> General Discussions
questions. weighing heavily on my heart
Dave in Tenn:
I believe the precept of "First the Physical, Then the Spiritual" applies. I'm not handing out answers, but do some studying on the why's and wherefor's of the Law from the New Testament perspective.
Regardless of what we were raised/want to think...it's clear that God is in ultimate control of everything. There is no evil thing (and for the fourteenth time, I'm not talking about SIN, but EVIL) anywhere anytime that He has not done--directly or 'through others' in His sovereignty.
I look at the Old Testament in the same way I look at the world today. Why do these things continue to happen? The exception is, that 'these things' (the OT stories) happened as an example for believers. It is carnally minded to think we are to 'emulate' those practices literally and in the flesh today. The New Covenant is more than just a different set of Scriptures. There are PLENTY of people in this age who are still trying to live in that one. The New Covenant is Spiritual.
It is no less carnally-minded to think that the humanity God is creating is His image is off-limits to God in doing His work.
I've struggled mightily with this as well. All I can tell you is that the above is an much-abbreviated version of what I understand to date. The rest is just for me.
Gina:
I've struggled with it too many times to the point that I've just wanted to pack it in and say -- see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya.
I guess it's like God's so bold to do that, you know? But see? That's precisely what makes God stand out above all the other gods.
That God takes full responsibility for all of that. "Hey! I did that!" Ya know? Wow.
He's not accountable to us. He doesn't answer to anyone. That's sometimes quite infuriating, yes? Yes!
I am personally in the process of attempting to learn to do what Ray said (like the way I worded that? lol).
He said this:
--- Quote ---I can see where people might be afraid of Him. I’m not afraid of Him anymore. I just feel, what’s the use, why be afraid of Him? He is what He is, I am what I am. I’m not going to be afraid of Him. I respect Him, I’m awe struck, but I’m not afraid, not ‘afraid.’
--- End quote ---
Is that not the coolest, boldest statement you've ever heard in the last -- well, since God began putting words in Jesus' mouth? Right?!!
After I heard that and reflected on it for a while one night, I felt my tense muscles relax a bit -- that experience was hard to forget. lol
Yeah, it's like, what's the use of being afraid? He's never gonna leave you or go some place else where we can't find Him! lol He is here to stay.
Is that what's at the heart of what's weighing heavily on you? I don't know. It was for me. It's like, 'Gee, since God did all those horrific things to those people and things, and I'm not anything grand or special, what's stopping Him from doing those same things to me or someone I love?'
Welp, God says He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
Then, I remember thinking, wait a second, the bible doesn't tell us to think [or meditate or fix our minds] on that sad stuff, but rather on these:
Phil 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
That helps me.
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.... these are few of my favorite things...
...(Lah-dee-dahh and twiddle dee-dee) lol Well, you get what I'm saying.
1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. ... For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. ...
Luke 12:2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
You call all the ones that God killed "innocent" and some were innocent, He even said so ..somewhere...; however, we're instructed to judge..
...nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. (1 Cor. 4:5)
Bottom line, we have to come to the point where the view of God restoring all to HEALTH (salvation) is what is at the forefront of our minds. We must (shall) be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Love and peace to you. :)
Deborah-Leigh:
--- Quote ---if Jesus is the Father come down to Earth in a disguise, leading a life as a devoted follower of God. to help set an example for others to follow. doesn't this sound like hindu's belief that God sometimes come down as a follower of God to help guide others? as God incarnate as a follower of God?
--- End quote ---
Hi Revilonivek
Just a few thoughts : Belief can become RELIGION that creates followings not freedom, bondage not liberty, fear not love and darkness not light.
Man made reasoning's can make up long lines of beliefs and no actual believing...like rules and no faith, that can attract followings after man made leanings on limited understandings, fears and terrors. Take this example for instance
The Christian hell is a Christian hoax.
The Jewish hell is a Jewish hoax.
The Islamic hell is a Islamic hoax.
The Greek hell is a Greek hoax.
The Hindu hell is a Hindu hoax.
The Babylonian hell is a Babylonian hoax.
The Egyptian hell is an Egyptian hoax.
And every other hell of every other culture and religion on earth is a man-made HOAX! http://bible-truths.com/lake16-D1.htm
I see the parallel you draw, and likewise :) Humans like to follow someone, something, anything! lol They feel safe in numbers not singled out, one on One with God.
Your second question and reasoning's actually show how God defeats death. No matter what kind of death, death brings, God defeats death in all of deaths shapes, forms and features. It is death that becomes no more, not God. ;D Death is diminished to nothing, not God.
Mankind likes death. They worship death and they make death their objection to God and their judgement against God, is death.
For Christ Who is risen, Death is no more, is defeated and has no sting.
Death has no part of the Life that is Christ in you, who is raising you up.... :)
Arc
Kat:
Hi Denise,
--- Quote ---My second question is this...scripture is clear that Jesus is the yahweh God of the old testament. why the brutality?approving of killing, rape of women and children of other tribes not of God. killing pregnant women, babies and young children. its not their fault. they were born in different cultures, destroyed towns and all inhabitants in it if one or two was practicing a different religion. and they treated women as property, ruling his people with an iron fist. very strict and demands blood of innocent animals to cover people's sin and soothe Gods anger and now Jesus rules with mercy and compassion in the new testament and He himself was the God of the old testament? Bible says he never changes but this is obvious he changed?
--- End quote ---
this is hard thing to accepted as the way that God in His perfect knowledge determined to do things. Let me give you an analogy, not a perfect, maybe not even a good one, but maybe it will help.
If I decide to make a dress and I cut out all the pieces and sew it together and then I have a dress to wear. But say the thread was faulty and when I wear it and move and put tension on the seams, they bust open. So the dress is no good for the purpose I made it, it can not be trusted to wear, because it keeps ripping open and will not cover me up.
So I take the dress and tear out all the seams, really destroy the dress and now it is a pile of fabric as it was before. But then I remake it, but this time I use good strong thread. So when it is finished I can wear it proudly with no fear that it will come apart.
Do you see what I'm saying, the comparison? Just like with the dress, all humanity will suffer death, before they can be remade.
God made mankind weak, evil even, we are not good. There is many ways that we prove this in the evil acts done to one another. So people suffer and die at the hands of one another all the time, it is a way we prove our evilness, that and countless other evil things we do. People are killed and die through some many terrible ways every day, that is true.
But there is a limit to what people can suffer, people die if there bodies are injured too much, they die and it's over. I mean that is in the design of human beings, we will only suffer to a certain degree and then we die. Now death is a scary thing for us all, but it will come to us all, that's for sure. The means that it comes is the worse part, but when it is over, that's it, no more suffering, just the sleep of death until the resurrection. So everybody has to go through this evil experience of life, then die. Well you say one death is worse than another. Okay, but the outcome is the same for all, death, the end of this life will come.
But then all that died will be raised and given a new body, but more importantly a new heart, the faulty/weak heart is gone and now they can be cleansed and made righteous.
The old faulty evil self that we have now, is a way to show us all that we are hopelessly weak and evil on our own without God's Spirit. We are doing a very good job of proving our faults (coming apart at the seams). But that is not the end, God will raise everybody back up and make it right. We must trust that He knows what He is doing.
Well that's a few thoughts I have on this.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Rene:
--- Quote from: Gina on January 13, 2012, 12:25:53 AM ---
Phil 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Bottom line, we have to come to the point where the view of God restoring all to HEALTH (salvation) is what is at the forefront of our minds. We must (shall) be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
--- End quote ---
Excellent reminder, Gena. :) Whenever we start struggling and with "how God does things" we need to "redirect" our thinking.
René
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