Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 139

Of course you agree or not and I do not want to to repeat myself.

Gen.7.20 "The mountains"

"... and the mountains were covered."

Mountains as with rivers are natural features of a physical world. By framing the world with the word they serve a purpose in order to instruct man what these are in fulfilling the will of God. So it is neither in heaven nor on earth are we to focus on. What they mean in the divine Will wwhere all things by him consist. So Jesus Christ is a sign. While speaking of the history of nations 'That spiritual rock was Christ' explains the waters outflowing from it when Moses spoke to it. He is also the stone of stumbling and the cleft in the rock, which all have their place and context.

In the case of Noah the Spirit emphasises that hills and mountains were covered.

Here we have a context. Wisdom refers to her role when God set out, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old./I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. And of the hills and valleys,"Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth."(Prov.8.22-25) Jesus Christ who of God has become wisdom so when we speak of being a new creation, the mountain of God or Eden was present. We are called to be set in this world. The Law of the Spirit creates its own world of the Spirit we are set down as first fruits, 144,000 . The mount Sion with the Lamb is as real as Matterhorn or Catskill mountains. It is thus we negotiate between two worlds of the Spirit and the other, of the natural world. When God judged the old world, 'that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water' covered all the mountains. It is for this purpose all names of places, rivers cities are interchangeable. We are born of the incorruptible seed. Now the Ark of Noah is about to settle on a new world where mount Ararat you shall never find on maps but it foreshadows mount Zion a world framed by the word of God to the new heavens and the new earth.

The women God desires to raise up in this time are not perfect,

nor do they fit into a stereotype shaped by religion.

God has no exclusive contract with anyone ( Luke 9:23).

He calls, equips, and uses whomever He pleases.

It won't be long before we begin to witness a scene where

many unlikely women will rise-

we women as unlikely as the Samaritan woman.

In this chapter, I want to draw your attention to the profile

of the woman God is raising up.

Surely, we women already carry some of these qualities ( Psalm 68:11);

others, however, may need to be developed or learned.

What matters is that God knows who you are

and how He formed you.

He will place within you the desire to grow and learn

so that you may become the woman He created you to be-

the woman He had in mind when you were first formed.

This is the profile of the woman God raises.

Part - 2

I hope this prayer reaches you.

God desires to raise you up in this season.

Sometimes we need to be reminded of who we are.

God has been raising up we women who fulfill His purposes around the world-

we women who can discern the times and seasons,

who understand and contribute to what He desires to do in this hour.

We women not only perceive the times and seasons around us,

but also know how to live our own seasons-

without being troubled by comparisons,

fully embracing what each season uniquely carries within it.

We are women who walk in the coherence of our own season-

a theme we will explore in the next chapter.

part - 1

John 9:39

"And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind."

Blessings

The Bride of Christ :

As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be at the coming of the Lord

In the days of Noah you had Enoch .

Before the judgement there was a translation of Enoch .

Noah was saved through the flood . Enoch was ' raptured' before it .

Enoch walked with God Noah found grace with God . Yet his walk was not perfect .

For being moved with fear began to build the ark .

Enoch walked by faith and God took him.

Noah is a type of the church .Enoch a type of the Bride of Christ who is translated and does not see death before the outpouring of Gods wrath upon the earth .

As it was in the days of Lot so shall it be at the coming of the Lord .

In the beginning a lot was as rich in the blessing of God as Abraham so much so the land was not able to sustain them without friction. So Abraham said to him we must part company if you go this way I will go that way if you choose that way I'll go this way . Lot made his choice by sight and " pitched his tent towards Sodom" . Abraham walked by faith .

The next time you hear of Lot he is captured with the kings of Sodom and Abraham had to deliver him. The next time you hear of Lot he was living with them ,though not partakers of their sin and was counted righteous for " his righteous soul was vexed with the filthy conversations of the wicked ( but never left). Because he was carnally minded and walked by sight he was totally unaware of the hour in which he lived or the great danger he was in . Abraham walked by faith and thus was in a position where God couid tell him what he was about to do . Abraham tyen interceded for Lot .

The l messengers that brought light to Lot brought blindness to the inhabitants . Yet despute all he had to be pushed out of the city and in effect lost all but the salvation of his own soul . " suffering loss as through fire".

Here again is another picture of the Bride of Christ as exemplified by Abraham who walked by faith and Lot who though counted righteous walked by sight.

