Tammy,
Thank you for answering my inquiry. From what I am gathering the statement/notion: "Christ is the truth... Christ is the image and word of God."
That is something you chose to follow intently to the extent that it is the ultimate and superlative statement of anything else written in the Bible. You have put your complete faith and trust in it, so much so that you believe the (holy) spirit has led you to have an understanding about life and world view which otherwise you would not either have discovered or realize.
I believe I understand what you are stating, but too believe that anyone else can grab a statement from the Bible have an interpretation or strong belief of what it means - even to a superlative degree and then disregard or dismiss anything that goes contrary to that belief and understanding. As a side note, the order can be somewhat reversed too in that a person has a strong belief and finds something(s) in the Bible to support it.
Again, I certainly understand and believe you are more than entitled to have your belief and I understand and respect that but at the same time realize the aforementioned.
Let me provide this example...You stated that Christ being the truth and the image and the word of God is the conclusion of the bible, prophets and that all evidence and work and history has led up to it.
I read the Bible and prayed and came to the conclusion that the last things stated in the Bible are the most important. Those are the things God wants people to understand, because often what is read last is remembered first, and that it makes sense that the whole Bible collectively builds to this epic finish and finale of enlightenment. So the last book of the Bible points to Christ coming quickly. The focus though is not on Christ, although he is an important part in understanding what God wants and how we become ultimately happy and in union...The point, though, is to move and live quickly.
That is what the evidence and even life around as shows today. Doesn't society move fast, is life becoming faster pace as time progresses? Has not much changed so quickly in such a short period of time? And what example do we have from the son of God? What direction and admonition is he provided? “To come quickly”; therefore, we must learn to adapt and adjust to live and do things as fast as possible…That is the key to life and drawing close to our creator, learning to balance and move so fast in thinking and action. We are to come quickly as the Lord Jesus.
Science points to amazing things which occur relative to speed and pace as well...’Faster than the speed of light’, ‘fast enough to break the sound barrier’. Once we achieve a fast enough pace that is pleasing to God, then we can hear His voice, beyond a spiritual speed at which most travel, we will pass through sound barriers and hear as well as witness God in what can be described as the breaking the spiritual speed of light and sound barrier.
I'll stop there, but I hope you understand my point. Whether it is I read something from the Bible and put full faith and trust in that statement first and experience its "truth", or I first experience something or some things which also happen to harmonize with something I find in the Bible (Or at least I perceive it that way), in either case any person can experience or pick from a slew of notions, beliefs or philosophies, focus on any one of them, and then make it their ultimate or superlative 'gospel', and have a way to “prove” it, at least to themselves.
You chose the statement: "Christ is the truth... Christ is the image and word of God."
There's no denying millions feel and believe the same way.
However, Jehovah's Witnesses picked that as well, albeit secondary and state the thrust and meaning of life and the conclusion of the prophets is about God's Kingdom and the sanctification and vindication of God's name. They have a slew of scriptures and scriptural interpretations that support it. They too point to all evidence and history and work leads up to that.
The kicker here is if I go to China, the majority will have something completely different following a similar thinking and pattern (Belief statement -> “Evidence” -> Conclusion (Supports it, if not exactly as belief statement)). Ditto with India. The “Evidence” though is highly subjective to interpretation and situational according to (local) customs-upbringing - truly circumstantial.
Again, I appreciate and respect for you to have your view and opinion. If I am misunderstanding your conclusion and belief and how you came to it, please correct me. Nonetheless, from a complete worldview and going through the same process many have gone through but instead focusing on perhaps some other statement/notion/idea, and/or living in a different part of the world, any person can come to any conclusion and believe it as their, if not the, ultimate truth.
Logically for me, it just doesn't add up to anything conclusive, just another belief or interpretation of matters. Again, thank you for your time, efforts, and explanation...I'm always open to hearing, reading, and trying to understand different beliefs, philosophies and ideas. Truly Tammy, I am not looking to dispute or find wrong with what you believe, just trying to live and learn and understand life and humans better – looking for clarity on things every now and then, if I come across something that I believe I may be missing or not seeing for myself.
Again, I appreciate it…thank you.
