Jesus Christ - the True Prophet, Priest, and King

[poptart]

The three offices of the Old Testament -for the purpose of meeting man's needs - were prophet, priest, and king.

Prophet: Pointed the way to meet God.
Priest: Served to forgive sin by application of the blood.
King: One with authority to lead the people.

Christ came, fulfilled all, and is the manifestation of these three offices - for our needs.


John 14:6 (Prophet)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Romans 8:2 (Priest)
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

1 John 3:8 (King)
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.


Man, who had become separated from his Life source, trapped by sin and eternal death, and held within the grasp of satan, is set TOTALLY free by simply taking the promise of God - Jesus, who is the only Christ.

[BSmack]

Set free from WHAT?

[poptart]

Set free from the law of sin and death - Romans 8:2 above.

Set free from the hand of satan, which holds all who remain in a state of separation from God, who IS the source of our life.

Ephesians 2:1-5 says it well.

[1] And you (believers) hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)

[BSmack]

Set free from the law of sin and death - Romans 8:2 above.

Set free from the hand of satan, which holds all who remain in a state of separation from God, who IS the source of our life.

In YOUR own words, what exactly IS the "Law of Sin and Death?"

[poptart]

Sin signifies the state of a person who is separated from God.
It is not possible for one to live spiritually apart from the Life source, which is only God.
Apart from God, a person is spiritually dead.

[BSmack]

Sin signifies the state of a person who is separated from God.
It is not possible for one to live spiritually apart from the Life source, which is only God.
Apart from God, a person is spiritually dead.

Yet I feel so alive.

How would life be different were I with God opposed to being apart from God?

[poptart]

I don't know the details of your individual life situation.
Most people strive very hard to find a sense of happiness, but they have a lot of anxiety, conflict, and physical illness or difficulty.

I've reminded on a number of occassions that the Bible is a spiritual book which is centered on the spiritual world.

Man was told by God that he would surely die in the day that he (left God) ate of the forbidden tree.
Man didn't die that day, physically.
But from reading the text we can see that he did die spiritually in that day.

People have a fundamental spiritual problem in that they ensnared by satan, oppressed, and undoubtedly headed for a point where they reach a limit and will face profound failure.

Your own life would be different with God in that you would never face a point of profound failure, and it's likely that you would feel a strong sense of rest and peace in comparison to what you have right now.

[BSmack]

People have a fundamental spiritual problem in that they ensnared by satan, oppressed, and undoubtedly headed for a point where they reach a limit and will face profound failure.

Your own life would be different with God in that you would never face a point of profound failure, and it's likely that you would feel a strong sense of rest and peace in comparison to what you have right now.

I'm going to need some proof of this ensnarement by Satan. Does Chris Hansen know about this guy?

[poptart]

Satan is a spiritual being, so I am not going to show you proof of him.
But the mayhem he has brought is evident all throughout the physical world.

I was a non-believer and thought the spiritual world sounded wack.
But I've experienced different.

If you want to experience spiritual reality, and that God is real, soften your heart and take the Christ that God has given for you.
That's how you meet God.

[BSmack]

Satan is a spiritual being, so I am not going to show you proof of him.
But the mayhem he has brought is evident all throughout the physical world.

That mayhem is far more easily attributed to the avarice and greed of individuals than to the whims of some mystical Über Bad Guy.

I was a non-believer and thought the spiritual world sounded wack. But I've experienced different. If you want to experience spiritual reality, and that God is real, soften your heart and take the Christ that God has given for you. That's how you meet God.

That just sounds creepy. Why does an all powerful God need to slip me the Christ just to get close to me? Can't we at least have some dinner and foreplay first?

[mvscal]

I don't know the details of your individual life situation.
Most people strive very hard to find a sense of happiness, but they have a lot of anxiety, conflict, and physical illness or difficulty.

Of course Christians never experience anxiety, conflict and physical illness or difficulty, right?

[poptart]

Christians also experience those things.
Yes, absolutely we do.

