God showed us His love for mankind by giving us His Son. In what other ways does He display His love for us? He displays His love by overtly revealing Himself to all who truly desire to know Him. This is not a wishing game, as wishes don’t count. God runs an all-or-nothing business. It is very risky to put all of one’s eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is invisible. Another way God displays His love is to inspire those who make every effort to live up to the perfection of Jesus Christ. God would love to be a showoff.
He desires to manifest Himself in the material world through His followers. The reason is that God is not ashamed of who He is. And when His followers display His awesome power, then all will see what God is really like. Also, some will desire to be like Him. There is no other way. Goodness never desires to hide but to propagate itself. His disciples are the way God chooses to accomplish this.
I have been engaged in a crusade of desperately attempting to make some sense of the differences between the teachings of Christianity and the teachings of the Bible. I have come up with a myriad of explanations. Could I somehow lump them into one concise answer? Here goes. God is not as real as the physical world to most, if not all religious people. Certainty will always triumph over speculation. How can a person make the invisible God not just AS real but even MORE real than the material world? There is one answer: when the physical world becomes so distressing, in one way or another, that one desires to leave this world. If and when that situation becomes a reality, then a great need for anything better (Christ) will materialize.
Then, God has literally put His foot into one’s door. In short, the physical world must be devalued into a next-to-nothing situation. Then, God will have little or no competition. I truly believe that this could be the answer to religion’s problems. However, don’t look for any monumental solutions. And what is my excuse? Though I believe and teach what is in the Bible, my life does not completely coincide.
6 comments:
Al,
I’m very interested in what you doing with this web site. I agree with many of your principles and I always check the Bible. I don’t wish to stand toe to toe and argue God’s word with you but more like Proverb 27:17 (NLT) “As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend”. Sometimes people need be awakened and/or reawakened and reminded that God’s son died for us and sometimes it hurts; we don’t like the life that we’re living. You seem to be that type of person – jolting believers back into formation. I’m a sergeant in the US Air Force and when we have mass meeting, the commander may sometime say something that makes many people mad. I’ve found over the years that those are the people that the commander was try to reach and the anger in them is being provoked by their guilty conscious. This seems to be your style.
Scott, thanks for your incite. The reason I quote the New Testament more than the Old is because Jesus changed/explained so much of what the old Testament taught. They (Old Testament writers) could not understand or accept much of what Jesus taught because their hearts were hard, and they were not yet ready for Jesus’ advanced teaching which only someone as close to God as Jesus was, could teach.---------Yes, it is almost impossible to understand the New Testament without knowing what the Old consisted of. Above and beyond what Jesus taught, the Old Testament teaches us how God operates in many situations. Thanks again for your comment.
Al,
I don't think you meant to copy paste this comment with this element. You used it with another comment I posted.
I even found in another article where you used the "iron sharpens iron" verse. I'm slowly making my way through your web site. For the next 4 1/2 weeks, I have a lot of time on my hands to reflect on God.
Scott, I am sorry for the screw-up, but I knew you would figure it out. The comment you sent me is really encouraging. Thanks. I am surprised you figured out my strategy so quickly. Yes, but only a few, if even that, will respond as you did. Most religious people are and have been in their comfort zone for so long and they don’t want to be disturbed with the truth as displayed in the Christian Constitution. That is a nice and cozy but potentially deadly zone to be in. Can you do me a favor: I know you have spiritual questions that have no definitive answers. Let me, with God’s help, attempt to give you some possible answers. In that way you will be sharping my knowledge of God’s secret ways and I will help you in making a strong defense against people like Bright. I gave him a strong rebuttal. I don’t believe that will be the last we hear from him. I think I might post Bright’s comments and my rebuttal on the religious blog. What do you think about that. I will wait for your answer or other suggestions. Thanks for your thoughtful incite.
Al,
So what are the rules for communicating, free thinking can be dangerous; I’m sure that’s how Jim Jones got started.
Do you want me to sale my house and give the proceeds to the “Church of Blog”? (that's a funny by the way)
Scott, thanks for your questions. Free thinking is essential but only when it is to further the two great comands; love God with one's all and love those around you in need, without prejudices.
-----Your second question. There are many,many more important things to be concerned about than selling your house for God's glory. Selling one's house doesnot make one right before God. There are many people who sold their homes and gave the proceeds to their church or the such, and are going staight to Hell, because their church was steeped in heresy. Take care of the little Godly things first and the big decisions will take care of themselves. In other words, give yourself fully to God which is most important, and once that is done without compromise, don't be concerned about tomorrow, today has enough concerns of its own. and concerning giving money to a religious organizations, I say, forget it. You know how I feel about that.
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