₦airaland Forum

Nice article, PRINCESSO2. I just want to share things I noticed while reading your article.

You said

What does it meant to be a Christian?

It should read mean.

I can't help but wonder why you ended your article with the phrase 'Whatever it is' especially since it comes after

To preach the gospel.

Does it mean whatever the gospel is? That would imply something else because there are different gospels floating around the world contradicting the Word of God but we are more concerned with the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

One, it is not everyone who is called pastor is truly a pastor. Many are chronic and unrepentant thieves, rogues, and perverts. The only difference is that they added the title of a pastor to their names to easily deceive people because people tend to abandon their God-given reasoning when it concerns religious activities. They never bother or are too lazy to judge the teachings of their spiritual leaders by the Word of God which is why they end up as meals in the bellies of these ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing.

Secondly, when someone is truly called to be a pastor but chooses to engage in this shameful acts, such a one is operating under a curse. If that person doesn't repent and turn a new leaf the judgment of God will fall on him when he least expects. As such, whether truly called or self-titled, his entire existence shall be perpetual misery of miseries. They would rue the day they were born when God's wrath strikes them.

It is a very terrible thing to fall into the hands of God.

MrPresident1:
We must look at the origin of the Bible to be able to situate its narratives in proper context. We all know that the Bible or the Laws was first given to the Israelites, the Israelites failed to keep the Laws so they fell, so Christ had to die for them to redeem them and also the whole world back to God.

So the Original people of the Bible were the Israelites.
The Law (Bible) originally belonged to the Israelites.
The Gentiles are grafted into the redemption plan by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Now let us all consider this issue of creation in this light:

Assuming the Yoruba people were the first people to be given the Laws/Bible, who do you think they would write about as the beginning of creation? Obviously it would be a Yoruba narrative for Yoruba people. Same for Igbo, or Hausa, or Efik. The point being that the Bible was initially an Israel-centric narrative, especially the Old Testament, while the New Testament shows the light of salvation to Gentiles.

If Moses did not have the creation story of the Hittites, or the Girgashites or the Hivites, how would he write about them? Or would he ever write that other people had a higher civilisation than that of the Israelites, especially when writing a monumental inspired account like the Bible?

Will an Igbo man ever write that a Yoruba man civilised him?

It is high time we show a willingness to cross the paradigm; the Bible and science are not irreconcilable, we must liberate our people from the shackles of Ignorant religion that chains them to baseless fears.

Which brings us to the question, which people today, are the Israelites of the Bible?

Before I say anything, I beg to differ that the interpretation of the origin of existence lies in the language in which the creation was recorded.

Of course, if God had chosen the Igbo tribe to reveal Himself to the world, definitely every narrative in the Word of God would be written in the Igbo language. However, the greatness of God over every other false gods and elements in the world, and the universe at large would stamp the qualities of 'authenticity' and 'truth' on the Word of God so that His Word should not be easily disregarded on the basis of the springing up of hundreds of religions over the years.

This is why the Biblical account of the Creation should not be viewed as owing its authority and originality to the Jews as being written by them.

Concerning the identification of the true Israelites today, that is the Israelites after the flesh, this is open to much speculation owing to various historical documents on the cultural identification of the Jews in addition to their Dispersion around the globe. Matter of fact, I see no common ground of opinion in this issue. Besides, my knowledge in this aspect is limited.

In another note, I can confidently say the true Israelites are not those after the flesh, the physical Israelites. The true Israelites are the children of Abraham, the children of promise - the Christians. They are the true God's chosen people, not the physical Israel bound by geographic location.

Chizzled06:
You can't form random opinions and tag them with 'Fact'. Humans, in our current form have existed for more than 100,000 years.

"In our current form". Do you care to shed more light on that expression?

frosbel2:
Yes.

It is a pity. This is selective interpretation of the Bible to weed out its unacceptable truth.

