"In total it pretty much says it all in the post: If you are not with Jesus the Son of God, then by default you are on the adversary's side."
Thats pretty extreme, do you find yourself confessing the same sins over and over again?
How I interpret god with my catholic education, to walk with jesus you have to live a monk like life. Once you journey into the wilderness of life, your setup to sin. Life itself in respect to god, there are two sides of the coin, the monkhood or the wilderness. To me there is no in between. Are you going to confess the same sins over and over again? Thats being a hypocrite and just going through the motions. My inkling of god from the beginning was he was too extreme, I could never live up to his standards.
"you can't say, I don't want to play these games'
Thats exactly what they are, silly games. Is that what god is about? If my genes and lifestyle put me in an area that is outside of meek and humble, is he going to systematically process me into something meek and humble?
Extreme in what sense? Even if you were to put yourself as god, which of course is what the unbeliever does, though they won't admit to it. You would wind up making robots, with no choice or only able to do what is right in your eyes. Giving them no choice in what they would do. They mess up, just wipe them out and make another one. Almost, like the days of Noah. Humanity is cruel, sinners and even when told what is right to do, we will attempt to find a loophole to get around it! Gosh, probably why we have so many lawyers!
As far as confessing the same sins over and over again ad nauseam. Oh, I know the Catholic version of this, and sadly you were told wrong. For they created the confessional as a method by which they could get you to toe the line so to speak, and keep your sin in anonymity. That somehow by your own effort you will stop being the sinner that you are. That we all are! If we could have done it by our own effort, then think about it; Why would Jesus have had to come down from Heaven to die on the Cross? I mean, you're the Son of God, why come down to this dust bowl of a place, that has no love lost for you, or anything righteous? Even though you are the one who made it! If it had been you or me, I'm sure I'd of said, not to be sacrilegious but, Father can you send someone else? Why do I have to be the one? Our excuses would abound for not going, especially when you know all the things you were going to have to go through too!
Side note: If you've never heard of Lee Stroble, you might have heard about a book he wrote. He used to be an investigative reporter for I believe it was the Chicago Tribune Newspaper. A non-believer, as was his wife. Both of course college educated, and for them life was good. Well, until she became a Christian, and Lee, thought to himself. The good life was over. Well, he badged her with questions, of why, this, why, that until she finally told him, well you're investigative reporter, why don't you put your expertise to finding out the truth! hehehe
Women do have a way of turning things on a man! lol
Anyway, to the point of this side note, was that he went around interviewing different experts. Posing questions and getting answers from them, as any good reporter would do. The one that actually brought tears to my eyes and had me crying was when I read a chapter called "The Medical Evidence". He interviewed as he says "one of the world's foremost forensic pathologists". He was a medical examiner for Cook County, Illinois, and if you know anything about Chicago and the death rate there, you'd know he was a busy, busy man. The basic question he asked the Dr. was "Was Jesus' Death a Sham and His Resurrection a Hoax?"
Back to your posting. Oh by the way the Book is called A Case for Christ.
Now would a playing game kind of God, send His Son, to die in one of the most torturous ways, and this is not even counting the scourging that Jesus went through by the Roman soldiers. That somehow, it would not be enough to save an unrepentant humanity from themselves? Knowing they would even after all this, continue to sin?
Sadly, the Catholic version would want you to live a monastic type of life, and they're not the only ones either. To, in the misguided belief that somehow, we can separate ourselves from sin, or even sinful thoughts or other fellow miscreants that might tempt us. In other words, by our own efforts, we can clean up our dirty lives.
What you come to find out in doing that is that the closer you get to God, in a relationship, you will find that there are even more blemishes than you could ever imagine. In truth I'm not bashing these men and women. This type of dedication is extraordinary, but is self-induced, and not something that God requires of anyone. That is part of the reason that you can read a scripture verse that I'm using the Amplified version because it breaks it down in a way that is easily understood or should be by all that explains the blemish part that I mention: "
For we all have become like one who is [ceremonially] unclean [like a leper], And all our deeds of righteousness are like filthy rags; We all wither and decay like a leaf, And our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing], like the wind, takes us away [carrying us far from God’s favor, toward destruction]."
