Jesusanity - What is that?
Those who visit this blog are probably aware that I have previously posted much about the Atonement and the implications of how one understands it. This issue is very important to the Church, it always has been and it always will be. Well, at least it should be. Anyway, I came across a post written by Albert Mohler called ‘Christianity vs. Jesusanity — The Postmodern Temptation‘. In that post he speaks about the postmodern (ugghhh, soooo sick of that word!!!!) attempt to humanise Jesus.
Of this is writes…
While postmodern literary theorists debate the meaning of “totalizing metanarratives,” at the level of popular piety we see the widespread substitution of “spirituality” for biblical Christianity.
This is exactly what we are seeing! The following quote is from authors Darrell L. Bock and Daniel B. Wallace who argue that popular culture is on a quest “to unseat the biblical Christ”. In a book called ‘Dethroning Jesus‘ the authors recognise that there is an ongoing attempt to reduce Jesus into a dethroned humanitarian teacher…
“Jesusanity” is a coined term for the alternative story about Jesus. Here the center of the story is still Jesus, but Jesus as either a prophet or a teacher of religious wisdom. In Jesusanity, Jesus remains very much Jesus of Nazareth. He points the way to God and leads people into a journey with God. His role is primarily one of teacher, guide, and example. Jesus’ special status involves his insight into the human condition and the enlightenment he brings to it. There is no enthronement of Jesus at God’s side, only the power of his teaching and example. In this story, the key is that Jesus inspires others, but there is no throne for him. He is one among many – the best, perhaps, and one worthy to learn from and follow.
Check out the post by Albert Mohler and see what you think. I for one am glad that there are some authors willing to lay it all out and stick to good clear biblical exegesis!
Previous posts on Blood Atonement.
Noahide Laws could be Global laws for all citizens of the World!
I was just cruising my faves, and Bonnie from the blog ‘For the Author’ has just written one post that is a real eye opener. She certainly has done her homework on this one.
She is speaking about the Noahide Laws, and of them she writes…
It is interesting to note that the Noahide Laws can also be found in the religion of Islam, making it possible for this to be a point of unity between the Jews and Arabs at some future date. I came across this information while I was doing some research on my articles, THE GOLDEN RULE TWISTED, (Parts 1 and 2, and the addendum). I discovered that the Noahide Laws have been equated with the Golden Rule by some. The Noahide Laws have also been called The Covenant of the Rainbow. For a good overview of the Noahide Laws, click HERE.
She is also coming to realise that maybe these laws are the ones that Daniel the Prophet speaks about when he said…
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and he shall wear out the saints of the Most High. And he intends to change times and law. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one half time.
She speaks about the Sanhedrin’s role in instituting these laws…
While George Bush was in the Middle East this month, the newly formed Sanhedrin was also meeting to discuss the Noahide Laws on the week he was there. (Read the January 10th article, Sanhedrin Recognizes Council to Teach Humanity ‘Laws of Noah’ in the Israel National News for yourself).
She has also documented the punishment for not following the Noahide Law, one of which is death by beheading. This is from the official Bnei Noah Site.
I too, have wondered about these laws and have found it interesting that the Temple has to be rebuilt in order for these laws to come into effect. For this to happen there is the problem of the Dome of the Rock. But this is not so much of a problem when you consider that the Dome of the Rock can stay just where it is, and be classed as the court of Gentiles according to Prof. Joseph Patrich who got back to me with an email and said this… It is outside the temple court, but still within the screen barring gentile entrance.
Much, much more is written in Bonnie’s post. Be sure to read this eye opener of a post!
I am Red Flagging this one big time!!!
Just to note, I am making a new category called ‘The Sanhedrin’, I have an uneasy feeling that ‘The Sanhedrin’ will play a big role in introducing a false peace and a kingdom built by the fallen one.
Related:
- A search on the Sanhedrin’s site and everything pertaining to the Noahide Laws and the Court of Bnei-Noah
- Bnei Noah, the Sanhedrin’s relationship with non-Jews on the Sanhedrin web-site. (A wealth of information on this page!)
- Beni-Noah website (I am not sure if this is the official one or not, it is recognised as such on the Sanhedrin’s website, please forward any information to help me in my research)
- High Council of B’nei Noah (according to Wiki this is the official web-site)
- Jerusalem Court for Issues of Bnei Noah
Gaza must grow-up at some point - Is it time?
I found a very interesting article today about the current Gaza situation written by Gerald A. Honigman. He has done extensive open-eds that have been published in dozens of newspapers, magazines, academic journals and websites all around the world. He has done extensive doctoral studies in Middle Eastern Affairs, created and conducted counter-Arab propaganda programs for college youth, lectured on numerous campuses and other platforms, and have publicly debated many Arab spokesmen.
