Posted on 03/28/2005 5:03:23 AM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
No need to convince anybody. Christ already knows and others if they are interested will be able to observe the fruit as appropriate.
I do not know what He is like, because I don't believe we humans, can understand God.
I don't know what you mean by having a call on my life?
I believe that the only God there is, is all-knowing and all-powerful. I think He would have to be, to be the creator.
How could one become distracted from their destiny? Isn't destiny preordained, and everything that happens, part of that destiny, including distraction and remaining faithful?
What do you mean by...'others will be able to observe the fruit as appropriate'?
The required sacrifice that Mary and Joseph made when they presented the infant Jesus at the temple shortly after his birth indicates that they were poor. They chose to offer pigeons rather than the prescribed lamb, a substitute acceptable under the law of Moses only for those in poverty.
According to Luke, the wise men from the east did not arrive until months, perhaps as long as two years, after the birth, when Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were living in a house in Bethlehem. The magi's journey apparently started when the star appeared at the time of the birth. Joseph and Mary probably used the proceeds from the wise men's gifts to finance their flight to Eqypt to escape Herod's assassins.
Granted, while Jesus no doubt had the ability to have become quite well-to-do by earthly standards, he chose instead a modest life. Scripture says he "had no place to lay his head," a reflection of his chosen itinerant lifestyle. The women who witnessed his crucifixion also provided monetary support for his ministry (Joanna, Susannah, Mary Magdalene, etc.)
>I don't know what you mean by having a call on my life? ,
You have said the God you believe in is the creator.a creator has certain perogatives when it comes to the creation.( call on our life)One of these would seem to be that we should adhere to his wishes.Obey his commands.Wouldn't you agree with that?
Really, blaming God for what was done?
...according to John, which incidentally, most biblical historians concur was written by THREE different authors approximately 110 YEARS after the death and resurrection of Christ (therefore, the deciples of John as the apostle could not have lived that long...
Rolls of bread in any depiction of the Last Supper are an obvious error. Regardless of when it was held, preparation for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasted a week after the Passover night itself, required that all Jewish homes be cleansed completely of any type of leaven. Leavened bread just was not there that night.
After much study, I truly believe that the Last Supper and betrayal in the garden was on Wednesday night with the crucifixion on Thursday. That allows for the full three days and three nights in the tomb (The "sign of Jonah" in Matthew 12). We've been taught that the crucixion had to be on Friday because it was the day before the Sabbath. However, that week had two Sabbaths: in addition to the weekly Saturday Sabbath, the first day of Passover is always a Special Sabbath, and John uses those words to describe the day after Jesus died. So I believe there were two Sabbaths, back-to-back, Thursday and Friday.
Also, John says that the Jewish leaders would not enter Gentile buildings during Jesus' trial because they would become ceremonially unclean if they did. He says they had not yet eaten the Passover, which, if you believe his account (and he was there!) indicates that the Last Supper of the previous evening was a passover meal eaten early.
So, while Jesus, the Lamb of God, was dying a miserable death outside the city walls, priests and the religious leaders of the day were slitting the throats of sacrificial Passover lambs in the temple. They completely missed the point of the greatest event in human history.
Can you imagine the panic when darkness and earthquake interrupted the slaughter and the veil was torn in two?
Poetry. Pure poetry.
"Not really “blaming God”, but if the crucifixion had not happened, what would be said of the prophecies, and would there be a Christian religion today?"
I am no preacher, just a very common unknown, but to discuss Christian religions of today is not necessarily what was foretold. I tend to stay in what the WORD actually says and let the religions speak for themselves.
In other words I do not want to offend just because I know I can.
>according to John, which incidentally, most biblical historians concur was <
Actually a few modern day sceptics not most biblical historians.
Just as your personal computer has been preordained to run a calculator when that button is pushed, until it is pushed it isn't opertional. There are a number of things preordained for us, which if we rebel from Him and fail to return to Him we will aimply leave on the table as an eternal memorial of our foolishness.
No, because we are talking about God, not a human creator.
How do you know God, the creator, has certain perogatives when it comes to the creation?
But aren't all our button pushings, already known to God? And since He is the creator, didn't He create us, knowing what and when our button pushings will be...and the results and effects on others will be?
Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Well stated.
How do you know that there even are prerogatives? What would God need with them?
We have to assume a common definition of terms, in order for us to communicate between ourselves, but I don't think it is valid, to assign our definitions and terms to God.
I believe that it is sufficient to say we are talking about God, and not man. We can't define God by our terms.
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