The Narrow Path Ministries

I miss what used to feel like virtual fellowship on this site, so I'm starting this thread for some lighthearted exchange. What did you learn in church, or from your bible reading, or from any other christian source today? I'll come back after my church fellowship and report what I learned.

I learned that I, too, miss that old-fashioned Bible fellowship stuff that you can get on forums like this one!

I'm a View Active Topics frequent reader (as I post every time I come back here, almost, LOL) but you know what? What? Facebook is great in many ways. You can find a Group on virtually anything imaginable, I'd tend to think. But said Groups tend to be more of the ranting variety and/or, well, just not very in-depth, like TNP can be.

Btw, Hi Michelle!

Hi Rick! Thanks for your response. I also keep up with the View Active Topics link. Perhaps if I posted more often, I would rekindle that feeling of online fellowship. As for Facebook, I like it for keeping up with far-flung relatives and friends, but I lose interest with discussions there. I'm in the Rethinking Hell group, which is an interesting one.

Today at church, a group who went on a short mission trip to Mexico. It reminded me (didn't really learn this just today) that the Kingdom is made up of every tribe and every nation. That's an awesome truth.

Hi Michelle,

Good thought provoking post! Today I observed another shortcoming in my life, keeping a contrast between righteousness and unrighteousness. Michelle, you've mentioned a familiar word in christianity, "fellowship". Our relationship with God and humanity calls for wholesome fellowship, defined as - Intimacy, Joint participation, and Communion; I discovered, in an uncontrolled environment (outside of church), that latent disaffection in my own life eventually fosters strife in a societal relationship at large.

It is noteworthy to mention that not all relationships endear themselves to fellowship. This distinction is evident in society, however, God has taught me, through my own weaknesses, to be on-guard when faced with "disaffection" in others, and in turn, produce fruits of righteousness by recognizing the reality of the relationship at hand.

In society I am not everybody's brother, friend, son, father, neighbor, etc..., which is indicative of a mutual fellowship. The fact is, I could be construed as (and have been guilty of the same mindset myself) somebody's enemy, inconvenience, obstacle, distraction, annoyance, etc..., which brings about the disaffection in the first-place, slowly but surely. As our dear brother Paul said, we must put on the whole armor of God and be vigilant of ourselves in spite of the actions and feelings of others.

God is very merciful, patient, and loving towards us. It amazes me how He can do it, and yet, we too can share in the experience of righteous behavior, reaping the blessings associated with it through faith and obedience. Our Father has given us wonderful instructions and He looks at our heart condition to see if we are willing to serve Him in spirit and in truth. I believe this goes a long way in regards to our spiritual maturity.

Thanks for the post Michelle and God Bless!

Good thread and good posts.

I didn't post this the other day, because I learned this a few weeks ago. But now that it's been a couple days without post ...

This really wowed me and convicted me to guard against pride and complacency:

We are familiar with these passages:

Matthew 10 - "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Luke 12 - "... do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But ... fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into Gehenna."

But what I had not really realized was this: In both cases, the passages state that Jesus was speaking directly to His apostles/disciples!

That's all. Take from it what you will.

Finally a nite off work, thought to drop back by.
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@Michelle -- With your OP, do you know I actually tried to find the "Like" button? LOL

@Singalphile (and Michelle) -- But I don't want to change this into a preterist discussion! I mentioned to Glenn Peoples (a Friend on FB, also in the 'Rethinking Hell' Group, website, etc.); I briefly told Glenn that I didn't see anything in the texts (which Singalphile cited) to indicate Jesus was speaking to anyone other than at that time. I also told Glenn I didn't want to debate it, etc. Was just saying, as they say.

@Singalphile -- The texts you cited were, for me, the best proof-texts for Conditional Immortality (they sort of 'convinced me' of the view). But over the last 3 years or so, I'm essentially agnostic on what happens in an after-life (I've delved over into a more full preterist view on things related and, thus, have a whole new set of questions)!
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Again, not to make this another preterist post!

Hey Rick!

Good to hear from you! You wrote:

I briefly told Glenn that I didn't see anything in the texts (which Singalphile cited) to indicate Jesus was speaking to anyone other than at that time.

I haven't done any "homework" on that idea, but if we looked at all the recorded words of Jesus, I'm wondering how many could be discarded as inapplicable to us if we find nothing in the texts to indicate they had application beyond those who heard Him?

Regarding what I learned today (actually last few days) I've been reading N. T. Wright's "The Challenge of Jesus" (good hardbound copy at Goodwill for less than $3 ). Wight is definitely a partial preterist: much of what happened to Israel was God's visitation in Jesus. But Wright also makes it very clear he believes Jesus will return again. Wright sees the incarnation of Jesus as the visitation of YHWH to Israel.

When you say you are tending toward preterist (if I am understanding you), do you mean partial or full?

Hello Homer,

Btw, I thought it was cool what Michelle posted: that the Kingdom is truly international (keeping in mind the sad news we hear of persecution),

I recently PM'd dwilkins asking if he would be so kind to post on my "Israel Only" thread, which he did. Also, we discussed some preterist stuff privately (in PMs). This afternoon I wrote him again asking if he'd like to participate in a new thread on the topic. I'm sure he will, if he has time.

Otherwise, some time back I referred to myself (here) as a Quasi-Preterist. As to partial or full? If we could use a percentage scale, I'm around 85%. But, of course, I realize this doesn't tell you many details.

As to things Jesus said, in terms of how much of it applies to us: I'd say that, even when it's plain to see who he was speaking to back then, it could still be applicable to us, but not necessarily in a direct sense.

Anyways, I'll try to get a new thread going on all this stuff under Eschatology. Maybe we could discuss more of this there, Homer?

What I Learned Today

Somewhat ironically and on Facebook's most 'radical' preterist Group, I learned that some preterists are actually interested in other topics! (said with a little sarcasm, as many of them, it seems, only like discussing preterism).