Lots of questions??--need help with answers!!

[bbyrd009]

^Ha, I try to make the same point about Heaven. You are never going to "see" it, or be any "closer" to it than you are right now; it does not "exist" in that sense, etcetc.

Originally Posted by Esaias

1) What's wrong with quoting Scripture that deals specifically with the subject at hand?

As for Unitarianism... the posted scriptures don't say anything about how many persons are or may be in the godhead.

2) Did you mean Universalism? If so, then I don't see those verses as a witness for Universalism at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Anyway...

1) Nothing at all! While it might be misused,
and construed as providing a rote answer, I wouldn't say that here.

I do see a real sense in which the legion of insincere quoters
that precede us have stolen that language, so to speak,
and render it ineffective in conversation with someone secular,
but that isn't the case here.

2) Ah,maybe I did mean Universalism...thot they were the same thing, lol.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by bbyrd009

^Ha, I try to make the same point about Heaven. You are never going to "see" it, or be any "closer" to it than you are right now; it does not "exist" in that sense, etcetc.
1) Nothing at all! While it might be misused,
and construed as providing a rote answer, I wouldn't say that here.

I do see a real sense in which the legion of insincere quoters
that precede us have stolen that language, so to speak,
and render it ineffective in conversation with someone secular,
but that isn't the case here.

2) Ah,maybe I did mean Universalism...thot they were the same thing, lol.

Gotcha.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Sheila

Why would we have to die first to become immortal? Why can't we be transformed now? It says in the last days that we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. If were allowed to be changed physically then--then could we ask to become that new creation/creature now rather than later?

Because God's plan is for 1 rapture not millions?

If we've only been baptized with water, then when do we get baptized, cleansed and scourged with fire by God?

When you receive the Holy Spirit.

Why would we have to leave Earth to find heaven--is Earth a less important part of God?

You don't find heaven. Heaven is not a state of consciousness but a plane of existence that is not the same as earth. Therefore you have to leave California to get to Arizona and you have to leave Earth to get to Heaven.

Earth is not a part of God. The bible God is not pantheism. God is Spirit.

Is God really all things and all life? (Colossians 1:15-18)Then wouldn't heaven come forth from within?

No the bible God is NOT a pantheistic God. God is a living intelligent being whose state of being is transcendent. All this verse states is He created all things

Is God far away and somewhere else or is He within as He said?

God's spiritual domain is Heaven. His Spirit presence is said to be inside each believer

Don't we believe Him?

We who? I do

Who else would hear our prayers?

Nobody

Why would you need guardian angels when Jesus is within?

I don't believe in Guardian angels but the truth is God chooses to interact with the created world through mediators. God is not an invisible force like Star Wars that we can tap into and do super stuff

God is the one who is all knowing and all powerful and warns not to worship angels.

Who is worshiping angels?

He also said that nothing comes between God and man. Angels were used in the old testament--not the new after God revealed the truth.

False!

Mat 28:5 But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

Act 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

Act 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place.

Act 10:3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, "Cornelius."

Act 12:7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands.

Act 12:23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

Act 27:23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship,

Shouldn't we beware of angels since a hoard of fallen are on Earth? God says we need nothing and no one but Him.

No

[fireofGod1996]

Originally Posted by Sheila

Why would we have to die first to become immortal? Why can't we be transformed now? It says in the last days that we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. If were allowed to be changed physically then--then could we ask to become that new creation/creature now rather than later?
If we've only been baptized with water, then when do we get baptized, cleansed and scourged with fire by God?
Why would we have to leave Earth to find heaven--is Earth a less important part of God?
Is God really all things and all life? (Colossians 1:15-18)Then wouldn't heaven come forth from within?
Is God far away and somewhere else or is He within as He said? Don't we believe Him? Who else would hear our prayers?
Why would you need guardian angels when Jesus is whithin? God is the one who is all knowing and all powerful and warns not to worship angels. He also said that nothing comes between God and man. Angels were used in the old testament--not the new after God revealed the truth.
Shouldn't we beware of angels since a hoard of fallen are on Earth? God says we need nothing and no one but Him.

I agree with the above about Universalism, but not Unitarianism. I can prove, Scripturally, that there is only One God and is one, undivisable person. But this is not the time for that arguement. As for the questions about the angels, Angels are the handmaidens of God. He uses them just as much as He uses Himself. If you have the true Holy Spirit, then you become aware of the deep Spiritual things. It's hard for me to explain. And yes Angels are used in the New Testament. The thing about Angels is that they look like you. God sent an Angel to tell Cornelius in Acts ch.10, that his prayers were just a memorial before God. In Acts ch 12, an Angel was sent to Peter to release him from prison. When Peter cam to Mary's house, Rhoda cried that Peter was at the Gate of the house. Mary and John said that it was his Angel in Acts 12:15. Angels are all around us, but we don't recognize it because many people do not have the Truth of the Fullness of the Gospel.

[bbyrd009]

"Quote:
If we've only been baptized with water, then when do we get baptized, cleansed and scourged with fire by God?
When you receive the Holy Spirit."

Hmm.

"Quote:
Why would we have to leave Earth to find heaven--is Earth a less important part of God?
You don't find heaven. Heaven is not a state of consciousness but a plane of existence that is not the same as earth. Therefore you have to leave California to get to Arizona and you have to leave Earth to get to Heaven."

Ah, sorry. This is a total fail.
"The Kingdom of Heaven is beside you." That's right now,
and we are assured "...on earth, as it is in Heaven." Sooo...

And ya, the first one, too.
When I received the Spirit
is not when I started getting scourged, anyway,
although I guess it is possible.
The scourging is voluntary, really, in a sense;
I know many, prolly most Christians never really
advance to the scourging part.

Took me a long time, anyway,
and I'm prolly still being recalcitrant about it.

You started getting scourged right away, Prax?

[bbyrd009]

"Because God's plan is for 1 rapture not millions?'

How do you know?

(shredding cont'd momentarily;
please stand by)

[bbyrd009]

"Quote:
Is God really all things and all life? (Colossians 1:15-18)Then wouldn't heaven come forth from within?
No the bible God is NOT a pantheistic God."

Amen, amen, amen. I got Scripture for all that.

[bbyrd009]

"I don't believe in Guardian angels..."

Well, I think you will.

[bbyrd009]

(Dual shred begins here)
"The thing about Angels is that they look like you..."
Well, they are Spirit; they can, yes.
But they may not. i got scripture for that, too.
(Dual shred ends here)
Cont'd...

[bbyrd009]

"God is not an invisible force like Star Wars that we can tap into and do super stuff..."

Um, although I maybe get your point,
as God is not Santa Claus, I plan on
doin some tappin'.
Walking on water will be boring.