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This question comes from Luke 23:43: "Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Was the prayer that Jesus stated to His Father immediately answered? Were the people who were crucifying Him forgiven right then and there? Or was the prayer answered in the future? How can a person receive forgiveness unless he repents of his sin (Luke 17:3)? The people who crucified Jesus were not willing at that present time to repent of their sin of murder.
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Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has always puzzled many Bible students ( Matthew 12:24-32; Mark 3:22-30; Luke 11:17-23). What exactly is this sin? The word "blasphemy" is actually a Greek word that was brought into the English language (called "transliteration"). A translation or definition of this word is "to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile" (Thayer, p. 102). Simply put, blasphemy means to slander or put down someone. Therefore, in regards to the question, blaspheming the Holy Spirit has to do with speaking reproachfully against the Holy Spirit.
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1. Know the eldership (1 Thessalonians 5:12).
2. Esteem the eldership (1 Thessalonians 5:13).
3. Be at peace among yourselves (1 Thessalonians 5:13).
4. Be submissive to the eldership (Hebrews 13:17).
5. Obey the eldership (Hebrews 13:17).
6. Receive not an accusation against an elder except by the mouth of two or three witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19; keep in mind this principle: rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father, 1 Timothy 5:1).
8. Remember and imitate the eldership (Hebrews 13:7).
9. Count the elders worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17,18).
10. Call the elders when you are in need (James 5:14,15).
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1. Take heed to themselves (Acts 20:28).
2. Watch for grievous wolves [i.e. false teachers] (Acts 20:29-30).
3. Stop the mouth of vain talkers (Titus 1:11).
4. Take heed to the flock (Acts 20:32).
5. Feed the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1,2).
6. Be guided by the word of God (Acts 20:32; Titus 1:9).
7. Oversee/shepherd the local congregation (1 Peter 5:2)
8. Be examples to the flock of God (1 Peter 5:3).
9. Rule well (1 Timothy 5:17).
10. Make decisions in the local congregation concerning matters of judgment (Acts 15:6) and enforce matters of faith (Titus 1:9-15).
11. Admonish the church (1 Thessalonians 5:12).
12. Support the weak (Acts 20:35).
13. Pray for the sick and administer to their needs (James 5:14,15).
14. Watch for the souls of the church (Hebrews 13:17).
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2 Timothy 3:1-5 states: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"
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All accountable human beings have transgressed the law of God (1 John 3:4) and have sinned against a holy and righteous God (Romans 3:23). We should be eternally grateful that God is gracious and merciful who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (Titus 2:11-14; 1 Timothy 2:4). God has set forth conditions which He has placed on man in order to receive the free gift of eternal life (Romans 5:1; Romans 6:23). God has always required man's trust (faith) and obedience to His Divine will in every dispensation (see Hebrews 11). God has stated that in order for men to be saved, they must obey the gospel of Christ:
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In 1 Timothy 2:8-15, Paul is discussing the respective roles that God has ordained to both men and women in the spiritual realm. It is best to read the whole context along with verse 15 which states: "Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control."
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Is the Holy Spirit some impersonal force or is He a Person? What does the Bible teach? There are three Divine personages that make up the one Divine nature. They are not three separate gods but one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). There can be a cumulative case made as to why the Holy Spirit is a personal Divine being.
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This question comes from 1 John 5:16,17: "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death."
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The question comes from 2 Corinthian 12:7-10: "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
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Some people have taken the doctrinal position that 1 Timothy 2:11, 12 not only relates to the spiritual realm, but also to the secular realm. This would mean that a woman could not be a boss in a business over men, a woman could not serve in a government position over men, or a woman could not teach a college class (such as mathematics or science) with men present.
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No. God has charged that elders ought to be overseeing and feeding the flock of God of which he is part. 1 Peter 5:1-4 states: "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."
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"Transubstantiation" is a doctrine which claims that the Lord's Supper actually changes into the literal body and blood of Jesus. Such a view is based on an erroneous understanding of the following statements of Jesus: "This is My body" and "This is My blood" and "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life" (Mark 14:22-25; John 6:51-58).
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This question comes from Genesis 6:1-5, which states: "Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
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According to the Latter-Day Saints' official historical account, the Book of Mormon (BOM) was the work of ancient American Jewish prophets who wrote their inspired accounts on plates of gold. These plates were handed down from prophet to prophet until the last prophet, Moroni, hid the plates in a stone box beneath the ground in the 400s A.D.
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No. Paul makes it clear by the authority of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:37), the Head of the church (Ephesians 1:22,23), that these works are different and distinct from one another. In 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Paul uses the word "likewise" to show a distinction between the two functions. Paul, in his letters, means by that word that a new section is beginning, but it is somehow related to the previous section. The similarity is that they must exhibit the qualifications to be appointed to either of these two works. One can also see that there are two different sets of qualifications showing that they are both different works.
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The Bible teaches that Jesus is Deity (John 1:1, 14; 8:58) and that Jesus died on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Philippians 2:4). If Jesus is God, how could God die, especially in light of the fact that God is eternal and unchanging (Psalm 90:2; Malachi 3:6) ? Muslims often will pose this question since they believe there is only one Person that is Divine - Allah (and not three Persons who share the Divine nature). They believe this is a legitimate contradiction of the Christian religion.
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No. In fact, nobody knows here on this earth when the Lord will return. In Matthew 24:36-39, the Bible states: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."
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1 Timothy 3:8-10 states: "Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless ."
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When we come together as the church to worship God (1 Corinthian 11:20; 14:23; Hebrews 10:24-26; James 2:2), is it a sin if a Christian does not sing with the rest of the congregation (assuming one is well and able)? Ephesians 5:19 is a part of fulfilling the command to..."be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18), which is in the imperative mood. Therefore Ephesians 5:19 is a commandment. Breaking a commandment of God is sinful (1 John 3:4). Is it a sin to choose not to worship God? Yes (John 4:24). Who would not want to sing to the One who died for their sins? It is very sad that a Christian would not want to give the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of His lips, to the praises of God's name (Hebrews 13:15). It is not enough to say, "I cannot sing" or "I love to listen to the beautiful singing because it is more meaningful for me than when I sing along", etc.
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