If that is what you mean by the wages of sin, then it means Man has been paying the wages of sin since the time of Adam and will continue to do so. It means that the death of Christ is of no consequence which by inference means all Christians have believed a lie. It means mankind is forever hopeless and the grace of salvation is only an illusion. It means no one has attained righteousness before God. It means we were brought to the world to pay the wages of sins we have no means of paying except through death.

If the grave is the wages of sin, the implications are in stark contradiction with the Word of God.

The wages of sin is death does not mean physical death which is followed by decomposition of matter. The death here is spiritual, which is separation from God.

We were once dead in sins till Christ came to die for us. Through His death, our spirits were made alive that were once dead and separated from God. Now, as a result of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, sin no longer has dominion over us. We are dead to sin and alive in Christ. Christ has reconciled us with the Father who has also given us this ministry of reconciliation to the world.

Therefore, if any man be in Christ he is a new creation: old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The wages of sin is death applies to an unregenerate spirit, and ultimately the eternal separation from God in perdition that results from death of someone who did not accept Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour.

MrPresident1:
Majority of us on this thread agree that the earth is more than 6,000 years old, we also believe and hold to the fact that the Bible is infallible, I think this creates a conundrum for us because, well, according to Biblical accounts, the world is 6,000 years old.

The earth is not 6000 years old. However, Man's existence on earth is 6000 years plus now. That is a fact.

But there can be a reconciliation, if we are willing to consider that Moses was not there when God was creating the earth, and that what Moses actually recorded as the creation of Adam actually was the first creation of man in the image and likeness of God. The first man in whom was the breadth of God, which the Word/Law of God is the breadth and Spirit of God, and so the first man to know and have the Law/Word of God.



Let us examine three key Scriptures I want to use to buttress my position;

Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Deuteronomy 32:46-47
And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Let me ask, when the Devil was kicked out of heaven along with his angels, when did that happen, before the creation of Adam or after? The answer to this question will enable one to fully understand Genesis chapter 1:1 and 2.

The willingness to accept this opens up a new paradigm to the understanding of the Word of God; the reconciliation of the Bible with science, and the liberation of the minds of our people from the shackles of ignorant religion..

I can understand the unwillingness of many to accept this fact but if they open their minds they will understand that this earth is much older than Man.

frosbel2:
So why do you go beyond what is written and talk about a fictional hell ??

Excuse me, by death do you mean the grave? If yes, then you are gravely mistaken and have a distorted meaning of death.

Before I continue, let me be clear what you mean. Just assume I know nothing and tell me what you mean by death. Physical death accompanied by decomposition of flesh. Is that your idea of the wages of sin?

MizJanet:
Lol , not hellfire .

Lol. Miss Janet, gud 2 see u too.

frosbel2:
what is the wages of sin ?

Death

frosbel2:
accept Jesus or burn in hell forever, lol. What a loving doctrine.

All vain imaginations and mind tricks.

Hell is and will remain a myth, it is only a 'reality' in cults.

You can never erase a fact by denying it or ignoring it or calling it a myth.

nobilis:
Oh!
Millions of people are now having visions about hell?
Well, it will do you no good to under-rate the power of the human mind.

When you tell someone about something, describe it how u want him to visualize it, the person can dream about it and see "visions" about it. That's how mighty the human mind is. Study hypnosis and you will understand.

Why is this study of hypnosis not applicable to the Muslims and Greeks? Will you deny the fact that their beliefs teach the afterlife and the underworld? Again, why haven't there been reports of widespread hypnosis among the adherents of these religions?

Those people seeing visions of hell will come and tell you how they saw different personalities in hell.
And u believe.
How can that be true when even your bible says that hell isn't populated as yet.
So evidently, u're believing something contrary to your bible's teachings.

You don't know what the Bible teaches because you have never read what it says about hell. Where in the Bible is it said hell is not populated yet? Now I'm curious.

Buddhists, Hindus, and Greeks do not have a doctrine of a hell where people are punished for their misdeeds by burning in everlasting fire.
It is only in the Abrahamic religions (especially Christianity) that u find such a belief.