Gen.7.20-21 "The Waters"

Noah was an overcomer because of his faith. " For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one./And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." In heaven and on earth these three agree in one. The is the centre of gravity to which every thing shall witness: It pleased the Father that in Jesus Christ all his fulness should dwell..

Thus the waters prevailed over the earth by 15 cubits. This is Up and Down; the ark unlike the garden is moving to meet the Christ who is seated on the right hand of the most High. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."(1 Thess.4.17) With 'them' includes the cloud of witnesses,- the 144,000, the dead in Christ. It is thus we settle the number 15 where souls of the dead and alive are in the safe keeping of our Saviour Lord. The river flowing east of Eden traces the route leading to Zion. "Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them./ Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools./They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God." (Ps.84.5-7). In the Covenant we read that God called the firmament Heaven and it is a sign for theSon of man declaring the handiwork of God. (Ps.19.1)

What is the significance of numbers, which are the safeguards the Spirit has placed in the narrative. Even with these imposter churches keep literal Jerusalem as special. It is as under condemnation even as Sodom, Egypt and with Babylon. (Rev.11.8). We shall consider next the significance of mountains/hills in vv.19-20. " And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered..."

Thanks for your post but not sure why ? For where did Zi project the idea that we command God etc ?

I did say that if we seek Him etc we will find him and they that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled .

The promises of God are sure and if we come the right way we will find entrance .

The only right way to go to someone's house and expect entrance is to go to the front doir and knock . Trying to find some way round the back makes you but a thief and a robber .

The struggle people have and all have had is to stop trying to find another way .God is patient and king suffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to a knowledge of the truth . No one ever comes Shazam ! To the truth in one great blinding light ( not even Paul ) but God leads them step by step to the truth .

Paul's experience on the road to Demascus was not in a vacuum not only was he brought to frustration over the zeal of those he arrested but was faced with Stephens martyrdom and the look on his face .At the very least .

Rarely does anyone get such a conversion but ALL are tought by the Fatyer Jesus said and led to Christ .

But with each step we must recognise the truth and embrace that part for how can two walk together unless they agree ?

That is not so easy expecially when God begins to reveal the true nature character and disposition of your own heart to your self .

But if you can't recognise the truth about yourself who you do know ,how couid your recognise the truth about God who you dont? And if you don't speak the truth about yourself who you do know how then couid you ever speak the truth about God who you don't yet know? False religions don't speak the truth about you themselves let alone God .

The repentant theif crucifued alongside Christ ,spoke the truth about himself then about Christ then put his faith in the Lord and in doing so went into eternity with a promise .

The unrepentant thief went into eternity with nothing .

I'm assuming your first phrases were mistakes?

Man was created in the image if God but is BORN in the image if Adam .

That image of God is lost or so marred by the fall and of sin it is no longer recognisable .

Which is why we " MUST be BORN again" not if that corruptible seed which is of the first Adam but if the incorruotable seed which is of the last Adam .

For Jesus speaking of Himself said " Unless a seed of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it brings forth much fruit" what sort of fruit? After its own kind.

That image of God then is restored for Jesus being the express image of the invisible God came to seek and to save that which was lost . If any man standing before Almighty God then finds himself in hell it will not be so much because he has sinned ( for all have sinned) but because the image if God was not found in him but bore the image of his true father and is rejected .

The creation of Eve from the body of Adam is a foretelling of the bride of Christ who will come out of the general body of the church . For the church is it not Christ body? If then Eve came from the midst of Adams body so likewise the Bride of Christ will come from the midst of the body of His church .

It is the " high calling" which Paul speaks of .

Being BORN again simply qualifies us to " run the race" it does not win the prize .

Being BORN again is getting out of Egypt and the dominion of Pharoah . Heaven is NOT the promised land nor did it take them 50: years to reach it but rather just over two!

But the church ,we have made the wandering in the wilderness the Christian norm! When in fact the wilderness was boot camp ,

It's time to wake up for is it not written about the Bride she will come out of the wilderness " terrible as an army with banners leaning on her beloved".

There is the seed of the woman and there is the seed of the serpent .

To what shalll we liken the kingdom of God? It is like a good man who sowed the goid seed in his field but while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares "

Given the number of occasions when people of God were asleep when they shouid a E bern awake recorded in scriptures it wouod not be unreasonable to think that Adam was asleep either physically or otherwise when the seroent was sowing his lues in the mind and heart of Eve . His sin was worse than Eves for he obeyed his wife rather than God clearly loving her more than God and in doing so not only corrupted himself but all his seed with him .

The principle of the seed is a foundational one . And in that the serpent has a seed as well as " thec woman" refers to your scripture about what God has not planted etc.

