternity past that he would go through. It's part of his 'upbringing'.

Sorry, pet peeve time.

 

[Ritajanice]

Not that you implied this, but the prevailing opinion/mindset out there seems that there is one road and we're all at different places on it. Thus, someone further down the road can say to someone behind them, "I've been where you're at." But nobody has been "in my shoes". They don't know what they are talking about, they can't put themselves in my place.

I remember the old Christian Rock group, Love Song, singing a song called, "Welcome back", in which one of the lines goes something like, "...and you have all that lost time to make up for...". But a repenting believer doesn't have "lost time to make up for". He has gone through precisely what God had ordained from eternity past that he would go through. It's part of his 'upbringing'.

Sorry, pet peeve time.

Thank you Brother, I needed to hear this...especially this part!!..

". He has gone through precisely what God had ordained from eternity past that he would go through. It's part of his 'upbringing'.

....Hallelujah and Praise God.......OH how I need all of my Brothers and Sisters in Christ !!.....Praise God for this forum......

 

[ReverendRV]

Thanks for that knowledge @Eleanor ....I have been told also that the rebirth is experienced differently by other people, ..I guess I need to respect how others understand it....I just wish some would respect my birth...on saying that...I have been respected on this forum.

I apologise if I have been disrespectful in any way ,towards other believers birth, I just didn’t understand it ...now you have posted this information, I understand it much better and have peace about it...so, I thank God for that.

The renewing of our mind is ongoing for all believers and we’re all at different places of understanding.

Re-Olding your Mind ~ by ReverendRV * September 1

Romans 12:2 KJV; And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Have you ever wondered what is Good? ~ That’s not so easy to answer, because the Bible says there is no one who does Good; not even one! We support our families, but even the plowing of the Wicked is Sin; it makes it more difficult to know what is Good. But you ask, “Why is working hard, so that there will be food on the table and that my children wont have tears in their jeans, not a good thing??” The reason is because the ‘Chief end of Man’ is to Glorify God and enjoy him always; something that we all fall short of. Because we have Sinned by not Loving the Lord God with all our Heart, Mind, Body and Soul; this means that we’ve had another God before the LORD; and broken his First Commandments. ~ Have you Worshipped God with all of your Heart?

Have you ever wondered what is Acceptable? ~ It can be hard to answer since our righteousness is as a filthy rag. When the Wicked do good it’s like a child dusting his mothers dining room table with his fathers grease rag; this is not Acceptable. Christ’s Disciples asked him what they have to do in order to do the Work of God? Jesus responded by saying, the Work of God is to believe on him; Faith is Acceptable. You ask “Since the plowing of the Wicked is Sin, it must be true that the Faith of the Wicked is Sin.” The Bible says that Faith is the gift of God; all good gifts come from above. By God’s Grace, our Faith is now pure. ~ Have you Worshipped God with all of your Soul?

Have you ever wondered what is Perfect? ~ Jesus Christ is Perfect! He was born of a Virgin; the Bible says it like this, ‘he is the Seed of a Woman’. The Holy Spirit came upon Mary the mother of Jesus, and in this way Sin was not passed down to him by a human father; it is the Doctrine of Paternal Traducianism. Because of this, Jesus never inherited the Condemnation of our first father Adam. Jesus lived a Sinless life and accrued a human Righteousness which he shares with all who will have Faith in him as their risen Lord and Savior! It is the Will of God that you will come to know that, Sins like ‘Lying, Stealing, Adultery, etc’ will cause you to spend Eternity in the Lake of Fire. But it is also the Will of God that all who come to God through Faith in the risen Savior Jesus Christ, without any Meritorious Works shall be Saved. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord God, and read the Bible. You’re born again; now Renew your Mind…

Have you Worshipped God with all of your Mind? ~ It is not easy to be a Christian, we won’t be Perfected until we are in Heaven. The Apostle Paul describes the life of a Christian as if we are now both a ‘New’ man; and the ‘Old’ man we were before we were Saved. Our Salvation is like a new garment which covers our remaining Sin in a cloak of Righteousness. This is why he tells us to ‘Renew’ our Minds, because we are being Sanctified. But Christians have a way of ‘Re-Olding’ their Minds instead of Renewing them. It’s like taking a razor to a new pair of jeans, to make them conform to the image of an old pair; they are no longer perfect. You don’t want your child to have to wear tattered jeans, so you understand God doesn’t want you in rags either. Renew your Mind with prayer to God, daily Bible study and regular worship with your local Church…

John 6:40 KJV; And this is the Will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

[Ritajanice]

But Christians have a way of ‘Re-Olding’ their Minds instead of Renewing them

Renewing of our minds, when we are born again, takes time to understand...once truly understood...you know when it’s your old self...for me anyway...and it gets easier!...imo/ belief.

