Cellist...This is off the subject but thanks for Ezekial 34. The next time a large lady elbows her way ahead of me at the Deli counter I shall recall it...........Wombat
Scriptures You Will Not Hear At The 2-04-06 Church Sermon.
by scout575 27 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Justin
Yes, it was confusing. I thought Scout was an active JW who was trying to use these texts to prove annihilationism rather than eternal torment in hell fire! No wonder you wouldn't hear them in a church (a JW would think).
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scout575
Aniron: Whilst I don't doubt for one second that you have heard the above Scriptures during a sermon, I haven't. I listen to Radio 4's "Thought for the day" program every day, where clergymen of different denominations deliver short sermons, and not once have I heard the above texts being used. This comes as no surprise as they portray the view that people will be executed for not being Christian. It is little wonder that many Christians are uncomfortable with them. If someone were considering becoming a Christian, maybe the thought that the NT promises execution to those who don't embrace Christianity, would put them off becoming a Christian in the first place.
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Apostate Kate
The one important thing we can learn from this is that any religion that takes a few Scriptures out of context to try and make a point is lacking the full impact of what it really means.
I can quote a few lines of anything, even the American Consitution and it would sound like we were an evil communist state.
The Bible is more than a few Scriptures. There are 39 books that make up the Old Testament, and 27 in the New. The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew with some portions of Ezra-Nehemiah in Aramaic. The Old Testament is devided into three sections; the Law or Torah, the Prophets, devided into Former, Latter, and the Writings. The Writings fall into three groups; Poetic, Festival Scrolls of Megilloth (Ruth, Esther, Ecc., Songs of Solomon, and Lamentations.
The New Testament is written in Greek and is organized into; narrative books, epistles, and Revelation. There are different methods of interpreting these books; hermeneutical being one as there are different methods of study. There is the study of the subject matter, theological doctrines and teachings, and Biblical history.
There are moral teachings for living, additional areas of information, the study of the bible for its meaning, and the study of it for the inspired authors meaning. There is a roll of the Holy Spirit in interpretation, importance of genre within the Bible, and present day application.
There is the study of the texts and versions; it was written on papyrus, parchment made of sheep and animal hides, paper AD 105. There is the Leningrad Codex, the Aleppo Codex, the Codex Cairensis, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Samaritan Pentateuch, originated about the 5th century BC and was transmitted independently of the Masoretic Text.
Biblical theology has existed since the Bible was written. There are foundational pronciples, methodologies involved with understanding it. It is far too deep a book, to take a few Scriptures and say that these few Scriptures negate that there is anything good to be learned from it.
in my humblest of opinions......
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Apostate Kate
something to ponder.....
The word "destroyed" occures 18 times in the King James New Testament. "love" was found 328 times in 263 verses in the New Testament.
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JamesThomas
"love" was found 328 times in 263 verses in the New Testament.
"Love" which promises to punish and destroy those who do not bow to it, is not love, but rather cruel and immoral manipulation. Ponder this. j -
AuldSoul
JamesThomas,
If that was indeed what we find described then I would agree with the conclusion your point for musing leads to. I find, rather, that those who are rejected are the very ones who choose to oppress and limit their fellowman—among which people you will find many of almost any belief structure.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul -
Apostate Kate
The Bible makes it clear, when taken in context, that God loves us just the way we are. Matthew 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Why did Jesus come to call sinners to repentence? Because sin destroys our lives. Just as when my son dabbled with drugs, he could have killed himself. Did God then want to destroy my son? NO. He called him back, he went after him like a sheep who wandered too far from the Shephers protection. And God kept him safe. This has nothing to do with "punish and destroy, it is not "cruel nor immorale" for God to have paid the price for all our sin by His own blood. To call us back into His protection when we falter. Again I have said I don't care what anyone believes, but don't misrepresent the Bible because of the twisted lies the Watchtower taught us. It is not about religion. The Bible is not about religion, but a relationship with the Maker by way of His Holy Divine Son. It is not about death and destruction but life and that more abundant than ever known on earth. It is about love, the love of a Father for His children."love" was found 328 times in 263 verses in the New Testament.
"Love" which promises to punish and destroy those who do not bow to it, is not love, but rather cruel and immoral manipulation. Ponder this. j -
JamesThomas
Lets look at that place where the rubber hits the road; what does the Bible express towards those who do not accept, worship or give credence to any of its deities?
It is in no way special to "love" those who admire and honor us, it is quite another thing to love those who give us no attention at all. How then, will your deities love be shown towards me, who give him/them nothing? Honestly, in regards the Bible, what is to happen to the likes of me?
j
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Apostate Kate
Lets look at that place where the rubber hits the road; what does the Bible express towards those who do not accept, worship or give credence to any of its deities?
It is in no way special to "love" those who admire and honor us, it is quite another thing to love those who give us no attention at all. How then, will your deities love be shown towards me, who give him/them nothing? Honestly, in regards the Bible, what is to happen to the likes of me?
j
Well lets look at evil in our culture today. We have baby rapers, Child molestors, robbers, drug pushers who target children, wife beaters, murderers, ...you get the idea. Now this sin is still forgivable. But there must be repentence. God requires one to be sorry for raping children. Do you judge Him for that? Is that too much to ask of the people that He created? I believe the Bible is clear that when all people have the chance to really know Him, how awesome He is, how beautiful He is, how deep his love is for all of us, that no one would turn that love down except for the truly unrepentent evil. He may reach out to someone on their death bed as He did me. There are times my children have thought that I did not love them. It did not matter that I had given them all that I had to give, I had to wait until they grew, matured, had children of their own to realize how deep my love was and is for them. They could not see that love manifested until they had children of their own. God will continue to love you regardless of what you think of Him. That is the message of the Bible. Romans 5:8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. I could not offer either of my two sons to save anothers life.