Saturday, July 23, 2022

Are Evangelicals Christians?

 

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Definitely yes, though not all, but if any class are essentially New Testament Christians then it is Evangelicals, versus others who are also called Christians. While no longer as strong as this class once were, Evangelicals are the major group most likely to actually have experienced Biblical regeneration, and thus have long testified to most strongly esteeming Scripture as the accurate and wholly God-inspired supreme authority, and to greater commitment (including being foremost providers of non-gov. humanitarian aid (including much to Africa) and core unity,

The redeemed are those who come to God as sinners knowing their desperate need of salvation - not as souls saved by their works or religious heritage, but as destitute of any means or merit whereby they may find salvation (Romans 3:9 - 5:1) - and with a humble and penitent heart (that wants a new life following Christ) believe on the crucified and risen Lord Jesus who alone can save them on His account, by His sinless shed blood and righteousness.

And who are thus baptized to follow the Lord Jesus with persevering faith. And who thus are baptized and follow Him (John 10:27-29; Acts 8:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10) - and effectually repent when they find that they failed to do so. (Psalms 32:5,6; 51:3; Hosea 5:15; 1 John 1:9) Thanks be to God.

For it is penitent, heart-purifying, regenerating effectual faith, (Acts 10:43-47; 15:7-9) which is imputed for righteousness, (Romans 4:5) and by which faith the believer is completely forgiven and "accepted in the Beloved" on His account, and positionally seated with Him in Heaven. Ephesians 1:6; 2:6; cf. Phil. 3:21)

And wherever Scripture clearly speak of the next conscious reality for those who die in that effectual faith then it is with the Lord, at death or His return (whatever comes first), by the grace of God. (Lk. 23:43 [cf. 2Cor. 12:4; Rv. 2:7]; Phil 1:23; 2Cor. 5:8 [“we”]; 1Cor. 15:51ff'; 1Thess. 4:17) In contrary to those who fall away. (Gal. 5:1–4; Heb. 3:12; 10:25–39)

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

"Why do all of DJT’s biographers opine that he hasn’t any religious beliefs or principles at all? Why would evangelicals still support him if they are aware of this fact?"

 

Trump is not a Christian* based upon the definitive source of that word, () however, in a culture war both sides are looking for a general who will go to battle against the opposition, with such commitment overcoming personal integrity issues (which one side acts as if only the other one had).

And politically (versus hiring pastors of their church), in a culture war gone hot, then faced with a choice btwn two electable opposing candidates and lacking a saintly bulldog, evangelicals (who much supported Herman Cain till his fall, and at about 80% voted for a Mormon who has a  false god over Obama, and would even support a conservative atheist who strongly supports conservatives policies over liberals.

Which are essentially atheists anyway as regards the God of the Bible (note that atheists have one less god than Christians), as instead they are foremost proxy servants of the devil. But may they come to repentant faith in the risen Lord Jesus.

Hope this helps. Peace By Jesus

*The redeemed are those who come to God as sinners knowing their desperate need of salvation - not as souls saved by their works or religious heritage, but as destitute of any means or merit whereby they may find salvation ( - 5:1) - and with a humble and penitent heart (that wants a new life following Christ) believe on the crucified and risen Lord Jesus who alone can save them on His account, by His sinless shed blood and righteousness.

And who are thus baptized to follow the Lord Jesus with persevering faith. And who thus are baptized and follow Him () ; ; 51:3; 6, ; 2:8-10) - and effectually repent when they find that they failed to do so. (; ;

For the redeemed are those are of penitent, heart-purifying, regenerating effectual faith, (); 2:6; cf. ) and by which faith the believer is completely forgiven and "accepted in the Beloved" and positionally seated with Him in Heaven. 28, ; ) and is shown in baptism and following the Lord, (; 15:7-9) which is imputed for righteousness, (

And wherever Scripture clearly speak of the next conscious reality for those who die in that effectual faith then it is with the Lord, at death or His return (whatever comes first), by the grace of God. ()ff'; [“we”]; ; ]; ; )


Friday, June 17, 2022

Quora deleted this answer. Why are people homophobic (other than religion or “because it’s bad”)?

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Why are people homophobic (other than religion or “because it’s bad”)?

[answered by] Daniel Hamilton A evangelical seeking to help others as God helps me Updated Mon

First, your use of the term “homophobic” needs to be addressed. For while some people are driven by a irrational fear of homosexuals or of being one, that simply does not justify the wanton political use of the term as a psychological tactic designed to intimidate any and all who oppose homosexual relations and the promotion of homosexuality with its expressions, and even those who will not affirm it.

