This way at church

@very-rusty said
The brave "TWINS" are picking on a woman in the Spirituality Forum, you both may not reach the pearly gates!!! 😛

-VR

What do you mean by, may not reach? They can't even reach past picking their own noses, let alone picking the right way to get to the pearly gates. Let us not forget that the pearls are only studded on the gates, which are made of iron. God's irony. For them the gates will be very rusty. And unless they bring a truckload of W-40, the gates will only screech, but not open. However, still, they will need to get an import license for bringing the W-40, along with their stiff souls to the other side. It's as stiff situation for the twins, very rusty, in deed. They are not practicing Christians, by self-admission.

@suzianne said
The world of Paul's day is not the world of today, and Paul had precious little to say that helps us navigate this world. Peter's church needed a cheerleader, and Paul filled that role. He even appealed to the masses for doctrine, such as don't pay attention to those pesky women. He made Christianity popular, but that came with mollifying the masses. That's not what Jesu ...[text shortened]... tunately hit a popular chord with the public. One that eventually became the Roman Catholic Church.

The gist is that Paul, whatever the reason, put a complete stop on the works with his grace. Among other things, the main theme of Paul's addition and changes has to do with salt. Paul teaches, deceptively, that salvation is by grace through faith alone, not as a result of good works. Officially: "Justification by Faith" or "Salvation by Grace through Faith Alone."

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

It is fair to say that to follow in Jesus' footsteps is like trying to walk on water. And he did emphasize that it's not easy, although not impossible, provided we have enough faith and also the willingness to try our best. I believe that he wanted us to try as much as is humanly possible, for us to follow the examples he set for us. In other words, to give it all we got, and work hard at it. It's a hard act to follow, no doubt. And you and I, as well as a few others do say that Jesus' message had to be watered down a great deal. Enough to remove just about all the salinity, to make it palpable for the masses to swallow it all at at once, without tasting it first. Paul did that for sure, like no other. It's the motive we are after, and on whose authority, for making billions swallowed it; hook, line, and sinker.

The inherent laziness within mankind quickly awakens when it concerns obtaining something without performing any work." Something for free, in other words.

With a twist of paraphrasing: "Free at last, free at last, and I thank God it's free at last. Well, nearly free, since you only need to believe it's free from the salt content.

We should ask all those on a reduced sodium intake, to please show us their good graces. As well as showing us all the good it has done to lower their blood pressure. Come to think of it, their cheeks must have benefited too, by not doing the necessary work for turning from side-to-side at least 7 X 70 times.

@divegeester said
What is the “usual way”?

You seem to be very furtive about this.

Do other Christians here not like discussing how they came to believe what they believe or is it just Suzianne?

@kellyjay said
The thing is, from the creation of all things God did it, and when it comes to His church He is also the founder of that, as well as directing the writing of scripture. God's words when questioned led to the mess we are in now, the fall of man, and people are still questioning His Word. When we replace the Word of God with the feelings of man we get a lot of confusion and p ...[text shortened]... ng the NT. These were not self-appointed people for this task, Jesus chose them all including Paul.

Kelly,
You must be aware that Paul (Saul) had no eye, or ear witness for his claimed blinding encounter with Jesus' voice? The hand-picked disciples were all witness of each other, since they followed and served the Jesus they could all see, touch, and hear together, as a group. These were also given direct personal orders by Jesus to go two by two and go preach the Gospel.

On the way to Damascus, Paul was on orders from the chief Pharisees to go and arrest more "Jewish" Christians hiding out in Damascus, to bring them back, and probably kill them, as many others had already been executed, or imprisoned.

Does it not raise a red flag for you? And there are more red flags to raise.

@divegeester said
What is the “usual way”?

You seem to be very furtive about this.

Is furtive something like evading, but with an added twist of guilt, and intentional secrecy to not show the tears we shed for our enemies' woes?

Are you a Donizetti fan? Furtive, a shallow, barely seen salty tear. One could die by loving you. Dying from laughing so hard as to be shedding an ocean of tears, enough for you to take a dive.

Do you consider yourself an intellectual, YES, or NO?

@pettytalk said
Kelly,
You must be aware that Paul (Saul) had no eye, or ear witness for his claimed blinding encounter with Jesus' voice? The hand-picked disciples were all witness of each other, since they followed and served the Jesus they could all see, touch, and hear together, as a group. These were also given direct personal orders by Jesus to go two by two and go preach the Gospel ...[text shortened]... uted, or imprisoned.

Does it not raise a red flag for you? And there are more red flags to raise.

You can reject the book of Acts if you wish, and ignore the fact that the Spirit of God has come to the church as well, it is the Holy Spirit that has the job of teaching the church. Unlike when Jesus walked as a man among us the Spirit of God is not limited like that.

@pettytalk said
Is furtive something like evading, but with an added twist of guilt, and intentional secrecy to not show the tears we shed for our enemies' woes?

Would you like me to Google it for you?

@pettytalk said

Do you consider yourself an intellectual, YES, or NO?

Define “intellectual”?

@divegeester said
Do other Christians here not like discussing how they came to believe what they believe or is it just Suzianne?

It's not even Suzianne, gaslighter.

I share my testimony daily with others, but through experience, I've learned that talking about it here only gets me derided and stretched out on the rack for page after page after page all for the simple 'sin' of disagreeing with you, so you'll excuse me for sharing as little as possible with you apostates lest my pearls get trampled underfoot.

@divegeester said
Define “intellectual”?

It's an everyday word, lackwit.

@divegeester said
Would you like me to Google it for you?

Please don't, unless you are one in need of elucidation.

@suzianne said
I've learned that talking about it here only gets me derided and stretched out on the rack for page after page after page all for the simple 'sin' of disagreeing with you

This is paranoid nonsense. You will not be able to cite ONE example of being "derided and stretched out on the rack for page after page" for your Christian beliefs.

@suzianne said
It's not even Suzianne, gaslighter.

I share my testimony daily with others, but through experience, I've learned that talking about it here only gets me derided and stretched out on the rack for page after page after page all for the simple 'sin' of disagreeing with you, so you'll excuse me for sharing as little as possible with you apostates lest my pearls get trampled underfoot.

I’m not asking you for your “testimony”.

As you chose to challenge me on why I believe what I believe, and I answered you, I’m asking you how you have come to believe the particular beliefs you hold.

@fmf said
This is paranoid nonsense. You will not be able to cite ONE example of being "derided and stretched out on the rack for page after page" for your Christian beliefs.

Not at all. It is mere testimony, which you, naturally, will disavow.

@divegeester said
I’m not asking you for your “testimony”.

As you chose to challenge me on why I believe what I believe, and I answered you, I’m asking you how you have come to believe the particular beliefs you hold.

Reread my post.

Slowly, if necessary.

Everything I have to say to you on this topic is in there.