One thing admirable about Senator Edward Kennedy was his general support for social justice and the cause of the poor and needy. I favor the responsibility and response of individuals over civil government in these matters but the cause is right for both to consider.

Parables wrote:
Bless you too. Truly.

Parables wrote:
I know "parables" are not just an interesting title we give to the numerous teachings of Jesus in the gospel accounts. It is indeed a truth, but the truth is IN the parable.

"...the simplicity that is in Christ..." - 2 Corinthians 11:3

Disagree wrote:
All will definitely eventually obtain salvation from sin. Because that is God's loving will...eventual reconciliation of all to God

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:47-50)

Good and bad are clearly sorted out with the bad cast out into a furnace of fire. This is not a popular doctrine but it is Biblical truth.

Alan H wrote:
Sweet! What a blessed family! What a quiver full! They are a professing Christian family too, for those who don't know...
"Our prayer is that all who view this site —[URL=http://www.duggarfamily.com/]]]The Duggar Family Website[/URL]— will realize that we are ordinary people with our individual weaknesses and imperfections but we serve an extraordinary GOD who delights in demonstrating His great power!
“And He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness, most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)"
[URL=http://www.duggarfamily.com/houseguidelines.html]]]Dugger House Guidelines[/URL]

Banned wrote:
It is a travesty...

I think it's better that it happened than if it had not happened.

Whether in truth or not, Jesus Christ was proclaimed to a crowd in Baghdad, Iraq. In that, I take some joy.

Note: Baghdad's population has been estimated at 6.5 million.

Soupy Sales wrote:
Like every other in-it-for-profit corporation, ...could give a flip about Christian ethics and Biblical morality.

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;" (John 15:18-20)

There are unseen spiritual influences...

Par3 wrote:
Yeah, BUT, there is a BIG difference in a liar and a person telling a lie...

Sounds like MLJ is describing the unregenerate.

When naming the BIG difference, I hope you are not excusing lies by non-liars. I HAVE observed that lying is a sin that easily besets (Hebrews 12:1).

Par3 wrote:
So, the regenerate has a new heart and a new mind and a new spirit. The old has passed away. He is not who he was, and he is not who he will be...

However, even at a church gathering, I'm still mindful that thieves and liars may be present. I once lost my Bible that disappeared from my seat during a church meeting while I was distributing communion elements.

Mike wrote:
Where does Lloyd-Jones think lust and desire originate, if not in the mind?

"Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh". - Galatians 5:16

As you are likely to know, the Bible also speaks of the carnal mind.

"...the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be". - Romans 8:7

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones - Man is a creature who is controlled chiefly by lusts and desires...Man, according to the Bible, is a creature of lust and desire, he is not governed by his mind or by his reason.

Before conversion, the Ephesians had been "dead in tresspasses and sins" wherein in times past they had "walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience". Their prior behavior was according to the "lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and by nature were all...the children of wrath."

By nature, the Ephesians were originally sinful and originally harmonized with the spirit of the demonic angels and not with the Spirit of God.

excerpted from D.M.L-J on the Power of the Spirit - Ephesians 5:18

Whether forecast wrote:
Y'all really desire to get the human effect into salvation don't you.

The Holy Triune God will justly assign men and women to an eternity in weeping, darkness, and gnashing of teeth. LORD, have mercy.

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:36)

God has already supernatural given and preserved His Word. I want to set no stumbling blocks before those who have a will to hear it and heed it.

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the SIMPLICITY that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3)

Whether forecast wrote:
How many loves does the Christian have working in them?

God commanded love. Whether the motives for the expression of love are carnal or spiritual, I'm glad to see love expressed.

God understands the human motives of ourselves and others in ways that we don't

"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?..." - 1 Co 2:11

I find no biblical call for men and women to behave as pre-programmed automatons acting only from natural or supernatural impulse and not responsible for their own actions. Men and women are responsible for their sins and responsible to obey God.

God in His Word has made promises (and threats) on which we can believe. In that Word, God has commanded love, repentance, faith, and more.

Carnal works of man do not bring about an eternal inheritance from God. God sovereignly grants his pardons and gifts.

However, my Bible teaches that works are brought into account and do have an impact on rewards.

And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more...(Philippians 1:9)

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write...thou hast left thy first love (Revelation 2:4)

Love for God can increase. The love of God is faithful. Love for God can both fade and increase. May it increase among myself and many others!

Amen that there's a distinction to be made between the love of God and love for God.

The Holy Spirit helps us with our praying but I don't blame the Holy Spirit for weak praying or weak evangelism. We are all responsible to be good, faithful stewards of the graces that we have while desiring more grace.

Is it possible that there's a weak prayer effort by many because there's a small amount of love for God?

read the word wrote:
In the midst of doctrinal struggles we must always remember this.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

King James Bible
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations...(2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind, and with ALL thy strength: this is the first commandment. (Mark 12:30)

This is Old AND New Testament law.

Yes, a supernatural power must work for a man or woman to be born again. God uses the message in His Word as a means to bring about that supernatural work. God's Word continues to say seek, REPENT, believe.

When Jesus did supernatural works of healing the body, it displayed the type of God that He is who also does supernatural works of healing sinful souls.

The message of Rev 3:19 was written to a CHURCH. It said:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore and REPENT.

Jesus never said repent but be sure it's not in your own strength. Jesus said: Repent. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

All strength is his strength. And all sin is transgression of God's still valid standard of law.

Jesus said: Strive to enter in at the narrow gate.

The message of Christ after the cross, resurrection, and ascension remains a call to repentance. Genuine, saving faith goes beyond the head to the heart and the whole person. Head faith alone doesn't lead to salvation from the wrath of God.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Here's how universalism can be defined from Wikipedia:

"Universalism can be classified as a religion, theology and philosophy that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the Divine and will be reconciled to God. A church or community that calls itself Universalist may emphasize the universal principles of most religions and accept other religions in an inclusive manner, believing in a universal reconciliation between humanity and the divine. Many religions may have a degree of Universalist theology in their tenets and principles, including Christianity, Hinduism, New Thought spirituality. A common principle is that love is a universal binding force".

"Smile, God loves you" fits well on a bumper sticker but the Justice of God requires that some (many) will burn in hell who have dishonored and wounded God and others in sin but have not repented and entered into a saving relationship with the one and only Savior, Jesus Christ.

Universalism is the (false) doctrine that all will obtain salvation.