Christian Doctrine - Pop Quiz.

[composer]

Well no! I am not going to convince you of anything.

That isn't so!

You have already convinced me you are another unambiguous jebus' fraud!

How so you may well ask?

Well you & Co. wouldn't be making such absurd statements like this because, e.g. any true believer would know they already have the ability -

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; . . . . (John 14:12) ESV Story book fatal to GratefulApe & Co.

As you have asserted "ALL acclaimed Supernatural God(s) are shown to be entirely imaginary!" You are already claiming to KNOW that there is no god, God, gods. You must have some superpower of your own to make such a claim. You must already be some kind of god because you KNOW this information.

I can see how you can perceive me as a god/God, my moral Superiority to your Jealous Story book one for a start! (e.g. Exod. 34:14) ESV Story book

&

The fact I am here vindicated, having repeatedly legitimately exposed & correcting the malignant Sinners & Frauds claiming to represent/follow their Historical Mythical person jebus!

How did you acquire such knowledge?

Posts like yours for one!

Nope, didn't understand a word you said.

John 14:12 - You didn't understand that?

I'm not surprised! 

&

Posts -  did you understand that?

like - did you understand that?

yours - did you understand that?

for - did you understand that?

one - did you understand that?

Your Mentor & Saviour Vindicated Moi? 

[GratefulApe]

Well no! I am not going to convince you of anything.

That isn't so!

You have already convinced me you are another unambiguous jebus' fraud!

How so you may well ask?

Well you & Co. wouldn't be making such absurd statements like this because, e.g. any true believer would know they already have the ability -

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; . . . . (John 14:12) ESV Story book fatal to GratefulApe & Co.

As you have asserted "ALL acclaimed Supernatural God(s) are shown to be entirely imaginary!" You are already claiming to KNOW that there is no god, God, gods. You must have some superpower of your own to make such a claim. You must already be some kind of god because you KNOW this information.

I can see how you can perceive me as a god/God, my moral Superiority to your Jealous Story book one for a start! (e.g. Exod. 34:14) ESV Story book

&

The fact I am here vindicated, having repeatedly legitimately exposed & correcting the malignant Sinners & Frauds claiming to represent/follow their Historical Mythical person jebus!

How did you acquire such knowledge?

Posts like yours for one!

Nope, didn't understand a word you said.

John 14:12 - You didn't understand that?

I'm not surprised! 

&

Posts -  did you understand that?

like - did you understand that?

yours - did you understand that?

for - did you understand that?

one - did you understand that?

Your Mentor & Saviour Vindicated Moi? 

I said I didn't understand a word YOU said. I understand what the Bible says.

[composer]

I said I didn't understand a word YOU said. I understand what the Bible says.

Well as I accurately said " that can't be true because you & Co. wouldn't be making such absurd statements like this (I can't convince you) because, e.g. any true believer would know they already have the ability " because of -

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; . . . . (John 14:12) ESV Story book fatal to GratefulApe & Co.

&

So we have further discovered you are NOT a genuine believer, hence vindicating Moi again! 

&

You also skipped acknowledging that you don't understand -

** Posts -  did you understand that?

like - did you understand that?

yours - did you understand that?

for - did you understand that?

one - did you understand that? **

Legitimate Conclusion: You don't understand the bible & or can't apply it (e.g. John 14:12) because you are another jebus' fraud!

&

Your mastery of the English language is equally inept! (See: ** - ** above!)

Your Mentor & Saviour Vindicated Moi? 

[eyeshaveit]

In the Holy Bible, the same Greek word is translated as both 'expiation' and 'propitiation'. What is the difference?

Spoiler

"Expiation is the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement" - Google.

In biblical terms 'expiation' refers to Jesus Christ's work on the cross.
(To make amends, a ransom that has been paid.)

"Propitiation is the action of propitiating or appeasing a god, spirit, or person" - Google.

In a biblical sense 'propitiation' is the result of Christ's work on the cross; referring to having God's wrath dismissed.
(To make favorable the attitude of the one who obtains a ransom.)



"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." - 1 John 2:2 English Standard Version.

"and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." - 1 John 2:2 Revised Standard Version.

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[GratefulApe]

I said I didn't understand a word YOU said. I understand what the Bible says.

