1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV
[9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, Neither have entered into the heart of man, The things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Coke Bear said:

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Watered-down is equal to Christians believing that the Eucharist is ONLY a symbol that was first believed in the 16th century.

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The mere existence of Lutheranism would refute the assertion that the real presence was something invented in the 16th century by Roman Catholics.

99% of the communion as an Irish Wake crowd are downstream of Zwingli.

The Swiss make great chocolatiers and watchmakers, but terrible theologians.

The Imitation of Christ PDF Link

I've mentioned this before in a different thread, but I'd highly recommend it regardless of which Christian tradition you claim as your own.

The book starts out with the following paragraphs:

"HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord.1 By these words of
Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened
and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort; therefore, be to study the life of
Jesus Christ.

The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he
who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the
Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever
wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of
Christ.

What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you
displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a
virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to
define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles
of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities
and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone."

This is a particularly issue for those of us who always want to *know* more, and a reminder that we should *do* more.

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xfrodobagginsx said:

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Waco1947 said:

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xfrodobagginsx said:

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Waco1947 said:

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xfrodobagginsx said:

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Waco1947 said:

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The Sermon on the Mount is a preview of how Christ will rule during the future Kingdom age.

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I disagree. The SM is about discipleship in this life. Look at the last verse Mt 7: "Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock."Jesus speaks in the present tense, not future.

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He was giving instructions to Kingdom age believers. This is future from the Church age, which we are in:

Matthew 13:44-50, 52 KJV
[44] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. [45] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: [46] who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. [47] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: [48] which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. [49] So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, [50] and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
[52] Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

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Jesus said the kingdom is "in breaking" , not fully here, but on its way. P.S. Jesus speaks in the present tense

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Because the Kingdom of heaven WAS here at that time because the King was in their midst. REPENT! REPENT! for the Kingdom of Heven is at hand! It should have been rendered "In your midst". REPENT! REPENT! For the Kindom of heaven is in your midst! Why? Because the King was in their midst. Had Israel accepted their Messiah, He would have set up His Kingdom here on earth at that time. But they rejcted Him. His instructions were for the kingdom age that will come when He returns physically to the Earth again. While true that Jesus did say repent, I am more inclined to think of the Kingdom of God as a place of grace and living together in community. I think both concepts or supported

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I don't think that it's mutually exclusive, it Can in fact be both

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

So very true

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