You stay in that old mindset you will never grow in Christ.

 

[Ritajanice]

Re-Olding your Mind ~ by ReverendRV * September 1

Romans 12:2 KJV; And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Have you ever wondered what is Good? ~ That’s not so easy to answer, because the Bible says there is no one who does Good; not even one! We support our families, but even the plowing of the Wicked is Sin; it makes it more difficult to know what is Good. But you ask, “Why is working hard, so that there will be food on the table and that my children wont have tears in their jeans, not a good thing??” The reason is because the ‘Chief end of Man’ is to Glorify God and enjoy him always; something that we all fall short of. Because we have Sinned by not Loving the Lord God with all our Heart, Mind, Body and Soul; this means that we’ve had another God before the LORD; and broken his First Commandments. ~ Have you Worshipped God with all of your Heart?

Have you ever wondered what is Acceptable? ~ It can be hard to answer since our righteousness is as a filthy rag. When the Wicked do good it’s like a child dusting his mothers dining room table with his fathers grease rag; this is not Acceptable. Christ’s Disciples asked him what they have to do in order to do the Work of God? Jesus responded by saying, the Work of God is to believe on him; Faith is Acceptable. You ask “Since the plowing of the Wicked is Sin, it must be true that the Faith of the Wicked is Sin.” The Bible says that Faith is the gift of God; all good gifts come from above. By God’s Grace, our Faith is now pure. ~ Have you Worshipped God with all of your Soul?

Have you ever wondered what is Perfect? ~ Jesus Christ is Perfect! He was born of a Virgin; the Bible says it like this, ‘he is the Seed of a Woman’. The Holy Spirit came upon Mary the mother of Jesus, and in this way Sin was not passed down to him by a human father; it is the Doctrine of Paternal Traducianism. Because of this, Jesus never inherited the Condemnation of our first father Adam. Jesus lived a Sinless life and accrued a human Righteousness which he shares with all who will have Faith in him as their risen Lord and Savior! It is the Will of God that you will come to know that, Sins like ‘Lying, Stealing, Adultery, etc’ will cause you to spend Eternity in the Lake of Fire. But it is also the Will of God that all who come to God through Faith in the risen Savior Jesus Christ, without any Meritorious Works shall be Saved. Repent of your Sins, Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord God, and read the Bible. You’re born again; now Renew your Mind…

Have you Worshipped God with all of your Mind? ~ It is not easy to be a Christian, we won’t be Perfected until we are in Heaven. The Apostle Paul describes the life of a Christian as if we are now both a ‘New’ man; and the ‘Old’ man we were before we were Saved. Our Salvation is like a new garment which covers our remaining Sin in a cloak of Righteousness. This is why he tells us to ‘Renew’ our Minds, because we are being Sanctified. But Christians have a way of ‘Re-Olding’ their Minds instead of Renewing them. It’s like taking a razor to a new pair of jeans, to make them conform to the image of an old pair; they are no longer perfect. You don’t want your child to have to wear tattered jeans, so you understand God doesn’t want you in rags either. Renew your Mind with prayer to God, daily Bible study and regular worship with your local Church…

John 6:40 KJV; And this is the Will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Loved reading this Brother..thanks for taking the time to post!

 

[fastfredy0]

Have you ever wondered what is Good?

Yes .... I've got my own theory. (Aside: I wish the bible came with a dictionary ... giggle .... oh, was originally written in English would be nice too)

Premise 1: Only God is good
Premise 2: God is independent of His creation .... meaning, there is nothing we can do the effect Him; He is the First Cause (Job 35:7-8)
Premise 3: God is the cause of ALL things. (Acts 17:28, God's asiety, Colossians 1:17)
Conclusions: Everything we do is dependent upon God; what we do requires His participation. Our perceived goodness is but the reflection of God's good that God demonstrates by participation in us, using us to show His glory.

... I'm still pondering "be perfect like He is perfect".

Aside: wonder why the software always questions my spelling of Colossians ???