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In John 10:22-30, Jesus states clearly that He IS "God Incarnate" (the man-God in human skin & bones). This Scripture also makes clear that anyone who believe in the reality of Jesus' death on the cross for them gets an incredible Gift. That gift is eternal life in and with God from the moment they choose to follow Jesus. This is because God accepts Jesus' death on our behalf as full payment of the penalty we, not Jesus, deserve for everything we have done contrary to God's will. Through our faith in Jesus' death on our behalf God grants us, by grace, complete and eternal forgiveness for every sin we have committed in the past, commit today or will commit in the future. These verses confirm, finally, that Jesus' glorious payment, as a righteous person without sin and undeserving of death unlike us, guarantees that no one or nothing can take our eternal life from us ...including we ourselves through our own disobedience. You heavenly Father further promises you the same gift for your children and granchildren in Psalm 103:17 at http://diigo.com/0mc2f. So, trust him! Claim His promises! And relax while you continue to pray for your kids.

WOW, eh! And this promise comes as the icing on the cake of those in verses 31-37!

Either wording works for me as a guarantee that God's "got my back", regardless of what he allows to "come down the track", plus He will work everything to "my best"! How about you?

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 escape from God's wrath and death is because we are "in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) when we enter the next life plus, being also in Christ in this one, we confess our sin moment-to-moment (1 John 1:9).

Isaiah 5:20-21 outlines the behaviour of those in what the Bible calls "the world", i.e., every human being (Romans 3:23-26 & 6:23). The Bible makes clear this group includes even Followers of Jesus because sometimes we live out of our flesh by not "walking in the spirit". (Galatians 5:16-19 & 25) God punishes all who disobey His laws because His character of "justice" demands consequences be extracted ...even given His character of grace. Jesus Followers, who truly "fear God" (Proverbs 1:7 & 2:1-7) have an escape from the clear wrath of God and eternal separation from His presence. The guaranteed wrath of God is indicated by His use of the strong Hebrew word translated as "woe". gfp (20120-4-19)

But those in the world have exactly what He charges we must not do withot consequences. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We also have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. (Note 1) And Isaiah 5:20-21 makes clear at that the above is the behaviour of those in what the Bible calls "the world", i.e., every human being (Romans 3:23-26 & 6:23). The Bible makes clear this group includes even Followers of Jesus because sometimes we live out of our flesh by not "walking in the spirit". (Galatians 5:16-19 & 25) God punishes all who disobey His laws because His character of "justice" demands consequences be extracted ...even given His character of grace. Jesus Followers, who truly "fear God" (Proverbs 1:7 & 2:1-7) have an escape from the clear wrath of God and eternal separation from His presence. The guaranteed wrath of God is indicated by His use of the strong Hebrew word translated as "woe". A Jesus Follower's escape from God's wrath and death is because we are "in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) when we enter the next life plus, being also in Christ in this one, we confess our sin moment-to-moment (1 John 1:9). If you are not in a close, personal relationship with Yeshua (Jesus), I beg you for your eternity's sake plus to ensure your ability to live an abundant life now, to ask Jesus to save you. Call out to the Son of God from your heart of hearts, acknowledge that is truly Who He is and ask him to forgive all your

When we believe this, 1 jojn 5: 11-13 says we are guaranteed to spend eternity with God because of what Yeshua/Jesus did for us. He paid the full penalty for our sin nature and sins when He by His choice and willingly gave up His life on a cross (torture instrument) for those who believe in His gift and "Good news" of salvation through Him with His and our heavenly Father.

Reverend Brian Bell, in 2004, opened his "Meditation" at my Mom's funeral with 2 Corinthians 5:1-15. He was the then Lead Pastor of "The Meeting House Yorkdale", in North York of The Greater Toronto Area. My Mom's, Ina Donelda Patton's (aka Donna and Donnie) funeral was held on January 22, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. at the Simple Alternative Chapel in that city. gfp (2012-04-04)

One cou;d argue that this implies that our first parent's sinful, human nature is transmitted ONLY through males. Does mr. Gillam really mean that? gfp

This is why Jesus said we can woship God ONLY in spirit and in truth" (John 4:22-24)!

"How To Connect With The One True God" You'll discover in Romans 10:8-12 below what the Bible says about connecting with God and having abundant life and day-to-day peace ...now not just in the next life... through a relationship with Jesus, the One Living God in Three. Having a relationship with the One Living God is not complicated. The door is always available ...in fact, Jesus (Yeshua), but not the Qur'anic Isa, is there knocking right now for those who don't know Him personally. He says so at http://diigo.com/0lk60 . Please take Jesus at His word, believe He wants to save you from your sin nature and your sins ...no matter what you may have done... as He promises below. He WANTS to give you complete peace by entering into His eternity with Him, now, as well as after death! gfp (2011-11-30)

Jamie's is an interesting question. Initially, I reacted that the Bible tells me to only model Jesus. Then, I remembered Paul said: "Follow me as I follow Messiah".

Ms. Day's is a VERY interesting point. For me, it seems to be the opposite of that of too many Christians who don't realize that every Follower of Jesus is called a Saint by the Apostles in our Bible.

Given these reasons for his suggested reverence of St. Francis, would Jamie also suggest we "revere" celebrities not singled out by the Catholic or Orthodox churches who have benefited human kind in a way not normally associated with "building the Kingdom of God", e.g. Albert Einstein, Bill Gates ...to name only a couple to make my point?

Why would two people, Matthew and Luke, who were the more consistent eye witnesses to the accounts that they report copy Mark? It makes no sense. Mark was a boy while Jesus walked Israel and did not travel about with Him. Mark also was not an original Disciple of Jesus and reported on most the events in his Gospel based on second hand information from the Disciples who did travel with jesus, one can assume. I feel the whole Mathew and Luke copied Mark plus Mark is based on some lost document called "Q" theory of many scholars is rooted in a desire by many to deny or ignore God's supernatural involvement in the documentation of His Son's incarnation and ignores the fact that Matthew and John were eye witnesses to all of what they wrote about. They had no need to copy but had their own perspective on what they heard and saw as do modern witnesses. Likewise, modern research indicates that the reports of most eye witnesses are highly unreliable. If God was not involved, one would have to question the accounts. If that one is not a Jesus Follower and without faith in the supernatural inerancy of the Biblical accounts of both the Old and New Covenants, that's another matter entirely.

This April 2012 article in BAR analyzes the similarities between the Jewish Seder and what Christians call Jesus' "Last Supper" and the timing of the event based on archaeological evidence. gfp (2012-04-07)