i have to say that it was quite a strange feeling.
for many years that i was in, i had to do a lot of pretending with various teachings i personally didn’t believe in.
still, i believed in some foundation and went for that.
And now I am curious as to why it was wise or just of God to order the massacre of every in Canaan.
The link above may provide more food for thought.
I have my own short-answer sound bite, but the above link is a pretty thorough treatment of the subject.
i have to say that it was quite a strange feeling.
for many years that i was in, i had to do a lot of pretending with various teachings i personally didn’t believe in.
still, i believed in some foundation and went for that.
For instance, he was saying that you can be friends with Jehovah and get to know him like Abraham did.
I have run into this argument before. The reason the Watchtower teaches people to use this line (it is common) is because the WT tries to make the argument that we can be friends with God OUTSIDE of the New Covenant.
Abraham was friends with God for one reason only...because he believed him, period. Had Abraham lived in the New Testament period, he would have believed God the same as he did before and accepted Christ as his Mediator. Abraham would not go along with a teaching opposite of what God has said: "There is one Mediator between God and men, a man Christ Jesus".
They are trying to create an extra-biblical position that claims you can be God's Friend even though Jesus isn't your Mediator from judgment, which occurs after you die. (Hebrews 9:27)
So the Watchtower reasoning is actually an impossibility: Essentially claiming that; If you disbelieve God and believe us instead, you can be God's friend like Abraham was because he believed God.
Here's some additional information on the account of the bears as well.
when people hear the name jehovah instead of thinking about god, they think about a religion or organization.
with all the problems with child abuse and the downhill motion the organization been having.
do you think they change name of organization?
Witnesses for Jesus is already taken.
But since Joseph Rutherford came up with the name, I'm thinking Joe's Witnesses might be more appropriate. And if you say Joe's Witnesses real fast, it almost sounds the same. Just a thought.
jesus used illustration to make things clear.
hence imagine yourself in a situation which reminds you of an important teaching:.
you are in a super market, and you are told: “someone has already paid for whatever you have purchased”[as churches teach through their ransom sacrifice].
Cofty,
Hell is an interesting subject. "Outer Darkness" is also spoken of as a destination. Who goes to which? Don't know. However, God knows and is just. Would it be unjust for some people to go to a hot hell? Well they have to go somewhere to await trial at the Great White Throne. God is good, so to reject him is to choose the absence of all that can be possibly be considered as "good". God respects choices.
From a standpoint of being just ...lots of people have burned others and so a like punishment wouldn't be out of the question. Hitler burned millions in the ovens, arsonists have killed huge numbers of people, burning them alive. So, there are crimes that would qualify in a eye for an eye sort of way.
One thing that you can be sure of is that most, whatever their crime, would consider most any form of punishment as inappropriate. But it is not the guilty's opinion (who excuse themselves) that matters. However "reasonable" their position, their exists a perfect judge.
Furthermore, today in "civilized" society we burn little kids all the time. The victims are the most vulnerable and innocent among us....made in the image of God, babies.
"A needle is inserted through the mother’s abdomen and amniotic fluid is withdrawn and replaced with a solution of concentrated salt. The baby breathes in, swallowing the salt, and is poisoned. The chemical solution also causes painful burning and deterioration of the baby’s skin. 30 to 35 hours later a badly burned and shrived baby is born."
This hospital was caught burning murdered baby bodies to help heat their facility. Just hideous.
Again, it is not yours or mine opinion that matters on such things. We are the guilty party so our opinion is biased. Further, you might think that burning babies is someone's right. Others might think that hell is too good for perpetrators of such heinous acts. All irrelevant. God's sense of justice is the only one that matters.
God emplors us to first seek peace with him through Jesus' work on the cross and to also seek kindness, goodness and especially grace and mercy. This is the heart and essence of God.
God encourages us to not seek justice in the way you are doing in attempting to judge God, because we are 100% likely to end up getting what we ask for - Justice.
