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Bible Discussion / Nebuchadnezzar vs Nebuchadrezzar

« on: August 22, 2018, 12:19:08 PM »

Does anyone know what the difference is?
Nebuchadrezzar is only spoken of in Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Nebuchadnezzar is spoken of in Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah,  Ester, Jeremiah, Daniel, but NOT Ezekiel to name a few.
Both spellings are almost always accompanied with the title king or king of Babylon, but I cant figure out what the difference is. Maybe hes referred to different spellings depending on what hes doing at the time? I am assuming they are referring to same person, but someone told me that they were different people, but both versions of the name are spoken of in Jeremiah, and it seems like they are used interchangeably.

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General Discussion / 501(c)3 question

« on: July 28, 2018, 02:44:08 PM »

To be honest, the teachings that Christopher Johnson and Scott Johnson did on 501(c)3 incorporated church buildings were some of the first times I ever heard about what 501(c)3 even is. I have done a little bit of searching myself, enough to know that what they teach on it is true. I have only really researched and heard about church building incorporation, and heard a little bit about other religious buildings getting incorporated.
My point is that I don't know a whole lot about the topic other than it is unbiblical to be signing contracts that put the government at the head of a church and not God.

This might be a stupid question but I'm just curious.
Is 501(c)3 incorporation itself bad? I mean if there is an organization that is 501(c)3 incorporated but isn't a church and doesn't claim to be Christian is there anything wrong with signing the contract? And more specifically is this the kind of organization that a Christian should steer clear of simply because they are incorporated?
Context of what the organization is may be important, and I will provide information if I'm asked, but I mean very generally speaking about non religious organizations is what I'm talking about.

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Bible Discussion / Ezra chapter 7

« on: July 12, 2018, 09:47:57 AM »

Ezra 7:24 (KJV)  Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

This verse was given to me to justify modern tax exempt status churches.
My only response is where can you show me in the new testament when the apostles were starting the first churches where tax exemption is ok? They are the ones who were showing examples to us in the structure of a church along with Jesus Christ himself.

Anyone else have thoughts?
Im not very familiar with the old testament structure of churches and how they did things

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General Discussion / Day of judgment question

« on: July 07, 2018, 08:05:02 PM »

I was wondering if anyone would be able to point me in the right direction in the bible for understanding what we can know about the day of judgment. I am familiar with
Matthew 12:36-37 (KJV)  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
And Romans 14:10-12 (KJV)  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
But I dont really know a lot more beyond that.
There is this guy I work with who has been trying to tell me that your pastor will be there with you on judgement day standing next to you. And that "I better know who my pastor is." And I'm trying to tell him that that doesn't sound right and I need to see some scripture to back that up. it sounds to me like he's trying to ride into heaven with his pastor or like he would be able to say to God "well I only did blank because my pastor said I could" but he quickly says no thats not it at all. I already know that he holds his pastor to a very high level of respect. He has literally said to me "it's not my place to judge or correct him even if he's teaching something wrong" (on a topic about if he was teaching in error.)
So I try asking what is the purpose of your pastor being there with you on judgment day and I never really get a straight answer. He keeps talking about some verse that says that pastors are doubly judged because of the position they're in.
The problem is that I disagree with him, but I am open to listening to him if he'll present a sound argument,  but I don't really know a lot about it either, from what I can tell, I am going to have to answer for everything I've ever said thought or done and I wouldn't want to be anywhere near anyone who would try to blame someone else for the sin they comitted against the Lord God.

I also didn't want to go to Google and try to look it up because I have a feeling I would be sorting through the same kind of false doctrine that I'm trying to avoid.

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General Discussion / Encounter with a jehovah's witness

« on: June 30, 2018, 08:44:22 AM »

Hey everyone, yesterday I had my first encounter with a Jehovah's Witness as someone who studies scripture.  so basically I was taking a break at work and heading to my car and an older man  comes up to me and asked me if my name is Mark, I tell him no,  and he said oh that's funny I have been talking with someone named Mark who also works here and he looks like you, anyways can I give you this booklet and talk to you for a little while? Instantly I am cautious and suspicious of him because there's no one at my work who's name is Mark that looks like me so I concluded afterward that he was either lying in an attempt to break the ice to talk to me or maybe he just got the name wrong.
 however I decided  to go ahead and let him talk and see what he had to say. He starts asking me about how I thought we could change the world and how bad everything was becoming and on and on he went.  I wasn't really sure what to say and I could tell that he thought that I was just some kid who didn't really care about how bad the world was based on what he was saying to me.  eventually I asked him are you referring to the wickedness of man's heart and what we can do about it? His eyes kind of lit up and he said yeah we can start there. I quoted to him from Jeremiah and said the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked who can know it? He said back to me from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We ended up talking for about 25 minutes and a lot of the time he was questioning me about who Jesus was and we eventually got to the point where he was trying to tell me that Jesus isn't God and he tried saying that he is A son of God And not The Son of God.
I got to question him by asking, do you believe Jesus is Lord? he said yes. I said and we worship him? he said yes. I said and we worship God? he said yes. I said but I thought we worship the Lord thy God only and him we serve? and with questions like this he quickly changed topics.
 I could see right through every tactic he was using and it's kind of hard to recall everything he was saying but I could see that he was trying so desperately to deceive and knock me off of my foundation of the word of God. When I would quote scripture to him about Jesus being God in the flesh all he would say is yeah yeah I've heard people say that too and then he would cherry pick  another verse and try to say that Jesus was just a created being and a prophet but that he wasn't God. And he also tried to tell me that Jesus was Satan's brother. That was the point that I looked at him and said are you a jehovah's witness? (I kind of already knew) I eventually got to the point where I said to him man I disagree with just about everything that you're trying to tell me and we eventually agreed to disagree. I never really got the chance to ask him if he knew what a false convert was or what his definition of repentance was because the conversation got cut off and I had to go. I  usually carry a pocket KJV Bible with me but I actually didn't have it so I wasn't able to open it up and start reading scripture to him I just had to use what was in my memory.
 The reason why am making this post is to ask a couple questions, should I have flat out rebuked him and told him that he is lying and teaching false doctrine? Really the only thing I said was I disagree with you completely and I stand on God's word, you can't prove any that you're saying through scripture ( which he couldn't) so therefore I don't have much else to say to you.
was that the right thing to say?  as I said I usually have a pocket Bible with me at all times in case I need to use it and this just makes me want to be more careful about having on me in the future.
I would appreciate info on how anyone else would have handled the situation.

