J.A., thanks for taking the time to comment. I'm sure doc will answer when available, but I wanted to respond too. This idea has been tossed around for a while -- that it was common to have multiple wives, so what Paul really meant was "one wife at a time". I don't think that's really the case though. We don't see examples in the New Testament of men having more than one wife, but what I believe to be more of a possibility (and I mean the word "believe" here to be a statement of my opinion) is that if the instruction was for "one wife at a time", that allowed for the possibility of a widower re-marrying, and still meeting the qualifications to be an elder. Even if the man has not remarried, I do not believe Scripture prohibits a widower from being an elder.

You're right; that stack of books is out of control, but probably no more out of control than most folks. Here are just a few titles in my stack: The Match (Susan Whitman Helfgot), To Busy Not to Pray (Bill Hybels -- reading it again), The Unexpected Adventure (Lee Strobel & Mark Mittelberg), and The Case for the Real Jesus (Lee Strobel). Wonder if it's significant that everything there is over a year old except The Match? (And yes, I've HAD them for over a year too -- unread, except for the Hybels book.)
My recent post Day 344- I John 3-1-24 — Do the Right Thing- pure and simple

I like your parallels, and agree that there are many parallels between most things we do and living a Christian life. Being an aviator, I find many parallels between aviation and Christianity as well. For example, there's a person called a "controller", but it's not the Air Traffic Controller who is responsible for the safe arrival of the plane and its passengers & cargo to its final destination. The responsibility for taking the action necessary -- whatever it may be -- to assure a safe outcome falls solely on the shoulders of the pilot in command of the plane. The controller may very well have some life-saving advice and some suggested steps to perform that may help ensure safety, but ultimately it's up to the pilot to take the proper course of action. Salvation very much depends on it.

Hi Bob -- I really appreciate your comment. I suspect you meant it as a comment to my original post titled Salvation Is Not Initiated By Human Choice, rather than this follow-up to this post since Randy in this post doesn't refer to 2 Peter 3:9, but nevertheless I'll answer it here.

I, like doc, agree that context is critical, and I agree with you that the letter the apostle Peter wrote to the church, which is titled 2 Peter in our Bibles, was written to Christians. Certainly it is also correct that the head of our body -- Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) -- doesn't want to lose any of his "little ones". Peter wrote that God is "patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (emphasis mine). So sure; it makes sense that he's telling them that God is patient with them (the church) and he doesn't want any of them to fall away.

But...

Restricting the meaning of 2 Peter 3:9 to only those who are already saved is like saying that since Jesus was speaking to the apostles in the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20) that I don't have to teach the Gospel because He wasn't speaking to me. There is nothing in the context of the great commission that would exclude me from that command, and there is nothing in Peter's statement that would exclude unsaved individuals. Certainly God is not willing that they perish either -- that's why He provided His Son for their redemption!

But it is still their choice.

Thanks Doc. Another thought we commonly hear is something to the effect that "when God forgives, he wipes the slate clean." I don't believe that. You're a former schoolteacher. Have you ever tried to clean a blackboard such that there is no vestige whatsoever of any of your former scribbles? I have, and I think I'd rather push that camel through the eye of the needle. It ain't easy. Of course, all things are possible with God, but this is our analogy, not His. I suggest a better analogy is that when God forgives, he throws the slate away! The point is, to truly forgive and forget requires Divine attributes; it is something we cannot do. Therefore, it's hard for us to imagine this is something God not only can do, but does do. When God forgives, it's just as if I'd never sinned -- at least as concerns my relationship with Him. Naturally, some sin carries with it lasting physical consequences, and God has not promised to remove these, just to erase the spiritual consequences.

Janis, thanks for the encouragement. I'm glad you were able to follow the reports.

Thanks Michael. It\'s been a good trip. Maybe you can make the one next year.

Gene, thanks for the encouragement. What a great work the Lord is doing here, and what a privilege to be a part of it!

Definitely, Janis -- how good to hear from you! In fact, Jon and I are roommates on this trip. That's working out great, at least from my point of view; you'd better get the real story from him. Glad you guys are liking life in Gilmer so well. If you see my good buddy John Spencer, tell him I said hi.

Exactly right, and it's so easy to not have that attitude. It used to bug me to no end (and still does, really) to see someone (all right, it was usually a little old lady) bring a carry-on bag onto an airplane, then not be able to lift it up to put it in the overhead bin. I'd never help. I'd sit and watch her fiddle with it, and usually fairly quickly someone else would ask if he could help. I still feel like people who can't lift a bag up to put it in the overhead should be checking their bags, but I now react differently. I figure whether they check it or not is their business, but if they need help, I'm there to help. Great post.