Here’s some more savage text. We might as well air it all out. I guess we should rip out the pages which contain such things:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Matt 16:24 (KJV)
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
John 6:53 (KJV)
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Matt 10:33-38 (KJV)
We can come up with more if necessary. The point is, the author can remake God into whatever he wants, and that can be HIS God, but it will not be the TRUE God, the God who is there. The God who will eventually sit as his judge. Then he can tell Him why he deleted or ignored “savage text.”
The issue is, “Who gets to judge which words to accept and which ones to reject?” Is it that each person gets to make that decision? Or is it that each person can pretend he has the right to make such decisions, and can pay for his error later, when he faces the true Judge?
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil 2:10-11 (KJV)
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Phil 2:12-13 (KJV)
Thanks for the quotes and good questions: “Who gets to judge which words to accept and which ones to reject?” Is it that each person gets to make that decision? Or is it that each person can pretend he has the right to make such decisions, and can pay for his error later, when he faces the true Judge?
We can only hope God is merciful of our ignorance which I suspect he is due to his loving nature. True we don`t have infinite minds to comprehend the full truth and that is the reason for faith, in part. And I think God has given us a mind to wrestle with these issues and help us see ourselves within this plight and to see the beauty of his creation. It is staggering, wondrous and humbling to behold.