Coat Pocket Homilies
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.
Baby Jesus and the Serpent
● Luke 1:26-35 . . In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to
Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man
named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The
angel said to her: You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are
to give him the name Jesus.
. . How will this be-- Mary asked the angel --since I am a virgin? The angel
answered: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son
of God.
FAQ: Did Jesus' virgin conception insulate him from mankind's so-called
fallen nature?
REPLY: No.
FAQ: Why not?
REPLY: Because people don't contract the fallen nature by means of
heredity.
When Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, the eyes of both him and Eve were
opened and they perceived themselves indecent; so they both set about
fabricating some rudimentary aprons to cover their pelvic areas. The thing
is; Eve was already fully constructed with material taken from Adam's body
prior to his tasting the forbidden fruit so it was impossible for him to pass
the effects of his tasting to Eve by means of heredity.
FAQ: Did she obtain the fallen nature from the fruit that she ate before
giving some to Adam?
REPLY: No. It was apparently God's decision that if sin and death were to
come into the world, they would do so by means of the solo actions of one
man working alone, just as life and righteousness would come into the world
by means of the solo actions of one man working alone. (Rom 5:12-21 &
1Cor 15:21-22)
FAQ: The Bible says Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh rather than the
likeness of divine flesh. (Rom 8:3) So then why didn't he have the fallen
nature like everyone else?
REPLY: Because the Serpent-- a.k.a. the Devil and Satan (Rev 12:9) --is the
source of the fallen nature (Heb 2:14). It was likely a simple matter for the
Holy Spirit to keep the Serpent's paws off baby Jesus so he could come into
the world a sinless man.
_
Baby Jesus and the Serpent
● Luke 1:26-35 . . In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to
Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man
named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The
angel said to her: You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are
to give him the name Jesus.
. . How will this be-- Mary asked the angel --since I am a virgin? The angel
answered: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son
of God.
FAQ: Did Jesus' virgin conception insulate him from mankind's so-called
fallen nature?
REPLY: No.
FAQ: Why not?
REPLY: Because people don't contract the fallen nature by means of
heredity.
When Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, the eyes of both him and Eve were
opened and they perceived themselves indecent; so they both set about
fabricating some rudimentary aprons to cover their pelvic areas. The thing
is; Eve was already fully constructed with material taken from Adam's body
prior to his tasting the forbidden fruit so it was impossible for him to pass
the effects of his tasting to Eve by means of heredity.
FAQ: Did she obtain the fallen nature from the fruit that she ate before
giving some to Adam?
REPLY: No. It was apparently God's decision that if sin and death were to
come into the world, they would do so by means of the solo actions of one
man working alone, just as life and righteousness would come into the world
by means of the solo actions of one man working alone. (Rom 5:12-21 &
1Cor 15:21-22)
FAQ: The Bible says Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh rather than the
likeness of divine flesh. (Rom 8:3) So then why didn't he have the fallen
nature like everyone else?
REPLY: Because the Serpent-- a.k.a. the Devil and Satan (Rev 12:9) --is the
source of the fallen nature (Heb 2:14). It was likely a simple matter for the
Holy Spirit to keep the Serpent's paws off baby Jesus so he could come into
the world a sinless man.
_
Wait... You actually READ all that stuff?! 
I just read all your stuff and went on that synopsis. And then I was sent the pm that must've been a template of the one that you said you got letting me know that he wouldn't be able to read anything I post anymore. But, just between you and me... since it feels like we are just whispers now... I really don't believe him.
It seems a shame though. He has so much free time to make these long screeds yet he can't spare any time.
This guy needs a Steam membership and a whole library of video games.
.
Passing The Buck
Consider a Jewish man; he's undergone circumcision the eighth day as
required, and successfully completed Bar Mitzvah. From that point on he is
obligated to comply with the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with
God on oath per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Now supposing that same Jewish man begins to have second thoughts about
the covenant and thinks maybe he would like to try something else. Well; he
is not at liberty to just up and walk away from the covenant; no, not when
he is very likely indebted to it via one or more of the curses listed at Lev
26:14 39, Deut 27:15-26, and Deut 28:15-68. Those curses have to be
satisfied first before he can even surmise himself free to transfer his
affections to another religion. However; if that man would like; Christ can
do it all for him.