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Bible Discussion / John 8, Missing Repentance? James 2, Foundation-Repentance | Result-Works

« on: May 19, 2018, 09:51:37 PM »

I was reading through John and found this whole chapter very interesting. The way things play out and unfold.

1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
You can see here and later (verse 20,59) he was teaching in a temple the whole time, and that "all the people" i.e. the Jews including religious leaders came unto him. In the next verse the scribes and Pharisees come directly up to him to temp him.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
It says they left, but a few verses later indicate that they are still near enough to see what is going on and able to talk to him.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
When it says "them" I believe that is referring to the crowd as a whole, Jews and Pharisees included because it says in verse 2 he taught "them"
13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
Notice it switches to "the Jews" who are answering him, when it said "he taught in the temple" (verse 20) he is addressing everyone
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
I think it is very important that it says in this verse and the next that there were many who believed on him. Notice how Jesus is addressing specifically the ones who believed on him in the next verse, and then rebukes them, and tells them that they will seek to kill him, (verse 37) because "my word hath no place in you."
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Wasn't he just speaking to many who believed on him? Why do I point this out? And now he is calling them of the devil. I'm pointing this out because of other verses like in

 James chapter 2:
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

John 8:
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
They just said, after all this rebuke on them, "now we know thou hast a devil." Unbelievable!
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

I have to apologize for such a long post but I just found this whole chapter fascinating, without repentance there is no converting of the soul, without repentance (grief and sorrow for wrongdoing towards the Lord God) there won't be any works worthy of that grief and godly sorrow to begin with. The connection that I'm making between James 2 and John 8, am I saying that repentance is works? No, but repentance AND faith is the foundation, and works is the result.

And I want to point out the verse from James 2 again even though its right up there in the passage
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

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General Discussion / The Triune Truth?

« on: April 27, 2018, 09:17:11 AM »

Hello everyone, has anyone heard of Brian Moonan here?
Brian Moonan just released a video on the trinity on youtube called The Triune Truth.
I agree with a lot of what Brian teaches on the pagan holidays, and he has a lot of good material on the pagan cults and stuff which is why I was a little surprised to hear him using the term trinity in the video, I was under the impression that the term trinity implies that you are worshipping THREE GODs in one, which goes against what the bible teaches.

Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? -Malachi 2:10

Giving thanks unto the Father... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son... For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth... all things were created by him, and for him:
-Colossians 1:12-16

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
-Genesis 1:1

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
-Isaiah 9:6

I agree with everything that he says in the video, about Jesus being God, and Jesus being the Son of god, and everything else, but he kept using the term trinity...
(People in the comments have already said that the term trinity is unbiblical and he didn't seem to care and that would be why I didn't comment and why I'm bringing it here.)

In the article "Is the Trinity a Biblical Doctrine?" toward the end on the picture it stated that using catholic terms has leavened christians, hopefully this is not the case for Brian as I believe he is saved because of everything that he professes to be true.

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Introduce Yourself / First post, greetings, and wanting to get involved...

« on: April 18, 2018, 08:06:11 AM »

Hello people, my name is Thomas,  I'm 22, and live in VA.
I'm new to posting anything on a forum so I guess I'll jump right in.
I grew up going to local churches with my family and was saved at a young age. I can remember my mother teaching me about sin and confessing your sin to God and what grief and godly sorrow was, and that there were no works that you could do to re-pay your debt as a sinner. I don't actually remember doing this specifically but she says that I fell on my knees and said "I have a whole box of sins I need  forgiveness for."
I do remember asking how I can be saved and her telling me to ask Jesus "to live in my heart." So I went in private and prayed that the Lord Jesus would live in me and save me from my sins.
To be honest, I grew up going to public schools and I was foolishly influenced by people that I thought were friends and got mixed up in the wrong crowd for years.
I thank the Lord Jesus that a about a year ago a co-worker came up to me out of no where and asked me "how often do you read the bible?"
my response was "not as often as I should."
and I thank the Lord Jesus  again that only days later a different co-worker told me about this ministry on youtube. I started listening to the teachings and I really like the way that Chris goes through the bible and explains things.
that was about a year ago and I've been cautious of people and trying to find a church to get involved in ever since....
but that's kind of why I'm here, I can't find a local church that doesn't teach tithing or isnt in love with money and aren't blind to what biblical love and charity is.
I apologize if I lost my train of thought as I was typing or left out any important detail that I may have just forgotten, please feel free to reply any questions you have for me...