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Hi Robert (is that what you
want to be called?),
Thanks for the kind words; they couldn't have
come at a more opportune time. I see from the posts that you have
already met some of the others. I had actually unsubscribed from TT after my
last correspondence. A friend from the forum forwarded your message to me, so
I'm back for a second round. I must say, though, that I
had about all I wanted in the first. There's always a danger, I guess, of
becoming so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good. I thought I would
move on to something more productive.
Yes, this teaching has a whole lot more to do with
how you've been raised and what you bring with you when you go to the text than
it does with whether it's actually in the text when you get there. A lot of the
passages are used by both sides to argue their points (e.g., the II Cor. passage
that you used). As for me, I didn't want to get caught up in the dueling-verses
game. I can't see where that is productive; what's more, I had already seen
what happened to David and Vince, when they tried that. I can't say it any
better than they did. I think it has to do with having ears to hear.
Nevertheless, I'd much rather have someone denying my words than God's on my
account, and so I didn't do much engaging on a textual level. If it means I
don't play fair, I can live with that.
Anyway, you mention the ontological connection
between us and Christ in the go'el. I can remember the first time this started
coming together for me. It was like a party inside my mouth! -- I was singing
and sending praises the Lord. I could finally understand what it meant to be
included in Christ; how it is that we can be here doing this while the real Bill
and Robert are seated in him next to his Father. Yeah, Wow is right! I'll
have more to say on that later, now I have to be on my way.
Thanks again,
Bill
Hello Bill, peace be upon you.
I've been watching this discussion for a long time and feel compelled to right you now and give you some encouragement. Wow! Good stuff, very visual. What a powerful summary of the Gospel of our Lord. You've spent some time in the Word, haven't you? Your association with Jesus' blood running through our veins is especially on the mark. The go'el or "kinsman redeemer" of the OT had to be a blood relative. Jesus is our Redeemer because he is our Blood relative. Through Mary back to Eve and forward again to every one of us. Now we see why Eve is the "giver of life" (that's what her name means). What Jesus did in his flesh, he did in all flesh "One died for all, Therefore all died". He had to be like sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh (rom 8:3). And the Son who knew no sin from eternity had to be made sin (nature) so that we could become righteousness in him (II cor 2:21). Before I go I want to encourage you, Bill. Difficult people abound. You were right in, I think it was your first email. This is a difficult doctrine for dyed-in-the-wool types to grasp. But oh so transformational when they do! And you're right, the way to deal with difficult people is to forgive them. That is loving them. Oh, I was really moved by your Psalms 22 interpretation the other day. Keep on teaching. This stuff is contagious. To His Glory, Robert Trump |
