Dr. Tim wrote:
Watcher, I believe what I believe with all my heart--and yet I recognize that some of what I believe may be wrong. It doesn't bother me that folks with opposing beliefs believe those with all their heart also. It just bugs me that they so often take the position that they can't possibly be incorrect in even one minor aspect of their belief system. You're so right about one thing: a little humility wouldn't hurt any of us. Only problem is, being fallen creatures, if we actually had any humility we'd probably be proud of it 😳

Dr. Tim wrote:
Good quote from Newton, Watcher--and convicting.

Dr. Tim wrote:
Yes, and I have apologized more than once in this forum also, Watcher. As for damaging my testimony, you are right, and I have no excuse. I think the only way to avoid that in the future is to simply disengage. Agreed?

"I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master."
-John Newton

Dr. Tim wrote:
Watcher wrote, "Just once, I would love to see someone sincerely apologize and come down off of their perch. Just once." You're someone, Watcher.

Lurker wrote:
You'll have to look in one of the modern versions for that verse.
. . . .
Watcher,
Not that it'll mean anything to you but I consider you a brother in Christ as well. But frankly, you're not my cup of tea.
But on the subject of pride..... Pride comes in many forms and one form you are apparently blind to is presuming to do God's job of convincing others of what you believe to be truth. Sow, water but leave the increase, if any, to God.

Dr. Tim wrote:
No problem, W. Glad to see you demonstrate the humble heart that I lack.

Dr. Tim wrote:
Watcher, you're so right; I have no desire to learn and grow. That's why I have read through the entire King James Bible more than 50 times, and read individual books of the Bible hundreds of times. It's why I've read hundreds of books about biblical topics, including books by Spurgeon, Lloyd-Jones, Pink, Gill, Bunyan, etc. My desire to refrain from learning is what prompted me to earn four seminary degrees, including three in Biblical Studies, and it accounts for my having read thousands of articles and sermons and completing dozens of Bible correspondence courses. I am clearly an unlettered simpleton, and like all such I love simplicity and hate knowledge (Proverbs 1:22). Your keen perception is impressive...

Dr. Tim wrote:
Watcher wrote, "Personally if this museum was situated in a mobile home park their visitor count would have surpassed this mark on its very first day!" I praise God that there are many churches that don't consider themselves too high and mighty to carry the gospel to trailer parks, government housing projects, homeless shelters and other places. I seem to recall that it was poor people who heard our Lord gladly.

Christopher000 wrote:
Watcher Wrote:
"...Just because we don't understand something or that it's a hard thing to swallow, doesn't mean we don't believe in it..."
Copy that. There are plenty of things that I just don't, and never will understand, but that doesn't make any difference to me. God is always right and just, no matter what our human minds tell us otherwise.

Dr. Tim wrote:
Abstinence from fornication is the will of God--I Corinthians 4:3. However, in Calvinist Fantasyland...

How does one, such as yourself reconcile your thinking with verses such as Isa. 45.7: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Or Proverbs 16. 4: The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Or Proverbs 21. 1: The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

John Yurich USA wrote:
When I get married and have children the children will be home schooled. The school year will begin the day after Labor Day and end on 1 March. The school week will be only 4 days: Monday through Thursday.

Connor7 wrote:
@JAG, thanks for the clarification, I see what you're saying, but would you say that Christ bore the wrath of God for Henry?
As far as the term 'limited atonement' let me go ahead and address that, the way in which limited is used, it is not to say that 'God couldn't do this' nor 'God's power was restricted somehow' rather it is conveying the idea that Christ's atonement was for x amount of people,
To say "Christ's atonement was universal' or 'Christ's atonement is unlimited' leads to universalism, thus the atoning work of Christ is limited to x amount of people, but His atonement fulfills the Father's will,
for Christ died for the elect, and all the elect will be justified, and all the elect are the sheep of Christ (once justified) and He will lose none of them, the atonement is not wasted in any way shape nor form,
Jesus bore the wrath of God for the elect and the elect alone.

Dr. Tim wrote:
God can certainly do anything He wants to--including leaving people to their own devices.

Dr. Tim wrote:
I did. Now read Romans 10:21. And Matthew 23:37. People say no to God every day.

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God*? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to* make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Just a Guy wrote:
Watcher wrote...
Just the fact that in the beginning God chose some and not others, brings me to tears. I was one of those He chose to save. WOW!
It truly is amazing man...

Dr. Tim wrote:
If I paid for a possum dinner for every inhabitant of Mississippi, but only half of them showed up, would it be because my payment was insufficient or because half the people in Mississippi didn't know a good deal when they saw one?

Connor7 wrote:
The reason I ask is because of the following:
1. It seems that if Christ died for Henry, yet Henry goes to Hell, then Christ's blood was in vain for Henry.
2. If Christ bore the wrath of God for all mankind, then God has no right to send anyone to Hell, for if everyone's sin was placed on Christ, then no one should be in Hell.
Therefore it seems that we have a couple options:

Dr. Tim wrote:
As long as God is excluded from our public school systems, we may as well cut off the top half of our flagpoles. We won't be using them much.

IS God excluded from our schools? City Halls? Courtrooms? Can man shut God out of anywhere? "Free-Willers" will say yes, but honestly, do we see this in Scripture? Sure we see God allowing man to rebel, but that rebellion always falls within the boundaries of God's sovereignty.

Can man shut God out of anything? That's my question. Before anyone answers, think about our place in God's plans and who is on the throne, us or Him?

Carl haydock wrote:
That means a lot. I'm there for you too,as are a lot on here. One hard part was my dad,who was divorced from my mum for 40yrs, txt me complaining i hadn't got him a birthday card. It was 2 days after my mum's funeral.