Something that confuses me about the bible.

May you have the ability to think clearly until you are no more here. It can only make you a better person than you already are.

Truly, why would one bury their talent? The parable - how can you partake in a journey you never began?

Fear. Fear is death for the living. Too many have been taught to fear, and fear is death, forward progress stops.

That is what this thread is all about... who you need to fear.

Rom.13
[1] Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
[2] Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
[3] For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
[4] For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
[5] Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
[6] For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
[7] Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
[8] Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
[9] For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[10] Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
[11] And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
[12] The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
[13] Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
[14] But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

This is a good question OP, I also struggle with this teaching. The only thing I can say is to add some further scripture and maybe some comments on that:

1 Peter 2:13-17

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.


So we see in that verse that the purpose of government is to punish evil doers. If we are living a life in the Spirit and not the flesh, then we honor God.

If the government is not doing it's duty to punish evil but rather enabling it, or persecuting us for our beliefs then we will suffer yes, but we do so righteously there will be reward eternally for our suffering in the flesh.

So if we encounter persecution or unjust treatment from our government we are to endure it as Christ endured the cross. It's not a fun way to look at the issue but it's only thing I've got on this topic.

It's also interesting to note that Satan claims dominion over all earthly kingdoms:

Matthew 4:8-9

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”


So he couldn't have offered to give Christ those kingdoms unless they were under his authority.

I think the best way to go is to live life in the Spirit and not the flesh honoring God and if we suffer for doing that God promises us eternal reward (see Matthew ch 5:1-11)

If all powers come from God no one can resist his will, Paul had a way with not making sense

That's true but that doesn't mean i must obey some obnoxious jerk who has a whole lot of money just because that person says so. Is this person ordained by God? Highly doubtful...most of the rich don't even believe in God...and the majority of those who do only go to church to show off their new Sunday clothes. The very few rich that believe in God most likely don't tell people what to do or order people around because they DO believe in God.
Remember..."It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than to enter the gates of heaven."

Miss quoted the last quote...quote should be " It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the gates of heaven."

He was a rebel vs. a corrupt religious machine, but not against the lawful governance of the Roman occupation (which God set up as a just sentence upon Judah)

True, but this has nothing to do with God's elect... his mighty prophets he put in charge of HIS kingdom.

Actually, I take that back. It has a lot to do with them. Just like with Daniel in Babylon. the 'earthly kingdoms' will try to 'overpower' God's 'elect' and then they will be corrected.

You are just to do it with a smile on your face.

Hey Sunshine, either you're referring to another post or you didn't read mine.

My whole point in this conversation has been, and thank you for making me explain it because that usually illustrates that someone isn't listening, that nearly every "argument" posted in this thread is derived from a manuscript that was politically massaged by not very good people back in the early days to take the "Church" in a political direction that would enable a certain agenda.

Now there are a lot of, let's just say, "religiously enthusiastic" people responding who couldn't give half a shit whether their response is valid or not - it's what they believe so "FUCK YOU". Nice. Those people will never know God. They live a lie but they believe it so fervently, well, I don't know what to say here. I want to just call them idiots but they have the right to believe as they wish. I would appear to them as they appear to me. They walk the same road as I.

This is the issue I have. That some have just blindly accepted whatever was told to them and whatever interpretations were offered. And they use this to castigate others. This is manipulation and it makes those who do so a tool of a not so Godly power.

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (NASB) Jeremiah 29:13

I'm not an unbeliever. I simply can't believe as you do.

The Fear is in those who believe they cannot believe anything else

The King James Version.
A Version of something is not exact rendition.
Some portions of the Bible have been altered despite warnings against doing so.
Those who have will no doubt be dealt with in time.

But, the motivation of course is to endorse the notion of the Divine Right of Kings and their supposed ordination by God.

The truth is told that we struggle against the Principalities and the Establishments of this System of Things.

What's the point if you don't believe in the idea of 'Scripture'. Why even argue the point? You OBVIOUSLY are trying to exalt wickedness in the place of godliness.

Besides, someone is deleting my posts. Who do they take me for?

All power comes from GOD! Accept that power. You are then co-owners in that power that gives life. Deny that power and you die!

You have the power and glory of THE TRUTH. Therefore you are a threat to their way of life!

The powers talked about here are not necessarily your church hierarchy. They were the early church's hierarchy, and for newcomers, it was wise to listen to them, as there were a lot of false teachings even then.

I think you were born too late for this passage to apply to you.

I have been studying The Bible for 37 years.

What did you not understand?

I will explain it to you..

Paul the Pharisee of the Pharisee is as Jewish as you get...

I find it hard to believe that you speak about The Bible as if you actually know anything about The Bible
and that you believe you...

...

2/3 of all living will die. Rejoice?

Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!
For what good is the day of the LORD to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.


^ The Bible.

Do you speak Greek and Hebrew?

Speaking Greek or Hebrew is technically unnecessary to see internal discrepancies with how certain terms have been translated according to the doctrinal bias of the translators. The biggest example I'm familiar with is aion (G165, which according to Strong's can mean any duration of time or non-time you want it to).

One good bible version to consider checking out is Young's Literal.

When we freely have every translation easily available at our fingertips,

is there any problem?

There are no "exact renditions" between different languages.

Is there only one correct exact rendition translation of "burrito grande"?

Negative. . .I'm merely agreeing that the above assertion regarding the KJV's inaccuracy is correct. There are multitudes of believers who won't *acknowledge* "every translation" because they're tied (bound, if you will) to the King James.

Agreed 100%, which is why we'd probably benefit from delving as best we can into the Hebrew & Greek.

*

Repeat the first quote.

Too many people eat the burrito grande and DIE. However, define the words used and live forever!

power of GOD! Not of people!