And, whatever that justice is we are almost certainly going to be opposed to it. The Gates of Hell are all locked from the inside Cofty. It is chosen just as life is chosen.
jesus used illustration to make things clear.
hence imagine yourself in a situation which reminds you of an important teaching:.
you are in a super market, and you are told: “someone has already paid for whatever you have purchased”[as churches teach through their ransom sacrifice].
Ireneus,
The Israelites were indifferent to God and it was obvious in their life and conduct. They believed that they could not disappoint God because they were His chosen people. They trusted in their religious trappings and in their temple.
God wanted their love and emotion. He wanted their heart. They did not receive God’s instructions about the sacrifices until AFTER Moses returned from Mount Sinai in Exodus 24:1-12. God’s message to them was simply that He not did ask for sacrifices first. He asked for their love and commitment first.
Conclusion:
The same is true today. God wants your love and commitment more than anything else. It is easy for us to love our religious activities and our comfortable life more than Him. The Israelites worshipped God and other things too!
i really enjoy cooking but one thing i've never mastered is curry.
i've tried a few online recipes but they haven't turned out too well.
there's nothing better than a tried and tested, handed down ( or over!
Here's the one you want to get: Murraya koenigii. There is another curry plant that looks a little like Rosemary, but is not to be eaten.
You will not be disappointed. The leaves have curative and antibiotic properties according to some lab testing that has been done. Enjoy!
i really enjoy cooking but one thing i've never mastered is curry.
i've tried a few online recipes but they haven't turned out too well.
there's nothing better than a tried and tested, handed down ( or over!
Indian clients once gave me some fresh curry leaves. Wow! I then purchased a curry plant. They are very hard to find in Texas as they are illegal to ship. Anyway, the curry plant is different than curry powder sold at grocery stores; which, I'm told is actually a blend of spices.
So, far I've only used the leaves in place of parsley and basil. It will make a fantastic soup when added in place of parsley. I love the earthy, organic flavor. The flavor is very different than curry powder.
Just my .02
jesus used illustration to make things clear.
hence imagine yourself in a situation which reminds you of an important teaching:.
you are in a super market, and you are told: “someone has already paid for whatever you have purchased”[as churches teach through their ransom sacrifice].
The King James Version conveys the idea more accurately by stating that the Scribes' efforts were in vain. The possession of the accurate "Law of the Lord" (the one they mentally rejected) was also written in vain (at least to them) because they didn't accept it as written.
V. 8) How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
The book of Jeremiah is probably the most negative book in the bible. It utterly condemns the Israeli generation at that time. Judgment was coming unless they repented, which they didn't; and it did..... just as Jeremiah said it would.
jesus used illustration to make things clear.
hence imagine yourself in a situation which reminds you of an important teaching:.
you are in a super market, and you are told: “someone has already paid for whatever you have purchased”[as churches teach through their ransom sacrifice].
Spirits are real waton. The occult is a global practice.
Ireneus,
Jeremiah 8:8 is no problem at all. Scribes weren't just secretaries and copyists. .They were also teachers who did exegesis of scripture and in this case, were corruptly interpreting the law... not only with their mouth but also with their pen.... just as you do when you state certain scriptures that you don't like are "weeds".
Furthermore, the very next verse (9) claims that these false teachers HAD THE WORD OF GOD, BUT REJECTED IT.
"they have rejected the word of the Lord" V.9 Obviously, they had to have had the Word of God in order to reject it.
Scripture has been preserved. The Dead Sea scrolls gave us the book of Isaiah, which showed virtually no change in over 1000 years of copying.
Having the Word of God, and speaking & writing accurately about it are not the same things.
Preservation of Scripture is not a synonym for exegesis.
jesus used illustration to make things clear.
hence imagine yourself in a situation which reminds you of an important teaching:.
you are in a super market, and you are told: “someone has already paid for whatever you have purchased”[as churches teach through their ransom sacrifice].
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:26
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:51
“…waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” Titus 2:13-14
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.” John 12:24-27
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:5, 9-10
“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility between us by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:14-18
The purpose of Jesus sacrifice is abundantly clear. His life for yours....that's the offer on the table. We won't get another.