● Isa 53:6 . .We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to
his own way; and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
● Gal 3:13 . . . Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a
curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
_
Passing The Buck
Consider a Jewish man; he's undergone circumcision the eighth day as
required, and successfully completed Bar Mitzvah. From that point on he is
obligated to comply with the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with
God on oath per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Now supposing that same Jewish man begins to have second thoughts about
the covenant and thinks maybe he would like to try something else. Well; he
is not at liberty to just up and walk away from the covenant; no, not when
he is very likely indebted to it via one or more of the curses listed at Lev
26:14 39, Deut 27:15-26, and Deut 28:15-68. Those curses have to be
satisfied first before he can even surmise himself free to transfer his
affections to another religion. However; if that man would like; Christ can
do it all for him.
● Isa 53:6 . .We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to
his own way; and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
● Gal 3:13 . . . Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a
curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
_
.
The War Between The Sexes
Misogyny was given quite a bit of negative press during US President
Donald Trump's first administration; while misandry was condoned 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 ruins any chances they might have had for happiness in the
future.
● 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.
_
The War Between The Sexes
Misogyny was given quite a bit of negative press during US President
Donald Trump's first administration; while misandry was condoned 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 ruins any chances they might have had for happiness in the
future.
● 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.
_
.
John 3:3-7
Some years ago, a two-bit substitute Sunday school teacher wasted the hour
by sitting us thru a dramatized version of Joseph's adventures. At the
conclusion of the "show" I raised my hand and asked the sub if he thought
Joseph was born again.
The man's reaction was not good as his mind instantly went into oscillating
vapor lock trying to understand what I meant. He was baffled by my
question.
Well, I explained; Jesus said that no one can enter the kingdom of God sans
the Spirit birth he spoke of at John 3:3-7. The language and grammar of his
statement strongly suggests there are no exceptions, viz: it isn't optional,
rather, it's mandatory-- not just mandatory for some, but for everyone.
One day I asked an experienced Jehovah's Witness if he was born of the
Spirit. He answered no, and added that he did not expect to undergo a Spirit
birth in either this life or the next because his hope isn't in Heaven.
The JW was somehow unaware that Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus wasn't
about things in Heaven, rather, things on Earth.
● John 3:12 . . . If I have told you earthly things and yet you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
In other words: the kingdom of God, and the Spirit birth requirement,
pertain to Messiah's theocratic kingdom down here on the ground rather
than the supreme being's celestial kingdom up in the sky.
It's both tragic and ironic that the Watchtower Society's rank and file
missionaries go worldwide advertising a kingdom that they themselves will
never be allowed to enter: not because they didn't work hard enough to
deserve it, but simply because they were led to believe themselves exempt
from the Spirit-birth requirement.
_
John 3:3-7
Some years ago, a two-bit substitute Sunday school teacher wasted the hour
by sitting us thru a dramatized version of Joseph's adventures. At the
conclusion of the "show" I raised my hand and asked the sub if he thought
Joseph was born again.
The man's reaction was not good as his mind instantly went into oscillating
vapor lock trying to understand what I meant. He was baffled by my
question.
Well, I explained; Jesus said that no one can enter the kingdom of God sans
the Spirit birth he spoke of at John 3:3-7. The language and grammar of his
statement strongly suggests there are no exceptions, viz: it isn't optional,
rather, it's mandatory-- not just mandatory for some, but for everyone.
One day I asked an experienced Jehovah's Witness if he was born of the
Spirit. He answered no, and added that he did not expect to undergo a Spirit
birth in either this life or the next because his hope isn't in Heaven.
The JW was somehow unaware that Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus wasn't
about things in Heaven, rather, things on Earth.
● John 3:12 . . . If I have told you earthly things and yet you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
In other words: the kingdom of God, and the Spirit birth requirement,
pertain to Messiah's theocratic kingdom down here on the ground rather
than the supreme being's celestial kingdom up in the sky.
It's both tragic and ironic that the Watchtower Society's rank and file
missionaries go worldwide advertising a kingdom that they themselves will
never be allowed to enter: not because they didn't work hard enough to
deserve it, but simply because they were led to believe themselves exempt
from the Spirit-birth requirement.
_
.
Love At Its Best
The love that God extends to mankind in general per John 3:16 is a
nondescript love that anybody can practice because it's merely benevolence,
e.g. kindness, sympathy, generosity, tolerance, charity, courtesy, and
keeping a civil tongue in one's head.
In contrast: the love that God extends to His son's friends per John 16:27
goes beyond benevolence. It's an emotional love that expresses itself in
feelings like fondness and affection, viz: the supreme being's love per John
3:16 is typically extended without passion or prejudice; whereas that of John
16:17 mirrors 1Sam 18:1 & 2Sam 1:26.
