The 7 most sobering passages in the Bible

[PloughBoy]

Definition of PARTAKE

to take part in or experience something along with others; to have a portion (as of food or drink); to possess or share a certain nature or attribute… See the full definition

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Definition of partake

intransitive verb
1: to take part in or experience something along with others partake in the revelry partake of the good life
2: to have a portion (as of food or drink)were invited to partake of a dinner
3: to possess or share a certain nature or attribute the experience partakes of a mystical quality partake in each other's sorrows and joys

Take part in or experience.... I didn't watch someone play a football, I myself played in the game. I took part in it. I'm doing this with others, yes. (I can't play football by myself) but I'm a part of it.
To have a portion of. I didn't watch you drink the water, I drank some of the water myself. I consumed it, I partook of it.
To possess or share an attribute. I didn't see someone else possess it, I myself possessed it inside me.

In my church we have communion from time to time.
If you are saved, you can "partake" of communion. If you aren't, you shouldn't take communion.
You might be a person in the service with people all around you "partaking" of the bread and the'wine'". But you yourself are not partaking. (at least you shouldn't be).

Well if a person is not saved and take communion at your church, what will happen to them, will they go to hell. And how would they know if they are saved. A lot of people do think they are . A lot people have no idea what "the Holy Ghost" really is. And how could they know if they dont really have it indwelling in them.
And those of us "who live in Hope" hope that we are. For that Hope has not appeared yet. But we wait patiently for it.

"For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees?"

Now it is recorded that "John Calvin" would not let people who openly committed sexual sins who were christians to partake in "Holy Communion" in his church. He stood right in front of them and refused to give it to them right in front of the "congregation". They fired big bore rifles during the night into his home and finally kick him out of "Geneva", but later called him back because to that church, because "Geneva" return back to a place of unbridled sins practices in that city of believers.

So how did your church stop unbelievers from taking communion. I know the Bible addresses christians to examine themselves before taking part in the "Lord Supper".

"But a person must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup, For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly regonize the body For this reason many among you are wear and sick, and a number sleep"

I dont think this letter is written to unbelievers but to believers in Christ. This letter is address to the church at "Corint". It was not written to people outside of the church of God in the city of "Corint". There was no physical church buildings for the body of Believers at the the time this "letter" was written to them. Around 56-57 AD. Matter of fact the city was saturated with pagan temples of all sorts. It was a Coastal city.

 

[B-A-C]

So how did your church stop unbelievers from taking communion. I know the Bible addresses christians to examine themselves before taking part in the "Lord Supper".

Well usually we didn't. This is between you and God. However if it was a well known sin, the person was caught in adultery or something like that. Communion wasn't offered to them.

 

[Sue D.]

The churches we went to -- the cup and bread were passed around the congregation -- like an offering plate would be passed around. Each person could take or not as it was being passed. And parents were responsible for their own kids. No one was 'watching' to see who was or was not partaking of. And the idea was that everyone was given some time to be praying 'internally' / self-examination / to clear up anything between themselves and God. Then they could feel free to partake. And occasionally there would be those who chose to Not take part.

The bread was passed around 1st and then a deacon would be asked to acknowledge the bread / body of Christ. And then pastor would invite everyone to 'take eat'. And the same procedure with the tiny sip of grape juice.

Nowdays, we COVID -- there are individual packets with the juice and 'bread' wrapped up. The person picks there's up as they enter the auditorium. And then thrown away. No one is passing them out.

 

[B-A-C]

what exactly does That mean. "partakers" of.

Was there a reason you asked this question?

 

[Sue D.]

@B-A-C -- just trying to make more sense of the passage.

 

[B-A-C]

#4

2Pet 2:1; But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2Pet 2:2; Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;

2Pet 2:17; These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved.
2Pet 2:18; For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
2Pet 2:19; promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

2Pet 2:20; For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
2Pet 2:21; For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.
2Pet 2:22; It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."

This chapter is very similar to Jude 1. But it starts off in verse 1 talking about false prophets and false teachers. No big news there. They are everywhere.
It goes on to say they will teach "destructive heresies". Many will follow their sensuality... and "because of them the way of the truth will be maligned".
The scary part of that isn't that there will be false teachers, the scary part is... "MANY will follow their sensuality".

The entire chapter of 2Peter 2 is talking about these people who have come in among Christians. I would stop and ask an offensive question here.
Is your preacher/pastor/teacher a false prophet? That's a serious question. "Not mine, I love my pastor". "My pastor is a Godly man, no way he would lead us astray".
I'm asking again, is your rabbi/preacher/pastor a false prophet? We all love our pastors. It's hard to imagine them leading us astray.
Yet the Bible says "many" will follow the sensual teachings of these people.

It says they entice by fleshly desires. It says they preach "freedom", but they themselves are slaves of corruption.
Sensuality.. fleshly desires... if I go out on Youtube, I see a lot of sermons from pastors... It's OK if you have a little sexual sin, a little pornography isn't so bad.
God is good. He forgives fornication. God is love. He doesn't mind a little adultery. God is forgiving. He loves homosexuals.
Entire denominations have embraced some of these teachings. But even the ones that haven't have a few wolves around. A few snakes in the grass as it were.
It seems the reason they preach these things is because "they themselves are slaves to corruption". Well, I'm a pastor and I'm stuck in this sin, I know I'm not going to hell
so it must be OK, and if it's OK... then it's for me to tell others it's OK.

The destructive heresy here is.. "I'm not going to hell". If your pastor is teaching there is no penalty for these sins, and all your sins are already forgiven...
maybe it's time to find a new pastor. Perhaps even a new church if everyone in the church is going along with it.

for "IF" after they have escaped the defilements of the world. Can anyone escape the defilement's of the world on their own? Or does Jesus have to intervene?
It says they escaped because of the knowledge of Jesus. They didn't just hear about Jesus, they actually escaped the sinful world, at least for a while.
It goes on to say.. they are "AGAIN entangled in them". If these people were never saved, it would say they are "still" entangled in them, not entangled "again".
I can't do something "again", unless I stopped doing it for a while. Again, implies more than once.
t says the "last state" for these people is worse than the first state. The first state was they were unsaved and headed for hell. Now the last state is even worse because
now they knew the truth. They have no excuse. Verse 21, says they "turn away" from the commands that God has given us.
Verse 22 says "after washing" a pig returns to the pig sty. We can't wash ourselves clean of sin. If we could we wouldn't need Jesus. Only Jesus can wash us.
Yet it says here... after they are washed.. they return to the sinful life they came from.

..and why wouldn't they, the pastors/preachers/rabbis are all saying it's OK. God is OK with sexual sin. Heck I'm doing it... it must be OK with God.

... destructive heresies.

 

[Sue D.]

Which means that 'we' need to be reading God's Word on our own as well as hearing it being preached from the pulpit.

The Holy Spirit is also our teacher -- He guides us to all truth. If a preacher is teaching something that just doesn't settle right within us -- we Should be asking Him about his teaching. Privately. After church. He Should be able to explain the why's and wherefores' Of his teaching.

 

[Sue D.]

Which means that 'we' need to be reading God's Word on our own as well as hearing it being preached from the pulpit.

The Holy Spirit is also our teacher -- He guides us to all truth. If a preacher is teaching something that just doesn't settle right within us -- we Should be asking Him about his teaching. Privately. After church. He Should be able to explain the why's and wherefores' Of his teaching.