According to [Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_views_on_divorce) , many Christian denominations, including Eastern Orthodoxy and various Protestant churches around the world, permit remarriage after divorce. This appears to directly contradict several Bible verses such as Luke 16:18 (NRSVA): > Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. On what grounds do these denominations permit remarriage, despite this?

While I understand there are many potential passages in the Bible of Jesus claiming to be a messiah (which I understand to mean "anointed"), a king, or one through whom it is necessary to know God, I'm interested to know if there are any places where He *literally* claims to be God, God-like, or related to God (i.e. the son of God). Taking the Bible to be a reliable record of what He said (for the sake of this question), what Biblical passages illustrate Jesus literally saying He was God? OP Edit: I see that my question has been edited to say "literally" which has caused a bit of turmoil, so I'll just say that for me "literally" is read to mean "literally stated, or inferred without interpretation". So "I intend to put on foot coverings" does not literally mean shoes, as it could mean socks, but "I intend to drive to the capital city of the country England" means you'll end up in London no matter which way you swing it. Interestingly I did try to ask the Biblical Hermenutics group this question and it was suggested I ask here.

In Mark chapter 3 Jesus is teaching and healing when he decides to head home (verse 20). When home (presumably Capernaum) a crowd gathers and his family comes to take him away, for they fear "He is out of his mind.": > 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could > not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize > him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind." (Mark 3:20-21, > ESV) Mark then goes on to describe scribes accusing Jesus of being a pawn for Satan, followed by Jesus rebuffing the accusation. Immediately following this, we are told in verse 31 that Mary and Jesus' brothers sent for him: > 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they > sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, > and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, > seeking you." (Mark 3:31-32, ESV) According to Roman Catholics, Are his "mother and his brothers" mentioned in verse 31 included with "his family" described in verse 21?

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, "You will know them by their fruits." This verse is often cited to identify genuine believers based on their actions and character. However, a recent incident in Minnesota where a self-professed evangelical Christian—who had even received an appointment—was involved in the shooting of a congresswoman raises questions. How should this verse be understood in light of such events? Can we truly and reliably know a believer by their fruits, especially when someone outwardly identified with Christianity ends up acting in a way that seems so contrary to Christ’s teachings? How do different theological traditions interpret this principle when actions contradict profession of faith?

Me and a friend have been debating this topic and I'm a little stumped I must say. My friend believes in Hard Determinism where desires control us and our desires come from what he calls "life path". I tried refuting this by saying free will and desires are distinct but he simply brought up that our strongest desires determine our free will. So if you use your free will to go against your strongest desire, then you are still using a stronger desire to over come another stronger desire if that makes sense. So after doing some research I stumbled upon libertarianism and it seems like that is the view point I gave to him about free will and desires being distinct. But I'm not sure if libertarianism is the Biblical explanation. So how does God explain free will and desires being distinct? Can we really choose to not follow our stronger desire without a stronger desire causing us to do so? If so, then why would we choose to do something we do not want to do unless the desire to do that thing is stronger than the desire to not do it?

I'm looking for a comparable Protestant teaching, and hopefully the scriptural reference it's based on, for this point within the Catholic catechism. > The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. [CCC, n. 1](http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c1.htm)

Zechariah speaks of “all the peoples” (Zech. 12:2), “and all the people of the earth will gather against it (Jerusalem)” (Zech. 12:3), and “I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem” (Zech. 14:2). These verses do not seem to be referring to the Romans in A.D. 70. Further on, Zechariah continues, saying: “On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem” (Zech. 12:8), and: “Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle” (Zech. 14:3). I concluded that none of this fits with what happened to Jerusalem in A.D. 70, when the Romans conquered Israel. Finally, the passage says that the Lord will save Israel on that day (Zech. 14:3), whereas in A.D. 70, the Lord judged Israel, as written in Luke 21:20–24. So how can preterists say that Zechariah is speaking of A.D. 70 if, in this passage, the Lord is saving His people? james stuart russell the parousia The AD 70 Doctrine description

I'm curious how, in the context of spiritual teaching and leveraging scripture, religious leaders are balancing the value of the text with questions that scholarship has raised as to the authenticity and originality of various texts such as the Johannine comma, the woman caught in adultery, the end of Mark, etc. Thank you in advance for your thoughts!

Here's a question for the community wiki. What are the top 10 Catholic academic journals in English? I can think of a few (*The Thomist*, *Nova et Vetera*, *Catholic Biblical Quarterly*), but I haven't been able to find a list anywhere. I'm looking for the top ten scholarly journals, sorted roughly by readership or some other criterion.

>Education is the food of youth, the delight of old age, the ornament of prosperity, the refuge and comfort of adversity, and the provocation to grace in the soul. Does anyone know in which of his writings, the above quote attributed to St. Augustine may be found? If not, does anyone know the *type* of education to which the above quote refers? I ask because for a thousand or so years after St. Augustine, the [*Imitation of Christ*](https://archive.org/details/TheImitationOfChristChalloner) , for example, admonishes us about devoting too much time acquiring secular knowledge at the expense of the spiritual with warnings such as these quotes from [Book 1 Chapter 3 (The Doctrine of Truth)](https://archive.org/details/TheImitationOfChristChalloner/page/n15/mode/2up) (translation by Rev. Richard Challoner, 1893): > *What availeth a great dispute about abstruse and obscure matters, for not knowing which we shall not be questioned at the Day of Judgment?* and > *Tell me where are now all those great doctors, with whom thou wast well acquainted, whilst they were living and flourished in learning? Now others fill their places, and I know not whether they ever think of them. In their lifetime they seemed to be something, and now they are not spoken of.*