There is a fundamental difference, though.

As soon as man became separated from God, God promised (Genesis 3:15) the "seed of the Woman," which is a very odd thing, seeing as "seed" is something of men.
This seed, which is the only thing which destroys the work of satan, is of the Holy Spirit, and not of any human.
It is Christ.

When a person receives Christ, this spiritual seed is planted in the person and will never leave.
The seed is INCORRUPTIBLE.

1 Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

No matter what transpires, a Christian will never face failure because what lives in him is incorruptible.


Jesus told believers that the world hates us - just as they hate Him.
And he told believers that they would be persecuted, face hardship, and be killed.
We have been.
The apostles were killed in brutal fashion.
But it was not failure.

They are living, and the Gospel they proclaimed is moving to the ends of the earth, just as God intends for it to do before the end will come.

[BSmack]

Christians also experience those things. Yes, absolutely we do. There is a fundamental difference, though. As soon as man became separated from God, God promised (Genesis 3:15) the "seed of the Woman," which is a very odd thing, seeing as "seed" is something of men.
This seed, which is the only thing which destroys the work of satan, is of the Holy Spirit, and not of any human. It is Christ.

When a person receives Christ, this spiritual seed is planted in the person and will never leave. The seed is INCORRUPTIBLE.

I just realized the depths on insanity that being "born again" requires. You should seriously seek help from a licensed professional. There are groups out there that can help you deprogram from your cult.

[poptart]

I once thought and said such things, too, B.
I've been on both sides.


Psalms 34:8
O taste and see that the LORD is good


You can find out.

He stands at your door and knocks.

[BSmack]

Psalms 34:8
O taste and see that the LORD is good

Probably the gayest bible verse ever.

[mvscal]

When a person receives Christ, this spiritual seed is planted in the person and will never leave.

Yes evidently the "seed" is implanted rectally at an early age.

[poptart]

Can't you folks suck it up, realize this is it, try to treat one another with respect and courtesy instead of frowning down your noses at everyone who thinks differently than yourself, and make something good happen in this life instead of anticipating a "better" life after you croak?

It might seem that if this is the only life, it is foolish to treat others with respect and courtesy.
Why do that?

If this is IT, smart guy will fugg others and get over.

Polite, nice, courteous, respectful, limp, is for losers.


The "better life after you croak" perspective is cited a lot by Christians, and it is true, but is just part of the story.

Salvation is right now.

[poptart]

Pretty shitty opinion you have of people, isn't it? I don't buy into an afterlife of any sort, and I don't screw anyone over. Pretty fuckin' weak of someone to need the threat of eternal damnation in order to be a decent person.

A person being "good" or "bad" doesn't have anything at all to do with them going to eternal damnation or not.

It's just a matter of people having all fallen under the authority of satan.
God has given us the way out.

We can take it or not.

[mvscal]

So I'm under Satan's authority, huh?

Weeeeell...let me just think about that one for minute. Hmmmm. Whose authority could Mr. Smarty Pants Sam fall under? Could it be.....

SATAN?!?

[poptart]

So I'm under Satan's authority, huh?

Yes.

I posted this Scripture earlier and it sums it up well.



Ephesians 2:1-5
[1] And you (believers) hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)

[Felix]

Christians also experience those things.
Yes, absolutely we do.

just imagine how fucked up you'd be without your god

there'd be mass killings that would turn your typical postal worker green with envy

A person being "good" or "bad" doesn't have anything at all to do with them going to eternal damnation or not.

so, lets assume your assertion is true....let me ask you, do you think I deserve eternal damnation for the high crime of not believing in the one who dare not show himself except through the ramblings of bronze age goat herders?

is it not true that if we suppose Adolph Hitler accepted jesus, that he's been rewarded with his place in heaven after torching millions of jews?

of course, the answer is a resounding YES (praise the lord and pass the sugar)
that is one whacky belief system you've got

[poptart]

do you think I deserve eternal damnation for the high crime of not believing in the one who dare not show himself except through the ramblings of bronze age goat herders?