I grew up in a dysfunctional home. Consequently the thought of God actually
liking me, instead of only feeling pity for me, is nigh unto impossible to
comprehend.
_
Love At Its Best
The love that God extends to mankind in general per John 3:16 is a
nondescript love that anybody can practice because it's merely benevolence,
e.g. kindness, sympathy, generosity, tolerance, charity, courtesy, and
keeping a civil tongue in one's head.
In contrast: the love that God extends to His son's friends per John 16:27
goes beyond benevolence. It's an emotional love that expresses itself in
feelings like fondness and affection, viz: the supreme being's love per John
3:16 is typically extended without passion or prejudice; whereas that of John
16:17 mirrors 1Sam 18:1 & 2Sam 1:26.
I grew up in a dysfunctional home. Consequently the thought of God actually
liking me, instead of only feeling pity for me, is nigh unto impossible to
comprehend.
_
.
The Quick And The Dead
FAQ: Was it really necessary to restore Jesus' crucified dead body to life?
REPLY: Jesus' crucifixion made it possible for everyone to obtain a pardon
per Isa 53:6. However, his crucifixion alone doesn't clear anybody, viz: it
leaves the record of people's wrongs intact.
For example; former US President Gerald Ford pardoned former US
President Richard Nixon, but although the pardon kept Mr. Nixon out of
prison, it did nothing to clear his name, viz: he's still in the books for
criminal conduct. So then; the thing that Mr. Nixon really needed was
exoneration which, though impossible in most any of the world's normal
criminal justice systems, is very possible in Heaven's system by means of
Jesus' resurrection.
● Rom 4:25 . . He was delivered over to death for our sins, and was raised
to life for our justification.
The Greek word translated "justification" basically means acquittal; defined
as an adjudication of innocence: usually due to a lack of sufficient evidence
to convict.
That's comparable to Isa 53:11 wherein is said:
"By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many; and he will bear
their iniquities."
The thing is: Jesus not only took the punishment for my sins, but he also
bore them, i.e. by some strange administrative process that I have yet to
fully understand, God removed my sins from me and transferred them to
Jesus; in effect making me a joint principal with him on the cross.
● Col 3:3 . . For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Jesus' crucified dead body was restored to life; he came back without
those sins. So, in the end, folks whose slates have been wiped clean by
Jesus' resurrection will have nothing on the books with which to accuse them
at the great white throne event depicted by Rev 20:11-15, viz: it will appear
they have never been anything less than 100% innocent their entire lives.
● 2Cor 5:19 . . God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
counting their trespasses against them. (cf. Jer 31:34)
The Greek word translated "counting" pertains to keeping an inventory, i.e.
an indictment. Well; without an indictment, the great white throne will have
no cause to proceed with a trial.
* I should emphasize that Jesus tasted death for everyone's sins, yet many
are on a road to the wrong side of things because their sins are still on the
books.
FAQ: How does one go about obtaining that acquittal?
REPLY: By means of a simple RSVP.
Find some privacy, cover your face with your hands for a sense of
connection and tell God, in your own words, under your breath or out loud,
that you'd like to take advantage of His son's crucifixion, and the
resurrection of his crucified dead body, to avoid the prospect of facing
justice down the road.
_
The Quick And The Dead
FAQ: Was it really necessary to restore Jesus' crucified dead body to life?
REPLY: Jesus' crucifixion made it possible for everyone to obtain a pardon
per Isa 53:6. However, his crucifixion alone doesn't clear anybody, viz: it
leaves the record of people's wrongs intact.
For example; former US President Gerald Ford pardoned former US
President Richard Nixon, but although the pardon kept Mr. Nixon out of
prison, it did nothing to clear his name, viz: he's still in the books for
criminal conduct. So then; the thing that Mr. Nixon really needed was
exoneration which, though impossible in most any of the world's normal
criminal justice systems, is very possible in Heaven's system by means of
Jesus' resurrection.
● Rom 4:25 . . He was delivered over to death for our sins, and was raised
to life for our justification.
The Greek word translated "justification" basically means acquittal; defined
as an adjudication of innocence: usually due to a lack of sufficient evidence
to convict.
That's comparable to Isa 53:11 wherein is said:
"By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many; and he will bear
their iniquities."
The thing is: Jesus not only took the punishment for my sins, but he also
bore them, i.e. by some strange administrative process that I have yet to
fully understand, God removed my sins from me and transferred them to
Jesus; in effect making me a joint principal with him on the cross.