Well as I accurately said " that can't be true because you & Co. wouldn't be making such absurd statements like this (I can't convince you) because, e.g. any true believer would know they already have the ability " because of -

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; . . . . (John 14:12) ESV Story book fatal to GratefulApe & Co.

&

So we have further discovered you are NOT a genuine believer, hence vindicating Moi again! 

&

You also skipped acknowledging that you don't understand -

** Posts -  did you understand that?

like - did you understand that?

yours - did you understand that?

for - did you understand that?

one - did you understand that? **

Legitimate Conclusion: You don't understand the bible & or can't apply it (e.g. John 14:12) because you are another jebus' fraud!

&

Your mastery of the English language is equally inept! (See: ** - ** above!)

Your Mentor & Saviour Vindicated Moi? 

Nope I don't follow your cryptic style ramblings. So we should just leave it at that.

[composer]

Nope I don't follow your cryptic style ramblings. So we should just leave it at that.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; . . . . (John 14:12) ESV Story book fatal to GratefulApe & Co.

IF those words are cryptic to you? then I understand your inability to comprehend & apply them!

To ANY rational person such as Moi, it unambiguously refutes your claim you are a genuine believer who says that they can't ' convince ' any one of anything?

Your Vindicated Mentor, Saviour & Redeemer, Benevolent Moi!

[eyeshaveit]

Old Testament songs include: the Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1); the Song of Miriam (Exodus 15:21); the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:1) - What three songs are found in the Gospel of Luke?

Spoiler

Mary (Mother of Jesus) - The Magnificat - Luke 1:46-55.

?My soul magnifies the Lord,
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.?

Zechariah (Father of John the Baptist) - The Benedictus - Luke 1:67- 79.

?Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.?

Simeon (Devout Jew) - The Nunc Dimittis - Luke 2:28-32.

?Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.?

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[eyeshaveit]

We know the descriptive terms of God's covenants as what?

Spoiler

Stipulations of the Law:

"These are the terms of the covenant the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab" - Deuteronomy 29:1.

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What rewards does God offer for keeping his covenant?

Spoiler

Blessings:

"If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock?the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out." - Deuteronomy 28:1-6.

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Failure to keep God's covenant results in what?

Spoiler

Curses:

"However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out." - Deuteronomy 28:15-19.

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[eyeshaveit]

Is the Lord God ever referred to as 'Father' in the Hebrew Scriptures / Old Testament?

Spoiler

This belief was not unknown: Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Malachi, etc., all allude to God, as our father:

"And David said: ?Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever." - 1 Chronicles 29.

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What of God, as our Father, in the Greek Scriptures / New Testament?

Spoiler

Jesus certainly taught of the Fatherhood of God; mentioning God as our Father almost 200 times in the four Gospels:

?Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" - Luke 12.

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[eyeshaveit]

?[Jesus] said to them, ?These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.? Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ?Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.?? - Luke 24.

What was this, Luke 24 continued in Acts 2, Pentecost promise/prophecy all about?

Spoiler

Several things including,

1 - The Holy Spirit would come with great power:

?When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting? - Acts 2:1-2.

2 - The Holy Spirit would begin a worldwide communion of God's people: both Gentiles and Jews:

?Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.? - Acts 2:5-6.

3 - The Holy Spirit would fulfill God's promise to Abraham (Genesis 22) that ?all the nations of the earth [would] be blessed?:

?And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians?we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.??

4 - The Holy Spirit would fulfill the Joel 2:28 prophecy, that prophets would no longer be needed; with all believers having individual access to God:

?But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ??And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams? - Acts 2:16-17.

5 - The Holy Spirit would fulfill the messianic prophecy found in Psalm 2:12, ?Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.?:

?And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.?? - Acts 2:21.

6 - The Holy Spirit would fulfill Christ's own prophecy, in Luke 24:47-49: ?[that] repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.?:

?Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.? - Acts 2:33

7 - Etc.

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[GratefulApe]

John 7:39
He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.



John 14:16-17
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.


John 14:16

Spoiler

forever

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[eyeshaveit]

When was the Holy Bible divided into chapters and verses?

Spoiler

Stephen Langton, a professor of theology and a future  Archbishop of Canterbury, added chapter numbers circa 1205 AD.
Verses were first added to a Latin Bible, circa 1520, but Robert Stephanus, a printer, added different verse numbers (those we know today) to the New Testament circa 1550.
Stephanus, in a circa 1555 printing of the Latin Vulgate, was the first to divide the whole Bible into the (Langton's) chapters and his own verses.

