Significant Questions of Belief

[_ozemc]

Gaz posed some questions to Scratch on another thread. I think these would be great for everyone to think about and answer.

All opinions are welcome!

Thanks, Gaz! These questions are great! :)

1. Does God possess a complete knowledge of the future?

I think that God knows everything. I imagine it as someone stting on their sofa with all of history stretched out before them on a table; you can see the beginning and the end. As far as our choices go, I think that God lets us make the choices we will, but He knows what the choice will be and what the outcome.

2. Was the flood of Noah local or global? (A favorite topic of Harmony's)

Local.

3. Was Christ both fully God and fully human during his ministry or did he relinquish his divinity for a season?

Both fully God and fully human.

4. Are only the predestined saved or do all people have a potential for full salvation? (This kind of ties in to the knowledge of the future subject)

I think that all have the potential for salvation.

5. Do men and women enjoy eternal security from the moment of their spiritual rebirth or must they endure faithfully to the end to have a hope of eternal life?

I think that "once saved, always saved", however, you can not experience the fullness of your salvation without faithfully trying to do what you think God's will is for you.

6. what happens to babies who die?

They go to be with God.

7. The fate of the unevangelized.

Those that have not had the chance to hear the gospel cannot be held accountable for it. However, I am reminded that in the Revelation, it is written that the Gospel will be preached to all the nations.

8. Is baptism essntial to salvation and to whom should it be administered - infants or mature believers?

No, baptism is an outward symbol of the change within. It is not necessary.

9. Should women serve in certain ministerial capasities?

Absolutely. Some of the earliest Christian leaders were women.

10. Does man play a role in his own salvation beyond an initial confession of Christ as Savior? What is the meaning and place of works?

see #5

11. Is man a child of God or a mere creation of God? What are the psycological effects of each of these views?

Interesting question, but I would have to say both. We were created by God to be His children.

12. Should wives submit to their husbands and if so how and in what way?

Marriage should be a partnership. Each has strengths and weaknesses. Play up the strengths and try to help each other through the weaknesses.

[_Gazelam]

Ozemc,

Thanks for your answers! I love to see everyones views on the subjects. I'm still amazed that so many see baptism as uneccesary. I think itrs pretty clear in the scriptures that to folow Christ you have to be baptised.

I think if we had more Catholics on this board, we might see more people claiming babys who are un baptised are going to hell.

I liked your answer on 11, well worded.

Whats your basis for believing the flood was a local event?

all the best

Gaz

[_Gazelam]

Huckelberry,

I thought a bit about the phrase, set apart for the gospel of God, in the beginning of Romans. I think there are a number of things he could be referring to. The first would be the call from Jesus which brought Paul to faith. Paul would have been called to his ministry through several steps. They did not start with a call from Christian authorities. He later went to those authorties and convinced them to in some way give their blessing to his mission. It would seem his being set apart was handled between Paul and God however.

Notice in the Timothy verse I shared that beign set apart involves a laying on of hands. Authority given in this way ensures order and proper teachings, In the Articles of Faith in the LDS church it states:

5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

This is in harmony with the system of church government found in the scriptures. Authority to act in the name of God is not given by belief alone. There is a structure and an order to the Kingdom of God.

[_Tori]

Harmony---

You are AWESOME!

:)

I wish I could take your entire post and use it as a signature.

I have a lot of admiration and respect for you.

Just don't change your avatar...it keeps me coming back for more!

LOL! No need to...I've mentioned before that Denise Richards and I should have been twins.

;)

Are you single????? (oh, wait a minute, I'm engaged...nevermind!)

;)

Oh, how quickly we forget........

[_huckelberry]

Huckelberry,

I thought a bit about the phrase, set apart for the gospel of God, in the beginning of Romans. I think there are a number of things he could be referring to. The first would be the call from Jesus which brought Paul to faith. Paul would have been called to his ministry through several steps. They did not start with a call from Christian authorities. He later went to those authorties and convinced them to in some way give their blessing to his mission. It would seem his being set apart was handled between Paul and God however.

Notice in the Timothy verse I shared that beign set apart involves a laying on of hands. Authority given in this way ensures order and proper teachings, In the Articles of Faith in the LDS church it states:
............
Huck observers. The act of laying on of hands is to be found in all sorts of Chrisian groups. The connections between people is important. I think Christianity in personal isolation would be radically constricted. It is something that lives in groups.
............


