Fellowship, Fall, Salvation:

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Indeed sir. Therefore, if a group of youths mock your bald head, should you turn the other cheek or have God rip them apart with bears?

I know, it's a toughy.

Therefore, if a group of youths mock your bald head, should you turn the other cheek or have God rip them apart with bears?

I kept reading the Bible. I didn't stop here and slam the book close in favor of atheism.

I read on and noticed that the disciples of Jesus, James and John, wanted to call fire down from heaven on a town which rejected their preaching. Jesus rebuked them.

" And He sent messengers before His face. And they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to prepare for Him.

And they did not receive them, ...

And seeing this, the disciples James and John said, Lord do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?

(Its crossed my mind a couple of times too)
Going on -

"But turning, He rebuked them and said, You do not know of what kind of spirit you are, The Son of Man has not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. And they went to another village." (Luke 9:52-56)

Now this is not ANOTHER God. This is the SAME God as the God of Elisha.

In one instance of history God moves to manifest that He WILL be regarded as HOLY. He will not take lightly that He or His servants the prophets are profaned.

And in the other instance I muse that the very same God manifests another aspect of His character. He is merciful, longsuffering, allowing men to of their will reject to receive Him.

Some may argue - "This CANNOT be the same Person."
I believe it is absolutely the same Person from another angle which we need to appreciate.

Here, no bears, no fire falling from heaven.
There - bears - swift judgment.
i don't see contradiction. I see God has the task to manifest to man varied angles of His total personality.

Originally posted by sonship

Therefore, if a group of youths mock your bald head, should you turn the other cheek or have God rip them apart with bears?

I kept reading the Bible. I didn't stop here and slam the book close in favor of atheism.

I read on and noticed that the disciples of Jesus, James and John, wanted to call fire down from heaven on a town which ...[text shortened]... contradiction. I see God has the task to manifest to man varied angles of His total personality.

I do see a contradiction. Thanks for highlighting it.

Originally posted by sonship

Therefore, if a group of youths mock your bald head, should you turn the other cheek or have God rip them apart with bears?

I kept reading the Bible. I didn't stop here and slam the book close in favor of atheism.

I read on and noticed that the disciples of Jesus, James and John, wanted to call fire down from heaven on a town which ...[text shortened]... contradiction. I see God has the task to manifest to man varied angles of His total personality.

Your god is unpredictable then?

So your kowtowing could land you in hell for all you know.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
I do see a contradiction. Thanks for highlighting it.

There isn't a contradiction, there is God setting up the world, and delivering on promises
made. Even the Jews of Jesus day required preaching too about Christ having to suffer
for us, so we could be saved. The scriptures they used to preach this, wasn't the NT text
that had not been written yet, it was all OT text that they were able to show them that
Jesus fulfilled the OT promises of God.

Psalm 22King James Version (KJV)
22 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Originally posted by KellyJay
The scriptures they used to preach this, wasn't the NT text
that had not been written yet, it was all OT text that they were
able to show them that Jesus fulfilled the OT promises of God.

And I thought the bible was garbage.
You have raised the bar.

Originally posted by FMF
It's interesting that, with the exception perhaps of robbie carrobie, none of the regular Christian posters here goes around bragging about their "good works".

So, you believe your god figure not only requires "good works" from you but requires them to be secret as well, is that right?

Hey, jerk, why do you not recall the blistering attack you unleashed on me when I once mentioned, in passing, the charitable work I do? No, it does not have to be "secret", but one avoids fueling your anti-Christian artillery. #1, We are told that bragging about works is worthless, and #2, you've proven through your own actions in this and other forums that it is stupid to expose ourselves to even more ridicule from you. We do not need to give you yet another reason to attack us.

Originally posted by KellyJay
There isn't a contradiction, there is God setting up the world, and delivering on promises
made. Even the Jews of Jesus day required preaching too about Christ having to suffer
for us, so we could be saved. The scriptures they used to preach this, wasn't the NT text
that had not been written yet, it was all OT text that they were able to show them that
...[text shortened]... e, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

I enjoyed reading this Psalm here. Thanks.

Do you believe that the Salvation at the end of the ages is simply identical to the Fellowship man had with God before the Fall ?

Why or why not ?

Originally posted by sonship
I enjoyed reading this Psalm here. Thanks.

Do you believe that the [b]Salvation at the end of the ages is simply identical to the Fellowship man had with God before the Fall ?

Why or why not ?[/b]

I think it will be better, because we will be there and our understanding of good and evil
having lived in this wicked world, will be like having gone through a refiners fire.

Originally posted by KellyJay
I think it will be better, because we will be there and our understanding of good and evil
having lived in this wicked world, will be like having gone through a refiners fire.

Interesting.

In the description of the New Jerusalem what is prominent is the mentioning of "the tree of life" (Rev.22:2,14) . I mean of the TWO trees mentioned in Genesis 2 and 3 -

the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and
the tree of life -

the latter "of LIFE" is highlighted. But there is no mention of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." .

IE.

"And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." (Rev. 22:2)

"Blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city." (22:14)

It was after man partook of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" that sin and death prevailed in mankind. And it was after eating of this fruit that the way to the tree of life was CUT OFF by the cherubim of God's glory, the sword of God's righteousness, and the flame of God's holiness.

" And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat and live forever - (Gen. 3:22)

Therefore Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he was taken. (v.23)

So He drove the man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life."
(v.24)

Please share your thoughts about the fact that what is highlighted in Revelation 22 is not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but full and free access to "the tree of life".

Would you perhaps think what would be mentioned more as a healing and blessing would be the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ?

Originally posted by Suzianne
Hey, jerk, why do you not recall the blistering attack you unleashed on me when I once mentioned, in passing, the charitable work I do?

What "charitable work" did I unleash a "blistering attack" on?

Originally posted by FMF
What "charitable work" did I unleash a "blistering attack" on?

It should be obvious to anyone who reads these forums that you attack Suzianne at any opportunity you get, regardless of content.

Originally posted by chaney3
It should be obvious to anyone who reads these forums that you attack Suzianne at any opportunity you get, regardless of content.

Call it as you see it, by all means, but what charitable work did I unleash a blistering attack on?

Originally posted by chaney3
It should be obvious to anyone who reads these forums that you attack Suzianne at any opportunity you get, regardless of content.

Do you think she does the same thing?

Originally posted by FMF
Call it as you see it, by all means, but what charitable work did I unleash a blistering attack on?

You can find an example in the general forum thread:

"Ever used a gun in self defense".

Originally posted by chaney3
You can find an example in the general forum thread:...

You have chosen to intervene. Give an example of charitable work I "unleashed a blistering attack" on?