I don't agree with your framing of the question, Felix,
I believe that God has shown Himself to you and that you willfully chose to deny Him.
You instead choose to listen to satan and will, if you don't come to your senses, follow satan straight to the place God prepared for him.

To the best of my understanding, the Son of Sam (D. Berkowitz) is now a Christian, and yes, I believe he is going to heaven when he dies.

He once was under the authority of satan, but is no longer.

Yes, theoretically, the same could be with Hitler.

[poptart]

Sam, of course you've taken THE most extreme example (a Hitler) and dreamt up all sorts of scenarios where he could cause mayhem and then, on his death bed, confess Christ and be saved.

I don't think such a thing happens often, do you?

I cited Son of Sam.
Locked away for life in prison, he was presented the Gospel, he repented, and he is now God's child.

Does that really trouble you?

Would you prefer that he remain an unrepentant and unforgiven monster?

[Felix]

I don't agree with your framing of the question, Felix,

it was a pretty straight up question....I'm a pretty decent dude, I spend lots of time and money helping others....not because I believe there's some reward at the end of it, but simply because it's the right thing to do....so once again, do you think I deserve eternal damnation for not believing in your god?

You instead choose to listen to satan and will, if you don't come to your senses, follow satan straight to the place God prepared for him.

why the fuck do you keep insisting that I've been listening to satan? who is this satan dude? the only person I truly listen to is my wife-hey wait a minute, are you saying my wife is satan?

To the best of my understanding, the Son of Sam (D. Berkowitz) is now a Christian, and yes, I believe he is going to heaven when he dies.

wow, go figure-another bat shit crazy fucknut finds "god" in prison...well that right there should convince me that "he" truly moves in mysterious ways....

He once was under the authority of satan, but is no longer.

he was under the authority of a talking dog that told him to go kill people....are you saying that the talking dog was satan? this satan cat seem to be more powerful than your god...if your god is this all powerful entity, why doesn't he just do away with this satan dude and make everybody's life easier....instead, apparently he allows this satan cat to pretty much run rampant causing all kinds of mayhem while your god sits back and just watches all of this take place without even the slightest inclination to stop it...and if he is who you say he is, he could stop all of this at any time....but he doesn't...so the only conclusion any logical person could reach is that your all powerful all seeing never intervening god seems to enjoy watching people suffer....man, that cat is one malevolent asshole

Yes, theoretically, the same could be with Hitler.

so torching millions of people can be forgiven, but my non-belief buys me a one way ticket to eternal torture at the hands of your "loving" god....makes perfect sense

[BSmack]

so torching millions of people can be forgiven, but my non-belief buys me a one way ticket to eternal torture at the hands of your "loving" god....makes perfect sense

Yep. And all because the same "loving god" sent his own son down to earth to live in some post bronze age shithole for 33 years, only to be brutally tortured and ritually killed, all so he could be raised from the dead. And since he did it all for US, we are supposed to worship him.

Now that I think of it, god is like that person who tries to buy friends. Only instead of giving us fun things like booze or weed, he's trying to cash in some 2000 year old chit that we never asked for.

[poptart]

I don't agree with your framing of the question, Felix

it was a pretty straight up question

Your question was this:

do you think I deserve eternal damnation for the high crime of not believing in the one who dare not show himself except through the ramblings of bronze age goat herders?

Paul wrote large portions of the New Testament.
He was a HIGHLY educated elite of his time.

Either you're not aware of that or you have somehow chosen to disregard it and go forward with the "ramblings of a bunch of goat herders" take anyway.

....I'm a pretty decent dude, I spend lots of time and money helping others....not because I believe there's some reward at the end of it, but simply because it's the right thing to do....so once again, do you think I deserve eternal damnation for not believing in your god?

The concept you have is:
Good person goes to heaven, bad person goes to hell.

