zach@drutx.att.com (Zach Lewis) (09/13/89)
In article <961@cbnewse.ATT.COM>, archmage@cbnewse.ATT.COM (scott.t.grant) writes: > In article <457f13ff.be99@apollo.HP.COM>, jking@apollo.HP.COM (John King) writes: > > Stuff deleted ... > > Jesus himself is an enigma. His first messages were of love. Love and > understanding. He then changes his ministry into one of judgement and > condemnation with the "fire and by the sword" bit. Is Justice a part of Love. I see many posting like this and find almost everytime a person who does not understand what Hell is about or the Judgement. Let's look at the Judgement first: What does the word mean ? The dictionary says this the mental ability to perceive and distinguish between two things. Now how does that relate to God. the Bible makes it clear and shows over and over again that the devil has tried to tell man that he can live without God. Adam and Eve in the garden wanted to be their own god, but what was the fruit of their decision ? Use your Judgement ! Fear entered the world because of their choice. Today we see a society that lives as if there is no God. What are the fruits of such a life. (drugs, theft, murder, rape, etc.) Is this what the Bible talks about. 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Use your Judgement. The Bible gives you God's will for man and man chose to go contrary. What does your judgement say ? Are we better off as Reagan says ? Use your judgement. The Judgement is the time when God finally says here's what I said, Here's what you did, what are the fruits of your decision ? Judge . Is God's Word clear ? Many say no but let's look at the basic principles that the Bible makes clear. What is the two laws. Mark 12:29-34. Love God, Love Neigbor ! Who is my neigbor ? Luke 10:25-37 Everybody even the person that might hate you. If the world has the Love talked about in the Bible would we have a drug problem, rape, murder, war, etc. Use your Judgement ! IT is a choice ? > > If there should happen to be a God then he is a cold and cruel one. He > remains silent to those who seek to know him. He ignores his creation and > the suffering of his "children". God ignores where do you find that. People abuse people why do you blame God ? I guess you want God to treat us like prisoners not allowing us to choose to do wrong things and killing anyone in the act of doing wrong. Could we use our judgement if God kill everyone when he knew that the choice that they made that day would kill a child that day or down the years through inherited medical problems ? Use your judgment ! > vain, and above all, a spoiled brat. In re-reading the bible from a non- > biased point of view, it is the devil who comes across as the friend of > mankind. He is the one who brings us knowledge of Good and Evil in the > Old Testament, only through a knowledge of Good and Evil can you truly have > free will....otherwise you cannot make a descision. Does the above make sense ? Adam and Eve knew what Good and Evil was they choose to follow the Evil. Use your Judgement ! Does the devil wants the best for people ? Use your judgement ! Have you ever seen real demon possesion ? The devil is the enemy of FREE WILL ! Drugs are the work of the devil and addiction is the sure result of following the devil and that takes away your free will. cigarettes, alchol, cocaine, caffine, etc. The list of things that the devil trys to use to control men. Does the Bible suggest the use of these or does it say that wine is amocker and strong drink raging abd whoever is deceived thereby is NOT wise. proverbs 20:1. Use your judgement ! Zac
zach@drutx.att.com (Zach Lewis) (09/13/89)
In article <5894@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM>, jackg@tekirl.LABS.TEK.COM (Jack Gjovaag) writes: > In article <457f13ff.be99@apollo.HP.COM> jking@apollo.HP.COM (John King) writes: > >Most of Jesus' teaching was in parables which were > >not easily comprehended by those who were not open to his message. In > >fact even the apostles didn't understand some of them, and had to > >go to Jesus and ask (Luke 8:9,10). God, then speaks to those who have the > >proper heart condition, and are willing to make an effort to search for him. > Statements such as the above have always seemed a bit strange to me. > In a sense it says that having the wrong heart condition is > an unforgivable sin in that unless the individual correct the > problem all by himself, he doesn't have access to the secrets > of God. The so-called "free gift" isn't really free at all > but requires a certain amount of cleaning up of one's act > before the gift gets bestowed. > I don't know where in the Bible you got the message clean up and then you get the free gift. Ephesians 2:8,9 says that it is free. > > I spent quite a while reading and studying the bible and actually > wanted to believe the Christian message. After quite a bit > of studying, I concluded that for me sufficient evidence simply > was not there, so I quit wanting to believe and decided that > a more skeptical mindset was appropriate. I think the ball > is now in god's court if he exists. What ball are you talking about. The Bible makes it clear that there is a God and that God has a way of life that is good and productive. The devil came along and said God's way is wrong and now we have the ball of choice is God good or can we live without God. If you look at the world around you today you see a world trying to live without God. What are the results ? (drugs, AIDS, crime, abortion, etc.) The list can be much longer. Did God cause these things ? Did God have a way that man chose not to follow. I say yes and that is because I read the Bible to see what god says to me and what choice is the best. The Bible has direction on every facet of life. How should I treat my enemies ? Matthew 5:11,12,38-48. What if more people follow this text alone what would the world be like if people follow God ? What about judging other ? Matthew 7:1-5. What would the world be like if people judged themselves as hard as they judged other. ? On this net I see many postings where a text here and a text there is taken out of context to mean whatever someone wants but in the Life of Jesus found in the gospels the confusion is cleared up. People ask what is God like look at Jesus for John 1:1 says that he was God. What did Jesus do ? I say read and see. John 5:39 shows what the problem has always been in reading the Bible, people look for things to do rather than know God for themself. A relationship causes the works. John 15:1-17. Like in love, you don't buy flowers to love you but flowers because you love someone. The Ball is in your court. Read the Gospels in the Bible to know God then the other things will make sense John 5:39,40. Zac