If u gotta question about Christianiy I'll help

[Paul_Wright_luvr]

it caan be hard sometimes and it always help 2 have someone 2 ask your questions to

[Paul_Wright_luvr]

anyone??

[malkin]

Are some parts of the Bible simply allegorical? If so, which parts?

[LegomasterJC]

There are many parts and a lot of them are in Revalation.
I think it would be more effective if you read some part of the Bible and asked if it was litteral or allegorical. There are also parts that are both allegorical and litteral at the same time. It takes discernment and the leading of the Holy Spirit to understand and without that many people can get the wrong idea of what the Bible is saying.

[malkin]

Thankyou! I'll remember to do that in the future, Legomaster. Now I have another one: Are actions good because God commands them, or does God command them because they are good? Or does it not matter, because in the end, they are good, as defined by God?

[frost]

Thankyou! I'll remember to do that in the future, Legomaster. Now I have another one: Are actions good because God commands them, or does God command them because they are good? Or does it not matter, because in the end, they are good, as defined by God?
Perhaps you could elaborate on what specific actions you're referring to?

[Endure2]

now theres a tricky question.....hehe

i would say that there good because they came from God, becuase God was (he existed) , before he spoke, and they came from him, he didnt find them, like them and use them. all things came from God, God doesnt use things becuase he thinks theyd help him, all things came from within himself, he is el-shaddia ( i think i spelled it right ) the all sufficient God, and hes God all by himself. and i guess he use to be all by himself becuase what is, he made.

Paul-wright-luvr

i commend you on your desire to reach out to people. thats awesome.
and im nobody and i dont know a whole lot....
but it doesnt take long to find someone whos crying out for help. this web site is like a big pool, and theres alot of good hearted people here who just really dont know how to swim. if you want to help people, if youll search around theres always work to be done somewhere. and nobody cries out for help when they dont need it. and if your thirsty to be used by God, God will use you, even though it may be teaching 4 year olds that God loves em. you have to show yourself faithful to the cause of helping people (not being known as smart), and God will raise you up.

[LegomasterJC]

I think good actions are those comanded by God. Just as works mean nothing without faith and faith is nothing without works...
You can start setting up your own ministry to feed a group of people in some run-down part of town and help a lot of people with getting food. But if it is not directed by God and he only wanted you to give them the good news, or wanted you to give out food in a different place, the mission will fail in the end. The people will become dependent on the food you bring them without caring for the reason you bring them food. But if you move in the way God directs, the best possible outcome will come out of it. People will wholly appreciate what you do for them, they will take God's message to heart, and they will be saved and go on to obey God and help those around them.
Heh. I think I'm stealing thunder away from the guy who made this topic but He's going to have to be quicker about it because I have a lot of free time.

[malkin]

frost: Those actions designated by God as being good.

I still don't quite get it... But at least it's better than being told that it just doesn't matter. (as I have been once before).

A rephrasement, to help clarify: Are actions good because God wants the actions to be done, or does God recognise the goodness of the actions and therefore command us to do them?

[Endure2]

i think they are both true, and dont contradict each other.
but why do you ponder so on this?

[malkin]

Cause it bugs me.

[frost]

frost: Those actions designated by God as being good.
Such as? You still didn't answer my question. Are you referring to say, the 10 commandments? Or Jesus' commandments to us such as "love your neighbor as yourself," "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength?" Or are you talking about things that you perceive to be "good actions" by your own judgement?

blessings...

[Endure2]

oh ok... well happy hunting.

[malkin]

The things that God says are good - either OT or NT.

[kbean]

You bet, thanks Paul....if you wouldn't mind, see my question in this forum entitled "is everything of the Lord"....no one wants to go near that one, and I disappointed. Thanks!:wave:

[frost]

The things that God says are good - either OT or NT.
Perhaps the following will help...

"The LORD looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one." (psalm 14:1-3)

"All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Is 64:6)

What I'm getting at, is the only true "good actions" are those which Christ enables us to do. When we are born again our old self dies and the new self (in Christ,) begins to take over. That doesn't mean we never sin again. But, it does mean that our new nature will long for the things of God, and that "good actions," will be the result. So, the actions are good because it is Christ within us who enables us to do them.

blessings...

[LegomasterJC]

Everything Good is from God, everything evil is the absence of God.

[kbean]

Everything Good is from God, everything evil is the absence of God. Are you saying then that everything is either "evil" or "of the Lord"? There is no neutral ground?

[LegomasterJC]

Yes. Give me any example and I'll say why. I won't deny that it is sometimes hard to know from which side something is from but there is no true middle ground.

[frost]

Was the act of Judas betraying Jesus evil or "of the Lord?"

[malkin]

I feel that God used Judas's sinful nature for a good purpose - that does not mean that the act was good.

[LegomasterJC]

Yes Judas' acts were sinful and evil but God used them for good in the end.

[Paul_Wright_luvr]

Are some parts of the Bible simply allegorical? If so, which parts?im pretty sure that Revalations is

[Paul_Wright_luvr]

Thankyou! I'll remember to do that in the future, Legomaster. Now I have another one: Are actions good because God commands them, or does God command them because they are good? Or does it not matter, because in the end, they are good, as defined by God?
God makes things that are good. remember, He created everything, except sin, which means that actions are good because God commands them

[Paul_Wright_luvr]

I feel that God used Judas's sinful nature for a good purpose - that does not mean that the act was good.
Judas's act was evil, even though he fufulled a profacy. it is not "of the Lord" to betray a friend but it can be used for good. a friend of mine betrayed me but, as stupid as this may seem, it just made us closer. what she did was wrong but God made it for good, same w/ Judas