Outer darkness: A thousand years? or for eternity?

bearbear · 02-02-2014, 11:06 AM

When I first came to this forum I got pretty frustrated in that epic thread on repentance. That same night when I was reading bible with youth, we randomly chose to read 2 Timothy 2. As I read these words off the page, I felt God was speaking directly to me and convicting me of what I had done hours ago. The chances of us reading this passage were slim and I knew it was an act of God so I was driven to repent. I should do it again here if I have not come across as gentle to some. The verses below remind us not be quarrelsome but be kind to each other, lest we open up a way for Satan to stumble us.

2 Timothy 2
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

Ohio · 02-02-2014, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearbear

When I first came to this forum I got pretty frustrated in that epic thread on repentance. That same night when I was reading bible with youth, we randomly chose to read 2 Timothy 2. As I read these words off the page, I felt God was speaking directly to me and convicting me of what I had done hours ago. The chances of us reading this passage were slim and I knew it was an act of God so I was driven to repent. I should do it again here if I have not come across as gentle to some. The verses below remind us not be quarrelsome but be kind to each other, lest we open up a way for Satan to stumble us.

2 Timothy 2
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

I doubt if these verses were from the Lord, except maybe for v.23.

Otherwise, do I and others oppose the truth for examining the parables of the Lord? Am I part of the devil's trap for speaking of our saving faith? Does the faith I have from God and into God hold me captive by the devil?

Don't you think I also know hundreds of verses which I could launch at others. Concerning the LAW, the book of Romans and Galatians are filled with useful verses. I remember the days of my youth, living in the brothers' house and playing these verse wars, what an awful feeling the Lord gave me.

I have read quite a bit of church history over the years. The saddest part of church history is not the many persecutions by the godless, rather it is that zealous part of His body which always tends to bully that gentler part. Which side do you want to be part of?

bearbear · 02-02-2014, 08:33 PM

Hi Ohio, I think you're reading too much into those verses I posted and I'm sorry for it's negative connotations. I meant for each of us to read it from the first person and not as the recipient. I just wanted to emphasize we should be kind and gentle in our discussions. There's nothing wrong with digging into the word of God, but if we start having a negative attitude and start ripping into one another, that doesn't glorify God. And in saying this I'm also trying to remind myself to be gentle and kind and I'm sorry for crossing this line in this thread.

Regarding the Law, I wouldn't mind you bringing up those verses in the other thread. It would help us to bring our own views into sharper focus.

Elden1971 · 03-24-2014, 06:04 PM

THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS
HAS it ever occurred to you that as we are waiting for the appearing of the Bridegroom, the ministry should be in keeping with preparation for the meeting? The preparation is to be ready for Him, to be in fact the bride. It is not merely that you are saved, or that you are useful, but that you are in heart prepared to meet the Bridegroom! Personal love alone keeps us in this expectancy; love not only for His service to us, but for His love; then we feel we Cannot be apart from Him.
He draws our hearts to Himself by the way He assures us of His love for us, and that is by the way He seeks our perfection. No one can resist the love that desires to see “no spot in thee”. It is a wonderful thing to be in the sense of that before Him. What is the difference between the wise virgins and the foolish? Apparently they were all alike, they all had lamps, and when the cry came they all trimmed them; the wise took oil in their vessels, the foolish had lamps but no oil. It is remarkable that there should be a profession to go forth to meet the Bridegroom when there was no power of the Spirit of God to sustain them! How did this great lack occur? If they had believed in Christ risen they would have received the Holy Spirit; there cannot be any personal acquaintance with Christ without the Holy Spirit. “This spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive”. We see by this parable that there may be a profession of going forth to meet Him by those who have no conscious link with Christ risen from the dead. Hence when the test came the lamps were going out. If we had a deeper sense of the absence of Christ here, we should rejoice more in the great truth that the other “Comforter” is come; the disciples in Acts had the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit! J B Stoney

Elden1971 · 03-24-2014, 06:07 PM

https://sites.google.com/a/berean-tr...me-12/contents

Elden1971 · 03-24-2014, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elden1971

https://sites.google.com/a/berean-tr...me-12/contents

https://sites.google.com/a/berean-tr...&q=ten+virgins

Elden1971 · 03-24-2014, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elden1971

https://sites.google.com/a/berean-tr...&q=ten+virgins

http://www.stempublishing.com/

02-02-2014, 11:06 AM	#1
bearbear Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 765	Re: Outer darkness: A thousand years? or for eternity? When I first came to this forum I got pretty frustrated in that epic thread on repentance. That same night when I was reading bible with youth, we randomly chose to read 2 Timothy 2. As I read these words off the page, I felt God was speaking directly to me and convicting me of what I had done hours ago. The chances of us reading this passage were slim and I knew it was an act of God so I was driven to repent. I should do it again here if I have not come across as gentle to some. The verses below remind us not be quarrelsome but be kind to each other, lest we open up a way for Satan to stumble us. 2 Timothy 2 23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

02-02-2014, 08:33 PM	#3
bearbear Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 765	Re: Outer darkness: A thousand years? or for eternity? Hi Ohio, I think you're reading too much into those verses I posted and I'm sorry for it's negative connotations. I meant for each of us to read it from the first person and not as the recipient. I just wanted to emphasize we should be kind and gentle in our discussions. There's nothing wrong with digging into the word of God, but if we start having a negative attitude and start ripping into one another, that doesn't glorify God. And in saying this I'm also trying to remind myself to be gentle and kind and I'm sorry for crossing this line in this thread. Regarding the Law, I wouldn't mind you bringing up those verses in the other thread. It would help us to bring our own views into sharper focus.

03-24-2014, 06:04 PM	#4
Elden1971 Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Norman Oklaoma Posts: 122	Re: Outer darkness: A thousand years? or for eternity? THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS HAS it ever occurred to you that as we are waiting for the appearing of the Bridegroom, the ministry should be in keeping with preparation for the meeting? The preparation is to be ready for Him, to be in fact the bride. It is not merely that you are saved, or that you are useful, but that you are in heart prepared to meet the Bridegroom! Personal love alone keeps us in this expectancy; love not only for His service to us, but for His love; then we feel we Cannot be apart from Him. He draws our hearts to Himself by the way He assures us of His love for us, and that is by the way He seeks our perfection. No one can resist the love that desires to see “no spot in thee”. It is a wonderful thing to be in the sense of that before Him. What is the difference between the wise virgins and the foolish? Apparently they were all alike, they all had lamps, and when the cry came they all trimmed them; the wise took oil in their vessels, the foolish had lamps but no oil. It is remarkable that there should be a profession to go forth to meet the Bridegroom when there was no power of the Spirit of God to sustain them! How did this great lack occur? If they had believed in Christ risen they would have received the Holy Spirit; there cannot be any personal acquaintance with Christ without the Holy Spirit. “This spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive”. We see by this parable that there may be a profession of going forth to meet Him by those who have no conscious link with Christ risen from the dead. Hence when the test came the lamps were going out. If we had a deeper sense of the absence of Christ here, we should rejoice more in the great truth that the other “Comforter” is come; the disciples in Acts had the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit! J B Stoney __________________ Christ is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem.

03-24-2014, 06:07 PM	#5
Elden1971 Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Norman Oklaoma Posts: 122	Re: Outer darkness: A thousand years? or for eternity? https://sites.google.com/a/berean-tr...me-12/contents __________________ Christ is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem.