The first step - Interpretation - involves trying to determine what God's intended message was to the initial audience. This involves looking at the verse or passage in context and following the flow of thought, asking questions like "What point is the author making?"

The second step - principlization - involves trying to determine what timeless principles are being taught, applicable to the first audience and to us many years later. This is where we deal with difficult issues like...

If Christ is part of the Trinity why did he have to receive the Holy Spirit ?

“If you look at the denominations where women do the preaching, they are also the denominations where people do the leaving.”

Southern Baptist seminary president Albert Mohler, who once long ago advocated women’s ordination, now says females should not preach from the pulpit on Sunday morning.

“If you look at the denominations where women do the preaching, they are also the denominations where people do the leaving,” the 59-year-old president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in...

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

I read this in my Bible reading this morning. I’m not wanting to create an argument, just sharing thoughts this morning.

If my salvation is pre-determined, without anything to do with God’s foreknowledge of my choices, how is it that it can be said that a man can lose his own soul?

In my mind, this clearly implies man has a free will.

In another thread, there was a disagreement concerning the promise of Jesus.

Were there promises that were given to the Apostles alone.?

Or can we just claim them to ourselves?

I had posted this;

Iconoclast said: ↑
The Holy Spirit guided the Apostles into All Truth, not us.
We are given the Spirit to be able to welcome truth, but we do not have the same promise the Apostles had.
No... this is not milk issues, but meat.
Correct doctrinal root leads to correct spiritual fruit.

In a...

There were several posts that needed an examination and answer from the other thread.
JonC
The problem is where you have tried to take these teachings. You have moved away from Scripture inch by inch until you have decided God either did not love us while we were sinners or that in our lost state we were the "seed of the woman".

I have always posted God loved us[the elect] while we were yet sinners. That is the teaching of Romans 5.
There was never a time when the elect were not considered...

...as the intact stained glass windows portraying Jerry Falwell Sr. and Jerry Vines are unveiled on stage after being rescued from Southwestern Seminary:

Video here:

Vines, Falwell Reclaim $$$, Scrapped Conservative Resurgence Memorial Windows from Texas Seminary
At Liberty University’s Baccalaureate Service on Friday night, President Jerry Falwell made a bold statement to the Southern Baptist Convention when he displayed two stained-glass windows that were recently removed from...

Jhn 10:38

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Mar 1:15

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Why is it up me to believe if I was chosen? If chosen, why would salvation depend on my belief? or my actions at all?

here at the hospital again so my wife Pam get the tumor removed. We have been here last March for some surgery followed by chemo and radiation treatments.... it did reduce the tumors size. Today will be to remove the uterus and the tumor. I ask for your prayers... she goes under the knife around 2:00PM EST.

Thanks

Peter opens his first letter with these words:

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

How do you discern these two sentences?