● Col 3:3 . . For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Jesus' crucified dead body was restored to life; he came back without
those sins. So, in the end, folks whose slates have been wiped clean by
Jesus' resurrection will have nothing on the books with which to accuse them
at the great white throne event depicted by Rev 20:11-15, viz: it will appear
they have never been anything less than 100% innocent their entire lives.
● 2Cor 5:19 . . God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
counting their trespasses against them. (cf. Jer 31:34)
The Greek word translated "counting" pertains to keeping an inventory, i.e.
an indictment. Well; without an indictment, the great white throne will have
no cause to proceed with a trial.
* I should emphasize that Jesus tasted death for everyone's sins, yet many
are on a road to the wrong side of things because their sins are still on the
books.
FAQ: How does one go about obtaining that acquittal?
REPLY: By means of a simple RSVP.
Find some privacy, cover your face with your hands for a sense of
connection and tell God, in your own words, under your breath or out loud,
that you'd like to take advantage of His son's crucifixion, and the
resurrection of his crucified dead body, to avoid the prospect of facing
justice down the road.
_
.
Upgrading
● Matt 6:33 . . But seek first . . . . His righteousness,
The righteousness of God is humanly impossible to obtain because He's set
the bar too high.
● Rom 3:23 . . For all . . . come short of the glory of God.
In other words: God has made His own personal sinless perfection the
standard by which everyone is evaluated. Obviously then; no one among the
Jews or the Gentiles-- except for Christ --has ever, nor will ever, measure
up; not even the holiest people that one can imagine, e.g. Noah, Daniel, or
Job; and those were some very righteous guys. (Ezek 14:12-20)
The thing is: Christ's crucifixion and resurrection satisfies justice for people's
sins, and gives them a rating of innocence and exoneration that they could
never in a million years attain on their own. But if the plan of salvation were
to be wrapped at that point, they would still be short of the glory of God,
viz: the ultimate goal of salvation is God's own personal sinless perfection
which, again, is something that people could never in a million years attain
on their own.
Now with justice satisfied and out of the way by means of Christ's crucifixion
and resurrection; the supreme being is at liberty to become extremely
benevolent with a remarkable act of God that when fully completed will
equip folks with qualities comparable to His own.
● 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 in the world caused by evil desires. (cf. Ezek 36:24-27)
I think it can be agreed without debating that divine nature is a whole lots
better to work with than human nature.
_
Upgrading
● Matt 6:33 . . But seek first . . . . His righteousness,
The righteousness of God is humanly impossible to obtain because He's set
the bar too high.
● Rom 3:23 . . For all . . . come short of the glory of God.
In other words: God has made His own personal sinless perfection the
standard by which everyone is evaluated. Obviously then; no one among the
Jews or the Gentiles-- except for Christ --has ever, nor will ever, measure
up; not even the holiest people that one can imagine, e.g. Noah, Daniel, or
Job; and those were some very righteous guys. (Ezek 14:12-20)
The thing is: Christ's crucifixion and resurrection satisfies justice for people's
sins, and gives them a rating of innocence and exoneration that they could
never in a million years attain on their own. But if the plan of salvation were
to be wrapped at that point, they would still be short of the glory of God,
viz: the ultimate goal of salvation is God's own personal sinless perfection
which, again, is something that people could never in a million years attain
on their own.
Now with justice satisfied and out of the way by means of Christ's crucifixion
and resurrection; the supreme being is at liberty to become extremely
benevolent with a remarkable act of God that when fully completed will
equip folks with qualities comparable to His own.
● 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 in the world caused by evil desires. (cf. Ezek 36:24-27)
I think it can be agreed without debating that divine nature is a whole lots
better to work with than human nature.
_
.
Heart To Heart
● Heb 4:14-16 . .Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we
profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just
as we are; yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace
with frankness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in
our time of need.
The above tells me that it would be wise to put away our missals, our
siddurs, and our rosaries, step away from the Wailing Wall, and voice one's
concerns from the heart with free, candid, forthright, and sincere expression
because frankness stresses unbridled freedom of speech and the liberty to
speak one's mind without fear of ridicule, shame, disgrace, retribution, or
retaliation, viz: with Messiah on the job, people may speak to Heaven just
as they'd speak with their wives and/or their BFF.
FAQ: Didn't Jesus instruct his men to pray with rote when he taught them
the Our Father? (Matt 6:9-13)
REPLY: He also instructed them avoid saying the same thing over, and over,
and over again. (Matt 6:7)
Anyway; when I was a little boy, my mom taught me how to say the "lay me
down to sleep" prayer. Later, in catechism, I was taught advanced prayers
like the Hail Mary, the Our father, the Act of Contrition, and Grace Before
Meals.