These man-made divisions were constructed for convenience: to quickly access references and quotes, but these arbitrary divisions are not trouble-free; for example:

The last verse in Matthew 16(:28) in reality should be the first verse of Matthew 17.

?Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. - Matthew 16:28

?And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.? - Matthew 17:1.

Now, the two together as they were meant to be read:

?Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.? - Matthew 16 / 17.

Also,

Dividing the Holy Bible into verses can leave one thinking that the scriptures are merely a compilation of maxims and pithy sayings; for example:

?Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch? - Colossians 2:21.

Standing alone, that seems to be encouraging self denial, but in the next two verses, Saint Paul goes on to say quite the opposite:

?These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.? - Colossians 2:23.

There are many reading versions of the Holy Bible, those printed without chapter and verse headings. These are not merely gimmicks to promote the sale of more books. They are really a better way to read the Bible as it was meant to be read.

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[eyeshaveit]

What is the doctrine of a "kinsman-redeemer"?

Spoiler

?A kinsman-redeemer is a male relative who, according to various laws found in the Pentateuch, had the privilege or responsibility to act for a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need of vindication.? - Bakers Evangelical Dictionary.

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What were a kinsman-redeemer's obligations under the Law?

Spoiler

1 - To redeem real property/land,

?If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold.? - Leviticus 25:25.

2 - To redeem an indentured servant/slave,

?If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him becomes poor and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner with you or to a member of the stranger's clan, then after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him, or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or a close relative from his clan may redeem him.? - Leviticus 25.

3 - To provide an heir,

?If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.? - Deuteronomy 25.

4 - To avenge an unlawful death,

?But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death ? The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.? - Numbers 35.

5 - To be a fiduciary/trustee,

?When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt, he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. But if the man has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest? - Numbers 5.

In the Old Testament, the concept of a kinsman-redeemer is best understood in the Book of Ruth, by the example of Boaz, who was a kinsman-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth.

In the New Testament, Christ and his work of redemption brought into focus the picture of a perfect kinsman-redeemer:

?But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers? - Hebrews 2.

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[eyeshaveit]

"Justification is the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God." - Google definition.

In order of their popularity what are the four different religious world views of justification?

Spoiler

1 - By death, or Universalism, the most popular view

2- By works alone.

3 - By a combination of faith and works.

4 - By faith alone.

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[eyeshaveit]

What are some of the 'Works of the Holy Spirit' found in the New Testament?

Spoiler

1 ? The quiet work of the Holy Spirit in the incarnation of Jesus Christ:

?The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. ,,, And the angel said to her, ?Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ? And Mary said to the angel, ?How will this be, since I am a virgin?? ? And the angel answered her, ?The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy?the Son of God?? - Luke 1.

?Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.? - Matthew 1.

2 ? The anointing work of the Holy Spirit during John's baptism of Jesus:

?And when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ?You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.?? - Luke 3.

?As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.? - Acts 10.

3 -  The reviving work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead:

?The Lord has risen indeed? - Luke 24.

?If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies? - Romans 8.

4 ? The quickening work of the Holy Spirit and his indwelling in God's people:

?And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit? - Acts 6.

?Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?? - 1 Corinthians 3.

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[eyeshaveit]

What was the loyalty oath that the Roman Empire used in the first centuries after Christ; the one that especially targeted Christians?

Spoiler

Citizens, under Roman rule, had to affirm, "Caesar is lord", and/or sprinkle incense on an altar dedicated to Caesar.

The penalty was death for failure to confess Caesar as lord. But many faithful Christians would not deny the 'one God' basic tenet of their faith, and thus they paid with their lives; including Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who was murdered in 155 AD, for not taking the oath.

"You shall have no other gods before me." - Exodus 20.

?And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ?The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. ??I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.?" - Revelation 2.

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[eyeshaveit]

What negative interdiction was spoken by Jesus Christ more often than any other?

Spoiler

The phrase, "Fear not",

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." - Luke 12.

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[eyeshaveit]

What is 'providence'?

Spoiler

"Providence: the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power." - Google

"Theism: the belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in one god as creator of the universe, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relation to his creatures." - Google,

If Almighty God rules in Heaven, then nothing happens by a chance encounter or by luck or by accident:

"When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ?It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.?  So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, ?Your father gave this command before he died: ?Say to Joseph, ?Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.?? And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.? Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, ?Behold, we are your servants.? But Joseph said to them, ?Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.? Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." - Genesis 50.

