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In this article, Dr. James White, of Alpha & Omega Ministries examines the dangers of "Redaction and Form Criticism" in Christian scholarship (sic) and the refusal by Muslim scholars to apply it to Islam while using it to attack Christians beliefs based on our Bible. gfp (2012-03-27)

Briefly, the doctrine of predestination teaches that God, in his sovereignty, elects those who will receive the benefits of salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ and passes over the rest, who by their sin and rebellion against the holy commands of God, will be sentenced to eternal damnation. This key verse, 18, in the context of the whole passage, seems to many Jesus Followers, to be the other side of the coin from Predestination of "the 'Elect of God" i.e. Predestination of those "not elected". Some Christian theologians call the exercise of God's sovereignty by Him in pre-deciding who will, and, therefore who will not, spend eternity with Him in His Kingdom, "Double Predestination". In using this term, they refer mainly to Romans 8:29-30 in the context of a passage about God's love at http://diigo.com/0lc07 . The reason some add the adjective 'double' to the doctrine of Predestination is because God's 'choosing' or 'election' of some individuals includes His 'non-election' of others ...by definition they say. These Christians also, and harshly some say, call the doctrine of 'non-election' the "Doctrine of Divine Reprobation" (God passing over the reprobate*). Those who use the term argue that, given the eternal consequences of not choosing the Gospel of Jesus (also called Yeshua), a clear warning is crucial to help people better understand the consequences of spending eternity separated from God. Divine Reprobation according to this theology's supporters seems to be Biblical based on the following passages besides this one in context: * Matthew 11:25-26; * Romans 9:17-22; * 2 Timothy 2:19-20; * Jude 4; * 1 Peter 2:8. So Biblically speaking, they argue, anyone who rejects the doctrine that God 'dis-elects' the reprobate has a problem explaining the above passages in Scripture in any other context. * 'Reprobate' is both a noun and a verb. "A reprobate" is an evil person. "To reprobate" is to "condemn to damnation" as explained in the dict

There are generally "Two Views of Onus in Human Salvation" as I understand the theology of Christian salvation. (For me, theology is simply "what a person believes about God.) Some argue that because God is omniscient*, He knew before the beginning of time who would choose to believe in The Gospel Of Jesus (Yeshua) at all points in the future, He elects them for salvation and empowers their salvation by giving them the faith to do so. Those who follow "reformed theology" reject this theorem because, they say, it denies God's absolute sovereignty and puts the control in salvation in a wo(man)'s choice and hands. (Some call this latter theory re the preeminence of man in salvation "Armenianism".) However, others argue that Romans 3:11 seems to clearly say that "no one seeks God" of their own will. Therefore, some folks believe that anyone who becomes saved does so only because of God's loving grace for that person. God chooses for His own sovereign reasons to gracefully gift those the New Covenant (Testament) calls "the elect" with the faith they need to be saved. Only this way will we choose to believe the Gospel of Jesus and follow Him. In the opinion of some Jesus Followers, it is not our desire that is the onus in salvation and long-term destiny according to Ephesians 2:8-10 at http://diigo.com/0n20e .

The Lost Are Truly Lost ...But Are The Damned Truly Damned? Romans 9:17-18 and 21-22 in the context of the whole passage is the other side of the coin from Predestination of the 'Elect' i.e. Predestination of those "not elected". gfp (2011-11-21)

A Jesus Follower's real enemies are the demons that inspire and motivate sinful people and the truly evil ones with who we must fight while on this earth.

Never forget that God picked us to spend eternity with Him now and in the life after this one as it says in Romans 8: 29-30 at http://diigo.com/0lc07. He loves us more than we can ever understand in this life. Incredibly, your heavenly Father did so while we were still sinners and hated Him as it says here and elsewhere in the Bible. Don't let anyone try to convince you of the lie that you have to seek God before He will save you. The only thing you need to do is outlined simply in Romans 10:9-10 at http://diigo.com/0lk6j . gfp (2012-01-24)

This is a companion promise to that in 1 John 4:19 at http://diigo.com/0mph0 that clearly states that the only reason we humans can love anyone, including God.

One is wise to note that God did so only AFTER Adam and Eve had gone into the clothing business and covered their so-called "private parts". God did not design man to wear clothes except as protection which is why He may have replaced the foliage with the more sturdy animal skins as He sent them into the "cold cruel" world! The sacrifice of the animals to cover the sins, not the bodies, of human kind also presages the ultimate and future sacrifice of Yesus (Jesus) for the sins and sin of those whom would trust in Him and it in the "fullness of time".

