Are We In The End Times?

[Trevor]

I would disagree -- satan should Not be referred to as the God of this world. God Almighty is the only God. Satan Does have power in the here and now. His influence is felt. But God is still in control.

Jesus rebuked satan when He was facing temptation from him.

The positive side to all of this is that we are given ways to rebuke satan -- we are given the Armor of God in Ephesians -- Resist and he Will flee.

Hi Sue, 2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. Luke 4:5-7 The devil took him to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. The devil said to him,"I will give you all the power and glory of these kingdoms. All of it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I please. So if you worship me, all this will be yours. Jesus didn't refute Satan's claim of authority. As to your final point, you are right, in Jesus we have authority over the forces of evil, although I wouldn't attempt messing with them without the backing of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Sue D.]

Trevor -- but what was the response from Jesus Christ. -- actually I was just rereading that portion. The last verse says -- IF you will worship before me, all will be Yours." Jesus response was " Get behind Me, satan For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and HIm only you shall serve."

Okay -- satan is not 'bound' in this time in history. He is free to roam around but only acts as he's allowed to. But God is still very much in control. And in the future -- during the 1,000 yr early reign of Christ, satan will be bound and not able to have Any influence in this world. The Holy Spirit is very active in drawing people to Christ for salvation.

It's important to get the entire context of a passage.

 

[Trevor]

Trevor -- but what was the response from Jesus Christ. -- actually I was just rereading that portion. The last verse says -- IF you will worship before me, all will be Yours." Jesus response was " Get behind Me, satan For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and HIm only you shall serve."

Okay -- satan is not 'bound' in this time in history. He is free to roam around but only acts as he's allowed to. But God is still very much in control. And in the future -- during the 1,000 yr early reign of Christ, satan will be bound and not able to have Any influence in this world. The Holy Spirit is very active in drawing people to Christ for salvation.

It's important to get the entire context of a passage.

I think you'll find, Sue, that Satan only acts as he is allowed to, with regards to the saints, the rest he has free access to. There are, of course, the elect who have yet to realise who they are, they are the ones who respond to the evangelists when they hear the gospel.

 

[Sue D.]

Trevor -- and that's why this world is getting worse and worse -- satan knows his time is short. And we Do have power through the Holy Spirit to tell satan to leave us alone. There has been a battle in this world since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate that fruit. Satan was thrown out of heaven due to his pride / jealousy.

Even though the term elect is in Scripture -- I think it's the way you use the term 'elect' --" even though the elect who have yet to realize who they are". How about the term 'the unsaved' -- we're All born physically but not spiritually. So -- the unsaved person is convicted by the Holy Spirit and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. And, as a result -- they -- the born again believers -- are part of the 'elect'.

It's not really important To realize that 'you' are part of the 'elect'. But it Is wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit Is indwelling me. The inner peace and the guidance and protection that is there as a result Of the abiding of the Holy Spirit within 'us'.

 

[Trevor]

Trevor -- and that's why this world is getting worse and worse -- satan knows his time is short. And we Do have power through the Holy Spirit to tell satan to leave us alone. There has been a battle in this world since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate that fruit. Satan was thrown out of heaven due to his pride / jealousy.

Even though the term elect is in Scripture -- I think it's the way you use the term 'elect' --" even though the elect who have yet to realize who they are". How about the term 'the unsaved' -- we're All born physically but not spiritually. So -- the unsaved person is convicted by the Holy Spirit and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. And, as a result -- they -- the born again believers -- are part of the 'elect'.

It's not really important To realize that 'you' are part of the 'elect'. But it Is wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit Is indwelling me. The inner peace and the guidance and protection that is there as a result Of the abiding of the Holy Spirit within 'us'.

We are told there is a book of life, Sue, that has the names of all the born again believers in it, the born again believers are the elect. They have hearts that naturally embrace the Word of God because it is the language of the kingdom of God and it is natural to them. The world is alien to them, and the ways of the world abhorent. when they hear the truth, they hear their own language and they embrace it and come home. The unelected are offended when they hear the truth because it condemns their pleasures and points to the consequences. There are sheep and there are goats, and sheep can't be goats, and goats can't be sheep. If the sheep are being trained to be a Royal Priestood, who's job, is to minister and serve. who will they minister and serve, if not the goats?

