Re: [TruthTalk] Legalism

[Caroline Wong]

Obedience is a complex thing.   Consider the story of Elijah. He had a huge victory on Mount Carmel against 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah and his intercession ended a drought. Yet, he ran away when Jezebel threatened to kill him.   On Mount Horeb, God listened to all of Elijah's complaints and corrected his misperceptions. Then He gave him 3 commands 1) anoint Hazael king over Aram 2) anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel 3) anoint Elisha to succeed you as prophet.   Elijah only did one of the three. It was Elisha who tells Hazael that he will be the next king over Aram and Elisha who sends an unnamed prophet to anoint Jehu.   If Elijah was a pastor on TT, how would we have treated him? Chastised him for weak faith and disobedience? Question whether he really is a believer? Warn him that he is in danger of hellfire?   What God did was take him to heaven in a fiery chariot, one of only 2 men that we know who never experienced death. Every passover, Jews all around the world, set a place for Elijah at their table because he is prophesied to return before the Messiah.   Folks, some people have reduced the relationship with our heavenly Father to obedience and that is sad. Some people have reduced God's revelation to isolated biblical verses, ignoring the grand sweep of the narrative revelation, the stories of biblical people living out their faith. That is sad too.   Love,   Caroline ----- Original Message ----- From: Terry Clifton To: TruthTalk@mail.innglory.org Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 8:53 AM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Legalism ShieldsFamily wrote: =================================================================== *Luke 17:9"He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?  10"So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'" ================================================================== Great verse.  Explains a lot in a few words. Terry