Joe Chandler

My wife and I took care of my mother until she died. She had dementia. I could calm her down when she became upset, but she was 5'3" and I am 6'3". I could sit next to her and put my arms around her and she would relax. I have already instructed my children to put me in a nursing home if I get dementia. What if I become violent or abusive. I don't want to put my kids through that, but I suspect that they will try to take care of me.

I think we would all benefit from a definition of terms. Covenant theology is a systematic theology. Dispensationalism is a systematic theology. Systematic theology has a doctrine, build on certain principles that lead a man to interpret the bible according to those principles. Dispensationalism breaks down the world into times or dispensations. Calvinism breaks down the bible by covenants. There appears to be no system to Stewardship and therefore it is not a theology. I listened to the entire video and agree with the idea that we are to be stewards of the mysteries of God. Bro Shifflet does not seem to be advocating for any theology at all. I would further say that any Dispensationalist or Calvinist would agree that we are to be stewards of the mysteries of God, but would interpret that within the confines of their respective systematic theologies. How any of that determines whether the angels in Revelation are actual angels or just messengers I cannot fathom. How stewardship determines whether of not Israel and the church are separate does not make any sense to me at all. Stewardship Theology does not exist as a systematic theology and therefore anybody can claim to be a Stewardship theologist and it means nothing.

My old bible has so many cross references in it that I can preach a full message without the benefit of an outline if called on, but the pages do fall out from time to time. I tried to transfer some of these margin notes to my new bible and I could not for the life of me figure out what I was thinking when I made the margin notes in the first place! I'm sure they were brilliant though. Yup, too brilliant. A worn out bible is a sign of a good life.

I seriously had to think about how I put my shoes and socks on. I may do it differently every time. I don't know. I know it involves a lot of hopping and holding on to furniture.

I knew our republic was doomed when they put baby changing stations in the men's bathroom. I'm only half joking.

I agree. The Jews of the time were misapplying the principle, but it is still a valid way for us to interpret scripture by starting with plain texts and building. That reply really helped me. Thanks.

#1 is a new one to me. Thanks. #2 your idea seems sound to me.

Allow me to add a problem that I see among us. We seem to know what a passage means, but not what the passage actually says. Example #1: The seven churches of Asia Minor in Revelation. Some are adamant that each church represents the different church ages. Some are equally adamant that each church is merely a representative example of churches today. The bible doesn't say any of that. All that is revealed in scripture is that there were 7 churches and that Christ had a message for each of them. Example #2: Those who hear and reject the gospel today cannot be saved after the rapture. This was the objection I most heard concerning the Left Behind series. The verse says, 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Who is sent the strong delusion? Those who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Could that be referring to people who heard and rejected the gospel? Yes it could. Does it say that? No. Maybe I am too literal.

Isaiah 28:9-13 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. I was challenged to look at this passage recently. I have often heard the phrase "precept upon precept, line upon line" as the reason for understanding obscure passages by first learning the plain passages. I fully agree with the idea that plain passages should be understood before tackling the more difficult passages. It just makes sense. But, after reading this passage, it seems that the stubborn Jews of Isaiah's time were the ones who could not hear God's word because they viewed the scriptures as nothing more than precepts, lines, here a little and there a little. Am I missing something here?

I do not know what Stewardship theology is. I am familiar with Covenant theology and dispensationalism and their respective eschatological views. I know Covenant folk who are pre and post tribulation rapture folks. Tell me about Stewardship theology.

I read this entire post. It was challenging, encouraging, and matched many things I have experienced in my own life. Thanks for posting that.

Sometimes a word can be defined by identifying the opposite position. What is a "liberal Christian"? A liberal Christian properly defined does not hold to verbal, plenary inspiration, nor do they hold to traditions, and often reject even the deity of Christ. While tradition cannot be the basis of a belief system unless those traditions are Bible based, a liberal rejects the foundation of Christianity, which is the Bible itself. I identify as a fundamentalist, but the term liberal is often bandied about as a pejorative without a real understanding of what a liberal really is. Neo-evangelicals are not liberals nor fundamentalists.

Yes, I did post the wrong verse by accident. Thank you. I'll edit the post. I tried to edit, but didn't have the option.

Of course "For God so loved the world..." is written in the past tense, because Christ was speaking of a past event, to wit the birth of Christ. So you are saying that God stopped loving the world once Christ was born? We think in terms of time, but God lives outside of time. I don't know about you, but I was saved 2000 years after the birth of Christ. Revelation 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

One additional thought about love and hate. Perhaps we do not understand love and hate the way God expresses it in His Word. Luke 14:25-26 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

That is why it is so important that you read your Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. In addition to the principles outlined above by BrotherTony, you need to have a grasp of the language of your Bible. In my case English. People say a lot of things.

I went to a primitive Baptist church meeting where the "sovereign free grace" crowd put forth the perpetuity of the church doctrine. The Calvinist Baptists call us rebel churches because we cannot trace our lineage back to Christ, but neither can they they go much further than 400 years or so. I never heard a Baptist brider claim perpetuity of the church though. They also love the name Unity Church. Great name for a church split. ?

Yeah, I've heard it both ways. ?

Revelation 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. ?

We are the ones with the sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. and they are the Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Thank you. Gracias. Tengo 5 más en Michigan y uno en Atlants.

Ohhhhhhh. beefed up. TGL said buffed up. Now I understand.

That is 7 of my grandkids at Grandparents day at their church. My wife and I are on the right.

You didn't answer the question. My question is how do you find all these "options" unless you are attending many churches? Does your church practice this?

Now that was a post worth reading! Our blessings are uncountable. We are also given exeeding great and precious promises that guarantee a successful Christian life. 2 Peter 1:2-10 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: