Short Takes

[Olde Tymer]

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● Heb 5:4-6 . . Christ did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest.
But God said to him; "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (cf. Ps
110:4)

Melchizedek was God's high priest in Abraham's day. (Gen 14:18-20, Heb 5:10)

Mel's authority held sway in his region quite a few years prior to the covenant that
Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy. (a.k.a. Moses' law)

The thing to note is that none of the curses listed in Moses' law are retroactive.
(Deut 5:2-4 & Gal 3:17)

In a nutshell; when your high priest is patterned after Melchizedek, then you are
in no danger of being cursed for failure to comply with Moses' law; which includes,
but isn't limited to, the Ten Commandments.

That was quite an advantage for Mel's constituents, They were at liberty to
follow God another way because they weren't covenanted with God to comply
with Moses' law, and seeing as how Jesus is Christianity's Melchizedek, then
his followers are at liberty to follow God another way too.
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[Olde Tymer]

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Webster's defines "penance" as an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion
performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin.

Extreme forms of penance include things like donning sackcloth and ashes,
malnutrition, hermitage, celibacy, walking around with a pebble in one's shoe,
privation, self flagellation, the wearing of garter belts studded with metal spikes,
and ascending flights of stairs on one's knees, et al.

Those types of calculated pain and/or suffering are usually meant to convince God
of one's sincerity.

Spikes and stones and whatnot may seem logical to a humanistic sense of piety;
but actually Christ's believing followers can get by just fine without all that because
his crucifixion did for them what no amount of their own personal suffering will ever
in a million years accomplish.

● 1John 2:2 . . And he himself is the propitiation for our sins

Webster's defines propitiation as: pacify, appease, assuage, conciliate, mollify,
placate, and/or sweeten.

● Isa 53:5 . . He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.
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[Olde Tymer]

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When people are desperately clinging to treetops, with murky flood waters roiling
around them, just inches away from death and the hereafter, the last thing they
need is somebody coming by to discuss America's border crises and/or the
ongoing coal mine fire in Centralia Pennsylvania when what they really need is
a National Guard helicopter to lower a harness down and pull them up out of danger.

When someone awakens at night in a burning home and finds themselves trapped
in their room; that is not the time to talk to them about Covid 19 and/or the war in
Ukraine when what they really need is firemen to break thru the flames and get
them outside to safety.

Wouldn't it be nice if it were possible to dial 911 for emergency assistance when
someone comes to the realization they are in grave danger going to Hell and see
no hope of ever escaping it on their own?

Born and raised in the Catholic religion, it was never once suggested to me that the
primary purpose of Christ's crucifixion was to rescue folks from a fate worse than
death.

● Rom 5:5-10 . .While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the
ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good
man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

. . . Much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from the wrath of God through him. For if while we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more, having been
reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● 1Tim 2:5-6 . . Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all.

One of the New Testament Greek words for redemption is apolutrosis (ap-ol-oo'
tro-sis); which means: to ransom in full.

Another is lutrosis (loo'-tro-sis); which means: a ransoming.

Ransoms can be defined as considerations paid or demanded for the release of
someone or something that's stuck in a grave situation; e.g. overwhelming debt
that a debtor cannot possibly ever pay off, and or slavery from which the slave
himself hasn't, nor will ever have, the means with which to buy himself out.

The thing is: were it not for Christ's crucifixion, the best that God would be able to
offer anybody is a reprieve: defined as a temporary suspension of the execution of
a sentence especially of death, i.e. delay. In other words: there's coming a day
when the demands of Heaven's criminal justice system will finally be given its
pound of flesh, and that day would be humanly impossible to circumvent were it not
for Christ's crucifixion per Isa 53:5-6.

That's one aspect; there's yet another:

● 1Pet 1:18-19 . .You were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your
ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood
of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.

"futile conduct" is no doubt relative to human nature-- every natural-born human
child comes into the world a slave to it; even the best of us; for example the
apostle Paul.

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For
in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the
members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a
prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am!
Who shall rescue me from this body of death? (Rom 7:15-24)

FAQ: God created mankind with a nature that's bad to the bone?

