For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
2 Corinthians 10:3,4 NASB
"Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:13
Read your bible daily! Keep your sword sharp and the rust off so it will be ready when you need it. And, don't forget the rest of the Armor.
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." Matthew 24:13
"He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed." Revelation 13:12
"And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name." Revelation 13:16,17
"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." Romans 1:26,27
"and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Romans 1:32
"For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" Revelation 6:17
"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:13
"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:13,14
Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. “And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. “Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. “But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. “On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” Luke 10:30-37 NASB
There is so much need in even America today. When and if you attempt to help others you learn why the majority crossed the road and just passed right on by.
"The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay." 1 Peter 4:7-9 NLT "Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen." 1 Peter 4:11 NLT
"IF a god created us and we are bad... .It is kind of IT's fault right?!" -- EMY
God has the "BIG" picture in view that we can not see because of our human limitations. Submitting our will to His will and seeking Him with all of our heart, mind, and soul we can become more than anything humanly possible without free will. Through Him we can become a genuine overcomer understanding both good and evil and knowing enough to choose good and refuse evil like Him. The value in what we shall then know will be far greater than we can now imagine.
That is a rather bold assertion seeing how you have never been where Epicurus now is. However, I could use the bible to back you up: Ecclesiastes 9:5
"For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten."
It seems the memory of Epicurus is not forgotten though like your's and mine will surely be on this earth especially when we find ourselves dead for as long a time as Epicurus. Now we could filter out the gnats while swallowing a camel discussing this point, but life is short and I hold my view that you made a rather bold assertion seeing how you have no firsthand knowledge.
"Epicurous[sic] knew nothing of the Christian mythos so it would seem wierd[sic] for your myth figure to judge him based on a system he never knew,"
You make a good point. However, I believe the God of the Bible is ultimately fair and just based on my reading of scripture: Take Romans 2:12-16 for instance. But, what will those like you and I who have no excuse like Epicurus does do?
You say, "Historically he is presumed real" So, is Jesus only a myth and a fairytale like many atheists attest? Or, is He also historically presumed real?
Regards,
1%er
p.s. see part 2 for a brief discussion on the philosophy of Epicurus.
Let's take a brief peek at the philosophy of Epicurus.
He taught that pleasure and pain are the measures of what is good and evil.
Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and drunkenness are all obviously sources of pleasure indicated by the high incidence of their occurrence in society. Yet 1 Corinthians 6:9 claims they are unrighteous. Why might that be? Could it be because all four also have GREAT potential to cause pain?
A fornicator may contract an STD, possibly incurable, that can be a deal breaker for a marriage to possibly the love of his/her life. An unwanted pregnancy may also be a consequence of fornication with all of its implications and consequenses. Fornication can lesson the quality of the bond between lifelong mates. Fornication may hurt one of the participants that expects more out of the arrangement which inevitably does not materialize. Statistics show that those who live in a fornicating relationship to each other prior to getting married have a higher incidence of divorce. So much for the proverbial "test drive", etc. ad nauseam. But perhaps, we can be consenting and responsible adults allowing us to avoid any harmful and painful consequences as DormantDragon implies.
Adultery has destroyed untold marriages throughout the ages both harming the betrayed spouse and any children involved. The adulterer may also bring a harmful and painful STD to the marriage bed, besides lessoning the quality of the mating bond. Once again DormantDragon implies conversely that adultery is good when it is not coupled with deceit and disrespect. He should get back with us and give us a report after these relationships of his friends have run their course as to how they ultimately ended. The couple I know who had the "happy arrangement" did not have their relationship end well. Adultery is a violation of trust with painful and harmful consequences regardless of it being agreed upon or not.
Homosexuality. . . tell it to the two mothers I know who buried their sons at an early age due to the consequences of their homosexual lifestyle. While we're at it, lets keep our heads buried in the sand regarding the real medical facts of this lifestyle and teach our young that it is an acceptable and good choice equal to heterosexual marriage. At least it will help alleviate the world's over population problem more rapidly while allowing our muslim brothers to out populate us and overtake us finally ending such debates as this on the topic. Please note my sarcasm on this subject.
Drunkenness. . . Let me tell a short joke to lighten the mood. A man woke up with his head resting on an adult establishment's bar. As he looked around to get his bearing, he noticed his buddy siting on the next bar stool sipping a beer. He then looked at his watch and realized that they had to be at work in thirty minutes. He asked his buddy where they were. It was a city 500 miles from home and work. He then began fussing irately at his buddy, "What the expletive are we doing here! We have to be at work in thirty minutes!" His buddy looked at him and calmly took another sip of his beer as he replied, "Expletive I don't know, you drove!" Oh how I enjoyed my days of being a drunkard. Please pass the Bombay Sapphire. If only the pain didn't follow the pleasure. Are you familiar with the song "Why me Lord" by Kris Kristofferson? You should YouTube it and give it a listen.
