The Cross

[Ricky]

For the life of me I cannot get around hating the cross. Christian say the cross gave Christ His power. Garbage. The cross is a man made Pagan piece of wood they murdered Jesus on. And then they give it to God by stamping it on the Bible and wearing it around their necks. Grave's have crosses everywhere.  Bible says God is not the father of the dead. I have many more issues with God and the Bible.

[indianabob]

Hi Ricky,

You may have read in the past that according to the original language Jesus was crucified on a stake or a pole without a cross piece to spread his arms wide to each side.
Matthew 27:42 says it was a "stauros" in Greek #4716 or tree, stake, post

[Ricky]

Hey Bob, whatever they used to kill Christ with became a cross and given to God. Still means the same thing. You cannot give God anything man made. There is only one thing God wants from man, his heart nothing more.

Hi Ricky,

You may have read in the past that according to the original language Jesus was crucified on a stake or a pole without a cross piece to spread his arms wide to each side.
Matthew 27:42 says it was a "stauros" in Greek #4716 or tree, stake, post

[indianabob]

True Ricky,
God wants our heart, but even so we cannot give it to God because that would require us to have a choice through our so called free will, which we do not have. God alone can change our heart of stone and make it a heart of love and compassion, in the next life. That I think is what we must learn. We in ourselves are helpless to do good and even our "good" works are to God as filthy rags.
=
The term "filthy rags" is quite strong. The word filthy is a translation of the Hebrew word [iddah], which literally means "the bodily fluids from a woman's menstrual cycle." The word rags is a translation of [begged], meaning "a rag or garment." Therefore, these "righteous acts" are considered by God as repugnant as a soiled feminine hygiene product.


=

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 
Isa 64:7  And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

[Ricky]

Bob , it sounds like whatever you think is good for you and God is garbage to God. If man cannot do any good for any reason to please God, life is not worth  the trouble of believing in God. That almost says He does not exist.

[Ricky]

Or maybe this fits better, if you go through life trying to please God something that cannot be done, you would be going against His will. If your 90 years old and have spent your entire life trying to please Him, you wasted your life doing that. Nothing could be worst than that.

[Dennis Vogel]

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

[Ricky]

Hello Dennis, my bible has that verse written this way, For it is God who energiseth within you, both the desiring and the energising in behalf of His good pleasure.

[Dennis Vogel]

Hello Dennis, my bible has that verse written this way, For it is God who energiseth within you, both the desiring and the energising in behalf of His good pleasure.

Rotherham's agrees with other translations:

(RSVA)  for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(CLV)  for it is God Who is operating in you to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight.

(ESV)  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(KJV)  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

(NRSV)  for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(Rotherham)  For it is, God, who energiseth within you, both the desiring and the energising, in behalf of his good pleasure.

(RSV)  for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(RV)  for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

(YLT)  for God it is who is working in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.