REPLY: In the beginning, God evaluated His work and graded it not just good, but
very good, i.e. excellent. (Gen 1:31) Then came the forbidden fruit incident
whereby mankind's characteristics underwent a remarkable transformation from
their excellent condition to a corrupted condition; due in part to the Serpent's
handiwork. He has the power of death (Heb 2:14) and the ability to tamper with
the human body and the human mind in ways not easily detected. (e.g. Luke
13:16, Mark 5:1-5, and Eph 2:1-3)

The Serpent's power is binding; so that nothing less than Christ's intervention could
liberate mankind from it.

● John 12:31-33 . .The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince
of this world will be cast out. And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw
everyone to myself.

Anyway: this ransom is available to everyone merely by consent and an RSVP to
Christ letting him know they want in on it.

● John 6:37-40 . . Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will
not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do
my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who
sent me: that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should
raise it [on] the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees
the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the
last day.
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[Olde Tymer]

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Folks on the wrong side of things in the afterlife should not get their hopes up by
expecting to be given a second chance.

● 2Cor 6:1-2 . . As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in
vain. For He says: In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I
helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

● Heb 3:8 . .Today, if you hear His voice, do not stiffen your resolve.

As a case in point; the Pharaoh of Egypt was given ample opportunity to comply
with Moses' demands until the night when an angel came thru Egypt slaying all the
land's firstborn sons; even the firstborn among livestock.

Another case in point is the Flood when Noah warned of an impending deluge year
after year until the day came when all not aboard the ark were slain; including
moms, infants, and elder citizens.

Compare the parable of the ten maidens wherein five weren't thinking. They let
themselves be distracted with a trifle and by doing so missed the party.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Heb 10:26-27 . . For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of
the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful
expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

That passage is basically a reiteration of Num 15:30-31 which is codified in the
covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy. (For the purposes of a letter that specifically addresses Jews, a
"knowledge of the truth" would of course be relative to that one particular
covenant.)

Now the thing is: that covenant's rules and regulations are not retroactive. (Deut
5:2-4) Therefore they wouldn't be binding upon priesthoods established prior to
Aaron's.

Melchizedek (Gen 14:18) was exempt from the rules and regulations of that
covenant because he was the Almighty's high priest something like +/- 400 years
before Aaron. (Gal 3:17)

Jesus' priesthood is patterned after Melchizedek's. (Ps 110:4 & Heb 5:10)

Therefore, seeing as how Jesus' priesthood isn't subject to Num 15:30-31, then
neither are any of the people unified with him.

● Acts 13:37-40 . .Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through him
forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through him everyone who believes is
freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

* The word "freed" is translated from dikaioo (dik-ah-yo'-o) which basically means
just and/or innocent, i.e. acquitted; defined as an adjudication of innocence due to
a lack of evidence to convict. An acquittal is far and away better than a pardon
because it leaves nothing of record in one's personnel file to discuss in court.

NOTE: On the night of Jesus' birth, an angel announced good news of great joy.
Well; speaking for myself, as someone who had a lot to answer for, the availability
of an acquittal for willful sinners was very joyous news indeed.
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[Olde Tymer]

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"Moral Hazard" can be defined as a situation in which a party is incentivized to risk
causing harm because another party is obligated to remedy the consequences of
the harm caused.

For example; financial services like investment banks, mortgage lenders, and credit
rating firms, are emboldened to practice irresponsible methods because they know
the government will bail them out with public money when their schemes blow up.
Though the stability and the futures of their customers will be ruined and/or
jeopardized by their methods, the services themselves will survive. (e.g. the 2008
housing bubble)

There is currently a new player in the moral hazard world called carbon capture. Let's
say a manufacturer releases six tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere per annum. So
to "offset" their CO2 release they pay a carbon capture company to remove an equal
amount from the atmosphere; and that way they can claim a net-zero production
process. (It's only a matter of time before the carbon capture world becomes another
"cap & trade" industry.)

Folks "in Christ" enjoy a similar moral hazard. In a nutshell; passages like those of
John 5:24, Rom 6:3-11, and Eph 1:13 guarantee them that they will never again
be in danger of eternal suffering no matter who badly they conduct themselves
from here on in; hence the enjoinders:

● Rom 6:1-3 . . What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may
increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

● Rom 6:12-14 . . Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil
desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness,
but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to
life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

● Gal 5:13 . .You, my brethren, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom
to indulge the sinful nature.
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[Olde Tymer]

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FAQ: Can a Christian be a Buddhist?

REPLY: Well, to begin with: classic Buddhism has no supreme being(s) like there is
in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism, i.e. classic Buddhism is atheistic:
consequently Buddhists experience relatively little anxiety about facing justice some
day.

Buddhism's goal is nirvana. However; the nirvana that Siddhartha Gautama taught
isn't a destination: it's a state of mind; and Buddhists who achieve nirvana live it
here as mortals; not somewhere else as immortals.

Technically, Buddhism has no afterlife. When those who achieve nirvana pass away,
they go completely out of existence. But the ones who fail to achieve nirvana have
to go thru a process called samsara wherein they undergo serial reincarnations;
which are quite a bit different than a standard resurrection.

Reincarnation doesn't return one's soul to their body, primarily because there is no
soul in Buddhism; instead, reincarnation reassembles one's karmic matter; which
doesn't always result in another human life, nor even the same gender. Sometimes
it results in a lower form of life, e.g. a horse, a meerkat, a moth, or a pheasant, et
al.

* Were I to question Buddhism, I'd focus on reincarnation and inquire as to the
source of power that makes it happen.
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Gen 3:22 . . .The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.

The man became "like" one of us, which is different than becoming one of us. In
other words: the man became a tin God (Psalm 82) and his conscience-- which at
one time had the potential to be perfect in every way --is now a fallen conscience.

The Levitical system per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy specifies a
number of sacrifices and offerings for a man's behavior, but doesn't specify a ritual
that atones for a man's fallen conscience; not even Yom Kippur. (Heb 9:9)

But even if there were a Levitical atonement specified for a man's fallen conscience,
it would still need to be replaced with a conscience that has the potential to be
perfect in every way.

Well; the cross atones for a man's fallen conscience (Heb 9:14 & Heb 10:22) but it
appears to me that only a regeneration like the one spoken of by John 3:3-8 can
actually do something about correcting it. (cf. Ezek 36:24-27)
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[Olde Tymer]

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The Old Testament has quite a bit to say about the kingdom of Heaven, and so did
Jesus in something like thirteen of his parables.

I decided for myself long ago that its venue isn't up. Instead it's down here on
Earth relative to messiah's future jurisdiction as monarch and ruler of the entire
world; which for now is in the hands of the wrong kinds of people.

For example; according to Isa 2:4, messiah intends to put a stop to war. Well; just
look at the kingdom of Heaven's politics today. War is common, even in the very
promised land itself.

Of particular interest to me is the prediction that "neither shall they learn war
anymore". Well; here in my land, kids as young as six are training in martial arts;
and boastful of the fact that they are able to disable somebody with their bare hands.

My favorite atheist, Christopher Hitchens, once remarked that religion ruins
everything. He was so right. Well, that has to stop, and it will, as Isa 11:9 predicts
a one-world religion; and it won't be given lip service, no, it will be practiced. (Isa
2:2-3)

● Rom 3:23 . . All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Well; in my own experience, that statement has been 100% reliable because I have
yet to encounter somebody who I felt was successfully duplicating God's sinless
perfection. So then, I've concluded that God has set the bar so high that nobody
can reach it. His own goodness is the gold standard and, speaking for myself, I
can't even come close to equaling it let alone topping it.

When I was a young guy coming of age, it occurred to me that if I were as naturally
pleasing to God as His son Jesus always is, then it would be very easy to attain to
Heaven and to stay in Heaven without fear of being kicked out: that would be the
cat's meow.

● John 8:29 . . He that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I
do always those things that please Him

I was very surprised, and excited, upon discovering that something very similar to
the thing I wished for is contained in a promise that God made to Moses' people.

● Ezek 36:24-27 . . I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home
again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.
Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give
you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will
take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put
My spirit in you so you will obey My laws and do whatever I command.

That benefit will make it possible for Moses' people to live with God on earth, but it
isn't sufficient for making it possible for them to live with God in heaven. However,
there is a benefit available that makes it possible for them to live with God in
heaven as well as on earth. It goes like this:

● 2Pet 1:3-4 . . His divine power has given us everything we need for life and
godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and
goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so
that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the
corruption that's in the world.

I should think it goes without saying that the divine nature would be a whole lots
more successful at producing an acceptable level of piety than the human nature
could ever hope for because even at its best, the human nature is corrupt; which is
translated from a Greek word basically meaning decayed, i.e. spoiled, as in gone
bad like when raw meat is left out for too long. Decay can be stopped but it can't be
reversed, and therein is a serious problem with the human nature: it's too far gone.
Hence Jesus' statement:

"Do not be surprised that I said you must be born again". (John 3:7)
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[Olde Tymer]

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● Luke 11:1-2 . . He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one
of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.
He said to them: When you pray, say: yada, yada, yada, etc.

When I was a little boy, just about every night at bedtime I recited the classic lay
me-down-to-sleep children's prayer. In my opinion; a rote prayer like that one is
okay for getting kids started communicating with God.

Jesus' disciples were full-grown men physically. But they were just babies
spiritually. A prayer like the Our Father is a good place for spiritually immature
Christians to begin, but it's not a good place for them to stay.

●1Cor 13:11 . .When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason
as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things.

Now you take Jesus for example. There is no record of him ever even once praying
the Our Father. In point of fact, when examining Jesus' prayers, it's readily
apparent that he always prayed in a conversational style instead of rote. A really
good example of his style is located at John 17:1-26. Jesus' style is the style that
mature Christians are to follow as their role model.

● Eph 4:15 . .We should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ

● Heb 4:16 . . So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy
and to find grace for timely help.

The Greek word for "confidently" means all out-spokenness, i.e. frankness, bluntness,
and/or boldness.

Reciting a rote prayer like the Our Father is not what I call forthright, nor blunt, nor
out-spoken, nor bold. No; it's actually quite childish.

When people have been Christians for some time, and still reciting rote prayers, I'd
have to say that their spiritual growth has been stunted, i.e. they're not developing
properly because they haven't been getting adequate nourishment.

● Eph 4:11-13 . . And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as
evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full
stature of Christ,
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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FAQ: Do you not know it is the kindness of God, rather than fear and threats of
fiery justice, that leads men to repentance ? (Rom 2:4)[font]

REPLY: If the Bible's God weren't so kind, then He wouldn't bother with giving His
creatures advance notice of the potential horror in store for them in the afterlife.

● Luke 12:4-5 . . And I say unto you my friends; Be not afraid of them that kill the
body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom
ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into Hell; yea,
I say unto you fear Him.

Was Christ wrong to instill a fear of God within his friends? No; I think he was
110% justified. For example: when I was working as a professional welder for the
US Army Corps of Engineers, we had weekly and monthly safety meetings wherein
we were shown some grisly photographs of real life industrial accidents involving
burns, chain saws, punctured eyes, explosions, falls, crane collapses, suffocation,
crushing, and the like.

Let me tell you: those safety meetings got our attention, and really made a sharp
distinction between the fool and the wise. Somebody like Billy Graham needs to get
out there and let people know that they're up against a celestial despot far more
dangerous than the CCP and/or North Korea's Kim Jong-Un.

A Danger Foreseen;
Is Half-Avoided.
(Cheyenne Proverb)

● Prov 22:3 . . A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions;
the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

The kindness of God has given the world fair and adequate notice of what to expect
in the afterlife. Those who don't care about it one way or the other would be well
advised to use what time they have remaining to begin preparing themselves for
the worst when they cross over to the other side.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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FAQ: Why is Palestine called the promised land?

REPLY: Back in the 17th chapter of the book of Genesis-- several centuries before
Moses --God deeded that region to Abraham, and to his posterity via Isaac, as a
permanent possession.

The covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy, isn't retroactive. (Deut 5:2-4, and Gal 3:17) Therefore
no matter how grossly, nor how often, Moses' people fail to honor their obligations
per that covenant, they will never lose possession of Palestine because Abraham
obtained it for them in perpetuity as an unconditional gift. There is always the
possibility of their losing sovereignty in that land, but never a possibility of their
losing ownership of it.

● Rom 11:29 . .God's gifts . . . are irrevocable.

** The actual borders of the land that God promised to Abraham, and to his
posterity via Isaac, delineate quite a bit more territory than today's squeaky little
State of Israel.

● Gen 15:18c-21 . . from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgasites, and the Jebusites.

The Euphrates is Iraq's eastern border. The "river of Egypt" is very likely the Nile
since there was no Suez Canal in that Day; though it's been suggested (with some
merit) this water might be a small stream south of Gaza known as Wadi el Arish.

If there's a map handy, it's readily apparent just how huge a piece of real estate
that God assigned to Abram and his offspring. It's very difficult to precisely outline
the whole area but it seems to encompass a chunk of Africa east of the Nile,
(including the delta), the Sinai Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Onan, UAE, Iraq,
Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

We're talking about some serious square mileage-- roughly 1,538,370 of them;
which is more than Ireland, United Kingdom, Scotland, Spain, France, Germany,
Sweden, Norway, and Finland combined!

Currently, Israel, at its widest east to west dimension, across the Negev, is less
than 70 miles; and south to north from the Gulf Of Aqaba to Shemona, about 260;
comprising a square mileage of only 8,473: a mere ½ of 1% of the specified region.

God has yet to allow Abraham's posterity via Isaac control of all the land. In point of
fact, the boundaries were very early on temporarily reduced for the time being per
Num 34:1-12)

The temporary boundaries run from the Mediterranean Sea eastward to the Jordan
River; and from the southern tip of the Dead Sea northward to a geographic
location which has not yet really been quite accurately identified. Ezek 47:15 says
the northern border passes along "the way of Hethlon" which some feel is very
likely the valley of the Nahr al Kubbir river which roughly parallels the northern
border of modern day Lebanon, and through which a railroad track lies between An
Naqib on the Mediterranean coast to Hims Syria.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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Heaven? Not Interested.

It's an alien world with which I am totally unfamiliar; and when I leave here, I will
be leaving behind everything dear to me, e.g. photos, mementos, souvenirs,
collections, sights and sounds, mountains, creeks, rivers and forests, clothing and
equipment, landmarks, entertainment, hobbies, a spouse, BFF, etc, etc.

The culture shock tsunami of leaving all that I know & love and going to a foreign
land where I know & love nothing at all, is not my idea of a good time. Personally; I
dread the thought of having to start all over again from scratch.

For many of us working stiffs, the first day on a new job is stressful and quite an
adjustment. The night before that first day can cause enough anxiety to keep us
awake fretting about what we might expect.

I'd imagine that, whether we end up in the right place or the wrong place in the
afterlife, we will be just as stressed on our first day there as the first day here on a
new job.

The anxiety associated with death is to be expected seeing as how most of us have
no experience at all with that particular journey. But much of my own anxiety in
regards to death is related to what comes after. Pity there are no guide books
available in print to prepare us in advance for the adjustment folks are required to
undergo as they struggle to fit into Heaven's (or Hell's) way of life.

** The one thing I do look forward to in Heaven is its library where everything that
can be known about the cosmos is stored. Carl Sagan would've loved that library
because he went to his grave with a lot of unanswered questions. But now they'll
never be answered because Carl was, at best, an agnostic, and at worst, an atheist.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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God has given Jesus a number of sheep to be his own. (John 10:29)

It is God's will that Jesus lose none of them. (John 6:39)

So (to me anyway) Jesus' miracles demonstrate that he has all the powers of the
supreme being at his disposal to ensure the sheep remain in his custody; and that's
final because it is Jesus' will to comply with his Father's will. (John 4:34 & John
8:29)
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

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● Isa 53:2 . .He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is
no beauty that we should desire him.

Quite a few of the artistic representations of Jesus' face that I've seen depict him as
a rather attractive man but according to the Bible, he wasn't.

● Isa 53:3 . . He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.

My youngest brother was a chick magnet growing up, and very popular in school
amongst both the boys and the girls. He was admired and had lots of friends; but
apparently Jesus wasn't so fortunate. He was more or less one of the nobody's in
his community rather than a stand-out, and his peers tended to ignore him.

● Isa 53:4 . . Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Like Job's friends-- who were positive the old boy deserved what he got --the folks
in Jesus' community assumed his medical conditions attested that underneath that
facade of piety he was actually a bad man.

People really couldn't tell just by looking at him that Jesus was somebody special.
In point of fact, his own cousin John the baptist had no clue that Jesus was the man
for whom God sent him to pave the way. (John 1:29-33)

All in all, Jesus didn't fit the picture of God's choice for a man destined to be the
supreme of all prophets; not even close, so it's no wonder folks who knew him were
astounded to be told he was "the one". (Matt 13:54-57 & Luke 4:16-29)
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
During dialogue with a Jewish man several years ago, I was asked a very pertinent
question that went like this:

"Jesus died for your sins up to the point of your conversion. What about the sins
you are committing now?"

That's a reasonable question coming from a Jew because Levitical sacrifices and
offerings had to be repeated over and over again. Even Yom Kippur, the great day
of atonement, is only useful up to that point and from thence Jews began
accumulating sins towards the next Yom Kippur.

Now supposing God were to stop keeping track of a Jew's sins on Yom Kippur?
Well; that would be the cat's meow because the Jew would then need to avail
himself of the great day of atonement but one time only rather than repeatedly
year after year after year.

Well; the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy doesn't allow for God to stop holding His people's sins
against them; whereas Christ's crucifixion is much better than Yom Kippur because
it does allow for God to stop.

● 2Cor 5:19 . . God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting
men's sins against them.

The Greek word translated "counting" pertains to inventory, i.e. an indictment.
Well, needless to say; without an indictment, prosecutors have no grounds for
hauling someone into court.

** There's a bit of a moral hazard under these circumstances. Due to the fact that
Jesus' followers are on an honor system instead of a legal system, they have an
incentive to become ever more sinful; hence Paul's urging them to cultivate self
restraint.

● Rom 6:1-3 . . What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may
increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

● Rom 6:12-14 . . Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil
desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness,
but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to
life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

● Gal 5:13 . .You, my brethren, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom
to indulge the sinful nature.

FAQ: If God is no longer keeping tabs on the sins of His son's followers, then what's
with 1John 1:5-10?

REPLY: God desires fellowship with His son's followers; which of course requires
transparency on their part. But the important thing is: according to John 5:24
nothing Jesus' followers do now goes in the books to be used against them later on
down the road at the great white throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15. Their sins
are no longer criminal matters, instead; now they're family matters.
_

 

[Johann]

.
The disturbing scene depicted at Rev 20:11-15 will be presided over by none other
than the sweet little babe away in a manger.

● John 5:21-23 . . Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all
judgment to the Son

● Acts 17:31 . . He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the
man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the
dead.

Misogyny was given quite a bit of negative press during former US President
Trump's administration; while misandry was treated as if acceptable. But malice is
unacceptable with God on any level; and I think we have to accept the possibility
that there are just as many, if not more, man haters on the wrong side of the
netherworld as there are woman haters.

● Rom 2:9-11. .There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does
evil: For God does not show favoritism.

Women are not a protected species with God; nor is their gender a mitigating
factor. They will be judged solely on the basis of their lives just the same as men.

● Rev 20:12-15 . . I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and
books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead
were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea
gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were
in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. . . And
whosoever's name was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire.

* I would really hate to be a woman infected with militant misandry because in the
end, it will be a man that casts angry women into the lake of fire and permanently
ruining any chances they might have had for happiness in the future. For all
eternity, condemned man haters will grind their teeth with hot tears and white
knuckled fury that they ultimately lost out on everything because of one lone male's
obsessive control over their lives.
_

Keep these "short takes" up-good work.

