(03-03-2022 03:19 PM)BlueDragon Wrote: Once again you missed the train standing at the boat dock. Reincarnation is not salvation. You completely ignored the question of how can people who are born live their lives without ever knowing of Christ be condemned?
No I didn't ignore the question. Instead, I already said before that it's all in Jesus' hands about a situation like this. Neither one of us knows what He'll do. We can hope He'll do one thing or another. But you're claiming I'm dodging a question just because I'm being honest enough to tell you that I don't know the answer to the question. Only God knows the answer. And me or anyone else not knowing what God knows, isn't at all dodging the question; because it's a question that only He can answer.
(03-03-2022 03:19 PM)BlueDragon Wrote: You continue to assume everyone has had the opportunity to reject Christ. This just isn’t the case.
I've never assumed any such a thing. I've only stated that believing in reincarnation isn't a Christian belief. Whether either one of us wants it to be something different, it just isn't. Or, like I said the first time, if you think I'm wrong about saying it isn't, then let me know which Christian Church teaches reincarnation is a Christian doctrine. Every Church I've ever heard teach about this, all indicate that men only die one time, based on a correct understanding of the Bible about it. And then after men live one life on earth, they all die, before being resurrected.
(03-03-2022 03:19 PM)BlueDragon Wrote: Did you read Ezekiel? What was the purpose of bringing those men back to life? My point is and still is God can do whatever he wants.
Yes and no about reading Ezekiel. I've read it many times before. But I didn't read it again, after you quoted it.
But not reading it again didn't change that I already knew this chapter dealt with the "Valley of the Dry Bones" and How God was going to restore life to them.
And I don't agree at all that this scripture is talking about God giving some group of men a second life on this earth via reincarnation.
Instead, I believe there's not any disagreement among Christians that this is prophesying about the resurrection for God's people, and is a prediction of what will happen as a result of Christ's death and resurrection.
So, the "purpose" of bringing them "back to life" is resurrecting them for eternity.
We could possibly debate whether those dry bones are referring to the Jews or Christians/the Church (I personally believe it's clearly the latter). But either way, it's definitely not talking about reincarnation.
And you can believe I'm wrong, or that anyone else who agrees with me is wrong. Maybe you're right, and anyone who believes like me about it is wrong.
(03-03-2022 03:19 PM)BlueDragon Wrote: As to Hebrews this could be spiritual or physical.
Well, sure, it "could" mean one or the other, to someone on their own, who is trying to interpret the correct meaning of that scripture for themselves. I could see how they might speculate whether it "could" be referring to something spiritual and not physical or the opposite, or perhaps both. Who knows whether we'll figure something like that out correctly, if we try to figure it out on our own? Martin Luther thought we'd all be able to read a scripture like that, and all agree about the right answer.
But we don't, to we?
It's because two different people can and often do come up with two different answers, when they're both just trying to figure out what the Bible means by themselves, even after each sincerely asking the Holy Spirit to guide them, and then each trusting that whatever they think He's leading them to believe about it, is the correct understanding. And then they come up with different meanings to the correct interpretation anyway.
That's why I've come to believe that the only thing that's actually helpful to know the correct meaning, if/when a scripture "could" mean one thing or something else, is to see if/what the Church has always taught about it.
And it's pretty clear (if you research it, I believe you'll come to the same conclusion; but then again, maybe you won't) that Church leaders from the first century (who probably knew whether the writer of Hebrews was Paul but we're not 100% certain, because we weren't there at the time and they were; so that's why they'd know and we aren't sure) were in consensus that it means physical death, not spiritual death.
And I realize my saying this might not settle the issue for you; but it's the only thing that settles it for me--knowing that the long established Christian doctrine about this verse is that there's no doubt it's referring to physical death. But, if you don't agree, then we'll just have to disagree about it, because speculating that it "could" mean something different, isn't going to persuade me that it does, when I'm convinced the Church teaches that it ONLY is referring to physical death.
(03-03-2022 03:19 PM)BlueDragon Wrote: What is written in Matthew doesn’t change in Greek Lexicon so why try to turn into something it’s not. This wasn’t a parable this was a straight forward response in which he allowed his apostles to open their eyes and understand.
Well, again, that's your interpretation. And I'm not sure why you think it's so clearly correct the way you're interpreting it. But also again, and more importantly to me, is this isn't what any Christian Church I've ever known of to teach. In fact, ONLY the opposite is taught--that (just like Eric said) the prophecies referring to Isiah coming again before Christ, were referring ONLY to John the Baptist (whom Jesus also said was the greatest prophet of all).
(03-03-2022 03:19 PM)BlueDragon Wrote: So, are we still waiting on Elijah to return so Christ can come afterward?
We WERE waiting on John the Baptist to come. He did. And then Jesus was baptized by him when God the Father clearly said that Jesus was His Son.