"And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." - Romans 8.

"Atheism: the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods." - Google.

A universe powered by the physics of unreasoning and impersonal energies; that are subject to randomness and chance.

"We accept (well, those of us who know better) that there are things that we've demonstrated to be true using the scientific method, that our senses cannot comprehend.  The strange nature of this universe doesn't exist to give us answers or make things intelligible to us.  They simply exist.  It is up to us to keep looking passionately for answers without leaning on millennia old myths as comfortable explanations where we simply admit that we do not know, but must keep looking." - Dan Holliday - Atheist - 2014.

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[eyeshaveit]

What is Theology?

Spoiler

Theology is "the study of the nature of God and religious belief." - Google.

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What are the three systems of Christian Theology?

Spoiler

1 - Augustinianism. 

2 - Semi-Pelagianism.

3 - Pelagianism.

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How do these schools of theology differ?

Spoiler

They differ as to their understanding and teaching: of original sin. free will, grace, predestination and redemption.

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[eyeshaveit]

What is the doctrine of 'original sin'?

Spoiler

"Original Sin is the tendency to sin innate in all human beings, held to be inherited from Adam in consequence of the Fall." - Google.

If humans were born innocent, and in a state of 'moral neutrality', we would expect that some people would grow, mature and never sin. But that's not the situation at all. All people sin and defy all known moral precepts, the most familiar being the standards found in the Holy Bible. All people sin; human nature exhibits that of a fallen character. All people sin because they are sinners; they have inherited sin and a sinful nature from the first man, Adam.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." - Psalm 51.

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[eyeshaveit]

What are the eight "I Am, I Exist" (Greek - ego eimi) sayings of Jesus?

Spoiler

John 6:35, 48 -  "Jesus said to them, ?I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.""

John 8:12 - "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ?I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.?"

John 8:58 - "Jesus said to them, ?Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.?"

John 10:7 - "So Jesus again said to them, ?Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.""

John 10:11 - "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

John 11:25 -  "Jesus said to her, ?I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live""

John 14:6 - "Jesus said to him, ?I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.""

John 15:1 - "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser."

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[kevin]

what does the "T" in TULIP stand for?

Total Depravity:


Sin has affected all parts of man. The heart, emotions, will, mind, and body are all affected by sin. We are completely sinful. We are not as sinful as we could be, but we are completely affected by sin.

The doctrine of Total Depravity is derived from scriptures that reveal human character: Man?s heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23) and sick Jer. 17:9). Man is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:20). He does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12). He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). He is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15). And, is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). The Calvinist asks the question, "In light of the scriptures that declare man?s true nature as being utterly lost and incapable, how is it possible for anyone to choose or desire God?" The answer is, "He cannot. Therefore God must predestine."

Calvinism also maintains that because of our fallen nature we are born again not by our own will but God?s will (John 1:12-13); God grants that we believe (Phil. 1:29); faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29); God appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48); and God predestines (Eph. 1:1-11; Rom. 8:29; 9:9-23).

[eyeshaveit]

What is infanticide?

Spoiler

"Infanticide (or infant homicide) is the intentional killing of infants or children ... researchers have found that mothers are far more likely than fathers to be the perpetrator for neonaticide [murdering one's own child during the first 24 hours of life]. and slightly more likely to commit infanticide in general. In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible. In some countries, female infanticide is more common than the killing of male offspring, due to sex-selective infanticide. In China for example, the sex gap between males and females aged 0?19 year old was estimated to be 25 million in 2010 by the United Nations Population Fund." - Wikipedia.

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In the First Century AD, in the Roman Empire, what three peoples considered it a crime to commit infanticide?

Spoiler

Christians, Jews and the Ancient Germans:

?You shall not murder." - Exodus 20.

"... that no one might burn his son or his daughter as an offering to Molech" - 2 Kings 23.

"And Jesus said, ?You shall not murder" - Matthew 19.

"The Germani hold it shameful to kill any unwanted child." - Publius Cornelius Tacitus - Germania, On the Origin and Situation of the Germanic Peoples - Circa 98 AD.

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[eyeshaveit]

Where is the first mention of the Holy Spirit in the Holy Bible?