The concept God has is:
Satan goes to hell, and all who are held in his hand go along with him.
Those who have taken Christ are saved (out of satan's hand) and go to heaven when they die.

he (Berkowitz) was under the authority of a talking dog that told him to go kill people....are you saying that the talking dog was satan?

If you look into the Berkowitz case you can find that he had gone deep into satanism prior to the time of his killings.
He was worshipping satan and was deeply disturbed, spiritually.

this satan cat seem to be more powerful than your god...if your god is this all powerful entity, why doesn't he just do away with this satan dude and make everybody's life easier....instead, apparently he allows this satan cat to pretty much run rampant causing all kinds of mayhem while your god sits back and just watches all of this take place without even the slightest inclination to stop it...and if he is who you say he is, he could stop all of this at any time....but he doesn't...so the only conclusion any logical person could reach is that your all powerful all seeing never intervening god seems to enjoy watching people suffer....man, that cat is one malevolent asshole

Felix, the "Why doesn't God do THIS ..." questions could be endless.

I don't have all the answers by any stretch.
I have the Word He has chosen to give us.

But understand that God has stopped satan.

1 John 3:8
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

God calls and saves those who He has known from before the creation of the world - Ephesians 1:4

Why is not everyone saved?

I can only speculate, and I do have some ideas, but it is not told in Scripture, so I'm convinced that it is not something I need to dwell on at all.

so torching millions of people can be forgiven, but my non-belief buys me a one way ticket to eternal torture at the hands of your "loving" god....makes perfect sense

Non-belief keeps you under the authority of satan, who goes to hell.

[Felix]

do you think I deserve eternal damnation

that was my question, and the sad fact is you're incapable of answering it for yourself.....you spout off some biblical horseshit that means nothing to me

I'm not asking you if you think I'll be condemned to suffer eternally, I'm asking YOU, personally to put aside the ramblings of your holy book to answer a simple question for yourself.....do you think I DESERVE eternal damnation

just from my observations and reading of your holy book
I don't persecute people for something someone unrelated to them did to me and for that characteristic alone, I'm morally superior to your god...

[poptart]

do you think I deserve eternal damnation for not believing in your god?

In the past, I did not think so, Felix.
I thought and said some of the same things you have been saying.
But of course now I do.

And to this point in your life, you have chosen to follow satan - even despite repeatedly being presented the Gospel.

So yeah, I think you deserve to go where he goes.

[Felix]

But of course now I do.

and now I can say without hesitation, that I'm morally superior to you as well

[poptart]

Yet you suggest that Felix is doomed to eternal damnation because YOU believe that shit.

WOW!

Felix suggests I will die FOREVER and simply become worm food.

How AWFUL!!

I'm OUTRAGED!!!

WOW!


Sam, from things you've posted, I do imagine the Christians around you have irritated you, and believe me, I DO get that.
It's my experience that Christians are sometimes some of THE most wack people, and their behavior often serves to make people NOT want to believe.

I would suggest you ignore them and look into the Bible for yourself.
Do a little honest research into the fulfillment of prophecy by Jesus Christ.
Look into the resurrection and the behavior of the apostles.
Read the Book of John.

It's my conclusion that Jesus is the Christ.

Me saying that I believe people will go to hell is based upon that conclusion.

As always, you're free not to have that same conclusion.

[Felix]

Felix suggests I will die FOREVER and simply become worm food.

How AWFUL!!

yeah, believing in a mystical all powerful unseen entity that controls everything makes a lot more sense.....and given the fact that people about 2 weeks ahead of the stone age said it, well it must be true

I'm OUTRAGED!!!

you know what outrages me? that your "god" apparently sat by for over 90,000 years and watched as the human struggled to get a foothold on this earth, and then about 2,000 years ago, he decided it was time for a divine intervention.....now that's fucking outrageous...

[poptart]

yeah, believing in a mystical all powerful unseen entity that controls everything makes a lot more sense.....and given the fact that people about 2 weeks ahead of the stone age said it, well it must be true

I'm not sure why you persist with this take, Felix.