Firstly, he gives you a quick lesson concerning the geopolitical history of the land. and then he goes on to say the following about the situation in Gaza…
Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy G_d…
Amen, Micah! But justice must work both ways. In caving in to the demand for the creation of the Arabs’ 22nd state, and second one in “Palestine” (who’s demanding a state for over thirty million stateless Kurds?), Jews should not be expected to sacrifice themselves on the petroleum-greased altar of international hypocrisy for that additional new state to arise.
The rest of the article is brilliant as he brings to task the responsibilities that the Palestinians have for their own people…
Keep in mind that the Arabs of Gaza elected their Hamas leaders who openly call for Israel’s destruction and who have constantly walked the walk not just talked the talk regarding the murder of both Jews and their nation…blown buses, restaurants, pizza parlors, teen night clubs, shopping malls, Passover Seders, and so forth–deliberately targeting the most innocent to spread terror. Pregnant women and Jewish children are often especially targeted by Arabs…not accidentally killed because they were used as human shields the way Arab kids sometimes are.
…make no mistake here, the aims of the Arabs for the Jews are no different today than when Muhammad Amin al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, made his alliance with Hitler.
Israel owes the Arabs of Gaza (or anywhere) nothing. It improved their education, health, and other living conditions immensely after 1967. Recall that Egypt held it from 1949 until then.
What nation is expected to supply those who seek its destruction with fuel, food, electricity, and so forth? You’ve got to be kidding, right?
He is right in saying that it should be the Arab nations that help these people, yet they are just fuelling hatred by rewarding terrorism instead of building infrastructure…
The Arab world holds much of the world’s wealth due to its black gold. Instead of paying out tens of thousands of dollars each to families whose relatives–shahids–blow themselves up along with their Jewish victims, the money needs to be spent helping their brethren on a more positive life path.
What is Israel to do? Gerald A. Honigman suggests…
Israel must give Gaza’s Arabs a set reasonable period of time to build their own infrastructure and such. After that time, all non-military contact with Gaza must cease until the day that Israel has a true partner for peace there…not one still aiming at its destruction.
He has even noted that there is talk of this happening…
Finally, there is actually a hint that what I’m calling for may indeed be on the drawing board.
Another AP article from January 25th stated that Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai caused a stir when he said that Israel sought to gradually relinquish responsibility for Gaza.
The article that I have quoted from is called ‘Gaza And The Pharaohs - Shut It Off And Keep It Off‘, a must read for those who are interested in Mid-East politics.
Important News:
In regards to the Gaza situation… not all is as it appears to be. See this very important post by Carla from ‘More Books and Things’, it has a link to Honest Reporting and it shows you how MSM has been used by the Hamas propaganda machine.
Related:
- One-state solution to end Israel-Palestine conflict by Crispin Hull
hehehe, funny as!
Just had to post this picture, I couldn’t resist it.
UN Watch - A must watch video at the UN shows bias!
A MUST WATCH VIDEO
The Case Against Moral Inversion
Speech before UN Human Rights Council, 6th Special Session
24 January 2008
Delivered by Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch
Here is the transcript…
Mr. President,
The nations assembled in this special session on the Gaza Strip, convened by the Arab and Islamic states, face an immediate question. On the proposal to condemn Israel, for the alleged crime of targeting civilians, should they vote for, or against?
Let us consider the proposed resolution. To understand its purpose we are guided best not by the science that studies the conduct of governments, but that which studies the mind.
In psychology, attributing one’s own malicious impulses to others is known as projection. Mr. President, the resolution before us constitutes a classic case of such projection.
It is, after all, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the other Palestinian terrorist organizations, who deliberately fire rockets—over 200 in the past week alone—at innocent civilians in Sderot and other Israeli towns. It is they who attack from populated areas, using their fellow Palestinians as human shields. It is they who reject the very notion of a distinction between combatants and civilians.
Israel, like the rest of the civilized world, does the opposite. In exercising its right and obligation under international law to defend its citizens from such attacks, Israel risks the lives of its own soldiers to avoid harming civilians. To Israel, causing a civilian casualty is an unintended tragedy; to Hamas, it is a cause for celebration. The world knows this.
The supporters of those who fire rockets at nursery schools summoned us here to accuse Israel of violating international humanitarian law, when in reality it is they who deny—in word and deed—the very premise of that code.
