Favorite Verse or Passage

Faith & Science Conversation
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Phillippians 2: 5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

It is likely that Paul is quoting an ancient hymn.

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22

That was very thorough and informative, thanks. May I ask how you come by such a comprehensive view? Is there a particular course of study you have followed?

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You’re welcome. Just trying to be of service. I’m not a seminary graduate, if that’s what you’re asking. My first instinct is to make a few jokes, but I appreciate your overall tone and approach here, so I’d be glad to answer your questions in a PM. Not sure anyone else wants to be afflicted with the story of my theological evolution. :grinning:

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In my opinion 1 Kings 16-18 is a very well written story, written by someone who knew much about the cult of Baal and turned it on it’s head

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I should read it from that perspective. Thanks.

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Isaiah 66:3 is a nice verse which sets aside the harshness of the Mosaic law in my opinion:

But whoever sacrifices a bull
is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig’s blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense
is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,
and they delight in their abominations;

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27

My favorite Bible verse is probably the 23rd Psalm. It speaks to everyone going through difficult times, regardless of religious belief.
Psalm 100 is a joyful way to praise the Lord in its original form–“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands.” The Scottish rhyming psalter version shows the wisdom of the English translators who decided not to rhyme the Psalms. That line came out, “All creatures that on earth do dwell,/ Sing to the Lord, His praise foretell.”

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Luke 19:40: “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

The idea of all creation crying out in praise of the One through whom it is held together is just so beautiful to me.

2 Cor 1:20: For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

This is a delightful reminder for me.

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
Colossians 2:2‭-‬3

ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! Wow!

The opening of John’s gospel is one of the most stunning and gorgeous passages in the Bible imo.

Psalm 42.
Psalm 30.
Psalm 84.

This one might seem a little weird, but I’ve always loved it as Jeremiah’s dialogue with God:

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
Jeremiah 15:16‭-‬19

It’s so hard to narrow it down!

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[quote=“Randy, post:1, topic:38549, full:true”]
What is your favorite verse or Bible passage? Please type a brief description of why. Thanks![/quote]

Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me THE sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

This is my second most favorite passage; my most favorite cannot be submitted in just a few words, because it is much more complicated.

But this passage, in which the man praying acknowledges to his maker - “I am THE SINNER in this relationship; YOU ARE THE GOD.”

But the translators have changed the definite article to an indefinite "a sinner, the purpose being when I look at myself in the relationship, I will not feel so bad about myself, I am after all just one sinner among many, as “Everybody sins, so I am not really all that bad.”.

But acknowledging the above is really about recognizing the enormity of Sin and the Love of The forgiving God. The larger my sin, the more forgiving my God.

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Terrific! Thanks.

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I like Romans 8, especially the climax of vs 37-39.

But I most commonly refer back to Matthew 22:36-40.

I have really enjoyed a sermon series through the Exodus. There are so many parallels through this book of Jesus and His redemption, it is a wonderful book.

On thing that escaped me that was presented I found to be amazing.

Exodus 17:5-6 “The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.””

A bit of back story, basically the Israelites keep testing God. They are complaining about bitter water, God purifies it for them, them complain about not having food, God provides.

So we are back to not having water. You would hope they would have remembered the bitter water, but no. This time they are not just complaining, so bad this time, they are about to start a mutiny. Moses fears being stoned. So God tells Moses, to take his judgement stick (this is the staff that turned the Nile to blood, they understood this as a stick that brought judgement to Egypt) and gather everyone. I would have to assume that every Israelite who gathered was fully planning on being destroyed right there and right then when Moses gathered them (which they probably deserved). Instead, Moses was instructed to take this ‘judgement stick’ (reserved to pour out the wrath of God on them) BUT, instead of using it on them, He uses it on Himself! He absorbs the wrath of God, the judgement, the sins of Israel, and blessing comes out of it.

Vs 6. God was standing by the rock, Jesus is also referred to as our Rock. Strike the rock, NOT the Israelites.

Jesus is our Rock and salvation. He took the judgement of God, that belongs to us, and in taking that staff of judgement, the blessing of the forgiveness of our sins ran forth, the everlasting water flowed out of Jesus.

Psalms 95:8 "“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,”

They had hard hearts, what can make a heart of stone a heart of flesh?

Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

The only thing that can turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh is the love of God, through Jesus.
Romans 2:4 “not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

And the story of the waters of Marah in Exodus 15. This is right after they sang praises of God. So nothing wrong was done her by the Israelites. Yet, God still gives them bitter water. God had no reason to punish them, so why the bitter water? Was this a punishment? This it the bitter providence of God. This is God saying, that though you may experience bitterness, you can always trust me. Sometimes we experience bitter things, but we need to trust in God, and He will make it sweet.

I am not even getting in the Passover narrative, which many are familiar with as a parallel of Christ atoning for us and delivering us, that is more well known. But I never heard the waters of Massah before as yet another parallel. There is some great stuff in this book.

I have also always loved Job. This is the first book I learned of God’s goodness as truth. That He IS good, His goodness isn’t circumstantial. “Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”” Job teaches us to trust Him. We are not God, we cannot know His ways, we were not there when the foundation of the earth was, we can not tame Leviathan, we cannot do better than God. We just need to trust Him.

Outstanding idea for a thread, great passages shared so far! Thanks!

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