Even if the buddhists and hindus don't have any teachings about the underworld, they are not exempted from belief in deities. So, tell me, where are the widespread and growing reports from all over the globe of hypnosis about seeing those deities they worship?

nobilis:
Anybody who tells he/she went to hell/heaven and came back needs to have a psychiatric evaluation.
All those are substances of hallucinations.

Little wonder our psychiatric hospitals are populated with people whose ailments have deep roots in religion.

Nobilis, can you tell me why millions of people from every tribe, background, nation, all over the world, old men, old women, young men, young women, boys and girls and little children in their very great numbers, past and present, are all suffering the same hallucination of what is written in the Bible?

While you are at it, tell me why the Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Greeks who worship Zeus are not under this spell of hallucination stemming from their religious beliefs.

Any scientific explanation?

Freemanan:
What does my comment mean to you. Let me start from there!

It means you're callous and insensitive to the plight of others. It means you will rather condemn a victim than comfort or sympathise with her. It means you will blame a person for being a victim. It means anything but empathy, sympathy, and brotherly love towards others. That is what your comment means to me.

Freemanan:
Ladies and their paranoid self...

Very insensitive comment especially from a guy. If it was your sister who complained of sexual harassment would you call her paranoid?

The level humanity is sinking really calls for close union with God.

Op, I'm glad that you have taken steps to immerse yourself in God's protection. I hope you've forgiven them because they know not what they do.

urheme:


You have already strategise. What a planner,

What you are doing on NL right now will deffinately give you a reward of a throne where you will rule and reign, you will be president and Jesus will be your vice

God has failed you already, you are too greedy and selfish to even die believe me. All your ranting is for a reward of a throne, i wonder how that country of yours will look like since only you will rule for eternity.

Hope you have a plan B when this plan fails and you don't get the desired reward.

You need to go back to default mood and start thinking.

Okay. I believe we have arrived at the end of this discussion.

Do comfort the Op in whatever capacity you can.

@ Jeromejnr, this is my exit cue. Unfollowing the thread. My words here are done.

urheme:
Some one think he is sent to earth to accomplish a task.

So what exactly are you aiming at accomplishing for God

Perhaps you can make boko haram dissappear,

Deluded!!!!!

Sighs.

How can I make you understand?

Everyone has a Calling from God. Each person has his or her specific task to achieve while on earth. After this is accomplished then God calls the person home. Your task is very important because it is through its achievement that you are rewarded with a throne to rule and reign with Christ for all eternity.

Simple enough?

urheme:
Analize this

He is saying God has reasons to fail us whether we pray or not.

He is also making a claime that God failed op because op served God and prayed wrongly.

Now, jeromejno is not God, instesd of conforting he is conderming, so i said this guy is heartless.

God has no right to fail op, whether he prays or not as long as he has choosen to belief in God.

I understand Jeromejnr perfectly and he never implied any of these things.

Urheme, there are spiritual principles to be applied in our lives if we want to see results. Praying all day and all night cannot solve some situations. Knowledge is needed in this areas if you want to see change.

This truth becomes obvious when you read the op. This is the same reason why I recommended spiritual books for the Op to read and be enlightened.

We don't know it all. I have once being in the Op's shoes until I realized my mistake in the meaning and application of faith. Now my faith is stronger than ever and still growing strong. This is what I desire for the Op, too. In fact, it is what I desire for every Christian. There is nothing heartless about it.

urheme:
You don't know your last busstop, you don't even know when and how you will die, may be you will die today you are not so sure, and you are on NL ranting.

Life will be beautiful only if you make the ugly things arround beautiful.

The only jesus you will see till the day you die are the ophans, widows that have not, the lass priviledged of society, the sick dying slowly on hospital bed, these are the
Jesus who need you to beautify them.

Yes and yes again you can see the beauty of life through them. But until then your destination still ends in the grave.

I understand your point but unfortunately you don't see mine. The beauty of life has nothing to do with the physical things of life. It is rooted in the hope and joy of having Jesus in you, knowing that whatever storm you are passing through Jesus is there with you and everything will work out to your advantage. The beauty of life also lies in being able to walk in the promises of God for you no matter what you see on the contrary in the physical. Jesus makes life beautiful because the earth is full of the glory of God.