God is a God of order and expecialky in Genesis God lays the foundations of all that follows and it needs careful and prayerful reading and study and it is unwise to read into it tnings before their time .

It wouid be absurd to think God does not know the biology of His own creation so when Hecsaid " the seed of the woman " in wisdom he wished to show that this One ( " it") male ( " he") chiod born of a woman thus whole man wouid not be of Adams seed who was to come and destroy all the works of the devil at thrir root .

The tares it shouid be noted are gathered and tied into bundles FIRST . Thus we have today all sorts of " bundles" gathering together bound together and in reality " ready for the fire".

For even weeds rejoice when it rains .

And when the Holy Spirit was poured out upin all flesh like the rain it reveals of what sort it is and by their fruits ye shall know them and thus of what seed it came from .

Gen.7.20-21 "The Waters"

"Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered./ And all flesh died that moved upon the earth"

What is the significance of 15? We find the sam number in multiples of10 in v.24. " And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days." We shall consider from the book of Daniel, "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days./Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.:(Dan.12.11-12) First the context. It is about the day of the Lord. "and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."(Dan.12.1). "And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. It refers to the white throne judgment. "(Rev.20.13) It was not for Daniel to know but the lapse of 45 is quite revealing. In the ends the beast sets his own worship signalling the great tribulation. Blessed is he who is redeemed from the earth as in the case of Noah. "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: " But no one is able to enter into it.(Rev.11.19)."And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple,"(Rev.15.8) Here the vision is referring to groups of people redeemed from the earth and the latter group belong to the martyrs, from internal evidence the 144,000 sealed by the angel.

The command number Three refers to the Son. The waters prevailed over covering the mountains.3x5=15 Gathering of souls from the perishing world is left to the Son. The ark of Noah is the first of the three making up 45 mentioned in the book of Daniel. The number Five is the tag for soul of man.

Where does it not say it?

For it was in the rejection of that Word of God that came forth out of His mouth as to what was in effect good to eat and what was not and can we say that eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was good to eat? No .

It was the knowledge of good and evil . As I said before there are two ways of gaining knowledge about some poison . Drinking it or by understanding .

God have them HIS knowledge of what was good and evil and by that Word they lived for it kept the, from evil . Do you not remember that throughout the old Testament that awful refrain " and they did evil in the sight of God "

Did not Saul do what was right in his own eyes by keeping the best for sacrifice ut which God had said to destroy all?

And did he not lose the kingdom by doing that which was right in his own eyes .

I think the problem we have is reading the account from after the fall and not by the grace of God looking at things in the order God has given them .

Eve " SAW the tree was good to eat ." And she reasoned thus " it wouid make her wise " and on her own perceptions and reasoning a took the fruit and did eat .

Man has been doing this ever since saying " No God" and doing what is right in his own eyes . " there is a way that seems right unto a man but the ends thereof are the ways of death ".also applies .

I therefore am not taking the scruptures to fit my own thinking but rather to show that God has not changed . For to be BORN again is it not written we " obeyed the gospel"? And lived! Moreover in Christ by "practice learn good from evil ".

Thank you for mentioning it "Bennymkje". Gods peace. Then we dwell in the books of Moses again. And clearly it has great and important significance. The way I see it, we must move on from what is earthly. And that we must be careful of words that kill another. We publish on a website. Where all kinds of people come by, from all over the world. In justice to them, we must try and see what is right. And right things that have gone wrong. We must be held accountable for. God resists the proud, so let it be far from us and what is not more proud than our flesh? Even though we live here on earth. Oh how I wish my time here was over. The way you write dear friend in the Lord, it sounds as if you have forgotten

1 Peter 3:18-22

Thank you for your patience. And God bless you in Jesus name with all spiritual blessing in the Heavenly world in Christ.

Thanks for your reply but I must disagree .The principle that " Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" while stated in the book of Exodus must still stand and be applicable in the garden of Eden even as it was applicable in the wilderness of the Lirds temptations even as it now is applicable first to all man kind but specifically to every true born believer who now lives by the Word made flesh even Jesus Christ . In truth when we are BORN again we have but entered that eternal will of God preordained from before the foundation of the world .Thus in the garden God gave Adam the commandment and the liberty to eat of every tree in the garden which included the tree of life . God did NOT give them the liberty to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil .They had as children of God by creation the liberty to choose from any other tree that was as I said good to eat . They also had the liberty to eat of the tree of Life .

