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enyalives 10-May-12, 15:03 |
 Battlefield of the mindWe are sinful by nature and by choice. However if you fulfill the desires of the spirit you won't fulfill the desires of the flesh and vise versa. Flesh & Spirit always in a fight to regards of selfishness or unselfishness. If only get one thing from reading the Bible, at least get this. "DO MORE FOR OTHERS, THEN YOU DO FOR YOURSELF" ex. Jesus. We can't save ourselves, but knowing & having a spiritual relationship with Jesus allows you to receive forgiveness thru your acceptance of him into your heart. Never give up the fight, forgive yourself because Jesus did before any of us were born. He forgave before our sinful act was even done. Which tells me any sin we commit is not stronger then his forgiving power. Which sins if any are not forgiven is a discussion for another day. Feed your spiritual needs and grow and every day your carnal needs of sin will become less and less important to you. One step at a time, that fact that just the first step towards GOD shows a burning desire towards him alone is a victory step distancing yourself away from Satan. |
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solascriptura 10-May-12, 19:27 |
health, prosperity or our salvation. enyalives is correct in saying "He forgave before our sinful act was even done". Romans 5:8 ESV (©2001) but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Again, we can't save ourselves; our Lord's life, death and resurrection is all we need to become righteous. He defeated the foe but the foe continues to roar about as a toothless lion. The only authority he has is that which we give. Blessings, Len |
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shamash 14-May-12, 01:42 |
Deleted by shamash on 13-Jun-12, 15:14.
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solascriptura 14-May-12, 11:29 |
bmei.org In regard to mind and the body there are three principle biblical terms: (1) now, the seat of consciousness or understanding, often contrasted with "flesh" as in Romans 7:23,25 and with dianoia, a compound word derived from nous meaning, "to think or be mindful of;" (2) phren, the second of those three words (and the phren family words: phreneo meaning "to think or be mindful of," and phren, meaning basically "midriff," as that was where the thought process was considered to take place by Greeks who invented this word;) (3) leb, an Old Testament word (which is also a big New Testament word) for "heart," which covers all the New Testament terms as well. It is the only word in the Old Testament used to refer to the mind, and its use is larger than the mind itself. The biblical word "heart" needs to be understood, and, maybe, we need to take a little while to understand it, because, in Western society "heart" has come to mean something quite different. When we look at a valentine, we see little cherry-cheeked cherubs with bows and arrows shooting little arrows into hearts. And, the meaning of heart in that context (one that comes out of the Roman background) in Western society is emotion, feeling. And, when we say, "I love you with all my heart," we are thinking of deep emotions that well up: oceans of emotions. That's not at all what the Bible is talking about when it uses the word "heart." Whenever you read "heart" in the Bible, and think "emotion" or "feeling" you misread your Bible. You have poured a new content into the word that the Bible knows nothing about. When a preacher says, "Now, what we need is less head knowledge and more heart knowledge," he is making a totally non-biblical disjunction. Nowhere in the Bible is the head (the intellect) put over against the heart: Cf. "...as a man thinketh in his heart", "The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God"' (You know why he's a fool, of course, because he's listening to one when he talks that way). This man is deciding things. Consequently, we read of the "thoughts and intents of the heart" in the Scriptures. So heart is not set over against the intellect, it includes the intellect. "Heart" in the Bible, far from meaning emotion, is more often linked with the intellect than it is with the emotions. The word that is used for emotion in the Bible is "gut," "belly." Recall the passages that speak in the Bible about "bowels of compassion?" Think of the literal gut feeling you get in an old elevator. You don't feel it in your heart, you feel queasy down in the gut. Biblical writers understood that that's where the feelings, the emotions were principally experienced. "Heart," then, meant something else. What does heart mean in the Bible? Well, if it isn't set over against the head, over against what is it set? It is set over against the lips: "This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me." It is set over against the mouth: Romans 10 says, "You must not only say with your mouth but you must believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead." So it is - heart and mouth, heart and lips. In the Psalms we read about the hands as over against the heart. In 1 Samuel 16:7 we read that man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart - the outward appearance as contrasted with the heart. Lips, hands, mouth, outward appearance are set over against heart. What does "heart" mean? "Heart" means the inner you, the life you live inside of yourself that nobody knows anything else about except God and you. In Acts when the disciples pray they pray to God as the "Heart-knower." When we think of "heart," there, we ought to be thinking about that inner life of the individual that motivates all that he does and all that he is and all that he thinks. Listen to what Jesus says about the heart in Matthew 15:18: "From the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemy." This is the source of evil and difficulty in our life. This word "heart," this phren -this leb, this kardia - is also used for "mind" in the Bible, but is bigger than "mind." And, the reason it is used for "mind" in the New Testament as well as these other words for "mind" is because it was the only term they had to use for "mind in the Old Testament. Much Old Testament vocabulary and though comes over into the New, as well. Remember, Solomon wrote, "keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Out of it pour all the streams of your life - every aspect of your life begins, and is motivated by, is centered in, and is initiated by the heart. The heart is critical in Scripture. We must understand it. |
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shamash 14-May-12, 13:12 |
Deleted by shamash on 13-Jun-12, 15:12.