Instead, consistent with the abuse of the term, it is many of those who use the term and or affirm the promotion of homosexuality and is expression who are homophobic, since they are motivated into doing so out of fear of being labelled that term by those in the prohomosexual side.

But the term “homophobia” does not accurately define any and all persons who do not approve of homosexual relationships or homosexuals any more than a person is necessarily ombrophobia if he/she does not like going out in the rain, or anthophobic if he does not like flowers, and to label all who like to stay inside as agoraphobia would be wrong.

Nor are all those listed in endless but extensive lists of phobias necessarily a bad thing, but,

"A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation...Those affected will go to great lengths to avoid the situation or object, to a degree greater than the actual danger posed. If the object or situation cannot be avoided, they experience significant distress." (Phobia - Wikipedia) "A phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal." (Overview - Phobias) "A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that causes an individual to experience extreme, irrational fear about a situation, living creature, place, or object." (Phobias: Symptoms, types, causes, and treatment)

“an intense, persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, situation, or person that manifests in physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, or shortness of breath, and that motivates avoidance behavior." - Definition of phobia | Dictionary.com; "Phobia, an extreme, irrational fear of a specific object or situation." - Phobia | psychology; A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It is a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no real danger...People with phobias try to avoid what they are afraid of. If they cannot, they may experience Panic and fear Rapid heartbeat Shortness of breath Trembling A strong desire to get away. - Phobias | MentalHealth.gov; "phobia - an anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations." - phobia.

And while it has come to be used more broadly, it actually means fear, not mere dislike. Etymologically,

"irrational fear, horror, or aversion; fear of an imaginary evil or undue fear of a real one," 1786, perhaps based on a similar use in French, abstracted from compounds in -phobia, the word-forming element from Greek phobos "fear, panic fear, terror, outward show of fear; object of fear or terror," originally "flight" (still the only sense in Homer), but it became the common word for "fear" via the notion of "panic flight" (compare phobein "put to flight; frighten"), from PIE root *bhegw- "to run" (source also of Lithuanian bÄ—gu, bÄ—gti "to flee;" Old Church Slavonic begu "flight," bezati "to flee, run;" Old Norse bekkr "a stream"). The psychological sense of "an abnormal or irrational fear" is attested by 1895. Hence also Phobos as the name of the inner satellite of Mars (discovered 1877) and named for Phobos, the personification of fear, in mythology a companion of Ares. - Origin and meaning of phobia by Online Etymology Dictionary

In contrast, by God's grace - and as a sinner saved by grace - I (as with many other evangelicals) for years I have sought to outreach and help all sorts of people, from Hell's Angels to homosexuals, and give a gospel tract (and sometimes food) but the latter especially tend to want to avoid such once they implicitly understand that the Biblical Christ represents a threat to their chosen lifestyle, though salvation from sin.

However, the term "homophobic" falls under "Non-medical, deterrent and political use" as the word is abused in assigning that label to any and all who oppose of even will not affirm homosexual relations and hold that the condition behind such is disordered.

And thus its typical use is indeed a psychological tactic designed to intimidate and silence opposition to the same - however conscientious - by placing them the defensive via charging them with being possessed by an irrational fear. Which plays off of a social phobia phobia, that of katagelophobia = fear of ridicule, being maligned by the prohomosexual lobby as being irrational, backwards, etc, and thus those who are intimidated by such could be the ones called homophobic.

And it is not simply some poster as me that objects to the use of homophobia, but scholars*

And which tactic follows (knowingly or not) the strategy set for in the book "After the Ball" years ago by two homosexual Harvard-trained graduates, Marshall Kirk (1957–2005), a researcher in neuropsychiatry, and Hunter Madsen (pen name Erastes Pill) whose social marketing advocated avoiding portraying gays as aggressive challengers, but as victims instead, while making all those who opposed them to be evil persecutors.

Associate all who oppose homosexuality with images of Klansmen demanding that gays be slaughtered, hysterical backwoods preachers, menacing punks, and a tour of Nazi concentration camps where homosexuals were tortured and gassed. Thus, "propagandistic advertisement can depict homophobic and homohating bigots as crude loudmouths..."[58] " It can show them being criticized, hated, shunned. It can depict gays experiencing horrific suffering as the direct result of homohatred-suffering of which even most bigots would be ashamed to be the cause. It can, in short, link homohating bigotry with all sorts of attributes the bigot would be ashamed to possess, and with social consequences he would find unpleasant and scary... our effect is achieved without reference to facts, logic, or proof."

