If you draw a giraffe, you must draw him with a long neck. If, in your bold creative way, you hold yourself free to draw a giraffe with a short neck, you will really find that you are not free to draw a giraffe. The moment you step into the world of facts, you step into a world of limits...Do not go about as a demagogue, encouraging triangles to break out of the prison of their three sides.
The ensuing recommendations entail a combination of personal disciplines, ecclesiastical practices, and theological perspectives to fortify the believer's faith.
Sola Scriptura: Adherence to the principle of "Scripture Alone" is paramount in guarding against apostasy. By prioritizing the Bible as the ultimate authority, believers are anchored in the objective truth of God's Word, rather than subjective experiences or human traditions (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." - Jeremiah 31:3
The descriptions of God as jealous, angry, moved with compassion, impatient, or loving are considered anthropopathic expressions. These expressions use human characteristics to describe God's nature, actions, or attitudes in a manner that we, as humans, can understand and relate to. It is important to remember that our human language and concepts are often inadequate to fully capture the true essence of God's being.
The assertion that God is "without body, parts, or passions" emphasizes the immaterial, transcendent, and immutable nature of the Almighty.
-- Being "without body" signifies that God is not composed of physical matter or confined by spatial limitations, enabling Him to be omnipresent and free from the constraints of the material world.
--The absence of "parts" highlights the divine simplicity of God, wherein He is not divisible into separate components but rather exists as an entirely unified and indivisible being.
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” Acts 16:14
Let us examine the passage and seek to uncover the profound truths embedded within the inspired text:
Q. 28. What are the punishments of sin in this world?
A. The punishments of sin in this world, are either inward, as blindness of mind, a reprobate sense, strong delusions, hardness of heart, horror of conscience, and vile affections: or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures for our sake; and all other evils that befall us in our bodies, names, estates, relations, and employments; together with death itself.
Eph. 4:18; Rom. 1:28; 2 Thess. 2:11; Rom. 2:5; Isa. 33:14; Gen. 4:13; Matt. 27: 4; Rom. 1:26; Gen. 3:17; Deut. 28:15-68; Rom. 6:21, 23.
The question of whether God desires all to be saved is a subject of ongoing debate in Christian theology. The question of whether God desires all to be saved is a subject of ongoing debate in Christian theology. On one hand, several biblical passages seem to indicate that God desires the salvation of all people (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 18:23; Matthew 23:37).
Against carnal fear. Many are troubled when they consider the power and cunning of the enemies of God's people. But you need not be dismayed when you, in the simplicity of your hearts, give yourselves up to the direction of God's word. You need not fear all their craft; when they are confounded and broken to pieces by their own devices, you shall stand firm. It seems to be the greatest folly in the world to keep at a distance from the rising side. In time, it will be found to be the greatest wisdom.
"It is with our sins that we go to God—for we have nothing else to go with that we can call our own. This is one of the lessons that we are so slow to learn; yet without learning this — we cannot take one right step in that which we call a Christian life." - Horatius Bonar
The statement is a profound and thought-provoking assertion that has deep roots in all faithful branches of the Christian faith. At its core, this statement reflects a fundamental understanding of the nature of humanity and our relationship with God.