God knows you can't live up to the standards Planet! That is why Jesus, came to reconnect, rebuild if you will, the bridge between us and God, that was broken by sin. Look at 2 Corinthians 5:21, that says "
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." The him in this, is of course Jesus that is being spoken of.
So, you think "saying you're sorry each time you sin, is clearing the slate of what you have done?" What the religious would want you to do, is the same as the Pharisees and Sadducees were doing in Jesus' time. Do, x, y, z, and the practices continued on from Judaism, to portions of Christianity, that says, slide me a couple of bucks, and I'll pray that slate clean for you and yours...Dear Planet. There is nothing beyond man to do that will ever be able to change how they behave, except maybe a lobotomy, or in the end death. Oh, except one thing...JESUS!
Only God Himself manifested to pay the price to wipe away sin, that is a part of man to their very being. So, if you hear those that tell you to do anything, but fall on your face, and beg God's forgiveness, mercy, by His grace. Head for the hills! They are wanting to put a collar around your neck, leg irons, that are so burdensome, that none will be able to carry, and after it is all said and done, you'll be worse off for it. Except maybe to give you self-righteousness to hang your hat on that big head for the size of how big your ego has gotten! Islam kind of works that way. Scale carrying god, that weights all you have ever done. Sorry, our God, is even more righteous than that, then to leave it in the hands of sinners to fix! You have to remember, that it will always come back to Jesus. It could never be otherwise. Perfect Man, being the Perfect Sacrifice, for an imperfect/sinning humanity. Just don't keep doing what is sinful, because you know what it is, because though you are saved, there will be consequences for sin.
Now to the last. Meek and humble? hehehehe You think that is who Jesus was, and is? In a matter of speaking that would be yes, but you need perspective to truly understand the larger picture.
Check out some verses. Then after reading them....and the list could go on and on...
Philippians 2:5-8
Matthew 11:29
John 13:14-15
Matthew 23:12
James 4:10
1 Peter 5:5-6
...you will find that we are talking about Jesus who came down from Heaven! Washing the feet of His disciples, and being spit on, slapped, scrouging, crucified! Meek enough for you? Knowing that He allowed this, because He didn't have to, but to be obedient to the Father, He allowed all this...for you, who He would call friend!!!
I know a man's man, has a tough time swallowing our pride, and to get down on our knees, to lift up a filthy unwashed low life of a person...that was me!
In time a believer will tell you that in a certain way, it becomes easier to do and walk with in your life. Why? Because you see those others without Jesus in their lives, for the loss souls that have them lashing out because of the sin, that they don't even realize has been forgiven them! A free gift, they're unaware that has been placed under the Christmas Tree with their name on it! (I know the Christmas thing and all that!) The point is made Planet. That no matter how much, you cajole them, they'll turn away from even considering it at all. Even hate you for speaking of it Planet.
Man loves their sin, even as it slowly destroys them. Free will, can be a bummer can't it?
Remember one thing, and the simplest way I've been able to see it, is on the subject of predestination. Just because God knows, and I believe He does. I do believe He lives outside of time, in the "Now", which means just because He knows, it doesn't mean that we do, and that we do not have a have a chance to turn to Him. To reach out to Him. Look at the very existence of nature, space, and it all screams out to His Glory, the Creator! You ever read Horton hears the Who, by Dr. Seuss as a child? "We are here, We are here, We are here!" That's what it all is saying, even if they don't hear the name of Jesus, their very heart knows there is a God, but will reject Him anyway. Which you acknowledge knowing, but are just not very happy about it! lol
That's the humble/meek part of knowing God. Take comfort in the knowledge, that God loves you, the Creator of everything, and wants only the best for you. Just remember, that it's rarely what you think is the best for you! I seriously believe that God has a sense of humor, that would put our own to shame! I love it where Paul says from prison mind you "
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." Smiling even as the tears ran down my face, when holding my wife's hand, she died. She was going where I wanted to be. I could say more, but it's hard seeing the monitor with the tears blocking the screen. Love you Planet, but not even close to how much God Loves you. Never forget that!
With the Love in Christ Jesus.
YBIC/Moderator
Nick
\o/