 

[JD731]

.
● Eph 2:2-3 . . As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which
you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the
kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All
of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature
and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of
wrath.

It's believed by a pretty large percentage of modern Christians that the sinful
nature spoken of in that Ephesians passage is propagated by men. Oh? From
whence did Eve get it?

She was already alive and fully constructed with material taken from Adam's body
prior to the forbidden fruit incident. Since himself tasted the fruit after his wife was
already in existence; then it was impossible for Adam to pass the fallen nature to
her via reproduction.

In the past, I was sure that the chemistry of the forbidden fruit had something to
do with the first couple's altered moral perception; but now I seriously doubt it
because Eve was the first to eat the fruit, and when she did, nothing happened. She
remained just as shameless in the buff as before. It wasn't till Adam tasted the fruit
that she began to feel exposed; so I'm pretty sure that the underlying cause is far
more serious than the chemistry of that fruit.

If Eve's fallen condition wasn't due to the fruit, nor due to Adam's body, then what?
Well; obviously the Serpent did it to them, a.k.a. the Devil (Rev 20:2)

The ruler of the kingdom of the air-- i.e. the spirit world --has the power of death
(Heb 2:14) and the ability to tamper with the human body and the human mind in
ways not easily detected; e.g. Luke 13:16, Mark 5:1-5, and Eph 2:2.

The Serpent was apparently all set and ready to wield his power the moment that
Adam crossed the line and ate that fruit. It amazes me how quickly it takes effect.
Not long after Adam tasted the fruit, he and his wife both immediately set to work
cobbling together some rudimentary aprons to cover up their pelvic areas.

This power of death allowed the Devil is apparently an absolute that could only be
overturned by Christ's crucifixion.

● John 12:31-33 . . Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world
shall be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.

● Heb 2:14 . . Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their
humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death;
that is: the Devil.

That is at least one good reason why folks need to RSVP God about His son's
crucifixion to avoid leaving this life under the Devil's supervision. They've got to get
that arrangement dissolved now, while an opportunity for freedom is on the table.
_

Concerning concern about the pelvic area after sin entered in.

The image of God no doubt included a glorified body capable of personal fellowship with God and it is highly doubtful if it occurred with Adam while he was in the nude. The glorious creation of God shines and I have no doubt that Adam and Eve were clothed with righteousness, the loss of which, by their sin explains their nakedness and their shame as well as their impending physical deaths.

 

[Olde Tymer]

~
I myself have yet to meet someone able to produce sinless perfection, but some
folks in the Bible have been very commendable. For example: Josiah (2Kgs 23:25)
Zacharias & Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-6) and Paul the apostle. (Phil 3:6)

However: their level of success has been possible only because Moses' law provides
them with a safety net in the form of a reconciliation system. It appears to me from
Ps 40:6, Jer 7:22-23, & Hos 6:6 that God would rather the quality of His people's
conduct be such that they can get by without having to constantly resort over and
over again to a reconciliation system, i.e. a quality that is just as flawless as His
son's.

"I always do what pleases Him." (John 8:29)

Moses' covenant contains no provisions for reconstructing the core of one's being
whereas the new covenant per Jer 31:31-34 & Ezekiel 36:24-27 promises that very
thing by replacing human nature with a heavenly nature so that its beneficiaries
may always and forever do what pleases Him.

FAQ: The promises per Jer 31:31-34 & Ezekiel 36:24-27 pertain to Moses' people.
Aren't Gentiles claiming something that doesn't belong to them, i.e. stealing?

REPLY: God wants them in on the benefit too.

● Isa 49:6 . . Jehovah my God says: It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also
make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of
the earth.

In a nutshell:

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and piety through our
knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He
has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may
participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by
evil desires." (2Pet 1:3-4)

The divine nature is much superior to the human nature with which Adam was
created. He failed to always please God even in very favorable conditions; whereas
Christ never failed to please God even in less than favorable conditions (John 8:29,
2Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15, 1Pet 2:22) Like they say: the proof is in the pudding.
_