I will say it again that Man shall not live by every tree that was good to eat but by that Word of God that came forth from His mouth as to what was good to eat and what was not or evil . God in effect gave them HIS knowledge of what was good and what was evil and by that knowledge that Word they lived .

Not just by eating of every other tree . Which was their food for the body and life sufficient for sustaining the body .

If they had not eaten of that tree forbidden to eat of it they wouid never have died and wouod still be walking this earth today and the world would be very different .

If Jesus had not given his life a free will offering for sin he would never have died nor could and would still be walking around in the flesh today .

By Adams disobedience not choice all die by Christ obedience even unto death and the death of the cross all shall live .

The sin was of disobedience .

The rejection of Gods Word as to what was and what was not permitted to eat .

Hello "Kathllen" I love u i Christ! So true that is what you write. It is absolutely right and ponder on His Word. He comes to the rescue. We know that. And in the meantime, we move forward, happy that the Word lives in us. And you will know that the teaching is from God.

hint: The flesh is our own and the natural, and our Spirit is in God. He will reveal everything to them who ponder on His Word, is health itself. God bless you and yours in Jesus Holy name. Stay close to Him who have all power in heaven and on earth. And a word from Jesus Joh 14:12-14

Hello again GiGi, God's peace. That's what I've noticed about your posts.

Because I'm just saying, I couldn't dare to ask for anything, if it's not a prayer in Jesus' Holy Name. Thank you very much for your patience with your writings that are well-formulated. My interest is to follow God's Word as far as my understanding has taken me. And I don't think we become less wise with age, but perhaps forgetful.

John 14:12-14

2 Pet.3.7 'Baptism of fire"

"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

The epistle warns of another baptism which is by fire, and it fulfills the command, "Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water." (Num.31.23) Baptism of fire and of water are appointed and the former is not of having good conscience towards God but being found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless' by 'the resurrection of Jesus Christ'. God decreed a day for the Son. Now is the day of Salvation, andJesus warned of it, " But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!" (Lk.12.50). The day shall lead to the day of the Lord and it is to which the epistle warns," Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"(v.12) While studying the ark of Noah what we need see that it is the consequence of the word sent forth.

'By the same word' set the Covenant before the foundation of the world it is His will: "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his."It is thus the memorials are set.up. Noah's ark was a microcosm of the kingdom of his dear Son coexisting always. In the baptism by fire those who his shall be where he is. " And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also"( Jn 14,3). The Millennial reign is what terror the ungodly shall face as the day of wrath. The point I am making is: two worlds of the Spirit and of the body lay claim simultaneously. Either you are for Christ or against him. Choice is yours

Dear Free,

Thanks for your input. I will again read through Romans 8-11 as these are all connected together.

Also, I do pray in Jesus' name. Why do you ask me why I do not?

Gerald,

May I put your statement in another way? You say,'" Man shall not live by every tree that was good to eat but by that word that came from Gods mouth as to what was good to eat and what was in effect evil to EAT' .The Bible does not say it. You have conflated two passages but it makes a telling difference. How Jesus rebutted Satan is with regards to his physical need in case of hunger. 'Man shall not live by every tree' is not the point but doing the will of God. What did the trees in Eden represent? In the Covenant under third day the quality of the trees of righteousness is stated, " And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good./And the evening and the morning were the third day."

God planted the garden where the quality of 'the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself is about the word of God. "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Pet.1.23) Compare with what Jesus said about figs and thistles.The word is in the heart of man. "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Mt.15.13

Dear Free,

I can't go to sleep without first saying: I was watching today and hoping to understand these two differences - works of the flesh vs. fruit of the Spirit, like in Galatians, and also Philippians 4:8 - about what we should think on: whatever is true, honest, right, excellent, and worthy of praise. Just like my limitation in English (one ball in a ball), I keep trying to understand and grow.

May Jesus Christ bless you and your family, gape!!

Colossians 1 end of chapter

27Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

28And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

30Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.'

I could camp out on verse 27 based on my personal observations on conversations before the Sunday service that I often hear.

This is with a heavy heart that I ponder the often vain discussions that I hear devoid of Scripture; how God has worked in our lives during the week etc. We had two couples recently leave who apparently had some issues with our Pastor as to weak leadership; these were people who were dedicated to personal prayer and reading the Word and discussed frequently how He worked in their lives. The Deacons in our church and a few others are an exception; and much of what dominates the mindset of the demographics in our congregation who are very elderly is health issues and that is a frequent item of discussion. I hope and pray there will be more prayer requests on these topics in particular and certainly less on what the local sports team is doing. The biggest concern with our dwindling attendance should be prayer for those visiting guests; which again are always met by a few faithful believers with literature and greeting.

