Of God and Mankind

2 Timothy 2:22-26 (AMPC) “ 22  Shun youthful lusts  and flee from them, and aim at  and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.   23  But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife  and breed quarrels.   24  And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone  and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled  and suitable teacher, patient  and forbearing  and willing to suffer wrong.   25  He must correct his opponents with courtesy  and gentlenes...

1 Kings 19:13-18 (AMPC)   “ When Elijah heard the voice, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?   14 He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword. And I, I only, am left, and they seek my life, to destroy it.   15 And the Lord said to him, Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.   16 And anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah to be prophet in your place.   17 And him who escapes from the sword of Hazael Jehu shall slay, and him who escapes the sword of Jehu Elisha shall slay.   18 Yet I will leave Myself 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not...

2 Peter 2:20-22 (AMPC) “ For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through [the full, personal] knowledge of our Lord and Savio u r Jesus Christ, they again become entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition is worse [for them] than the first.   21 For never to have obtained a [full, personal] knowledge of the way of righteousness would have been better for them than, having obtained [such knowledge], to turn back from the holy commandment which was [verbally] delivered to them.   22 There has befallen them the thing spoken of in the true proverb, t he dog turns back to his own vomit, and, t he sow is washed only to wallow again in the mire.” [Prov. 26:11.]   Dear people of God, the Holy Bible says anyone who is joined to the Lord Jesus Christ has become a new creation, old things have passed away and behold all things have become new – 2 Corinthians 5:17.   In essence, the person is now spiritually born-again and dead to his ...