These people you mentioned are not Jesus. In fact, in many you will not see Jesus in them. However, they are the friends of Jesus because He is closer to the homeless, a Father to the fatherless, the comfort to the sick and hurting. Jesus does not need you to beautify Him; He is the source of beauty. All He wants from you is to obey Him and love everyone whether good or evil. Love never forgets the homeless, the sick, the hurting, those in prison, the physically handicapped, the mentally challenged because they are the friends of God.

My goal or destination in life is not to end up in the grave. The grave is the ultimate end of every life on earth but it is not the reason why I was sent to earth by my Father. That which He wants me to accomplish will be done because that is His will for me. Until then, the distance between me and the grave will be very very wide by the grace and power of God that makes all things beautiful in His time.

frosbel2:
Hell does not exist , it is a myth birthed in the minds of religious freaks.

Don't be deceived. So many who are Christians today turned to Christ after witnessing the reality and horrors of hell when they were still living in their sins. Religion played no part in their conversion. They saw the truth which they could never deny even if they wanted to lie to themselves. It was more than enough for them to accept Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour.

urheme:
You are so horrible,

You make the devil credible...........the devil should be jelous of your wickedness.

You did not only present your self, you downloaded your self too.

Jeez. Sis, why the harsh words? You may have really misunderstood him.

Frustration is a part of life but it shouldn't bother Christians who know their destination in life and how to get there. Life is very beautiful from my angle of perception because I see the beauty of life only through Jesus Christ. Without Him life is meaningless.

altamaurice:
wow ok first let me clear the air when I say the early church is a standard I was simply talking about leadership in the early church. Which was headed by Paul, apolos et al....bk to ur point are you trying to say that back then the women in the early church non was given the spirit/gift of leadership?

Yes. Women are called by God to preach and lead the Body of Christ in the same way men are called. Some women are called to be Apostles, some Prophetesses, some Evangelists, some Pastors, and some teachers just as some men are called to occupy these same ministry offices.

ok if the supposed woman who possess this leadership gift heads the church when she goes back home will she continue being the leader?

No. She is never meant to usurp the authority of the man in the family unit. Her role as a wife has been clearly defined by God. She is meant to be a helper to the man and should be submissive to him. Her gift of leadership in the church should not be confused or equated with her position in the home. They are two different things.

Remember she has the spirit....obviously not bro....Women are gifted with leadership skill to assist the leader or head the women wing.......

In other words, only men occupy the five fold ministry gifts, right?

altamaurice:
Awwww interesting....I do not disapprove of female pastors or ministers...I enjoy their messages too. What am saying is The bible gave the mantle of leadership to the man to lead and direct even as we fellowship. The early church was a standard

The early church is never a standard. If you look at the early church as the standard of church leadership, you will fall way below God's plans for you. Jesus is the standard because He is the head of the Church.

Remember, the five fold ministry gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers to the body comprises males and females. Jesus did not give those gifts to the males only. They are leadership gifts distributed to few people to lead the body of Christ until a certain time.

I can see you are bound by a spirit of religion and legalism. It is this spirit that kept the Chief Priest, the Pharisees, and the Saducees from believing the words of Jesus Christ as the foretold Saviour with all the signs following Him in addition to fulfilling the Scriptures. It is this same spirit that drove them to crucify Jesus Christ because they followed tradition of men, rather than the Spirit of God.

We are all precious living stones while Jesus is the precious Chief Cornerstone. There is no distinction between female building blocks and male building blocks. All are equally important in building the Church of God where the Father is the Builder.

If by this spirit of legalism and religion, you refuse to recognise a servant of God whom God has anointed for your good and edification on the basis of gender discrimination, then you have not only committed a sin that needs repentance so as not to end up in hell, but you have also trampled on God's grace to you. Such a big loss.

Jeromejnr:
Thank you my broda.

Before she will go and start prayer and fasting again and still come back with no results.