Cory Asbury and Jaye Thomas's worship song [Shekinah](https://youtu.be/3zwrnHh0VrM) promotes this sort of prayer in its [lyrics](https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Cory-Asbury-Jaye-Thomas/Shekinah) : > Lyrics of Shekinah by Cory Asbury, Jaye Thomas > > *verse* > We wait for You > We wait for You > We wait for You > To walk in the room > We wait for You > We wait for you > We wait for you > To walk in the room > We wait for you > We wait for you > We wait for you > To walk in the room > Here we are > Here we are > Standing in Your presence > Here we are > Standing in Your presence > **Shekinah glory come down** > **Shekinah glory come down** > Here we are > Standing in Your Presence > Here we are > Standing in Your Presence > **Shekinah Glory come down** > > *chorus* > Release the fullness of your spirit > **Shekinah glory come** > **Shekinah glory come** > Release the fullness of your spirit > **Shekinah glory come** > **Shekinah glory come** > > *verse* > You move and we want more > You speak and we want more > You move and we want more > We want the fullness > You move and we want more > You speak and we want more > You move and we want more > We want the fullness > > *chorus* > Release the fullness of Your Spirit > **Shekinah glory come** > **Shekinah glory come** > Release the fullness of Your Spirit > **Shekinah glory come** > **Shekinah glory come** > > *verse* > No I can′t get enough > Can't get enough > Said I can′t get enough of your Presence, Presence > I can't get enough of your presence, presence > I can't get enough of your presence, presence > Can′t get enough > Can′t get enough > You move and we want more > You speak and we want more > You move and we want more > We want the fullness > > *chorus* > Release the fullness of Your Spirit > **Shekinah glory come** > **Shekinah glory come** > Release the fullness of Your Spirit > **Shekinah glory come** > **Shekinah glory come** > > *verse* > We want more > We want more > We want more > We want more > We want more > We want more > More of your spirit > The Lord has given us freedom > Given us freedom > Given us joy > The Lord has given us freedom > Given us freedom > Given us joy > The Lord has given us freedom > Given us freedom > Given us joy > The Lord has given us freedom > Given us freedom > Given us joy > > *outro* > The Lord has given us freedom > Given us freedom > Given us joy > The Lord has given us freedom > Given us freedom > > Writer(s): Seth Josiah Yates, Jaye Thomas, Laura Hackett, Caleb Culver, Cory Hunter Asbury, James David Whitworth, James Robert Wells What's the biblical basis?

There's a concept that I heard used many times throughout my life in regards to idolatry. The idea is that inside each of us is a "God-shaped hole"--a place inside of our hearts that only God can fill. If we try to put anything else in there, it won't fit (meaning, it won't fill the need we have inside of our heart/soul). Where does this concept originate? Is it a biblical concept or just a fanciful rhetoric?

How do the proponents of the idea that salvation once received cannot be lost explain the following verses: Hebrews 6:4-6: > For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have > tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy > Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the > world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto > repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, > and put [him] to an open shame. and Hebrews 10:26-29: > For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of > the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain > fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall > devour the adversaries. 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, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of > grace? It seems to me that both places are about Christians who had once received salvation, but later lost it due to their change in mind or in faith.

Of course, we have many indications to that truth in the Old Testament, but it was only with the coming of Jesus Christ that it was spoken to humans in plain language that God has the Only-begotten Son. How is this matter explained in the Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodoxy and main-stream Protestant Christianity?

The word/term "trinity" is never used in the Bible. However, *most* Christians believe that God exists as three persons in one God-head. This question has two parts: 1. What is the Biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity? 2. Are there any passages that directly show all three persons of God together - and what are they?

In Judaism you repent to get back to "normal" or back to God. Another reason is to stop the consequence of sin. So you have Thesuva (repenting) for a week before Yom kippur in order that God will bless you with a good year. Since the roots of Christianity comes from the Jews. And that the RCC see tradition and the mystical as something important just as in judaism. In the Old Testament repenting has to deal not only with your heart and emotions but also your actions, you had to pay for your mistakes not just change your mind and look forward. If not there will be a negative consequence but if one do repent God will heal the land. Almost every Church will teach that Jesus did take away the sins of the world, but He is also presented as the Lamb and did teach about repenting. So Is repenting the same as it always has been, or do we In the New Covenant repent in another way after the Cross? > Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. (Mark 3:2) According to the RCC.

> **[Luke 18:19](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2018:19&version=NKJV)** (NKJV) > So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. My question is: is this contradictory? What does Jesus mean by this statement?

In [John 17:3](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2017:3&version=NIV) it says that Jesus called the Father the "only true God" and called himself sent by the Father. Also, in [Matthew 4:10](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204:10;&version=NIV;) , Jesus himself says to: > ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’` What is the biblical basis for accepting Jesus as not only divine, but "god in the flesh"?

This question is addressed to those Christians who believe that those who never got a chance to hear the gospel will have a chance to accept Jesus Christ in the next life. How do you reconcile that belief with the verse in the book of Hebrews that says after we die we face judgment. *Hebrews 9:27* > And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment I need the perspectives of Post-Mortem evangelists, Thanks.

According to Protestantism, why did God create humanity? I have been looking around this website for some Biblical verses, etc for some clues, but couldn't find any.