The rest of the passage will not be met; of course without the persecution promised to all believers ( 2 Tim. 3:12). It will not be part of our lives unless we are spreading the Gospel; supporting those who preach true doctrine and such. Imprisonment is commonplace in many nations and was a frequent normal result of evengelism.

Thanks Gerald.

I agree!

Every single person born of Adams seed is doomed to spend eternity in hell. There is not one person ever born who did not deserve to do so .

Romans 5:12 reads, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

You certainly have to recieve the universal offer of the free LOVE offering of God!!

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:14-18.

I quote verses 17-18 again.

( For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED.)

That's the Good news!

Here's the bad news for those reject him.

Verse 18-

He that believeth on him is not condemned: BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.

BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD!!

It's an invitation to WHOSOEVER will!

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.

And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst come.

(AND WHOSOEVER WILL) let him take the water of life freely.

The unbeliever is Judged because he rejected the Son of God.

Some will be deceived because they couldn't receive the truth!

Blessings.

(2 John Part 3):

2 John 1:7 - For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

For many deceivers have entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This person is, and these have Definite Articles, this person is (the) deceiver, and (the) antichrist. We have a false confession going on. So, he is encouraging them to walk in love and keep the commandments as the evidence in the believer's life. Now you might think that's a pretty simple thing, but he's actually setting her up for something here.

2 John 1:8 - Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Look to yourselves, and that's the first commandment in the letter, look. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have worked, but that we receive a full reward.

A believer cannot lose their salvation. I am saved because Christ is in me. Jesus Christ would have to leave me in order for me not to be saved. And He says He won't do that. That's the basis of salvation. Once I'm saved, the work that Christ performs in my life, the changes and the transformation that takes place in me, the renewing of the mind, it lasts forever. But it's a growth process.

We see in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3, and in 2 Peter Chapter 1 that a believer is going to suffer loss, not their salvation, but we're going to pass through the fire. This is not Hell. It's sort of a "test range." But we're going to pass through the fire and that which is not of Christ is going to burn. And whatever we have left, that's who we will be throughout eternity.

So, he's saying to those people, be watching, so that first of all, we don't lose the work, the ministry that we've done among you. And secondly, you don't miss receiving your full reward by being distracted away from love and truth.

(2 John Part 2):

2 John 1:2 - For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

Verse 2 in the Greek text says, On account of the truth. That's the literal translation. It's the premise, the basis. On account of the truth, which is dwelling in us, and shall be with us forever. Of course, he's personifying truth. Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. If you have Christ, you have life. If you have Christ, you have the truth. We have the truth that dwells in us, and the truth will be with us forever!

2 John 1:4 - I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

He says, I rejoiced greatly that I have found of your children walking in truth. He keeps repeating it over, and over again. But he's doing it for a purpose. He says I have greatly rejoiced that I have found of your children walking in truth.

Walking is a Participle, showing a way of life, a habit of life. It is very rare to find these days. That's why John says I greatly rejoiced when I found out that your children are walking in the truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

2 John 1:5 - And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

And now I beseech thee, lady, and the word beseech which usually means appeal, in this instance, it means request. He's not commanding them. He's not appealing to them. He says now I make a request of thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we should be loving one another.

Again, notice that it's not a command. We who know Christ, if indeed we are saved, then we should be loving one another. That's the evidence of being saved. It's not something that we have to practice doing.

(2 John Part 1c):

2 John 1:1 Continued

And Christians helped other Christians so they wouldn't have to stay at the Inns. Not only did it cost them money at the Inns, but the Inns were corrupt. They were mainly dens of prostitution. And for the believers who were traveling, they would come into town and find out who the Christians were and then stay at someone's home. It didn't cost them anything, and it kept them away from the corruption that took place at the Inn.

So, this woman, and in fact, some people go as far as to take the Greek word for the word lady, in elect lady. The word lady is KURIA. Some believe that's her name, the elect KURIA. But it is some woman who obviously is important in the church. Some believe it is Mary, that she would be the elect lady, and her children. So, it's from the elder John, to this elect lady and her children.

Then he says whom, that's plural for all of them, for the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; That's a strange statement. Aren't we supposed to love everybody? Interesting that God's love is not separated from the truth. The bible says love not the world, neither the things in the world. That includes the people.