I tell you. We who are strong in faith should help those who are weak in faith. Prayer is the key but there are doors that are already open. Prayers have already opened the door. We only need to show them how to open it.

Peezzy:
why? why does God keep failing me? I cannot categorically point out any of my personal prayer point God has answered since I've been praying and serving him. why does he keep failing me? I can't even say "I prayed for this and it happened", I've never said it, why? I'm really fed up of futile endeavors, praying and fasting with no result even with hard work.
when I do not pray is when I do well in tests and exams but I perform shamefully whenever I commit things into God's hands, The bible in proverb said I should put all my trust in him but things keep going south.

I am really fed up!!

I suggest you get the book, 'The Fourth Dimension' by Dr David Yonggi Cho. Very eye opening concerning faith and answers to prayers. If you knew the meaning of faith, you will know that there is no good thing you ask from God He won't give you. If you can, just get that book and read.

There is another powerful teaching on faith written by the late John Osteen. It is called The Sixth Sense of Faith. These books will change your perception on faith and change your life forever. You can get the pdf copy online if you have the means to read the soft copy.

Be strong in the faith. Don't give up your precious faith in God. In due time it will be rewarded if you persevere. God bless.

Tundeiab:
You are operating under a closed heaven. Go for deliverance in any mountain of fire and miracles near you.

You need deliverance sister!!!

Hmmm. When someone is frustrated in her walk with God seeing no tangible results of all her efforts in prayer, it means she needs deliverance? Bro, this is never the way to encourage and build up those weak in faith. It is not every mountain that needs marathon prayers to remove. Some mountains in our lives are removed only through simple knowledge of how to go about it. As simple as that.

A week from now is a much great distance to cover by the grace of God, let alone five hundred and twenty weeks from now....a great lot will definitely happen, that is a certainty.

Any Christian who thinks the earth is 6000 years old is misinformed. The earth is many many millions of years old. Fact.

Ishilove:
You have time for long story.

They have been given over to a reprobate mind while some are demonically possessed. Fact

Don't bother arguing. Instead ask God to open their eyes

You're right. Since they won't acknowledge God, He has given them over to strong delusion.

True, that is the only thing to do - pray that their eyes be opened to the truth.

MzNelly:
2 Things I've noticed with Atheists:

1. They claim God doesn't exist, but still hate him and are obsessed with him.
Obsessed with a Being that does not exist.

2. They want God to prove Himself to them. "If you exist, do this or that" Like God is a mere man that you can order about.

Lol. It is very funny but I can feel the passion of hatred for the 'non-existent' God in his words. I thought his subject-matter should be approached objectively as pertains to a lack of conviction in someone's existence. Why is he then making it a personal issue by calling a non-existent being names? Is that logical? Yes, obsession makes it logical.

Secondly, you will always hear atheists demand evidence of the existence of God. It doesn't mean they want to believe God when they see the evidence of His existence. They only want to satisfy their science-driven curiosity; they want to put God in a laboratory and conduct experiments on Him so that in the end, they will say science created God since He can be verified by scientific means. Lol. Can't laugh. No wonder the Word says claiming they are wise they became fools. The Word of God also said the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, and that He catches the wise in their craftiness. The Op fits both categories.

It is just like when Jesus was hanged on the cross and the scribes and religious leaders of the time challenged Him to come down from the cross if He was truly the Son of God. They only said this as a matter of satisfying their curiosity, not to believe if it actually happened. If they did not believe all the signs He performed and the testimonies of people he healed and delivered from demonic oppression, they wouldn't believe even if He came down from the cross.
It is the same way with atheists. If they don't believe the signs of God's existence through the manifestations of healing and miracles by the hands of His servants, the testimonies of millions of people all over the world as regards His existence including those who died and came back to life through God's grace, through the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit especially the gifts of prophecy and word of knowledge, then they will never believe even if they were given hard evidence of God's existence. The Op, like the rest of those who share in his unbelief, is on his own.

In essence, I just expatiated on your post to show I fully agree with your comment. Makes sense.