Let us also consider who initiated this session: Syria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan—each of whom just received the lowest possible rating, Not Free, in the annual world survey by Freedom House. Another is Cuba, which just held an election where the ballots had only one candidate. Are these to be the world’s arbiters of human rights?
The truth is that this session was fixed from the start. Those who sponsored it could introduce a resolution declaring the earth to be flat, and it would be assured of the same automatic majority.
The real question we face is something deeper. Can civilization survive—the values of democracy, freedom and basic humanity—when its basic ideas are, in such high forums, everywhere under assault?
That will not be decided here today, but every international declaration has its influence.
Those countries who genuinely care about the future—of the Middle East, of a credible UN, of civilization—will vote No.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Cuban Ambassador Rodolfo Reyes Rodríguez
(Exercising right of reply to UN Watch testimony)
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, usually, Cuba doesn’t exercise its rights of reply for non-governmental organizations. We appreciate their interventions in the Council as we did before in the Commission, even when they have views different from ours.
If I am responding now, I am exercising this right to answer something which is the antithesis of a non-governmental organization. I am referring to UN Watch and the executive director, Mr. Neuer. I must say, he produced a Hollywood-type display, speaking to this Council and ambassadors and delegates.
Human… UN Watch is a lucrative organization amply funded by the CIA and Mossad, which is devoted to denigrating certain member states and this Council. He told us, that Israel and his own organization are within the so-called “civilized world”… This implied that this special session is in the world of the barbarians.
But I don’t know anything greater than the acts of barbarians than are taking place in Gaza — dark hospitals, people without water, and other things that UN Watch and his executive director haven’t talked about. I won’t take any more time talking about this false organization, whose voice I have never heard criticizing the concentration camps in Guantanamo. I will simply wait for them calmly in New York, where in the NGOs meeting where they will have to render accounts. And we will see what to do with their consultative status.
Thank you.
Actualising the Apocalypse - Is this happening within Governments?
I have been reading some of Dr Calvin Smith’s book reviews on the ‘Midlands Bible College Blog‘… you can find his reviews Here as well. Anyway, as I was going through all the latest posts on the blog I came across one post called ‘Beware An Overly Dogmatic Interpretation of Luke 21:24′, which talks about Luke 21:24 which I found to be challenging. The verse says… They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Calvin writes…
Premillennialists rightly reject how postmillennialism seeks to usher in the kingdom of God by establishing and presenting it to Christ, thus hastening the Second Coming. Such an attempt to establish the Kingdom makes the parousia (Second Coming of Christ) an anthropocentric, rather than a theocentric event. It does so by employing a hermeneutical method whereby Christians read themselves key Bible texts. The technical term is to `actualise’, that is, read oneself into a pivotal role and/or interpretation of Scripture. Yet some premillennial Christian Zionists do precisely the same thing, feeling they must (through lobbying, political activity, financing, and so on) bring about the ultimate fulfilment of passages such as Luke 21:24, which in turn will hasten the return of Christ. Such a mindset is no less anthropocentric than postmillennialism’s approach. The short of it is, God will send Christ when He so chooses and there is little we can do to hasten that event. It is one thing to express political support for and lobby on behalf of Israel, which I believe Christians should do (incidentally, I also think that as her true friends we ought to speak to her when she gets it wrong). But it is quite another to feel our political activity has any bearing at all on God’s eschatological plans. If our motive for supporting Israel is on the basis that they are God’s chosen people, well and good, but if some Christians’ motive is to hasten the consummation of the age, theirs is an anthropocentrically-driven, erroneous motive.
The post is long, but well worth the read and any ideas and debate is most welcome.
There is also much discussion over at Midlands Bible College about the mix between Christianity and Politics, especially in regards to Israel. There needs to be a balance and the above quote talks about the anthroponcentric method and how one should be careful in not doing the same thing that one charges the other of doing.
I have just found an article that perhaps shows an example of this anthroponcentric approach within American politics…
POLITICAL ANALYSIS: What Does Mike Huckabee Have to do With the Apocalypse? by Valerie Saturen.
Christian Zionism stems from the belief that the catastrophic events depicted in the biblical Book of Revelation are humanity’s literal destiny, and that two-thirds of the Earth’s population will perish in an apocalyptic battle of good and evil while the “saved” are “raptured up” to heaven. For Christian Zionists, this catastrophe is a necessary precedent to the Second Coming.[...]
While those outside of evangelical circles may dismiss such beliefs, they have played a critical role in influencing U.S. foreign policy, and they will continue to affect policy as long as the United States remains under Republican leadership that relies upon evangelical support. Christian Zionism has implications for the U.S. role in Israeli-Palestinian relations, a potential confrontation with Iran, and relations with the Muslim world.