How did God show His love for the world? It was by sending His Son to die for their sins. But it was His own people that He blessed! Others who had not repented, who did not belong to Christ, they were still in their sins. God worked with them, but He didn't share with them the humanitarian kind of love that we think love is.

These people whom I love in the truth. What if they're not in the truth? Well, that's exactly the point!

And not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; Notice "have known." That's a Perfect Tense. He's talking about those with him, his friends, people he fellowships with. They also love those who are walking in the truth. That is, those who have known the truth.

(2 John Part 1b):

2 John 1:1 Continued

So it is to a woman, and her children. And many believe that because John, and you'll remember at the cross in John Chapter 19, John was given Mary to take care of her. Jesus said son behold thy mother, and mother behold thy son. And He's talking to John, that after the death of Christ, John was to take care of Mary.

It's interesting, because again John who is in his 90's now, he is in the city of Ephesus, and many believe that he's writing to her and the church that is in her home, and that she does have children. Now keep in mind that the early church was not in a building. It didn't have names on it. It was not an organization.

The early believers, for almost three hundred years, they either met in the home, or as the persecution increased over the years, they met in secret. And so, you get this idea when you hear about the church, that there's this grandioso building, with stained glass windows, and the whole deal, you know?

But the word church in the bible (EKKLESIA) means called out ones. It's the name of the people. People are the church, the called-out ones. What John is dealing with here is this wonderful elect lady and her children, and the fact that she has some of the church people in her home at times.

But he indicates for sure that she gives lodging to traveling Christians, especially traveling preachers. And that's what they did in those days. The preacher would come into town, and he would seek out what families in town were being hospitable to the itinerate preachers, and they would go and stay there with them.

Biblical Greek Perspective:

(2 John Part 1a):

2 John was written to combat the infiltration of Gnostic teaching into the church. John's main theme is the correct doctrine of the humanity of Jesus Christ. The sub-theme is the assurance of salvation for genuine believers.

2 John 1:1 - The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

He says the elder. He's introducing himself as the elder. He is elder in two different ways. He's in his 90's now. He's in Ephesus as the oldest apostle still living. All the others have died a martyr's death. He is the elder in position, and age. He says unto the elect lady and her children.

There are two views as to who the elect lady is. Some believe that it is a church, and that her children are the members of the church. In Verse 13 itself, in signing off, he says the children of your elect sister greet you. There's no greeting from the sister. Apparently, she's not there. Or if it's a person, she's passed away, and only the children send their greetings.

You may or may not agree, but it is my position that he's actually writing to a woman and her children. It is interesting, as you carry that out, as archaeologists have found that the city of Ephesus is where Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived and died in her later years. And of course, Matthew 13:55 tells us that after the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph and Mary had other children.

Some groups don't believe that. They want to keep Mary pure and a virgin for her whole life. But that's not what the bible teaches. She was a virgin up to the birth of Christ. But there are other brothers and sisters to Him. And He actually had interaction with them during His public ministry.

Hello Willow,

I don't recall anyone requesting that I go over those books after 1 John. I realize that there might be some who are new here that may have missed some of the previous books I have gone over.

I began with Matthew and have gone through the books in order. I am going through 2 & 3 John next and will finish up with Jude and Revelation. I've already posted on Romans, Hebrews, and John's gospel but if you missed any of those studies, I can repost sections you may have missed as I have saved them all.

Also, I would love to dig a little deeper into these chapters in Acts, but I won't be able to do so until I finish this current study. This study is about all I can handle right now. There are 17 areas you make reference to in these chapters so this will take some time.

I hope you continue to follow along all the way through the end of Revelation. I'm going to save your post as a reminder but just in case I forget, can you please remind me about these chapters in Acts after I finish up with Revelation?

Thank you, and God bless you also!

Dear GiGi, think about Rom 9 as u refers to. Am not agre with u.

Paul talk about Israel ppl. Thats why he is so "sad". Its not us he talk about.

Now this day i read from old testament. And it suprises me every time how Good God is and forgive and forgive. Not strange that He get upset.

So if u go back and read Romans 8:31-39 so must u understand that all ppl is ment to be saved. But we have this own will!

I dont think it is strange for Irsael to be eartly. Think about all things they have to do to keap all the law.

I look to my self, and if i dont think about His Word everyday, ill become eartly as well. And not only me, we all get that bacteria nowadays with all other stuff we need to do.

Be strong and safe in Jesus name. 1Tim 2:4 One other thing.

Why do u not pray in Jesus name?

Hello Gerald,

Thanks for this post. I concur with all you've said here.