tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post4877710468432307553..comments2023-06-01T14:08:49.977+00:00Comments on Confessions of a Doubting Thomas: Soul manUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-67927262648286749722007-01-07T19:54:00.000+00:002007-01-07T19:54:00.000+00:00As far as having no spirit before being born again...As far as having <i>no</i> spirit before being born again, I have to disagree. James 2:26 says, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." Also, Paul in 1Cor 2:11 says, "For who knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him?" Now, as far as having a corrupt (yet living) spirit before being born again, go back to the Ephesians 2 passage I quoted earlier. He says, "you were <i>dead</i> in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to <i>live</i>..." and, "All of us also <i>lived</i> among them at one time..." He goes on to say, "Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." So, he is saying that while we were "alive", we were also counted as being "dead" because we were doomed (objects of God's wrath). This is what you might equate with having a dead spirit, which by grace through faith has been given new life (born again). He says, "God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions---it is by grace that you have been saved."jojohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10818468070069090592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-59191068251383077172007-01-02T09:24:00.000+00:002007-01-02T09:24:00.000+00:00Jojo,
You say:
'Although we are born with a body ...Jojo,<br /><br />You say:<br /><i>'Although we are born with a body and a spirit, both are corrupt; this is what scripture teaches.'</i><br /><br />The thing is, here we are discussing that the scripture clearly teaches not that we have a corrupt spirit, but that before being born again we either have <i>no</i> spirit or a <i>dead</i> spirit.<br /><br />Where does the scripture teach that we have a corrupt (yet living?) spirit? (before being born again, I assume you mean).<br /><br />R.Ricky Carvelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17975085318645232701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-13537345023574054732007-01-01T21:08:00.000+00:002007-01-01T21:08:00.000+00:00You are right in saying that we must have two birt...You are right in saying that we must have two births, and that the implication of the second event is the start of life in some way. Although we are born with a body and a spirit, both are corrupt; this is what scripture teaches. Therefore, we are born dead and we go about as dead men until God intervenes. Paul, in Ephesians 2 makes this clear, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions---it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith---and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God---not by works, so that no one can boast."<br /> So then, although we are born dead and walk about as dead men, we cannot know what life is until God does a work in us. This is what the concept of being born again is all about. Afterwards, we patiently await the redemption of our bodies at the resurrection. At that point both renewed spirit and renewed body are joined again as a renewed, incorruptable soul.jojohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10818468070069090592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-48618224001893945212007-01-01T08:53:00.000+00:002007-01-01T08:53:00.000+00:00What does 'rebirth' actually mean?
In John 3, Jes...What does <b>'rebirth'</b> actually mean?<br /><br />In John 3, Jesus says you must have two births, one 'of flesh' and one 'of spirit'. Everyone alive has had the 'flesh' birth but not necessarily the 'spirit' one. <br /><br />The use of the concept of birth in this context does imply that the second event is the <i>start</i> of life in some way. From the context it does seem that spiritual life is non-existant before this event.<br /><br />In John 6:53, Jesus says something similar regarding communion:<br /><i>Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you <b>have no life</b> in you.</i><br /><br />Once again, the concept that Christians have life and everybody else doesn't...Ricky Carvelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17975085318645232701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-82607577470526184812006-12-30T17:18:00.000+00:002006-12-30T17:18:00.000+00:00Ricky, the way I see it, the soul is a combination...Ricky, the way I see it, the soul is a combination of body and spirit, and we all have one. At death the two are separated; at the resurrection they are reunited. <br /> Christ, in John 3, is not saying that being born again is your spiritual birth, that you have no spirit before that event, rather, he is saying that being born again is a spiritual rebirth. This was in response to Nicodemus' asking, "How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Nicodemus was hung up on doing something to obtain entrance into the kingdom. Christ tells him, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." In essense Christ is rebuking "Israel's teacher" because his focus was on a fleshly activity rather than on the activity of the Spirit. "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the spirit." (See Ezekiel 36:27 and John 6:35-65).jojohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10818468070069090592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-70804396664307894802006-12-20T01:16:00.000+00:002006-12-20T01:16:00.000+00:00Yo, Ricky....
if the "life" wasn't there, don't be...Yo, Ricky....<br />if the "life" wasn't there, don't be surprised. Even though the "word" was preached, it may only have been out of formality...I've seen it before. I believe that the fullness of life that you seek cannot be found in a charasmatic setting either. What really matters is, if you consider yourself a Christian, that you come to know Christ on a deeper level. In whatever way it works out afterwards, charasmatic or otherwise, is beside the point. I believe you know this. The reformers went to great lengths to stress this very point. While the form and facade were there, people were kept from the truth (that would set them free). I'm a new blogger, and I've posted a few links on my page just tonight....links that I hope you and others can get answers to the questions we all have. Faith is never without reason, and reason is the fuel of true faith. Check out the links on my page: http://2cents-jojo.blogspot.comjojohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10818468070069090592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-12566935020849408582006-12-14T07:59:00.000+00:002006-12-14T07:59:00.000+00:00Oh, and for what it's worth, I try not to ally mys...Oh, and for what it's worth, I try not to ally myself too strongly with any particular Christian denomination. On census forms etc, I usually choose 'Christian: other' as my 'religion'. I currently attend an episcopal church but have also spent time as part of two baptist churches, one presbyterian, one anglican and an independent evangelical church.Ricky Carvelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17975085318645232701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-79860691124785758892006-12-14T07:56:00.000+00:002006-12-14T07:56:00.000+00:00Jojo,
Your comments have to wait to be moderated ...Jojo,<br /><br />Your comments have to wait to be moderated by me before they appear on the blog. I usually do this within a day. Your comments (and my response) are now on the other post.<br /><br />Regarding my theological persuasion, hmmm, tricky. I guess previous post in this blog should fill you in.<br /><br />I was raised in a presbyterian church which emphasised <i>the word</i> over all else. Charismatic gifts and any form of spiritual <i>experience</i> were dismissed. It was a very dry variant of Christianity. I learned a lot about the bible through 17 years of exposure to this but actually <i>couldn't</i> become a Christian in this environment. There was little or no life. What I saw in that church didn't match up to John 10v10: <i>"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."</i><br /><br />When I left home I attended church and other Christian events out of a sense of obligation to my parents. It was there that I <i>saw</i> the Spirit working in Christians and I <i>saw</i> others experiencing and living 'life to the full'. In other words, I saw that Christianity was much more than simply words.<br /><br />I became a Christian and <i>experienced</i> the Spirit of God.<br /><br />But. I am also a trained scientist. I have degrees in Physics, Chemistry and Engineering. I have to use my brain on a daily basis. I'm the sort of person who <i>has</i> to question things.<br /><br />So where I find myself is this. I <i>know</I> (through experience) that there is a God. I <i>believe</I> many things about that God, some based on the bible, some based on experience, some based on the teachings of others, but which of those beliefs (if any) are <i>true</i>?<br /><br />That is what I am trying to work through in this blog.Ricky Carvelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17975085318645232701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-39989984739461143002006-12-14T01:25:00.000+00:002006-12-14T01:25:00.000+00:00Ricky, can you tell me about your theological pers...Ricky, can you tell me about your theological persuasion? It would help me understand your perspective. PS I tried to continue an answer to your last post (twice), but was not able to get it to go.jojohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10818468070069090592noreply@blogger.com