 

[Sue D.]

Trevor -- yes, I'm aware of the book of life and that born again believers are the elect. Have already stated that. But I Don't agree with your comments about the elect.

No one know who the elect are except God. All of us are born sinners. No heart naturally embraces anything Godly / Spiritual. Because the natural man Can't understand. Being one of the elect simply means that That person Will eventually accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. It might be on their death bed, but they Will accept Him.

The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins.

Now the Believer Does understand God's Word. Their heart Does accept as the Holy Spirit teaches. The language of the kingdom of God will be natural to them.

We are told to share the Gospel unto salvation with everyone who is willing to listen.

 

[Trevor]

Trevor -- yes, I'm aware of the book of life and that born again believers are the elect. Have already stated that. But I Don't agree with your comments about the elect.

No one know who the elect are except God. All of us are born sinners. No heart naturally embraces anything Godly / Spiritual. Because the natural man Can't understand. Being one of the elect simply means that That person Will eventually accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. It might be on their death bed, but they Will accept Him.

The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins.

Now the Believer Does understand God's Word. Their heart Does accept as the Holy Spirit teaches. The language of the kingdom of God will be natural to them.

We are told to share the Gospel unto salvation with everyone who is willing to listen.

You're right Sue, we are called to share with all who will listen, in doing so, the Word reaches the Elect, they are the ones that genuinely embrace what you share, unfortunately Satan sends a few tares in to disrupt our meetings.

 

[Sue D.]

Trevor -- "For God so loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son, that Who So Ever believeth on Him, will not perish but have everlasting life".

And, while It Is true that there Are the elect of God. A person Could hold the view that an individual doesn't really Need to share all that much -- cause, in the End, those who are meant to be 'saved' Will be.

Let's be careful to Not give into satan's influence even in our own lives / attitudes towards the unsaved people in this world. Let's not allow satan to interfere with our opportunities To share the Gospel.

 

[Trevor]

Trevor -- "For God so loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son, that Who So Ever believeth on Him, will not perish but have everlasting life".

And, while It Is true that there Are the elect of God. A person Could hold the view that an individual doesn't really Need to share all that much -- cause, in the End, those who are meant to be 'saved' Will be.

Let's be careful to Not give into satan's influence even in our own lives / attitudes towards the unsaved people in this world. Let's not allow satan to interfere with our opportunities To share the Gospel.

The point that I was making Sue, is that we are called to preach the gospel to the world regardless of their beliefs or who they are. We are called to ( plough the fields and scatter, the good seed on the land, where it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand ) It's then in the hands of God.

 

[Sue D.]

Trevor -- have you never led a person to the Lord? You kind of sound like a Calvinist. My former son-in-law had the same views. He said he'd never lead anyone to the Lord. Meaning, be with them when they prayed. It can be a wonderful experience. And it doesn't need to be pastor leading them to Christ. It's important to know that the person being witnessed to really does understand. And sometimes a person isn't ready To accept Christ -- it Can take some time. But Do have that conversation with them. Sharing your own salvation experience can help make it more 'real' to the person you're sharing with.

 

[Trevor]

Trevor -- have you never led a person to the Lord? You kind of sound like a Calvinist. My former son-in-law had the same views. He said he'd never lead anyone to the Lord. Meaning, be with them when they prayed. It can be a wonderful experience. And it doesn't need to be pastor leading them to Christ. It's important to know that the person being witnessed to really does understand. And sometimes a person isn't ready To accept Christ -- it Can take some time. But Do have that conversation with them. Sharing your own salvation experience can help make it more 'real' to the person you're sharing with.

I have, over the years been present when people have made covenant and it has been a blessing, I have also baptised a few in our bath. One was over twenty stone, as he went under, the water came over and flooded the bathroom, went through the floor and made a mess in the hall. We all cried hallelujah.

 

[Sue D.]

What do you mean that 'one was over twenty stone', And why would the water over-flowing and going through the floor making a mess be a 'cried hallelujah' event.

