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Why Did God Give Us The Bible
	Lee - "My Bibles use the phrase 'NOT LIKE that covenant that I made with their fathers'." Is it your assumption that the New Covenant is NOT LIKE the Old Covenant is EVERY aspect or just SOME aspects?

Why Did God Give Us The Bible

Lee - "You will not find a single early church father that taught Sabbath observance to Gentile church. Yes, there was pockets of Sabbath observing churches, but that was not the norm for the overwhelming majority of churches.." Lee, when you refer to the early church, are you referring to churches in the first 50 years or 250 after Christ? Per W.D. Davies, "The early Church up to 70 CE was a daughter of Judaism: only then did it leave the nest." The 2 factors that lead to Christianity abandoning Nazarene Judaism were 1) non-Jewish believers began to out number Jewish believers combined with 2) the anti-Semitism of the Roman government.

Why Did God Give Us The Bible
	Lee - "the early church did not teach Sabbath observance to Gentile converts" Which "early church" are you talking about...Smyrna, Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Laodicea or the Asian churches? Seems to me there wasnt a consensus in behavior/values/teachings among the early churches.

Jews Really God's Chosen
	Israel is the whole collection of believers in God, Jew and Gentile... ---Brian on 8/7/09 Brian, You are correct. In addition, Isaiah 56 shows us that even before Messiah arrived the foreigner/gentiles/goyim have always been equal with the Israelites in the eyes of God as long as they join with Israel in obedience to God. God doesn't change. :)

Did Jesus Drink Alcohol
	What was Lot drinking in the cave with his daughters?

Did Jesus Drink Alcohol
	According to the bible, alcoholic beverages were not only available thousands of years before Christ, but they were also POTENT. So potent in fact that after drinking some of the alcohol available in ancient times Lot committed INCEST with his own daughters unknowingly. That's some powerful stuff!

Christians Celebrate Passover

Betty - "you are showing disdain for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross" Who told you that? Every time I see a rainbow I'm still thankful of what God did through Noah. Obviously the rainbow reminder didn't cease at 33AD. So I guess we can still celebrate some things from the Old Testament, right? Or do you think the New Testament tells us not to celebrate anything God did in the Old Testament? I don't see where the NT negates any celebrations of the patriarchs. I actually see that it gives God's children more reasons to celebrate what He has done? Of my 30 plus years in Methodist and Baptist churches we annually had reenactments of God's OT actions...is that disdainful to Christ?

Christians Celebrate Passover
	bettyw - "God is not pleased with just any form of worship" Agreed. God definitely doesn't His children to worship Him the way the pagans worship their gods. Do you equate celebrating what God did at Passover to a pagan celebration?

Christians Celebrate Passover
	bettyw, Does scripture restrict believers from giving thanks by celebrating any good deed God has done for His children?

Accurate Bible Translation
	I use a combination of the NRSV, Net and/or NIV for plain old bible reading, but I use the Interlinear for deeper study. I believe the English language does a poor job of conveying the depth of meaning in the original Hebrew & Greek scriptures. I use net.bible. org to view multiple translations.

Is Gambling A Sin
	Entertainment vs. Gambling is similar to having a drink vs. being drunk. One is sin, one isn't. There's a line and you have to be careful to identify it because on the other side of the line is a slippery slope that many do not return from.

I Need A Good Pastor In Church
	I pray God will send you someone to lead your fellowship. In the mean time remember you are responsible for your own spiritual development through the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit even if the pulpit is empty.

Break Ten Commandments
	MarkV, I believe we are in agreement.

Break Ten Commandments

MarkV, I'm with you that scripture interprets scripture. Like I said, "it's important to read Paul's writings the way they were written, on the backs of the OT and Christ's teaching." I'm not questioning the "goodness" of Bob's response. Paul's writings can easily be misinterpreted by the ignorant or easily twisted by those with an agenda. I am encouraging Bob to supplement his response with additional scripture. Wouldn't you agree that by combining the testimony of multiple witnesses (Moses, the prophet's, Christ, and the apostles) we are far more likely to walk away with a accurate interpretation of scripture?

Who Are Lost Sheep Of Israel
	Trey, In simplest terms, I believe the "House of Judah" was/is the tribes of the disporia. Many of which lost their true identity via interfaith relations and therefore consider themselves gentiles. I also believe the "House of Judah" is the prodigal son of Christ's parable.

Who Are Lost Sheep Of Israel
	kathr4453 - "Israel are the descendents of JACOB. (Not Esau, not Ishmael...yet THEY have as much right to salvation as anyone!!!!) Paul was given the ministry of reconciliation to Gentiles and never refers to the Gentiles as going to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel!" Well said kathr4453. I would also emphasize the distinction between the "House of Israel" and the "House of Judah".

Break Ten Commandments

Bob, Quoting Paul is like quoting Thomas Jefferson. All American politicians love to quote Thomas Jefferson. Why? Because Jefferson was a prolific writer who said many things that can be interpreted different ways depending on your bias. Paul was also wrote prolifically and people take different meanings from his words. For example Christians who do not want to be obligated to OT commands often quote Paul when he said you can't be justified by works. On the other hand, those who believe OT commands are still relevant tend to quote Paul's claim that the law is holy, righteous and good. The bottom line: It's important to read Paul's writings the way they were written, "on the backs of the OT and Christ's teaching".

Joyce Meyer's Is A False Teacher

I do NOT believe Joyce Meyers is a "false teacher". She regularly instructs her listeners to study the bible and follow Christ. That alone set's her apart for the egomaniacs who are constantly asking their listeners to pay for their private jets...or the hippie "many paths to heaven" preachers. However I think Joyce is wrong on several theological points. Much of her interpretation of scripture seems to be wrapped up in her own personal experience. But she is not a malicious "wolf in sheep's clothing". She is a good motivational speaker with some spiritual truth to offer, but on the weightier theological issues I think she falls into the category of "the blind leading the blind".