So Ryk, we can easily trash Epicurus's teaching that pleasure and pain are the measures of what is good and evil seeing how somethings that can bring so much pleasure can also cause untold pain. However, you as someone that respects Epicurus the philosopher the most among the philosophers knows that a deeper study of Epicurus would show my above complaint against the Epicurus pleasure vs pain teaching as intellectually dishonest since Epicurus himself would not sanction anything that produced pleasure on the surface yet resulted in pain as an ultimate consequence.
Even if there is no God, there is great benefit in a personal relationship with the Man of the Bible named Jesus because such a relationship can cause the peace and tranquility in a believer's life that Epicurus valued. I am personally amazed at the power my personal relationship with Jesus has displayed in my life. If it is all just a bunch of bunk, it is very, very good bunk without the deleterious effects of opiates.
The short time while I have been here at Atheist Central I have noticed that atheists don't dig deep beneath the surface of biblical things preferring to only pick at what they think are warts. "the Christian mythos ~~~ your myth figure" Really?
"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:18
"Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17
"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures." James 1:12-18
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
This past March an acquaintance of mine finished his gift of life at the young age of only 63. He served as an infantry officer in Vietnam and told me about a firefight where he knew it was all over. He told me that he called out to God and told Him that if He would get him through this firefight alive that he would then serve Him for the rest of his life.
Well, God did see this man safely through this firefight and the rest of his tour of duty in Vietnam. But, as is so often the case, once all was okay again the man went on with his life without keeping his promise. I met him in the latter years of his life. I would have liked a deeper friendship, but he could only take so much of my sharing Jesus with him. He had quite a successful civilian career after his military service ended and appeared wealthy according to worldly standards. He was an alcoholic though and drank constantly whenever I visited him. The last time I saw him I could tell the alcoholism was taking its toll. I didn't know it would be the last time I'd see him, but it was obvious the possibility was there. How I wish our friendship could have blossomed.
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." Matthew 23:37
I'll always wonder if I could have done more...
I have another friend that is even younger, only 42. He has been quite the hard case. I've always believed there is hope for a man as long as he is still alive, but this one has made me wonder. Our paths in life have recently crossed again. My goodness how he has aged in a few short years. He looks rougher than the one who just died and is 20 years younger. The Lord inspired me to buy him a bible which I believe he received well.
Shortly after buying him this bible he was hospitalized. While praying for him during his hospital stay the Lord has given me a whole new insight on the Parable of the Generous Employer: Matthew 20:1-16
Laborers in the Vineyard
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. “When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. “And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. “Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. “And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ “They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ “When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. “When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. “When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ “But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? ‘Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ “So the last shall be first, and the first last.” Matthew 20:1-16
Many of us are infatuated with the passing pleasures of sin and desire a deathbed conversion. During my friend's hospital stay I came to realize how much all of us who know him want him to make it into the arms of the loving Savior, Christ Jesus, before it is too late. I also realized that we all would be more than happy for him to receive "full pay" even though he arrived at a late hour.
Fortunately my friend made it out of the hospital alive this time. I'm finding myself being a little more pushy with him after the loss of my previous acquaintance. It is not in my nature to be pushy, but the anguish of wondering if I had done all I could with my other friend makes me push my normal nature aside. I told my friend recently released from the hospital, "I don't want to get to the other side and not find you there." He told me, "I'll be there."
And God, I hope it is so!
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
I am grateful to have gone into the vineyard and began laboring early. I only wish I could have started earlier and maybe even labored harder. I have no resentment for those who come in at a late hour and I am overjoyed that they receive full wages. When you hear His voice, please do not harden your heart!
"O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" Psalm 34:8
You too! Please don't disappoint me. I desire to see you in the Golden City too. Whether you come early or late, just make sure you get there.
The helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17) is an important part of a warrior for the Lord's armor! You have to personally invite Jesus into your heart, acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of His help, and repent of your sins. If you do this you will receive the helmet of salvation, and He (Jesus) will be faithful to help you along your journey and farther clothe you with the Full Armor of God so that you may be able to stand in the evil day.
I really didn't think my hard case friend was going to make it. I told his mama who loves the Lord, "I always thought there was hope for a man as long as they are still alive, but Joe makes me wonder". Well now I'm full of hope. I have that hope for you too. Many are called, but few are chosen, because I believe few choose. Don't disappoint me, make the choice, and be there!
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