Moreover, as for fear, there should be a healthy fear of the unhealthy effects of sodomy. For

according to the CDC (chart), in 2017 male to male sexual contact was the mode of transmission in 93% of new HIV cases among male youth aged 13 to 24, and MSM accounted for 82% of diagnoses among males and 70% of all new HIV diagnoses, and 2 out of every 3 diagnoses in the United States. Which is despite only representing approximately 4% of the male population). . Also, "transgender women [worldwide] are 49 times more likely to have HIV than other adults of reproductive age." (Transgender people)

Likewise is 2019:

Young gay and bisexual men accounted for 83% (6,385) of all new HIV diagnoses in people aged 13 to 24 in 2019, and 81% of diagnoses overall of HIV infection among Adolescents and Young Adults, and 92% of HIV infections among men aged 13 to 24 was attributed to male-to-male sexual contact:

And which practice is primarily responsible for more than 700,000 people with AIDS having died since the beginning of the epidemic - despite decades of attempting to tame it into being "safe." (Worldwide, 77.3 million people have contracted HIV and 35.4 million have died of AIDS-related illnesses since the beginning of the pandemic in 1981: https://health.usnews.com/conditions/hiv-aids/articles/hiv-statistics.)

Also, sodomy is one manner of fornication, and which sin is primarily responsible for one out of 5 Americans having a sexually transmitted infection. Which affect all others, at least finacially: "STIs and their complications amount to about $16 billion annually in direct medical costs. HIV imposes the largest financial burden, costing $12.6 billion in direct medical costs, followed by HPV at $1.7 billion, chlamydia at $156.7 million, gonorrhea at $162.1 million, and syphilis at $39.9 million." (https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/STI-brief.pdf)

More.

*scholars such as Beverly A. Greene and Gregory M Herek in Lesbian and Gay Psychology (pp. 27,28) who stated:

...as Herek (1986a) notes, the term itself is unfortunate. Technically, homophobia means fear of sameness, yet its usage implies a fear of homosexuals. Although negativity toward gay men and lesbians is no doubt based on fear to some extent, the –phobia suffix implies a specific kind of fear—one that is irrational and characterized by a desire to remove oneself from the object of the fear. Because some people labeled homophobic not only fail to avoid homosexuals but also seek them out to harass and physically assault them, this term does not accurately rep-resent negativity toward gay persons (cf. Herek, 1986a). In addition, because such fear-based reactions to homosexuals appear to be more common among males than females (Herek, 1986b; Morin & Garfinkle, 1978), the term may be more applicable to heterosexual men than to heterosexual women. Another problem is that attitudes toward gay men and lesbians are likely to be multifaceted and complex (e.g., Millham, San Miguel, & Kel-logg, 1976; Plasek & Allard, 1984; Weinberger & Millham, 1979), and holding negative attitudes toward homosexuality likely serves different functions for different people (Herek, 1986a). Hence fear or aversion may comprise one component of beliefs about homosexuality, but other fac-tors are unquestionably important.

Several alternative terms have been offered to better reflect the ante-cedents of prejudicial attitudes toward gay men and lesbians and to sidestep the problems inherent with the term homophobia. These include homonegativism (Hudson & Ricketts, 1980), homosexism (Hansen, 1982), and heterosexism (Herek, 1986a). Unfortunately, none has gained wide-spread acceptance.

Then in in the Journal of applied Psychology, Gary Colwell wrote,

The charge of homophobia, indiscriminately made in a large part of our Western culture today, is ill conceived, illogical and false. This sweeping charge may be pictured as a triangle of informal logical fallacies. The more prominent side, the one which the general public encounters first, is what I shall call the fallacy of turning the tables: the rhetorical device of making the source of criticism the object of criticism. The other side of the charge is the fallacy of equivocation. The boundary of the term 'homophobia' is made so elastic that it can stretch around, not just phobias, but every kind of rational fear as well; and not just around every kind of fear, but also around every critical posture or idea that anyone may have about the practice of homosexuality. At the base of the charge, and undergirding the other two fallacies, is the fallacy of begging the question. A commitment to the complete acceptability of the practice of homosexuality enables its proponents to 'know' beforehand that all criticisms against it must originate in the defective psychology of the critic. (Journal of applied Psychology, Vol. 16, No. 3, 1999; Turning the Tables with 'Homophobia' on JSTOR)

Finally, etymology may tell us what a word means today, but that does not mean it is correct. Or that it’s use is, regardless of what Google reports.

Monday, May 9, 2022

Why are so many people on Quora saying that you can lose your salvation when the Bible says otherwise?

 

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Because the Bible says otherwise:

Since Biblical regenerating faith (Acrs 10:43; 5:7–9; Titus 3:5) is what is counted for righteousness, Romans 4:5) and departing from the faith and dying in apostasy means forfeiting what faith obtained, therefore we see the emphasis upon preserving in the faith, (Acts 14:22; Colossians 1:23; 1 Timothy 2:15) which effects obedience as "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure," (Philippians 2:13) versus resisting God, grieving the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) which lusts against the flesh. Galatians 5:17; James 4:5) - which I often sadly do to some degree!