After taking up the Bible, I discovered memorization may be an okay place
to begin, but not a good way to continue. The thing is: Jesus' men began
with him on an elementary level, but they advanced very quickly and I have
yet to find even one example in the new testament of them rattling off the
Our Father-- in point of fact, I've yet to discover one example of even Jesus
reciting that prayer. Theirs, and his, are all conversational.
_
Heart To Heart
● Heb 4:14-16 . .Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we
profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just
as we are; yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace
with frankness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in
our time of need.
The above tells me that it would be wise to put away our missals, our
siddurs, and our rosaries, step away from the Wailing Wall, and voice one's
concerns from the heart with free, candid, forthright, and sincere expression
because frankness stresses unbridled freedom of speech and the liberty to
speak one's mind without fear of ridicule, shame, disgrace, retribution, or
retaliation, viz: with Messiah on the job, people may speak to Heaven just
as they'd speak with their wives and/or their BFF.
FAQ: Didn't Jesus instruct his men to pray with rote when he taught them
the Our Father? (Matt 6:9-13)
REPLY: He also instructed them avoid saying the same thing over, and over,
and over again. (Matt 6:7)
Anyway; when I was a little boy, my mom taught me how to say the "lay me
down to sleep" prayer. Later, in catechism, I was taught advanced prayers
like the Hail Mary, the Our father, the Act of Contrition, and Grace Before
Meals.
After taking up the Bible, I discovered memorization may be an okay place
to begin, but not a good way to continue. The thing is: Jesus' men began
with him on an elementary level, but they advanced very quickly and I have
yet to find even one example in the new testament of them rattling off the
Our Father-- in point of fact, I've yet to discover one example of even Jesus
reciting that prayer. Theirs, and his, are all conversational.
_
.
Tin Gods
FAQ: Isn't Judaism equally as useful as Christianity for sinners seeking God's
forgiveness? Isn't that the whole purpose of Yom Kippur, a.k.a. the Day of
Atonement?
REPLY: Pinning one's hopes on the Day Of Atonement is futile. For one
thing: there's no one to perform the ritual seeing as how there is neither a
Temple nor a fully functioning high priest on duty in Jerusalem at this time.
In point of fact, neither of those two essential elements of the Day of
Atonement have been in Jerusalem since 70 AD. But that's not the worst of
it.
The original sacrificial system was effective-- to a point --for addressing the
peoples' actions, and for sanitizing their bodies, but ineffective for
addressing the people themselves, viz: their persons, the core of their being.
The thing is: when Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, his moral perception
underwent a radical change.
● Gen 3:22 . . And The Lord God said: The man has now become like one of
us, knowing good and evil.
The man became "like" one of us which is quite a bit different than actually
becoming one of us. In other words: Adam's conscience-- which at one time
had the potential to be perfect in every way --is now a fallen conscience and
he began looking to his own intuition for moral direction instead of looking to
his maker, viz: the man became a tin God.
Point being: the Levitical system per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy specifies a number of sacrifices and offerings for a man's
behavior, but none of its rituals address the corruption inherent within the
human conscience that came about by means of the forbidden fruit incident;
not even Yom Kippur, whereas the cross of Christ does.
● Heb 9:9 . .This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the
gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the
worshiper.
● Heb 9:13-14 . .The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer
sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they
are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our
consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living
God.
● Heb 10:22 . . let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.
Bottom line: no matter how pious somebody becomes, they will never be
completely ready for God until they avail themselves of Christ's crucifixion to
atone for the faulty psychological mechanism within them that discerns
between good & evil.
_
Tin Gods
FAQ: Isn't Judaism equally as useful as Christianity for sinners seeking God's
forgiveness? Isn't that the whole purpose of Yom Kippur, a.k.a. the Day of
Atonement?
REPLY: Pinning one's hopes on the Day Of Atonement is futile. For one
thing: there's no one to perform the ritual seeing as how there is neither a
Temple nor a fully functioning high priest on duty in Jerusalem at this time.
In point of fact, neither of those two essential elements of the Day of
Atonement have been in Jerusalem since 70 AD. But that's not the worst of
it.
The original sacrificial system was effective-- to a point --for addressing the
peoples' actions, and for sanitizing their bodies, but ineffective for
addressing the people themselves, viz: their persons, the core of their being.