Satan cons modern Christians, I believe, with diabolically-generated shame to believe the opposite untruth i.e. public nudity is shameful and unBiblical. Could not Adam's reference in Genesis to his shame have been about his disobedience rather than about his being naked? Old Testament ceremonial washings, including baptism, were performed in the nude. [Note 1 - Please don't hestitate to contact me if you would like the details for the source of this or any of the other historical facts included below. I'm a trained historian and also like to see the documentation for so-called facts that are not commonly accepted.] Christ, too, was probably baptized naked, as depicted in numerous early works of art. [2] Early Christians bathed communally in the nude at the public baths or public places during most of the second through the fourth centuries. This was common practise in Rome for hundreds of years at all levels of society. Public nudity was also common during this period in other parts of ancient Roman society. The writings of early Christians such as Irenaeus and Tertullian make it clear that they had no ethical reservations about communal nudity for Christians. [3] Christian historian Roy Bowen Ward confirms based on his research that "Christian Morality did not originally preclude nudity. . . . There is a tendency to read history backward and assume that early Christians thought the same way mainstream Christians do today. We attribute the present to the past." [4] For the first several centuries of Christianity, it was the intentional custom to baptize men, women, and children together nude. This ritual played a very significant role in the early church. The accounts are numerous and detailed. [5] Margaret Miles, a historian and author, notes that "Naked baptism was observed as one of the two essential elements in Christian initiation, along with the invocation of the Trinity. . . . In the fourth century, instructions for baptism throughout the Roman Emp

How the so-called "America's pastor" could feel that Christians and Muslims believe in the same God and promote peace simply illustrates the power of politically-correct denial operating in North American including within the traditional church.  That a high-profile U.S. Christian could be so misled by Muslim "taqiyya" ("liefare") would be scary except Jesus warned us to beware of false teachers and our God IS in control. gfp (2012-03-01)

Allah or Allāh is the Arabic word for the so-called One God of Islam. Because Christians and Muslims say the each worship One God is not the same as saying we worship the "same God". He is not YHWH of the Hebrew Pentateuch (Jewish Torah / Muslim al-Tawrāt), nor of the Jews' larger Bible, nor the "God" of the Christian Bible.   A Jesus Follower or Jew who actually reads the Qur'an, the chief Islamic Holy book will quickly discern that Allah is not the Judeo-Christian Almighty God because: * he is not a god with whom one can have a personal relationship as Our's is. * he is fickle and judgemental as Our's is not, and * he allows devout Muslims into his paradise only on the basis of their individual "good works" including murderous jihad e.g., Surah:Ayat 3:97-1040 while Our's requires only faith in His grace as it says at http://diigo.com/0n20e . And these are only three key traits that distinguish the Muslim deity, Allah, from the God of Jews and Christians. To argue, that he is is a lie from the pit of Hell. And please don't be fooled by some Muslim or Christian "false teacher" telling you that the name Allah was used by Christians in some cultural groups hundreds of years before Muhammad came on the scene. That may be true, but, the issue is: "Is Allah a Christian's Almighty God. 

The few loving, peaceable and early Qur'anic passages e.g., 2:256, 50:45 & 109:1-6 were laid down when Muhammad was at Mecca and weak. The latter hateful, violent ones e.g. (Qur'an 4.76, 9:5-6, 9:29, & 60:4) were "received" when he was strong and expanding later. The Islamic "Principle of Abrogation is supported by EVERY Islamic "School of Jurisprudence". It states that later, seemingly contradictory verses abrogate and replace earlier ones because in Qur'an 2:106, Allah specifies:      "Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We {Allah} abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?"

"The Bible Commands Carefronting & Holding Others in The Body Accountable" at https://diigo.com/0zyty Ephesians 4:11-14 is a command many Christians ignore plus confronting-adverse ones abhor. Peace & love in The King, GaryFPatton (2013-07-01)

This command is to be applied, I believe, ONLY against those who say they are Christians. I do because the greater context of these few verses seems clearly to be referring to believers behaving contrary to the word of God. Also, there are many other Scritures which command us NOT to judge those outside the Body of The King. For example, you'll discover that people who do not follow Jesus may NOT be judged ...no matter how offensive or sinful their behaviour... in 1 Corinthians 6:9-13.