[...]Whether or not Christian Zionists can predict the future, the human potential to create self-fulfilling prophesies is undeniable, and this is why Americans should pay attention to this ideology.
Funny thing is, when I read the bible from beginning to end, one of the stories that amazed me was Balaam and how he was to curse Israel. And instead he blessed them, and cursed the king of the Moabites…three times he did this. I actually laughed out loud with tears running down my face as I pictured the king as he tore at his clothes saying why, why have you done this to me. I found myself wondering if there is anything we can do or not do that will change what is to be. Obviously not! That story actually made me question if there was any validity to man’s free will at all! Yeah ahahahah… Calvinism vs Arminianism and a new thing thrown in called Open Theism, been there done that, and I continue doing that! It’s all about the tension… see my last post.
As Calvin rightly points out… our motives should be right, and we should always be praying for guidance in these matters. The leaders of the free world should be upheld constantly in our prayers and so should the leaders of the evangelical right.
Related articles:
Feeling the tension!!!
I am just reading about Calvinism, Arminianism and Open Theism…
WHOOOOOOooooaaahhhh……AHHAHAHAhahahahaha…
Head reeling stuff!
Remember the tension, the tension……..
It’s all about the tension between the Sovereignty of God and the free will of man!
Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are not in the end two doctrines at odds, at least in the mind of God. While we may not see logically how the two fit together, ultimately they must for God’s Word declares both to be true. When all the dust has settled we will find that these two seemingly opposites are not at war. They are not enemies but friends, and rather than fight over them they should both be embraced.
God is absolutely sovereign. Nothing occurs outside of His will and control. Nothing happens that He has not determined, even if we do not understand God’s methodology. At the same time, God so created man that his actions are free; his choices are his own; he is responsible for how he lives. Such a conclusion perhaps satisfies very few, but I believe it is faithful to the biblical data that we have been given. To God none of this is a mystery. One day, in glory, He will most certainly unravel all of this for us. In the meantime, let us rest in our all-wise and powerful God as we live for His glory. Gary E Gilley
Unity in Diversity = Trinity?
I am just putting this out there as a question. Would you say that the following is a good understanding of a Triune God?
We are looking for unity in diversity. I suggest that there is only one explanation for unity in diversity, and that is in the doctrine of the trinity, where right from the beginning, there was unity, diversity, community in the trinity, and that’s the principle you and I need to adhere to.
Related Post:
You have got to be kidding me!!!
Atonement Praxis
Recently there has been a bit of a buzz around the blogosphere concerning the ‘Atonement’, I have even posted a few things on this very subject. And in doing some research on it I have come across certain theories called the “Eucharistic praxis” and the “Atonement Imagery”.
As I understand it, “Atonement Imagery” is not so much about the suffering of the Son but more about understanding the passion and injustice done to a man. It becomes less about the divinity of Christ, as they often refer to that as a mythical story – and more about the historical man Jesus. To understand the crucifixion primarily in this way you may fail to see the whole of Jesus, the God/man.
If the atonement is brought down to the level of praxis and community only, then the divinity of Christ could very well be lost. As a result, the injustice of the cross against a man is exalted above the Penal Substitution act and this is because the emphasis is the man being punished by God the so called ‘child abuser’. If the divinity of Him is neglected, this could ultimately result in an unbalance in the understanding of the triune nature of God because man is amplified.
Because of this — [h]e that being Jesus and the work of the cross (not the capitalised [H]e) — encourages us to be co-creative (popular in the feminized theory. An Examination of the Problems of Inclusive Language in the Trinitarian …By Thomas J. Scirghi) in the struggle against the social injustice of this sacrifice that was meted out on someone who did not actually deserve it. More importantly, once you start reducing the atonement to mean ‘atone-man-ment’, you may fail to understand the gravity of mankind’s sin and the part we all have played in the crucifixion. You cannot begin to address the first things; that being the problem of sin, by using a “Community Atonement Praxis” alone. Rather, you should start at the point of ‘in the beginning God’ and try to grasp — as much as the fallible mind can — the Holiness and Righteousness of God and that mankind clearly falls short of His image. That imagery is the starting point for vertical reconciliation between man and his maker. “Atonement Imagery/Praxis” seems to be the horizontal reconciliation of the community; reconciliation between mankind.
I have just finished reading something from Scott McKnight’s blog (Jesus Creed) he has written a book called “A community called Atonement” he says this…
Not to let the cat out of the bag, but one point (that explains the title) is that Atonement is God’s work for us but it is also “praxis.”