You use the term "have made covenant" -- meaning they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Right?

Baptism by immersion is a person showing to others the decision that has already been made in their heart. Important in the believer's life -- yes, -- necessary to complete their salvation, no.

 

[Trevor]

What do you mean that 'one was over twenty stone', And why would the water over-flowing and going through the floor making a mess be a 'cried hallelujah' event.

You use the term "have made covenant" -- meaning they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Right?

Baptism by immersion is a person showing to others the decision that has already been made in their heart. Important in the believer's life -- yes, -- necessary to complete their salvation, no.

Making covenant Sue, is confessing sin and accepting Jesus. The cry hallelujah moment was because a believer was immersed under water and came up leaving the world behind him under the water. The displacement of water added a bit of levity.

 

[Brad Huber]

stones are a unit of weight in the UK

 

[Trevor]

stones are a unit of weight in the UK

Oh, I forgot I am living in a previous time. 20 Stone =280 pounds, big lad.

 

[Born Again 2004]

We are told there is a book of life, Sue, that has the names of all the born again believers in it, the born again believers are the elect. They have hearts that naturally embrace the Word of God because it is the language of the kingdom of God and it is natural to them. The world is alien to them, and the ways of the world abhorent. when they hear the truth, they hear their own language and they embrace it and come home. The unelected are offended when they hear the truth because it condemns their pleasures and points to the consequences. There are sheep and there are goats, and sheep can't be goats, and goats can't be sheep. If the sheep are being trained to be a Royal Priestood, who's job, is to minister and serve. who will they minister and serve, if not the goats?

How is that possible? SHEEP will be in Heaven and Goats will be in Hell

 

[Sue D.]

Making covenant Sue, is confessing sin and accepting Jesus. The cry hallelujah moment was because a believer was immersed under water and came up leaving the world behind him under the water. The displacement of water added a bit of levity.

Well -- believer's baptism / baptism by immersion / a picture of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us. He died and was buried / under the water / and is brought back up // Jesus Christ rising bodily from the dead. It demonstrates the new life we have in Jesus Christ. A believer is still very much in this world. WE are simply living a Christ-like life which we hadn't been doing previous to salvation.

My husband was a big guy, too. He'd get up out of the bathtub -- he liked a lot of water. We put ceramic tile on the bathroom floor. We'd he would get back up to get out of the tub, there would be a little water going over the top of the tub. So I can relate to the water thing. But it wasn't enough to cause any damage.

 

[Trevor]

How is that possible? SHEEP will be in Heaven and Goats will be in Hell

Can you explain to me, if we are a royal priesthood who's job it is to minister, who, if everyone bar the priesthood is going to hell are we expected to minister to?

 

[Born Again 2004]

Can you explain to me, if we are a royal priesthood who's job it is to minister, who, if everyone bar the priesthood is going to hell are we expected to minister to?

That is simple:
Matthew 25: 31-46
Jesus famously explains Sheep and Goats in this parable.
This explains this is in the future, after the fact , after the Royal Priesthood took their opportunities to explain the gospel to the non-believers . After a person dies, they are either (believers) Sheep (previously Royal Priesthood) or they are Goats (non-believers) and rejectors of Christ. Sheep and Goats are "after the fact" , after they die and God goes through a process of separation at Judgement..
Sheep to the right and Goats to the left.
The Royal Priesthood ministers to the non-believers before they become Goats! The Bible also refers to this process of separation as Wheat from the Tares..
Chaff from the Grain

 

[Born Again 2004]

That is simple:
Matthew 25: 31-46
Jesus famously explains Sheep and Goats in this parable.
This explains this is in the future, after the fact , after the Royal Priesthood took their opportunities to explain the gospel to the non-believers . After a person dies, they are either (believers) Sheep (previously Royal Priesthood) or they are Goats (non-believers) and rejectors of Christ. Sheep and Goats are "after the fact" , after they die and God goes through a process of separation at Judgement..
Sheep to the right and Goats to the left.
The Royal Priesthood ministers to the non-believers before they become Goats! The Bible also refers to this process of separation as Wheat from the Tares..
Chaff from the Grain

Let's help God change the hearts and minds of the unbelievers.