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Author Topic: Context  (Read 6118 times)

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Craig

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Context
« on: April 04, 2007, 07:07:40 PM »

        Greetings Ray

        Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on what appears to be an amazingly extensive piece of analysis of the bible and its possible alternate interpretations. I feel it's a noble investment of time and adds immense value to many peopls' lives. You clearly have had a desire to find the Truth and ,judging by the volume of your writings, have had plenty of time in which to do so.

        Scriptures are incredibly powerful. Unfortunately, like with any resource in life, this power can be used for both good and evil. Some cults for example promote an essentially evil way of life but which are fully backed by many different bits and pieces of scripture all taken out of context and strung together to "prove" that the bible supports that cult's way of living.

        I would like to question you regarding a specific verse that I feel you may have use d out of context. I'm not accusing you of being a cult leader or anything :-) please don't take offence. I've only read about 5 pages of "lake of fire part 5", so I'm in no position to comment on your overall theory or analysis.

        The question: You wrote the following about 5-10 pages down in your lake of fire part 5 article:

        Isn't it up to each individual to "CHOOSE CHIRST" in order to be saved?
        "You have NOT CHOSEN ME, but I have CHOSEN YOU…" (John 15:16)

        You're basically saying that we need not choose Christ out of our own free will - He will choose us. God is in total 100% control.

        The verse supports that viewpoint if read in isolation, but if you read the whole chapter then I don't believe it supports it at all.
        http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=15&version=31

        Jesus is teaching His deciples. He starts off by telling them the parable of the vine that bears fruit and is pruned or "moulded" by the gardener. (v 1-8). He then goes o n to explain that love for one-another is one of His most important commandments (v 9 - 17).

        In verse 16 He is speaking specifically to them, saying that they did not come to him out of their own free will and that He chose them. This I believe is true. I do not believe that this is applicable to everybody who has and will ever live. I.e. it could be that others (e.g people in our generation) do need to come to Christ willingly.

        Please assist me in my open-minded quest for the Truth by letting me know what you think.

        All the very best
        Michael


        Dear Michael:  I don't want you to think I am angry with your question, I am not, it is a fine question, but I really do get wearied over the Christian god of "context, context, context."

        Let's look at this question from the side of context only:  So Jesus chooses "you" (His original disciples) ONLY in this one context back in 30AD. Today we choose "HIM." And this is because "Jesus is NOT the same yesterday AND TODAY...."  is He?  Ah, but don't we have a Scripture that says, "Jesus Christ the SAME yesterday AND TODAY...." (Heb. 13:08)?  "Yes, Ray, it does say that, but O-N-L-Y IN THE C-O-N-T-E-X-T OF HEBREWS 13!  You can't just lift that Scripture OUT OF CONTEXT simply because it backs up your heretical teaching."

        But don't we also need a second witness if we say that Jesus chooses His disciples, rather than His disciples choosing Him?  Okay, here's another:  "NO MAN CAN comes to Me except the Father draw him...." (John 6:4). Actually we have a THIRD witness to this same truth: "Therefore said I unto you, that NO MAN CAN come unto me, except it were given unto him of My Father" (John 6:65). Oh now I get it:  I lifted THIS prooftext out of context as well. It is only in the context OF JOHN 6:44 that "no man can come to" Christ. In all OTHER CONTEXTS man CAN come to Christ and the Father does NOT have to "draw him."  I think I am beginning to see the light:  There is NO SCRIPTURE THAT IS TRUE except in the context of which it is found. Okay, now I get it; there is no truth except "contextual truth."  Yes, "GOD IS LOVE," but ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF I John 4:08. Take God OUT of I John 4:08 context, and "GOD IS NOT LOVE."  Okay, know I get. This Christian theological, hermoneutical, exegetical, contextual interpretation is marvelous stuff. How did I not see this great wisdom all these years.

        Let me try another, to be sure I got it right:  "I am the LORD [Yahweh] I CHANGE NOT..." (Mal. 3:6).  Okay, here we go:  God "CHANGES NOT" but ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF MALACHI 3:6!  In any OTHER CONTEXT, God CHANGES ALL THE TIME.  Yes, I think I finally got it!  CONTEXT THIS:  "Professing THEMSELVES to be wise, they became FOOLS [Gk: 'STUPID']!

        There is a place for "context." Making Jesus Christ and God His Father out to be blatant LIARS is not that place.

        God be with you,

        Ray   

        PS  Has it never occurred to these holier-than-thou theologians that it is not possible to "quote" ANY SCRIPTURE IN CONTEXT. One can "read" a Scripture "in context," but only if he reads ALL the verses before it and ALL the verses after it, A-N-D all the paragraphs before it and all the paragraphs after it AND  all the chapters before it and all the chapters after it...........AND all the books before it and all the books after it, then and only then can one truly use a single verse "IN CONTEXT."   After all, we cannot quote the book of Colossians without considering it in the "context" of all the rest of Paul's epistle.  Therefore, even when our own Lord quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures, theologians would have to find Him guilty of "quoting a Scripture out of context."  Thank God that I don't have to march to the beat of their drummer.


« Last Edit: April 04, 2007, 07:23:33 PM by Kat »
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