I am reminded of the following…
In recent times some have thought that reconciliation ought to be seen in what we may term a horizontal rather than a vertical direction. Sin is thought of as something that erects barriers between a man and his neighbour, rather than between a man and his God. Reconciliation then becomes a way of enabling men to live together in meaningful community. there is , of course, something in this, for the man who has felt the healing touch of Christ upon his life is concerned with breaking down barriers which divide men.
But there must be a right order here. First comes reconciliation of the sinner with God, then reconciliation with man follows. Ephesians 2 is instructive in this connection. There, in connection with the great division of men into Jews and Gentiles, it is pointed out that Gentiles were separated from Christ as well as from one another. But the blood of Christ that brought them near to God brought them also near to one another. Peace was made between man and man, but it was the consequence of peace between man and God. (J. Denney, The Christian Doctrine of Reconciliation 191
Of first things — the reconciliation should happen between the sinner and God! This is very important. The question is this…if your emphasis is on the ‘community atonement praxis’, then some may come away without being reconciled with God thinking all along that they are in good stead with the Almighty because they are co-creating a better community for everyone, not only believers. This quickly becomes a social, humanitarian understanding of the ‘atonement’.
We constantly read that the “Atonement” however you understand it, goes hand in hand with the gospel. This is very true. So, having the right view is very important. The gospel should be about man’s condition without God and how it is possible to get right with God through His Son that has provided the only way to be restored to any kind of relationship with the Father.
Dr. Gary Gilley puts it well when he says…
It does not seem to be an option to the emergent church that both social injustices and eternal redemption can be and have been attended to by God’s people. But, despite opinions to the contrary, the priority of Scripture is on man’s relationship to God. It is because men are alienated from God that they mistreat one another. The spiritually redeemed and transformed person should and will care about social sins.
But, again, the gospel is about man’s alienation from God and what He has done through Christ to reconcile us to Himself (Romans 5:6-11), not about the ozone layer and elimination of poverty. Neither Jesus nor the apostles made these latter things the focus of their ministries; it was the reconciliation of souls to God that was at the heart of their message. Once we begin to draw our gospel from the culture, no matter what culture that might be, we have altered the true gospel. Emergent leaders are not wrong to be concerned about the environment and social injustice; they are wrong to confuse it with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dr Gary Gilley
One more thing as I hash this out. I thought I would research a Midrashic understanding of “Atonement” and I found this…
Moses and Atonement
Another example of the need for atonement is found in the story of Moses and the Golden Calf. After Israel sinned by making the golden calf, Moses ascended Mount Sinai to interceding for them. God was ready to destroy Israel; He was unwilling to even let His presence be among them. He said, “I will send an angel with Israel, but I cannot go with you or I might break out against you and destroy you.” (Exodus 33)
Because of the sin of the calf, Israel found herself unprotected. She has no covering. She is in danger from the presence of God.
But Moses says to Israel, “Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” (Exodus 32:30). He fasts for forty days and nights, and then goes back up the mountain with the two new tablets. The two tablets are meant to replace the ones he broke when he saw the calf. He goes back up the mountain, back up into the presence of God.
On the mountain Moses implores God for mercy and requests to be shown all of God’s glory. Face to face. God replies that no man can see his face and live. Moses would be consumed by God’s glory. Instead God offers to cover Moses with his hand, hiding him in the cleft of the rock, while God passes by and declares the full meaning of His Name. He offers to tell Moses exactly who he is. He offers to reveal to Moses his essential person.
“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The L-RD, the L-RD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.’” (Exodus 34:5-7)
This revelation is called the Thirteen Attributes of God. For the first time in history, the full extent of God’s mercy and grace were revealed. Moses already knew God was gracious, he already knew he was abounding in loving kindness, but to what extent he did not know, until that moment when God covered him with his hand and proclaimed his Name. Only then, with the revelation of these Thirteen Attributes, was it made clear that the essential essence of God and the meaning of his Name, the L-RD is Grace.
The Thirteen Attributes are an oft-repeated refrain in the prayers of the Day of Atonement. In those prayers, the congregation readily admits that we have no worthy deeds, we have nothing to show God, we have no merit to tip the scales of judgment in our favor. We have no basis to ask for mercy except for this, “You are the L-RD, the L-RD, gracious and compassionate:
The Second Coming of Moses
In the narrative, it is only after God has revealed to Moses his Thirteen Attributes,that he makes a new covenant with Israel.
He makes a new covenant with Israel and Moses returns down the mountain with the tablets. When the people see Moses, his face is radiating brilliance from being in the presence of God. Moses achieved covering for Israel’s sin. According to midrash, the day Moses came down Sinai with the 2nd set of tablets was indeed the Day of Atonement.
The picture of Moses in his second coming is startlingly messianic. On Moses’ first trip down the mountain out of the presence of God, the tablets were broken. Like Messiah himself, the Word was broken for the sin of the people. After this initial descent down the mountain, Moses returned to the God. He went back into the very presence of God to make atonement, to effect a new covenant, to reveal the true and essential person of God. He was able to reveal the full extent of God’s mercy and grace. These things accomplished, he then returned, bearing the New Covenant in his arms. He came down from the Father in splendor, in glory, in brilliance, terrible to behold. It was the Day of Atonement.
There is much more on this subject.
I personally find that the Hebraic, Midrashic understanding of the “Atonement” to be a much more biblically based understanding coupled with a considerable amount of deeper imagery than what is being discussed in current postmodern circles.
Here is another great link called “Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement“
Related Post
It’s all about the Atonement, again!
Carla over at ‘More Books and Things‘ has been doing an excellent job at reviewing the book ‘Stricken by God’ by Brad Jersak. She is doing this chapter by chapter.
With Mr. Jersak calling us to unite and follow Christ, the first question we should ask ourselves is… who is Christ and what was His purpose…
“With significant breadth and depth of perspective, our authors unite now in inviting the reader to follow Christ into that same victory” (of the resurrection)
-Jersak, page 53, SBG
We should all be very wary that there will be those who will preach another Jesus in the last days and because of this you will have to judge which Jesus it is that you are going to follow. Is it the one that is found in the Word of God, the one who is the Word of God in the flesh? Or is it the one that has become nothing more than a political leader fighting against the religious and political domination of his time. [Please note the small 'h' is used deliberately by these new age teachers. Concerning the dual nature of Christ, the deity of Christ is reduced as the man Jesus is being exalted, more about these doctrinal complications in a future post]
2Co 11:2-4 I am jealous of you with God’s own jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. However, I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by its tricks, so your minds may somehow be lured away from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes along and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or should you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you are all too willing to listen.
This new Jesus, the man, has become nothing more than a political leader fighting against the religious and political domination of his time…
“following Jesus, is not about believing a correct atonement theology” …but a “commitment to the path of confrontation with dominations systems”
“The way of the cross is about discipleship, not believing in the blood of Jesus as a substitute for our own. I think it’s bad history because it presumes that Jesus’s death was part of the plan of God.” (p. 158, SBG)
Like the above scripture says, we are set aside for one husband… Jersak and his ilk are temple whores in the kingdom of God! I am beginning to understand the increasing relevance of the following scripture when Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of God being like a fish net which needs sorting out. The good fish are kept the other bad ones will be thrown into a blazing furnace, a place where there is gnashing of teeth… Hades, Hell, you know that other not so popular place that certain teachers say doesn’t even exist (Emergents like Doug Pagitt)
Mat 13:47-50 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea that gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen hauled it ashore. Then they sat down, sorted the good fish into containers, and threw the bad ones away. That is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the evil from the righteous and will throw them into a blazing furnace. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
‘Stricken by God’ is all about the ‘Atonement’ and how to understand it properly according to this new way of teaching.
Any false teaching…teachings straight from the pits of hell, whoops can I say that???…will not preach the biblical understanding of the ‘Atonement’ and/or the resurrection. Of course it wouldn’t. Why? Because, if you had even a cursory understanding of this you may be convicted of sin and find out that you need to be born again of Spirit to enter heaven…Oh, silly me I can’t say that either. Satan would not be too pleased about someone becoming born again now would he? Wait a minute…I can’t say that there is a Satan either… can I?
No sin, no problemo. This is the kind of teaching that will lead people straight into that ‘place of which we do not speak’.
Megillat Bush - The Bush Scroll presented by the Sanhedrid
This is a ‘Red Flag Post’…
When President Bush visited Israel he was greeted with many people holding posters like this…
Although Bush said that he came to the land of Israel as a Pilgrim after being asked by Archbishop Elias Shakur, the Greek Catholic clergyman who showed Bush around the site, “Did you come as a politician, as a leader of state, or as a pilgrim?” The Sanhedrin have gone one step further and have shocked many by calling Bush ‘The Chief of Prince of Meshech and Tubal’. In a scroll entitled ‘The Megillat Bush- The Bush Scroll‘ the Sanhedrin have called on Bush to consider the biblical land of Israel very carefully, as the whole world will be effected by the division of Israel, even so far as saying that the world could be led into catastrophic danger if Israel is divided…
In the Name of the Lord, Eternal God
To The Honorable Mr. George W. Bush,
President of the United States of America,Who comes seeking the presence of the Most High God, to Jerusalem, city of God, Divinely chosen site of the Holy Temple, eternal capital of our land, “the joy of the entire earth (Psalms 48:3),” may it be rebuilt and established speedily and in our days, Amen!
Esteemed Mr. George W. Bush, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (Ezekiel 38:1), leader of the west!
Upon your arrival in Jerusalem you have the ability to make a declaration, as did Cyrus, King of Persia - whose memory is honored - who in the year 538 BCE returned the exiled nations to their lands and recognized the full right of the Jewish people to reestablish their Holy Temple, the “house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7), and called upon them to return to their land,
And in the manner of Lord James Balfour of England, who in 1917, called upon the Jews to reestablish a national homeland in the Land of Israel.
And thus if you truly desire peace and benevolence, and you would be counted in the company of the truly righteous, we call upon you to declare to all the world:
The Land of Israel was bequeathed to the nation of Israel by the Creator of the world. Neither could I, as a son of my faith, nor the Muslims according to their faith, ever take away even the slightest grain from the Eternal’s gift, which He gave to His people Israel, the eternal people. Thus I call upon all the nations to save themselves from certain doom, to return and recognize That this land is the exclusive rightful inheritance of the people of Israel, as is written in the Torah of Israel, which constitutes the very foundation of our faith, as well as that of Islam; and is the basis for the decisions of the community of nations. He who denies this truth endangers all life on earth.
Zechariah 12:1-4
The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.
Ezekiel 38:2-8
“Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, `Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. “I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops–many peoples with you. “Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. “After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.
Luke 21:24b
[...]Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
1 Thessalonians 5:3a (HCSB) When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them
Jeremiah 8:11
“They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, `Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.
Psalms 122:6a
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
The world has not really taken much notice of this visit, but I am pretty sure that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is watching very closely at all the key players who are ready to carve up the land that He gave to the apple of His eye.
Deu 32:910 But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
David Hocking has recently said in an email that I got the other day…
The President has said publicly some very shocking things for the people of Israel. He speaks as though he has a right to demand Israel to do what he says. He has referred to them as the “aggressor” and that they are in control of what he has called “occupied” territories that belong to Islam. His ignoring of Biblical history and prophecy is quite shocking to the citizens and politicians of Israel. We are also very disturbed. These events are moving us ever closer to the predictions of Daniel 9:24-27. We all need wisdom and dependence upon the word of God! Remember the warning of I Thessalonians 5:1-3! Please pray for our President and all who are with him on this strategic and important mission in the Middle East.
And you can read the following at Dr David Hocking’s blog…
he said, “The point of departure for permanent status negotiations…seems clear: There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967.”
By making this point, President Bush has let the Palestinians off the hook. While the President refers to the “Roadmap” he is simply giving the Palestinians a free pass on the central provision that the first stage of the Roadmap is the successful end to terror strikes against Israel. This, everyone knows, has never happened.
Instead Israel is now the “aggressor” that must make the most important concessions. Israel must move its defense forces out of what Bush calls the “occupied” territories. Israel security concerns are skimmed over with statements calling on the Palestinians to control terror. Something they have never done.And to add insult to injury Bush clearly states that he believes Israel must loosen its control of Jerusalem.
- Related Posts (Living Journey)
Racism is Monkey Business
Thought that the following was an interesting article.
‘Monkey’ jibe considered racist; ‘donkey’ apparently not
Ah, cricket. A world away from the creation/evolution debate, right?
Actually, on the basis of recent events reported widely in the news media of the world’s cricket-playing nations, I would argue otherwise. And these events have now culminated in the International Cricket Council (ICC), for the first time ever, banning a player for ‘racial abuse’.
That player is India’s off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. During the just-completed five-day Test Match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting lodged a formal complaint with umpires Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Mark Benson (England). He reported to them that Harbhajan had called Australia’s all-rounder Andrew Symonds a ‘monkey’.
Symonds ‘is of Caribbean descent’ and is ‘the only black member of the Australian team’.
Going Nostalgic
Not much of a post today…. just have to share with you that I am currently going through a phase of nostalgia (Is this a sign of getting old?). I have the stereo blasting with tunes from Gerry Rafferty… and the biggest greatest sounds from ELO.
Have you ever heard “Steppin Out” and “Big Wheels Turning” blastin outta speakers so loud that you can actually drown out the traffic noise on a main road!
That’s my house today… I am jumping around waving my arms around while ‘air-conducting’ this huge sound. Cello’s, violins, and the harmonies….Oh the harmonies!!! This music puts today’s music to shame!
WOW!!!
By the way it’s still very hot here, and before you suggest that I have gone completely and utterly mad because of the heat…
Well…. ahem, perhaps a little.
Arrr, now I will get back to the sound of that saxophone in Bakers Street that rings through the air when wacked up real loud!!
The Space “In-Between” Times
I was in conversation the other day with a man (an acquaintance of mine) who at one time was a stickler for defending sound doctrine. In fact, the conversation started because of my concerns over my dad’s spiritual journey.
He said to me, “You know…. once upon a time, not so long ago, I thought that doctrine was very important.” Then he paused to see my reaction, I had none as I wanted to hear what he had to say. Then he went on and said, “And now that I am older… I am not so sure it is at all important.”
I sat still and just listened to his reasoning; I kept silent that night and let him speak. He had made up his mind and that was that, that was made clear to me. He told me that the older he got, the more he questioned his very rigid views on doctrine. This was in response to the recent claims made by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams (see here to read a good article on this or if you don’t know much about the latest claims that the Archbishop made during the Christmas season).
What were some of the doctrines that he found unimportant?
Well, to my surprise they weren’t the secondary issues that he was questioning. But the very things that use to be held as fundamental to understanding God through biblical Christianity. Even in his earlier walk with God he said to me that these doctrines were once held by him to be very important, if not pivotal to his Christianity. Things like the virgin birth and the resurrection.
He said that now what was most important to him was his relationship with God, no matter how he understood Him. He likened it to a child who loves their father, but doesn’t know every little thing about their own father but loves him nonetheless. Likewise, the father loves the child regardless of their child’s lack of truly knowing him with 100 percent certainty. The father understands that there are some things that the child will never know or understand about the father but the relationship is built on love rather than knowledge.
Is this silence? Is this a space that is waiting to be filled?
However imperfect our understanding of God happens to be, can we still have a relationship with Him even if we find that the virgin birth and the resurrection is currently up for debate and is being dissected by post-modern de-constructionlism?
What do we have left if we have de-constructed biblical absolutes? If we have nothing but feelings and have found ourselves without any real answers, what then, and how should we actually feel about this ‘Great Unknowing‘? Should we celebrate, encourage and should we even want to stay in it? How do we begin to build a relationship within the ‘Great Unknowing‘? What foundation are we left with or do we have one at all? If we have no real foundation then what would that mean for society, as it would have no real direction and there would be a lull, a big space, a void if you like that has to be filled. What will fill this space? A world without a foundation is one that can be shaped in any way it chooses.
What comes next? The Ecclesiastical Question…
Ecc 4:6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
This is a world wide phenomena, post-modernism is a has-been, it is yesterdays news and very much past its used by date. And like a house built with a deck of cards it has fallen and it lays in wait, in expectation for something and it knows not what. It has left humanity with no answered questions and has left in its wake a big gaping chasm that is very much “In Between” times — the Post-modern and the next. That place is now empty and void and is waiting to be filled. In this big space of “In-Between” times, we have nothing, we have some sort of … “lull-and-void” that is waiting to be filled with something.
This is pivotal because people as a general rule want answers to the deeper questions of life. Otherwise why would they even bother asking the questions in the first place? If you don’t want the answers, don’t ask the questions. They cannot live their life without answers forever. They can try but they will never get past the questions and they become stuck within them, in a never ending circle, a chasing of the wind.
Ecc 1:14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
Ecc 1:17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
As bible believing Christians we should be acutely aware of this time, and we should be ready to give answers. I give this advice to myself first and to be honest with you, I am challenged by it.
I think Peter had it right when he said that we should always be ready with an answer. This is most needed during this time, more than ever before!
1Pe 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Regarding doctrine and whether or not it is important for us today with our de-constructed laying in wait world. Obviously St. Paul found the topic of doctrine important. He tells us that there is indeed a sound doctrine and there is also a doctrine of demons. Why would he say this if this was not so?
Tit 1:9 clinging to the faithful Word according to the teaching, that he may be able both to encourage by sound doctrine and to convict the ones contradicting.
1Ti 4:1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
What can fill this empty space of “In-Between” times?
Christ Jesus (The biblical One) can!
If not Him, then what is the alternative? I shudder to think! The alternative is what scares me. This empty space of “In-Between” times is ready to be injected with Truth, and if Truth is not heard or understood, then lies will be.
PS: I have just come across something interesting about the emerging Church in an article called…
The Great Divide, the Lull-and-Void, the Great Unknown… something is about to happen. Let’s be armed and ready with the full armor of God!
Eph 6:11-18 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
