Batman Loc: South-Central Texas

If Satan were to construct his own beatitudes, one of them might go something like this:

"Blessed are those who refuse to use their minds, for the mind is God's only gateway to the soul."

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

Are you talking Christians or sinners here? I thought the heart was God's gateway through the Soul of man through the Holy Spirit. Let us be one in the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (NIV)

Batman Loc: South-Central Texas

[quote=Bangee5]Are you talking Christians or sinners here? I thought the heart was God's gateway through the Soul of man through the Holy Spirit. Let us be one in the Spirit.

That's typical 'Preacher Talk' ( all phraseology and no intelligent meaning).Satan encourages this totally. Any wonder that Church membership and attendance is dropping?
Everybody I know, their heart is a big 'ol muscle that pumps blood throughout their body to keep 'em alive.
What do Louisiana hearts pump, Boudain?

:shock:

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

[quote=Batman]


"Blessed are those who refuse to use their minds, for the mind is God's only gateway to the soul."

It is important to know who you are talking about. If a sinner were more open mind, he could be reached for Christ and be saved. If it is a Christian that you imply, then what is it that you think a person is to use his brain for? How dose a person 'refuse' to use his mind? He may refuse to think the way you think is one possibility. His circumstance in life may call for a different logic than those of others. Then again, maybe he is being led by the Holy Spirit in a way that is beyond our understanding.
Here is another. The eyes are the windows to the soul. Surely you have have heard that. Yes the heart is a pump and the brain is a mass of gray matter. The ears are just as important - To hear the Word of God. Once a person has heard the word of God and has acted upon that Word by receiving Jesus Christ into their life through the Holy Spirit what more is there to do to be saved. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

[quote=Batman]

Hmmmmmm I posted an answer to #6 on here a bit earlier... but this one (not the beatitude..your comment above) causes me to wonder..........you spoke of being in Sunday School/Bible study yet a great number of your comments are at the very least ... not positive toward Christians and certainly some are downright derogatory toward them...

Maybe you could come out and give us a CLEAR picture of actually where you stand.....

Mike

Batman Loc: South-Central Texas

All my comments are positive toward Christians,(NOT hypocrites!) but as you well know, not everyone who calls himself a Christian, is a Christian. Note that I did not say "a TRUE Christian"...there's only one kind, a Christian is someone who is in the right relationship with God...and God knows who that is, and ain't...but the common person can observe the behavior of someone, and, "judging" or not, can come up with his own personal assessment of whether he is seeing Christian behavior, as described in Scripture.
If everyone who claims to be were actually in the right relationship with God, Satan would be in the unemployment line. And if we all became more aware and diligent in Satan's tricks and ploys, and remained vigilant to his methods, the nightly news would look a lot different than it does today.
Satan is full of "GOTCHAS".

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

One of the things I learned early on in my Christian life is that I cannot and should not try to judge whether a man/woman who says I am a Christian is telling the truth.

Judging but the amount of those that claim atheism, agnosticism and other Non Belief systems... Satan will never be out of Business.

The scripture says in 1st. John 4:4 Greater Is He That Is In You Than He That Is In The World. A person of belief in Christ takes that to heart... when I become tempted (I am human after all) I think of that verse and I am able to avoid falling into that temptation.

Mike

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

Batman said in part.......but the common person can observe the behavior of someone, and, "judging" or not, can come up with his own personal assessment of whether he is seeing Christian behavior, as described in Scripture.

Sorry, but that is rather foolish.... Almost any Christian person has story after story of those that seemed to be a Christian, who were eventually found out not to be so..... NOT necessarily by their actions day to day, but by something coming out that they thought was well hidden in their life style.

Before I tell this..... all lthose that will immediately want to cover us with "AHHA I told you those Christians were hypocrites... don't bother, you and I both know that I can point to the upright atheist who lives two doors down from me now... Drunkard (Thursday nights at home) Womanizer any time he can get his pants off and Abuser of wife and children... YET he runs a good business, smiles and greets his customers and seems the Ideal man in all ways.......

But I had the ill luck to have a pastor, that after 2.5 years was found to be having an adulterous affair with a 19yr old girl.... and the ONLY way we found out was that her mother found out and called one of the deacons.......

EVERYONE was flabbergasted..... he was such a nice guy, good pastor, loved everyone (one way too much) and it just couldn't be....

So..it is not always possible, let alone easy to tell someones true way of life..

Mike