Zone1 Have we lost The Bible Story?

[Meriweather]

Or you could ask Ding or Meriweather for their own short answer?

1. Look through the Old Testament and the many ways the Hebrew language uses the word 'day'.
2. Look through the New Testament for the number of times Christ and the Apostles addressed evolution.

Neither has anything to do with redemption and/or salvation. Why do you want the Church to address something outside its authority? Would you ask a crochet teacher how to build a rocket ship to Mars?

 

[Woodznutz]

What is the season? What is the reason?

Season: For a time.
Reason: To understand the consequences of sin.

 

[alang1216]

Expectations. That is the difference from tending two chinchillas and two humans. As you point out, I accept what chinchillas may get up to. I am not accepting of what students may get up to--or not live up to.

To beat this analogy to death... Chinchillas establish their own hierarchy/culture/rules, without input from you, but you don't judge if they are good or bad, they are just what they are. Whatever you are to your students, you are not their God.

 

[BreezeWood]

There is a vast difference reading a translated passage that was written in another era, for another culture ...

there is nothing heavenly that can not be understood by all that encounter what is refereed to as a heavenly personification including its verification having actually occurred.

 

[ding]

you are not their God.

Correct. She is the bearer of standards in her domain. Hopefully a wise and fair one. Because otherwise, what do you say to the cop who pulls you over for speeding? You're not God?

 

[alang1216]

Season: For a time.
Reason: To understand the consequences of sin.

Interesting theology, new to me, but I like it. I suspect everyone immediately repents their sin. Given those circumstances, I know I would. I like that everyone winds up in heaven.

 

[ding]

there is nothing heavenly that can not be understood by all that encounter what is refereed to as a heavenly personification including its verification having actually occurred.

I will make a $100 donation to USMB in the name of the first person who can make sense of what he just said.

 

[Meriweather]

To beat this analogy to death... Chinchillas establish their own hierarchy/culture/rules, without input from you, but you don't judge if they are good or bad, they are just what they are. Whatever you are to your students, you are not their God.

The point I was making is that God has expectations of us. We are all called to do what God wants. Are we going to choose to do as God wants, or...are we going to choose to do whatever we want.

 

[Meriweather]

I suspect everyone immediately repents their sin.

The definition of 'repentance' is having a change of heart, a change of mind, of ever again committing this sin. An attribute of sin is its power. The most difficult is to commit a sin for the first time. Once committed, it is easier to commit it again.

 

[ding]

you don't judge if they are good or bad

Do you make judgements of good and bad? If so, why?

 

[Woodznutz]

Interesting theology, new to me, but I like it. I suspect everyone immediately repents their sin. Given those circumstances, I know I would. I like that everyone winds up in heaven.

Most won't repent until the resurrection.

 

[SweetSue92]

So God requires perfection? Heaven will be a very lonely place.

Yes, of course. It's inherent to His nature. He can do no less.

There is only one way to achieve perfection. It is to "confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead."--Romans 10:19

This is the Gospel. It is the most powerful redemption story in the universe

 

[SweetSue92]

I'd guess the two chinchillas act slightly differently but there is nothing they might do that would get you angry. You'd just say, they are just doing what chinchillas do. In my mind, that would be the mindset of the Christian God. Forgive them, they know not what they do.

Yes, but Meriweather is not perfectly Holy. Nor am I. Nor are none of us.

In just waving a "magic wand" and "forgiving", you are asking God to violate His immutable attributes

 

[Arlette]

Are Christians guilty of scaring people into Christianity with threats of hell? Are non-believers guilty of accusing Christians of too often using threats to convert them? (Often under the guise of, "If someone's house was in danger of catching fire, wouldn't you warn them of that? So why not warn them of hell."

Is the current (too often heard) summary of The Bible Story, Be afraid, be very afraid?

There are battles. The earth has battles, nations have battles, the workplace has battles, and we have personal battles. When was the last time we were assured—or we assured another, The battles belong to the Lord, which is a theme running throughout this story.

Scaring people with hell? Grown folks - nah. You gotta catch em young and dumb to scare em with hell.

 

[SweetSue92]

So, do righteous acts as a Christian, then apply filthy rags to them?

Learn what sanctification means and, as ever, put yourself under the authority of a church, with pastors and elders.

But you won't

 

[SweetSue92]

Maybe you've heard my ideas before, but I haven't.

Pride.

Just like Lucifer

 

[SweetSue92]

The only thing in my grave will be a mummy, ashes, or well-fed worms. Will my spirit get another chance to repent?

No.

Hebrews 9:27--you are appointed once to die, then the judgment

The Wood guy thinks he has all the answers, and the answers are always HIS interpretation. That is dangerous and unbiblical. A Christian, man or woman, put themselves under the authority of others in the church, always.

Watch out for pride. We all have it. We have to fight against it all the time.

 

[SweetSue92]

Absolutely Catholics believe in hell. Catholics are also aware Dante's version of hell is a work of fiction, not a work of scripture. Hell is separation from God. Think about it. God is good and God is love. Being separated from goodness and love is a very unpleasant reflection. At least for many.

I agree with this and have said as much. Just as heaven has different rewards, I think hell will have different punishments.

 

[SweetSue92]

Yes, there is hate when you falsely accuse a person of even thinking salvation can be earned. No one believes that, yet Catholics are wrongfully, hatefully accused of this. It is a wicked, ignorant thing to accuse someone of--especially a person who has spent over ten years here explaining Catholic belief. TEN YEARS

Studying one's conscience is not improving on salvation. It is about improving one's behavior, one's interactions with others. It's, "How can I improve? How can I be more loving?" not how can I "earn" or "have more" salvation!

Yes, I'm still frosted! Something I will be studying my conscience about before bedtime and tomorrow morning as well.

Okay.

How does one become saved?

 

[SweetSue92]

So every Christian that cant speak Hebrew or Greek, are living a lie. Thanks for the clarification.

I'm an evangelical Christian.

The Bible is either true or it is not. To add to that: it had better be MOST true about redemption, if it is God's Word.

What I see here a lot--too much--are people trying to re-interpret, gloss over, or reinvent what is God's Word. To me at that point: just don't believe it then, and do something else.

That said:

The Bible is often, wildly, wrongly taken out of context. Parts of it are poetic language, not meant to be literal, as just one example.

But Jesus Christ talked about Hell more than anyone in the Bible. This stuff about second chances--I can't come to any other conclusion than some here just want to reinvent what God has done, and in the most common pitfall of all, use pride for all of it. "I just can't believe God would do that. I interpret the passage like this...."

Okay then, you have started your own religion with you at the center. Your thoughts, your opinions, your interpretations. Just be honest about that.