I pointed out Paul (and there are other "high caliber" people) as an author of many books of the Bible.

you know what outrages me? that your "god" apparently sat by for over 90,000 years and watched as the human struggled to get a foothold on this earth, and then about 2,000 years ago, he decided it was time for a divine intervention.....now that's fucking outrageous...

I don't believe that's what has happened.

[mvscal]

Paul wrote large portions of the New Testament.
He was a HIGHLY educated elite of his time.

1st century Pharisees could hardly be called elite in any way, shape or form. Paul had a solid middle class upbringing and education and, as a minor bureaucratic functionary at the Temple, he had first hand experience with religious puppet shows.

He was actually a far more capable, energetic and interesting individual than Jesus ever could have hoped to be. Jesus was never anything more than a prop. Christianity would have been just another tedious splinter sect of Judaism that would have quickly faded and been promptly forgotten without Paul's efforts.

[Felix]

I don't believe that's what has happened.

well, you might not "believe" that's what happened, but scientific research and discovery tells us that's exactly what happened, if you buy into the whole "god came down to earth" concept....science can pretty well document that the earliest female can be traced back about 100,000 years to the african plains....

if you'd like, I can hook you up with a whole bunch of links that can pretty much map out how we (as humans) got here.....mapping the human genome was really the key to being able to trace where we came from....and believe me, that information is a lot more interesting than the story that some magical all knowing all seeing "god" snapped us into existence

but of course, you don't want to know any of that, because you've already found the "truth"....

[poptart]

Felix, I didn't agree with this:

you know what outrages me? that your "god" apparently sat by for over 90,000 years and watched as the human struggled to get a foothold on this earth, and then about 2,000 years ago, he decided it was time for a divine intervention.....now that's fucking outrageous...

The Bible tells us that God was with man from the very beginning.

I don't believe that He sat around for any length of time (1 year, 90,000 years, or whatever it is) and let man flounder.

[Felix]

I don't believe that He sat around for any length of time (1 year, 90,000 years, or whatever it is) and let man flounder.

really, with a life span of about 20 years for the earliest humans, stuggling to simply stay alive, god was right there with them? man, that dude is even a bigger prick than I originally thought…

so how do you resolve what we know from scientific discovery, from what is written in your holy book? you know, the whole Adam and Eve fairy tale, with talking snakes, bad apples, the first recorded murder, etc.? and no copping out with the “that was old testament” horseshit, because one of the primary tenants of christianity (the ten commandments), comes from the old testament…

[poptart]

Felix, I LOVE the Old Testament and it is every bit as important as the New Testament.

I'm not sure what you want me to resolve.

But since you made a couple of statements, I will answer those directly.

I don't believe the first man had a life span of 20 years.
If you do, that's fine.

The serpent was in the Garden of Eden, not the snake.

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil,
and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the
earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

It's not said that Adam and Eve at an apple.
It was fruit of some kind - Genesis 3:6.

[Dinsdale]

So, Tart...

If you had a son that was stubborn and rebellious, and was profligate and a drunkard...

You'd take him to be stoned to death?

YES OR NO?


Save your usual horseshit excuses/explainations, it's a YES OR NO question.


Or... are you going to continue talking out of both sides of your mouth?

[Dinsdale]

I don't believe that He sat around for any length of time (1 year, 90,000 years, or whatever it is) and let man flounder.

If you believe in your literal horseshit, that's EXACTLY what happened.


How bad must it suck to have your entire belief system PROVEN to be a farce? Throw out all the Popisms you like, but it's PROVEN.

[Dinsdale]

I'm not sure what you want me to resolve.

Your endorsement of the absolute amoral abomination know as slavery, which hundreds of thousands of Americans died to stop.


I guess America isn't a "christian nation" after all, eh?


I'd say You Folk "want it both ways," except it's more like 43 different ways.