1. I am not reductionist what. I know there are a few reasons.
No, I really understand what you are saying about social and
cultural background. Like christians in catholic churches worship
in a different way compared to protestant christians like you etc.
But the goal is the same, I understand.
But my question is - All christians supposedly hear the voice of
God. And God apparently tells them whether E.g tongues is
biblical/unbiblical. So one camp says "GOd tells me" and the other
camp also says "God tells me". Yes it could probably be cultural
differences or different understanding. But the problem comes when
boths sides say "God tells me". If both claim "God tells me", then
one has to be wrong because apparently, God cannot contradict
himself.So how do you tell who is wrong and who is right when BOTH
camps quote verses? This is what I am trying to ask you all the
time. I know your answer will be "by the spirit". But both camps
also do go by "the spirit". So how?
2. Lets skip this question of whether jesus is god or not
because you seem not to understand that non-trinitarian christians
also can quote verses in the bible to justify non-trinitarian
beliefs, just like you can.
3. About salvation,
1 Peter 3:18-19 read as follows:
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and
preached unto the spirits in prison;"
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has
anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to
heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to those who are bound.� (Isaiah
61:1)
So for christians who told me that jesus will go to "prison" to
preach to the spirits to give the dead a second chance, they quote
the above verses.
So yes you believe there's no second chance after we die by
quoting verses, these christians also tell me that there's a second
chance.
Tcmc,
1. Do Christians go round telling people "Hey, God just spoke to
me audibly and told me that baptism is required?" Sorry, I don't
think that is the case at all. God speaks primarily and mainly
through His Word, which is why believers are to diligently study
the Word of God. God has communicated to us all that is necessary
for our instruction, faith and practice. I am usually skeptical of
anyone who says "God told me this or that teaching..." because of
the possibility that someone may be trying to override the clear
teachings of Scripture and its authority by appealing to his own
subjective experience that cannot be verified or proved. Unless
that has to do with God revealing certain knowledge about some
event or somebody which may require your action. I believe that
happens still. In any case, whatever someone claims must always be
tested by Scripture, properly interpreted. Again there are tonnes
of books out there on Bible interpretation. Please check them out.
There is no short-cut.
2. It's easy to cite prooftexts to support a certain position
that one holds. The reader must then evaluate the case and see if
it stands up to scrutiny. You say that there are anti-trinitarian
verses. I'd say, "Bring them on and let's see if these verses
really support your view." And those few verses that you earlier
cited I believe I have already explained to you that the doctrine
of the Incarnation can account for them all. You did not really
respond to that.
3. Are you that easily swayed by what people are saying and
always in a confused state just because Christians differ on
things? Can't you evaluate what people are saying to see if it
makes sense or support what they claim? Or you never had the
training to do such Bible checking? You can't fault me for being
skeptical of your claim to have studied the Bible for yourself.
Does 1 Peter 3:18-19 PROVE that the dead will get a chance to
repent and be saved? I will say No. Why? Because those who quote
the above verses to you FAILED to quote the rest of the passage and
missed out verse 20. The complete text says "Christ
suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he
died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered
physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went
and preached to the spirits in prison— those who
disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was
building his boat. Only eight people were saved
from drowning in that terrible flood." So tell me, WHO are
these spirits mentioned? Are these just the spirits of people who
die daily, or do they refer to the fallen angels (who are also
spirits) who sinned against God (by consorting with the daughters
of men, giving rise to the nephilims and corrupting mankind to
gross wickedness necessitating in the Flood) and are now held
in chains in a spiritual prison, a view I hold to? The
preaching to these spirits is IMO Jesus proclaiming to these
rebellious spirits that their attempts at destroying mankind has
failed and that they lost their perfect state whereas sinful men
can be made perfect in Christ and enjoy the heavens that the angels
forfeited. Anyway I am not keen to further this issue on the fallen
angels with you, but suffice it to say that the idea that people
who died will have a second chance to accept the Gospel cannot be
supported by this verse. Not only that, you still have to contend
with Hebrews that say it is appointed for man to die once and after
that to face judgement. Does this sound like a second chance?
