Spot on, jo. If you are "saved," as they believe, when you say the Sinner's Prayer, and are now the (s)"elect" -- why is there a need for your judgment?!
[FK to jo kus] There is one Godhead composed of three distinct persons. The Pharisees did not believe in this God, and pro-actively REJECTED this God
[jo kus to FK] The Pharisees' problem was that they didn't believe that Christ was the True Messenger of the Father - giving a teaching that excelled Moses. They were blind to the teaching of Love and of self-giving.
First, the concept of Trinity is alien to Judaism or, for that matter, to any other religion as far as I know. I would say that the God of the Pharisees is much closer to Calvinists' idea of a God than to the knowledge of Him held by the Church from the beginning.
What the Pharisees rejected was the idea that man can become God (and to this they refuse to consider that God can become man). The Jews of today consider Trinity "polytheism," again refusing to consider that God is Wisdom and that such Wisdom cannot be without a Word or Spirit.
However, paradoxically, their idea of a God is very-much man-like (anger, favoritism, vengefulness, etc. as portrayed in the OT), and in that sense quite pagan in my opinion. They take the idea that man was created in His image and likeness literally -- like Me and minny-Me, with all characteristics there and disproportionate power. Jesus Christ simply did not fit that idea of a God. Besides, He was reinterpreting the Scriptures, performing "work" (of saving a man's life!) on a Sabbath, and calling them the sons of the devil.
[jo kus to FK] is a giving of SELF! It is wishing the best for another for that person's sake. Not for one's own "glory". Any sort of action that is done for one's own benefit is self-love.
That is a very important distinction between the Church and Calvinists. The whole idea of Trinity is a supernatural revelation to mankind that God is one but not alone, and that He is a perfect Loving Community of Persons, which we are to emulate -- in love, out of love and because of love for others.
God did not create man so He can dominate him. Nor did He make man because he was "bored" or "lonely" in His singularity. Nor did He make man so He can destroy some and save others, for God is the Creator and not a destroyer.
God gives all His love to mankind because self-love is no love. He did not have to make man so He can proclaim His own glory. Only man makes things for his own illusion of glory.
God's glory is manifested in His Creation, as our sinfulness is in its destruction.
I am perplexed by the dozens and dozens of times that God says man will be judged on what they do! Of course, WHY would He judge those who CANNOT come to God - because God does not give them anything to be able to do this - while those He DOES give His graces to He so overwhelms them that they are actually doing NOTHING??? What exactly is God judging? This is really where Protestantism falls on its face. It is not logical.
What they say is that God judges and condemns people because they cannot pick up 10,000 pounds over there head by themselves, while God judges and rewards other people for "watching" God driving a forklift and doing it for them entirely. THIS IS THE GOD OF LOVE?
What the Pharisees rejected was the idea that man can become God (and to this they refuse to consider that God can become man). The Jews of today consider Trinity "polytheism," again refusing to consider that God is Wisdom and that such Wisdom cannot be without a Word or Spirit.
Very true. I think the Pharisees were not open to thinking outside of their own self-constructed box. When they saw the proof of Jesus, when they heard His preaching, their hearts were closed, their eyes were blind. We see this even today. You can give a bible to an atheist and will he necessarily turn to God? Not if his heart and mind is closed to the possibility. In the same manner, our separated brothers of Protestantism are closed to the apostolic church's teachings that God is love. They prefer the vengengeful God who randomly chooses people to perdition and to heaven. Those He sends to hell can rightfully claim - "why am I here, you never gave me a chance or the ability to do fulfill your commands". The God of love... It saddens me that some people cannot see how much God greatly desires communion with us lowly humans.
You make a good point about paganism. One of the primary concepts in ancient religion was that of fate. It was the mainstay of paganism - that you were destined for a particular fate. Is not Calvinism a return to this paganism with Christian names? One of THE main reasons that people converted to Christianity was that they saw HOPE in their future. Their lives were not already predetermined. There was purpose in their lives again. This return to fate is truly depressing to the dignity of mankind.
The whole idea of Trinity is a supernatural revelation to mankind that God is one but not alone, and that He is a perfect Loving Community of Persons, which we are to emulate -- in love, out of love and because of love for others.
Yes, I think our brothers fail to understand the concept of "TRINITY" and how life WITHIN the Godhead is to be "mirrored" here on earth. That total self-giving of the Father to the Son and vice-versus. God IS love. He does not "possess" love. His very self, His essence, is love. He cannot do "loveless" things, as He wouldn't be true to Himself. We are created in this image. We come to the meaning and fulfillment of our lives when we learn how to give of ourselves to others. This concept, I believe, is totally foreign to Calvinists. Salvation is not based on love, but on random selection - for what purpose? An experiment? A whim? To show off His sovereignty to us puny humans? I don't see the condescending nature of love in Calvin's idea of God. The more I hear about it, the more I see why the Council of Trent firmly refuted this un-Christian heresy that removes Love from our lives. Fear and blind presumption are the watchwords here.
Brother in Christ