lulapilgrim

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

As a side note, in the Middle Ages, advocates of clerical celibacy called their opponents Nicholaites. this is interesting to me. What do you have for info on this? Not much. I think this comes from the Catholic Enyclopedia. In my research every mention of the Nicholaites linked them in some way or another with sexual immorality, mostly fornication. It could have been a case of just name-calling on the part of the advocates of clerical cel

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC, many thanks for a very interesting study of Rev 2:1-7A, Letter to Ephesus. Your commentary has been not only informative but enjoyable reading, as has been discussion.

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC WRITES: 7“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” The first thing here is the demand for the Church at Ephesus to give attention and heed to the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. “ To him who overcomes ” here we are reminded that a Christian life in the world means battle; he wh

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: In v6 we see they get another compliment. They stayed away from the Nicolaitans. We don't know alot about them. Some think Nicolas was a deacon gone bad (Acts 6:5). Maybe he was never a true believer and started doing his own thing. What we do know is the Nicolaitans were great compromisers. They tried to live both sides of the fence with one foot in the world and the other in the church. This is still quite common today. Most likely they lived a li

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

All we know is that JOHN was given the message on the Lord's Day. He was in the spirit. It says nothing about the churches being that way. Your reply makes me think that you may have misunderstood what I meant. I didn't interpret that as the Churches were in the spirit. Apoc. 2:1, "...These things saith he, who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands." Given that in v.

Reply to The Anti-Christ Shall Be Jewish in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: Keep in mind tho I'm looking at this from a futurist position believing many prophecies have NOT been fulfilled and Lula is saying they ALL have. The biggest question about them all being fulfilled tho is why isn't HE here then? The simple answer is the Old Testament prophets, Micheas, Ezekiel, Zecharias, Daniel, etc., prophecies are fulfilled becasue they pointed either to events cncerning Israel that would happen in their near future as

Reply to The Anti-Christ Shall Be Jewish in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: David in the Psalms was saying the same thing as Daniel. Both OT prophecies.... NOT fulfilled. Christ, while HE has redeemed us at the cross has not yet claimed us and set up his Kingdom which he will do at the end of the time of the Gentiles. This is still future. All of the OT prophecies have been fulfilled in Christ and His Kingdom. At Pentecost, His kingdom, the Chruch, His new chosen people, was begun. It was all set up, yes, in youn

Reply to The Anti-Christ Shall Be Jewish in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: there is more prophecies concerning the second coming then there are the first. Without going to the books to list a whole bunch of them (and I can do that) let's just say the OT prophets had plenty to say about the second coming and events leading towards that end. They have not ALL been fulfilled. Just a quick look at the OT book of Zech 12-14 is pretty clear they have not. Seriously, KFC, are there more OT prophecies concerning Christ'

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC WRITES: 4“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. Douay Rheims Version has The Apoc. 2:4-5, “But I have this against you, because you have left thy first charity. Be mindful therefore from what you have fallen: and do penance, and do the fi

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

Apoc. 2:1, "...These things saith he, who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands." LULAPILGRIM POSTS: His walking among the lampstands shows His loving care and vigilance for the churches, the lampstand symbolizing their prayer and liturgical life. KFC POSTS: Liturgical life? How do you see that? How so. The 7 golden lampstands are explained as symbols of the 7 churches for

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

Apoc. 2:2 “I know your works Here, the exalted Lord tells them He knows their outer circumstances as well as their inner state. "I know YOUR.." here the head of the Church at Ephesus gets the credit as also discredit for her condition. The inner well-being of the Church and correspondingly her effectiveness outside depends essentially on this ministry for all which he must perform in the sight of the Lord undeterred by difficulties from

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

Apoc. 2:1, "...These things saith he, who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands." We see, the case of Ephesus, symbols described in the vision in 1:12, 16 appear again. The 7 stars in His right hand signify His dominion over the whole Chruch, for He is the One who has the power to instruct the angels who rule the various churches. His walking among the lampstands shows His loving care and vigilance for the churches,

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

Apoc. 2:1, "Unto the angel of the church at Ephesus write:.." The Church at Ephesus is linked with significant names. St.Paul was their founder Acts 19, and Timothy later took charge of them at the request of the Apostle 1Tim 1:3. Tradition has it that the Apostle stayed there until he died and it's my understanding that's where he is buried. Ephesus with its great harbor and commercial importance was the largest of the 7 cities and situated nearest to the island of Patmos. It