For such exhortations to preserving in the faith, to holding fast "the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end," "the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end" go along with warnings against

having an "evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God,"

drawing "back to perdition," so that

Christ shall "profit you nothing,"

having "fallen from grace,"

not standing fast in "the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,"

not holding fast "the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end," "the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end,"

so that the gospel labor on their behalf would be in vain, (Gal. 5:1-5; Heb. 3:6,12,14; 10:25-31, 38-39; 1 Thessalonians 3:5)

Such warnings do not mean we work for our salvation or are dependent upon ourselves any more than we did in conversion, for in both cases we are motivated and enabled to do what we otherwise could not and would not do, and can claim no credit for doing.

However, what we can do is resist God to varying degrees, which is the only thing we can and must take credit for. Thus the debate btwn OSAS and conditional security should be whether the elect can resist God unto final apostasy, but which the Spirit warns believers, as believers, against doing.

With this foundation we understand what the end shall be of those who knowingly, will-fully impenitently choose to continue in sin, and why Paul delivered "such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (1 Corinthians 5:5) And which, thankfully, had its desired effect. (2 Corinthians 2:6,7)

Texts in full:

And because ye are sons [Paul's audience], God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again [those who were set free] with the yoke of bondage [going back into what they were set free from]. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if [submission to Judaizers these believers are being warned against] ye be circumcised [signifying justification obtained by keeping all the law], Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become [an effectual change due to their choice] of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace [their former state]. For we [those who continue to believe] through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (Galatians 5:1-5)

Take heed, brethren, [contextually not a general sense, but as believers] lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God [a departure from their former state s believers]. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin [a change of heart]. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end [[perseverance of the saints]. (Hebrews 3:12-14)

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering [continued exhortation to persevere]; (for he is faithful that promised And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, [indicating departing from the faith, as follows] as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

For if [a choice brethren are warned against] we [not just you] sin wilfully [not out of weakness, but with full consent, as a decision not to continue but to depart, signified by giving up accountable fellowship with the believers] after that we have received the knowledge of the truth [a term which refers to believing, as per 1Tim. 2:4; 2Tim. 3:7], there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins [cf. Hebrews 6:6-8; a terminal condition of judgment, with no provision for repentance and forgiveness, having forfeited what saving faith obtained], But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27)

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified [a past condition, appropriated by faith, now forfeited by a definite denial of the same] , an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:28-29)

Cast not away therefore your confidence, [the issue being faith, out of which obedience flows] which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise [not that doing earns the promise, but that saving faith is that which finally perseveres, which faith as manifested in works God - who gave faith and the ability and motivation to obey - rewards under grace]. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Now the just shall live by faith [the just live by faith, not merely profess it, with such faith being what appropriates justification]: but if any man draw back [a denial of justifying faith], my soul shall have no pleasure in him [as solemnly, fearfully described above]. But we [who do not draw back, but persevere] are not of them who draw back unto perdition [contextually a terminal condition of judgment, with no provision for repentance and forgiveness due to treating Christ with contempt] but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:35-39)

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world [thus meaning that if God did not bring wayward souls back to obedient, saving faith, then they would be condemned with the world]. (1 Corinthians 11:32)

For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain [thus meaning that, while these Thessalonians had believed the gospel as 1 Thessalonians 1:9 affirms, yet they were in danger of falling away due to resultant persecutions]. (1 Thessalonians 3:4-5)

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory [katechō: hold fast: cf. 1Ths. 5:21] what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

Such departing from the the living God, drawing backing into perdition, falling from grace, etc., is likely the the "great transgression," (Psalms 9:13) that of having "wickedly departed from my God,"(2 Samuel 22:22) which David stated he did not do, despite his sins, for unlike apostates he overall kept the ways of the Lord, and confessed in repentance when convicted of not doing so, (2 Samuel 12:7-13)

Note again that the above verses are clearly written to believers as believers, exhorting them to continue in the faith and warning against rejecting it, and thus these cannot be dismissed as never having been born again , although there are those who left fellowship since they were never in Christ. (1 John 2:19)

And any declension and even departure from the faith is the only response that we can and take credit for, since on the positive side, no one can come to God unless drawn by Him, (Jn. 6:44) who convicts of sin, (Jn. 16:8) and opens hearts, (Acts 16:14) and grants repentance unto life (Acts 11:18) and heart-purifying regenerating faith,(Eph. 2:8,9; Acts 10:43; 15:7-9) and works in us to do His will. (Phil. 2:13) To God be the glory.