5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

Huck observers: Yes I understand that the LDS church has develped some specific organizational structures. It seems narrow and rigid to me. I suppose that doesn't prove it is not Gods preferred organization, but scripture does not tend to cause me to expect that narrowness.
................
This is in harmony with the system of church government found in the scriptures. Authority to act in the name of God is not given by belief alone. There is a structure and an order to the Kingdom of God.
........
Huckelberry observes, I was tempted to say no to the organization statement but I realize that all things that exist have a structure and order. There are a variety of structures. Some could be quite open and flexible while others are very specific with limited variation. I do not think either of these are necessarily better than the other. I see the Kingdom of God as being extremely flexible in structure. It is different in different times. It is different in different places. It encourages people to experiment and try different ways to live and relate to others. Some of the experiment and variety allows some positive things to develope in one place while alternative positives develop elsewhere. I see it as bushey just like evolution is bushey. You see evolution is an expression of how God works. I would expect the kingdom of God to have the same sort of variety where positive developement can happen in differnt places inorder to contribute to the whole.

[_Roger Morrison]

1. Does God possess a complete knowledge of the future?

It would be difficult for someone who doesn't exist.

2. Was the flood of Noah local or global? (A favorite topic of Harmony's)

It's a myth. It probably all got started when someone installed a pool in their backyard.

3. Was Christ both fully God and fully human during his ministry or did he relinquish his divinity for a season?

I doubt Christ existed. He's just the latest in a series of assorted mythical sun gods.

4. Are only the predestined saved or do all people have a potential for full salvation? (This kind of ties in to the knowledge of the future subject)

YOU is one smart SCHMO!! Warm regards, Roger :-)

What do you mean, "saved"? Saved to disk? Saved due to a discount? Saved from falling off a cliff? Safe on first?

5. Do men and women enjoy eternal security from the moment of their spiritual rebirth or must they endure faithfully to the end to have a hope of eternal life?

Eternal life is an immature person's wet dream.

6. what happens to babies who die?

They decompose like every other living organism.

7. The fate of the unevangelized.

...is not a question. Are you asking what it is? If so... well, death, eventually, just like everyone else.

8. Is baptism essntial to salvation and to whom should it be administered - infants or mature believers?

Baptism is as essential as every other ritual ever invented... which is to say, it's not essential for anything other than whatever benefits it gives a person in their particular social group. One thing is for sure; it shouldn't be done to kids if it means they'll be hounded for the rest of their lives by control freaks that have a hard time letting go.

9. Should women serve in certain ministerial capasities?

Not if they can help it.

10. Does man play a role in his own salvation beyond an initial confession of Christ as Savior? What is the meaning and place of works?

Let me get this straight: can a man improve the quality of his afterlife fantasy by admitting a belief in a mythical figure? Well, if it's his fantasy, it can be anything he wants.

As to "the meaning and place of works" it depends on your job and where you live, wouldn't it?

11. Is man a child of God or a mere creation of God? What are the psycological effects of each of these views?

Neither. And I'm still trying to figure out all the psychological effects of any kind of god belief. Some are good (in a placebo kind of way), some are bad (in a delusional/clinical kind of way).

12. Should wives submit to their husbands and if so how and in what way?

Yes, wives should get husbands a beer when asked, for instance. I mean really... why not? Husbands do lots of stuff for wives too. It's a two-way street.

YOU is one smart SCHMO!! LOL Warm regards, Roger

[_ozemc]

Ozemc,

Thanks for your answers! I love to see everyones views on the subjects. I'm still amazed that so many see baptism as uneccesary. I think itrs pretty clear in the scriptures that to folow Christ you have to be baptised.

I think if we had more Catholics on this board, we might see more people claiming babys who are un baptised are going to hell.

I liked your answer on 11, well worded.

Whats your basis for believing the flood was a local event?

all the best

Gaz

Archeology, plus it is just scientifically impossible to do. here is not enough water in our biosphere to cause a world-wide flood.

I know people will say that it is a supernatural event, but I would answer why would God create a place (i.e. the universe), create certain laws of physics that govern it (i.e. laws of entropy and motion), and then have to change what He created in order to accomplish what He wanted? I thought He was God? Wouldn't He know what was going to happen, and so create the proper environment for it?

[_BishopRic]

Are you single????? (oh, wait a minute, I'm engaged...nevermind!)

;)

Oh, how quickly we forget........

Oooo, got caught! Love ya Babe!

[_BishopRic]

I'm still amazed that so many see baptism as uneccesary. I think itrs pretty clear in the scriptures that to folow Christ you have to be baptised.

I'm still amazed that a few see the "scriptures" as actual, correctly written, historical, words inspired by God. Gaz, I think what you might not understand is that the reason we don't think it is necessary, is that "men," not God, wrote and translated these books. If you look at it from that perspective, you may come to be less amazed.

[_Tori]

Harmony---

You are AWESOME!

:)

I wish I could take your entire post and use it as a signature.

I have a lot of admiration and respect for you.

Just don't change your avatar...it keeps me coming back for more!

LOL! No need to...I've mentioned before that Denise Richards and I should have been twins.

;)

Are you single????? (oh, wait a minute, I'm engaged...nevermind!)

;)

Naughty boy! I'm married...and...currently...as far as board romances go, Bond, Runtu, Scottie, and Schmo are about all I can handle. ;)

I can take em all...I know I can!