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

In general, the 7 letters are real letters which make a comment on the special conditions in each of the 7 specified churches of Asia Minor. Much like the other NT letters and partly also in Acts, they give concrete insights into the state of the early infant Church. Catholics interpret what is written of these 7 chruches reflects phenomena which is similiarly in the Church everywhere. The language though symbolic, transends the data of that place and time and extends the actuality of t

Reply to Rev 2:1-7 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC WRITES: John was to write a letter to each of the seven churches of Asia Minor in the year 95 AD. You date St. John’s letters to each of the 7 churches in 95AD. I would note that some scholars and theologians think this date could just as well be 68AD. We’ll just have to wait and see as we get into the discussion whether or not the date makes a difference in our respective interpretations.

Reply to Revelation 1:4-8 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: The Apostles were very careful NOT to elevate their positions within the body. I've shown you John. Christ had already taught them many lessons concerning these things. Peter himself addressed himself as a fellow elder to the others. So if he was a Pope he was addressing the other Popes...and he was not. 1 Peter 5:1-3 he says: "The elders which are among you I exhort who AM ALSO AN ELDER and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a parta

Reply to Revelation 1:4-8 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: According to the early Apostolic Fathers and first Century writers Peter was not a Pope and I think he'd be very upset to be called as such. Where exactly do you get he was a Pope anyhow? St. Peter's preeminent position among the Apostles was symbolized at the very beginning of his relationship with Christ, when He told Simon that his name would therefore be Peter, and in those days being given a new name wasn’t a meaningless gesture. Given a

Reply to Revelation 1:4-8 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: Yes, and to get to the nitty gritty Lula. I believe before the edict of Constantine there was NO Roman Catholic Church. Only after. That's the beginning of the RCC. I believe as do many others that Rome hijacked Christianity and so many died trying to get it out of the hands of the Romans before Luther finally managed to do what he did and only did so by the grace of God. There were many, many before Luther who tried to do what Luther was succe

Reply to Revelation 1:4-8 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: He even pointed out at the last supper that the HS would not be our guide. Could you furnish the Scripture on this?

Reply to Revelation 1:4-8 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC POSTS: no, the first one started in 323 with Constantine. The RCC is the first man made denomination. Christ's church is PEOPLE. It's not denomination. Those that follow him are the church which is His body. When John was writing to the 7 churches they were not the CC. They were house churches in each one of those cities mentioned. The church at Ephesus, the church at Laodicia, etc. Rome was tormenting them. Later Rome joined them. There's enough error coming out al

Reply to Revelation 1:4-8 in Religion JoeUser Forums

LULAPILGRIM POSTS: Funny, KFC, that you're the one who is buying into the false Protestant talk of Luther KFC POSTS: why do you keep saying this? I am not that big into Luther at all. I've read very little about his theological belief. He still had much of the CC in him even when he left his beloved church. Some of what he said I've agreed with, some I haven't. KFC, even though you aren't Lutheran or a member of the Lutheran Church, or any deno

Reply to Revelation 1:4-8 in Religion JoeUser Forums

In this and in other threads, it has been shown that Sacred Scripture reveals that the Old Testament is completed in the New....that at the time of Christ's Death on the Cross, the Old Covenant was perfected in the New Covenant...that biblical Judaism, its rituals and laws of the OC were abolished, and now stand for nothing, confer no grace, and save no one. Worse, they bring a curse upon those who obstinately cling to them Gal. 3:10. Through Sacred Scripture we can see how God reveals

Reply to Revelation 1:9-20 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC WRITES: Works do not open the door for us. Works will not get us in. When we read about the Great White Throne Judgment in 20:11 we see that works did not get them in. They were judged according to their works. None were able to get in via those works. This should be an interesting discussion when we get to chapter 20.

Reply to Revelation 1:9-20 in Religion JoeUser Forums

Verses 19-20, “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which MUST take place after this. 20 “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” Equipped for his mission, the prophet task (1:11) is now repeated and exactly defined. He is to record in writing “what is shown to him” in th

Reply to Revelation 1:9-20 in Religion JoeUser Forums

KFC WRITES: and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. The description of His face repeats v. 14 somewhat, about the supernatural abundance of light which shines from the a