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solascriptura 14-May-12, 17:40 |
--Quote shamash-- what wonderful insight, Len. and your enlightening discussion puts me in mind of two medieval teachings: 1) that our soul is not just part of us originating from birth (or from the conception of life) -- a man's soul is something he earns by his deeds, --End of Quote-- The first medieval teaching I guess I am not aware, what is the source on it? I don't think that it is scriptural. The usual word for "soul" in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word transliterated by the letters nephesh or nepes. We will use nephesh. This word occurs over 750 times in the Old Testament. We find one example in Genesis 2:7: "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [nephesh]" (King James Version). The New International Version says "man became a living being." In this instance, the man did not earn by deeds the right to become a soul, God simply "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" which I believe to be his soul. --Quote shamash-- 2) (which I know is a provocative idea: ) that sin is not necessarily part of us, but Sin is like a wolf that lies at the door of our home, or (to take an analogy from the True Blood TV series) the evil of sin is like a vampire eager to be invited in. A fuller discussion of this notion is that an aspect of sin Is part of us, the drive or urge in the first place, and then what lies outside of us is the urging that coaxes it into life, the satanic bellows that fans its inner flame. --End of Quote-- Again, the concept of sin not being necessarily part of us is contrary to scripture. Man is constituted a sinner by his relationship with Adam Psa 51:5; Psa 58:3; Rom 5:18- 19 He is therefore unable To do anything good Gen 6:5; Job 15:14-16; Psa 130:3; Psa 143:2; Pro 20:9; Ecc 7:20; Isa 64:6; Jer 13:23; John 3:19; Rom 3:9-12; Jam 3:8; 1John 1:8 To believe in God (or come to him) John 6:44; John 6:65; John 8:43-45; John 10:26; John 12:37-41 To understand the truth John 14:17; 1Cor 2:14 To seek God Rom 3:10-11 He is dead in sins Gen 2:16-17; John 3:5-7; Eph 2:1-3; Col 2:13 He is blinded and corrupt in his heart Gen 6:5; Gen 8:21; Ecc 9:3; Jer 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; John 3:19-21; Rom 8:7-8; Eph 4:17-19; Eph 5:8 He is captive to sin and Satan John 8:34; John 8:44; Rom 6:20; 2Tim 2:25-26; Tit 3:3; 1John 5:19 He performs actions freely according to his nature, but his nature is wholly evil Job 14:4; Mat 7:16-18; Mat 12:33; Mark 7:21-23; Jam 1:13-14 The last part which states man acts according to his nature is the one in which the secular world gets up in arms. Very difficult for us a specie accept the fact we love to sin! Hope this sheds some light on the subject, thanks for the discourse so far. Blessings, Len |
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shamash 14-May-12, 21:11 |
Deleted by shamash on 13-Jun-12, 15:09.
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shamash 14-May-12, 21:15 |
Deleted by shamash on 13-Jun-12, 15:06.
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solascriptura 16-May-12, 03:17 |
--Quote shamash--"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." --Genesis IV: 7 --End of Quote-- Allegorically speaking yes, sin is a wolf as it waits and lurks for its prey to be sure. The other part of the verse also states "and thou shalt rule over him". It is only by the life,death and resurrection of Christ that we can now actually "rule over him". Sin, was defeated at the cross and only through Christ do we have this ability to rule over sin. When I stated concerning sin that man is blinded and corrupt in his heart using these scriptures, Gen 6:5; Gen 8:21; Ecc 9:3; Jer 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; John 3:19-21; Rom 8:7-8; Eph 4:17-19; Eph 5:8 we see that sin is a matter of the heart. Sin is not something which is outward but it is an inward condition of the heart. Since it is an inward condition it is a very basic part of our nature and so therefore I maintain that sin is indeed part of us. We are of course a new creation in Christ, that be true, but that new creation has been planted back in this mortal shell, I am a new spirit very true, but I am still housed within this clay tabernacle which remains sinful. Blessings, Len |
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solascriptura 16-May-12, 03:48 |
--Quote shamash--"Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." --Proverbs XXXI: 31 --End of Quote-- I guess I am a little at a loss with your use of Provers31:31 to demonstrate that deeds earn immortality of one soul. Barnes' Notes on the Bible That his mother taught him - Compare Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 6:20. If we refer the chapter to Israelite authorship, we may remember the honor paid to the wisdom of Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah; if it was the honor paid to an Edomite or an Arabian, we may think of the Queen of Sheba, whose love of Wisdom led her to sit at the feet of the son of David. Verse 10:10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. I read verses 10:10-31 to me wife on a regular bases and offer her praise. I am sorry, I just don't see the deeds earning immortality in this passage. John11:25 I am the I am the resurrection and the life., John6:48 I am the bread of life and John14:6 I am the way and the truth and the life, all of these point to Christ as the giver of immortal life. Note I used the phrase "giver of immortal life", this precious gift is a gift, not earned by deeds. Thanks for insight, I have to admit I am not as well versed in OT as I should be. I think it is true that our understanding of the OT is not as comprehensive as it could be. I work in ministry with mostly new believers and I always recommend Book of John as the first Gospel to read, Galatians as the first epistle. Once we understand we are not under the Law, we then can understand the Law's purpose. Many times new believers are like those "foolish Galatians", they find Christ and put themselves back under the Law when freedom from it is what Christ bought. Again, I value your discussion however, in this instance, I must disagree that "deeds earn the immortality of one's soul in Paradise". Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. If deeds of the law cannot earn our justification, then how can any deed do so? Blessings, Len |