Spoiler

Genesis 1,

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." - Genesis 1.

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Who was the first person to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and mentioned in the Bible?

Spoiler

Bezalel, the son of Uri,

"The Lord said to Moses, ?See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft." - Exodus 31.

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[eyeshaveit]

When the Jewish rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, walked the earth, what was the Hebrew system of writing numbers? 

Spoiler

"The system of Hebrew numerals is a quasi-decimal alphabetic numeral system using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The system was adopted from that of the Greek numerals in the late 2nd century BC; it is also known as the Hebrew alphabetic numerals" - Wikipedia.

"The first Greek number system we examine is their acrophonic system which was use in the first millennium BC. 'Acrophonic' means that the symbols for the numerals come from the first letter of the number name, so the symbol has come from an abreviation of the word which is used for the number." - University of St. Andrews (UK), School of Mathematics.

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Are there examples of mathematical functions in the Bible?

Spoiler

Yes:

Addition - "Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them." - Numbers11.

Subtraction - "Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?? And he said, ?I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.? Again he spoke to him and said, ?Suppose forty are found there.? He answered, ?For the sake of forty I will not do it.? Then he said, ?Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.? He answered, ?I will not do it, if I find thirty there.? He said, ?Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.? He answered, ?For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.? Then he said, ?Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.? He answered, ?For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."" - Genesis 18.

Multiplication - "You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years." - Leviticus 25.

Division - "divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation." - Numbers 31.

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[eyeshaveit]

"The Christian 'Pentecost' ... refers to the occasion of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ" - Wikipedia.

Was Pentecost prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures?

Spoiler

Yes - ?And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit." - Joel 2.

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Was Pentecost prophesied in the Greek Scriptures?

Spoiler

Yes - ?[Jesus said,] Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.? - Luke 24.

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What three unusual things happened on the 'first' Pentecost?

Spoiler

1 -  "And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting."

2 - "And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them."

3 - "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2.

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What four ethnic/socio-cultural groups are described in the New Testament, as having Pentecost-Like experiences?

Spoiler

1 - "Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language." - Acts 2.

2 - Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that [the Samarians] had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 1who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit." - Acts 8.

3 - "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on [the God fearers*] just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ?John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.? If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?? - Acts 11.

4 - "[Paul said,] Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you [pagans/gentiles] believed?? And they said, ?No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.? And he said, ?Into what then were you baptized?? They said, ?Into John's baptism.? And Paul said, ?John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.? On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying." - Acts 19.

* The 'God fearers' were gentiles - uncircumcised Jewish proselytes - who desired to worship the God of Abraham. One such person was the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. Jews referred to these people as 'Proselytes of the Gate'.

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[kevin]

what does the "U" in TULIP stand for?

Unconditional Election:

God does not base His election on anything He sees in the individual. He chooses the elect according to the kind intention of His will (Eph. 1:4-8; Rom. 9:11) without any consideration of merit within the individual. Nor does God look into the future to see who would pick Him. Also, as some are elected into salvation, others are not (Rom. 9:15, 21).

[eyeshaveit]

"Sin is a transgression against divine law." - Google --- "Sin is cosmic treason." - Anon.

What three problems are associated with 'sin'?

Spoiler

1 - Sin incurs guilt.

2 - Sin subjects you to punishment.

3 - Sin sullies, taints and stains you.

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[eyeshaveit]

"Chance is the occurrence and development of events in the absence of any obvious design." - Google.

Do Christians believe in chance?

Spoiler

No - Chance can accomplish nothing because chance is nothing. Randomness cannot be achieved except by design.

"In him [God] we live and move and have our being" - Acts 17.

"In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will" - Ephesians 1.

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[kevin]

what does the "L" in TULIP stand for"

Limited atonement:

Jesus died only for the elect. Though Jesus? sacrifice was sufficient for all, it was not efficacious for all. Jesus only bore the sins of the elect. Support for this position is drawn from such scriptures as Matt. 26:28 where Jesus died for ?many'; John 10:11, 15 which say that Jesus died for the sheep (not the goats, per Matt. 25:32-33); John 17:9 where Jesus in prayer interceded for the ones given Him, not those of the entire world; Acts 20:28 and Eph. 5:25-27 which state that the Church was purchased by Christ, not all people; and Isaiah 53:12 which is a prophecy of Jesus? crucifixion where he would bore the sins of many (not all).