The Forum

There is a need for an open, honest consideration, discussion, and resolution of questions of spiritual import.

Such discussion and consideration is necessary if God’s Word is to be allowed to live and not be made stagnant (static, immovable, inflexible, unresponsive, immobile, ineffective) by lack of understanding or by error.

Our question is: do we really want to allow God and His Word to be totally (completely, fully, overpoweringly, transcendingly) challenging to us, more than we could ever possibly comprehend or allow until the Change comes, or do we want to pretend that we are God, telling Him what or what not to say?

Something similar called Grace Light was recently attempted. However those invited, for various reasons, didn’t accept. So now it's being thrown open to all.

This will not be a time to be negatively critical. God and His things are so good! However we must honestly ask, what is greater than God and His Word? Does not all of Creation answer to these?

What is, and when was, the foundation of the world as mentioned in Ephesians 1:4 and other places?

Is the next coming of Christ a return?

Is “the acceptable year of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:2, Luke 4:19) an actual chronological year?

What is the proper translation and understanding of יְהוָה? (Transliterated into Roman letters as YHWH; presently translated into English as the Lord, or Jehovah, or Yahweh, or perhaps other.)

How (in what manner) is Christ the head of the Body of Christ, the Church? Is it like a physical human head, or some other usage of "head"?

What question did Jesus cry out as recorded in Matthew 27:46 (“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani”) and Mark 15:34 (“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani”)?

If you’d like to join us for a study session, please contact me at kenstauf@gmail.com. If you have a question you’d like to add to the list, let me know.

Ken Stauffer

Hebrews 4:12 and 13, Working Translation (Copyright © 2013 by Walter J. Cummins. All rights reserved.):
12 Certainly, the Word of God is living and powerfully active and sharper than every double-edged sword, even penetrating to the dividing between soul and spirit and also between joints and marrow, and it is able to judge between the thoughts and intentions of the heart,

13 and no created being is hidden in His sight. Everything is naked and exposed in the eyes of Him with Whom is our account.

“Exposed” is the Greek word trachēlizomai, and according to The Companion Bible it is used in classical Greek of bending back the neck (trachēlos) of animals to be sacrificed, and may refer to the separating of the victim into its parts.

“Everything is naked and exposed in the eyes of Him with Whom is our account.” Come on, Who are we trying to kid? Do you think that God knows what’s going on? Would it be worth it to try doing things His way?

The Forum will consist of an online gathering for the agreement of a question to be considered, then a time apart for individual and/or small group study and reflection, then a full group gathering for the discussion of what has been learned and a possible resolution to the question. The Forum gatherings will be conducted primarily online by Web conferencing, with in-person work as desired.

Some present questions for possible consideration are: