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This response exemplifies the
entire 'in the flat/in depth' hermeneutic. Judy knows who you are John,
in Christ, yet she chooses to argue over your choice of words describing a
reality you have in common with all believers. Anytime we encounter a believer
from any other Christian Tradition we ought to be listening
'through' their vocabulary to their heart. That's where God is looking
and, so should we. What a waste of time so many of these 'quibbles' are! They
are both silly and, foolish.
jt: Lance, when are you going to come
down from your lofty perch up there with Hermes and the rest of the Greek gods
and begin to deal with reality? I'm talking about the 'wisdom of God' and you
are way out there with some 'hermeneutic' or other. Fact is a person's
heart is exposed BY rather than IN SPITE OF the words that they speak ... So is
it any wonder you have the whole world saved including the
devil.
In a message dated 12/17/2004 9:16:52 PM
Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
Everyone lives what they
really believe. Izzy
John responds: A really ridiculous statement.
"Lord,I believe, help me in my unbelief." J
jt: How is this
'ridiculous?' God's wisdom tells us that we not only live them we speak them
also for
"Out of the
abundance that fills the heart, the mouth speaks" so it is no use proclaiming
one thing publicly
and speaking
something else in private.
So you donât live your beliefs?
Izzy
John: Not always and
neither do you. Neither does the addicted, lost in his habit
and helpless to be what he really wants to be; neither the confused and
beleaguered wife who compromises to save the marriage; or the
young black boy with absolutely no guidance, lost in a sea of racial regrets
who cries in private at what he sees as his only choices; or the gay and
homely blade who is so taken by the disappointment of his parents (in all
facets of his life) that, in spite of what he believes, his need
for acceptance prevails. None of this rises to the level of
reasoned excuse for failure. But the addicted "really wants" and
thus, believes in what is noble and right; the beleaguered wife "compromises"
and thus acknowledges what she believes to be right; the black boy who
secretly weeps lives a life that trumps what he knows is right (thus the
tears); and the gay and lonely son who is driven by guilt because, and
only because, he "knows" what he believes but is lost without a teacher (lost
does not mean lost, in this case). Tears,
guilt, compromise, restless addictions are all testaments to the possession of
truth. It is when we have so surrendered to the flesh
that we feel no guilt, shed no tears, are aware of no compromise, and rejoice
in our addictions that we are truly lost -- given over to the
flesh.
jt: Maybe we should
have first defined what it means to "believe" Faith and belief in
His Word are synonamous in God's economy - but this has nothing to do with
wants and or needs. What you describe above
is belief/faith in the devil's lies John.
So people often do not
live as they believe, Linda.
jt: Oh but they do - God's Word says
"according to your faith so be it unto you" If the people above first
believed and then took hold of the power that proceeds from the cross, they
could be free of confusion, addiction, and perversion because the truth acted
upon makes us free.
And there are times when we meet these
people, speak what God would have us to say and it strikes at the heart
of who they really are and what they really believe and they are
"saved." That is what I am saying.
John
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