The thing is: when Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, his moral perception
underwent a radical change.
● Gen 3:22 . . And The Lord God said: The man has now become like one of
us, knowing good and evil.
The man became "like" one of us which is quite a bit different than actually
becoming one of us. In other words: Adam's conscience-- which at one time
had the potential to be perfect in every way --is now a fallen conscience and
he began looking to his own intuition for moral direction instead of looking to
his maker, viz: the man became a tin God.
Point being: the Levitical system per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy specifies a number of sacrifices and offerings for a man's
behavior, but none of its rituals address the corruption inherent within the
human conscience that came about by means of the forbidden fruit incident;
not even Yom Kippur, whereas the cross of Christ does.
● Heb 9:9 . .This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the
gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the
worshiper.
● Heb 9:13-14 . .The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer
sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they
are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our
consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living
God.
● Heb 10:22 . . let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.
Bottom line: no matter how pious somebody becomes, they will never be
completely ready for God until they avail themselves of Christ's crucifixion to
atone for the faulty psychological mechanism within them that discerns
between good & evil.
_
.
For Whom The Bell Tolls
I know of the Protestant minister asked by Audie Murphy's widow Pamela to
speak at her husband's funeral. Mr. Murphy, as you may already know, was
a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner; but he wasn't a Christian.
In amazement, the minister asked Mrs. Murphy why she chose a Christian to
speak at her husband's funeral.
The thing is: although Audie himself wasn't a Christian, Pamela was; and
she explained that the Hollywood crowd would be there the day of his
funeral, and having hob-nobbed with pampered celebrities during her
husband's acting career, she was fully aware that many of them were rarely
confronted with something serious about the afterlife.
Well; they got both barrels that day, and were very annoyed because they
were expecting the usual sappy, feel-good rhetoric with which their ilk are
accustomed.
Some may feel that the afterlife isn't an appropriate topic at a funeral. But I
think that, other than Xmas and Easter, you couldn't pick a better time to bring
it up, especially since everybody ends up passed away sooner or later.
● Ecc 7:2 . . It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house
of gaiety, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this
seriously.
According to the Bible; not many great people are called (1Cor 1:26). If
that's true, then we have to expect that the majority of the world's best and
brightest achievers-- the really big names in sports, science, medicine, law,
politics, technology, business, industry, religion, entertainment, and
education, etc --don't, and won't, make it to safety when they cross over
to the other side.
As I watched some of the splendor and pomp of President Gerald Ford's
funeral back in January of 2007, I couldn't help but wonder if he was in a
position to really appreciate it; as I suspect people on the wrong side of the
afterlife would certainly no longer really care anymore whether they were
given an unknown pauper's disposal in a City incinerator, or reverently
placed in a grand tomb in the National Cemetery with world-wide television
coverage.
_
For Whom The Bell Tolls
I know of the Protestant minister asked by Audie Murphy's widow Pamela to
speak at her husband's funeral. Mr. Murphy, as you may already know, was
a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner; but he wasn't a Christian.
In amazement, the minister asked Mrs. Murphy why she chose a Christian to
speak at her husband's funeral.
The thing is: although Audie himself wasn't a Christian, Pamela was; and
she explained that the Hollywood crowd would be there the day of his
funeral, and having hob-nobbed with pampered celebrities during her
husband's acting career, she was fully aware that many of them were rarely
confronted with something serious about the afterlife.
Well; they got both barrels that day, and were very annoyed because they
were expecting the usual sappy, feel-good rhetoric with which their ilk are
accustomed.
Some may feel that the afterlife isn't an appropriate topic at a funeral. But I
think that, other than Xmas and Easter, you couldn't pick a better time to bring
it up, especially since everybody ends up passed away sooner or later.
● Ecc 7:2 . . It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house
of gaiety, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this
seriously.
According to the Bible; not many great people are called (1Cor 1:26). If
that's true, then we have to expect that the majority of the world's best and
brightest achievers-- the really big names in sports, science, medicine, law,
politics, technology, business, industry, religion, entertainment, and
education, etc --don't, and won't, make it to safety when they cross over
to the other side.
As I watched some of the splendor and pomp of President Gerald Ford's
funeral back in January of 2007, I couldn't help but wonder if he was in a
position to really appreciate it; as I suspect people on the wrong side of the
afterlife would certainly no longer really care anymore whether they were
given an unknown pauper's disposal in a City incinerator, or reverently
placed in a grand tomb in the National Cemetery with world-wide television
coverage.
_