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Thanks for asking, JD. To me
humanism is the religion worshipping humans. Putting humans and
humanistic thinking ahead of God and thinking according to God’s
Word. I have no idea how DM would define it. I also don’t
appreciate your insinuation that I get my ideas from DM. Regarding your post, it sounded “nice”
and all. But a religion that spends time promoting “Community”
is off-base IMO. The true Church is not about promoting the community of
humans, but is all about lifting up Jesus Christ as Lord of Lords and King of
Kings. The true community which springs from that as a byproduct is truly
wonderful, as you seem to understand. Izzy PS Here is how a Humanist defines
Humanism: http://www.jcn.com/humanism.html.
(Is it NOT Christianity.) From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Well, it most certainly is not humanism,
Linda. Or maybe I should ask what you think humanism is before
going any further. David M accused me of the same thing -- perhaps
this is where you got the idea. He too, left off giving me a
definition. What was written below is a first draft attempt at
continuing the task of understanding, on my part. It could not be more
God centered -- so how is it humanism. What is you defintion? Jd JD, all this talk of community above
everything else just comes across to me as humanism. Lift us Jesus and all men
will be drawn unto Him, and coincidentally to each other?s fellowship.
It?s a priority thing. Izzy From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thinking Out Loud
(again). Some of these thoughts and wording comes from From
Cells to Souls -- a section in that book written by Alan
Torrance. The following is a combination of AT?s thinking and my
understanding of the importance of his presentations. In search of a truly heuristic consequence, many have involved
themselves in the recovery of the gospel story as realized in the triune God and
the Sonship of Christ. ?Christians acknowledge that the complexity of the world is irreducible
to anything other than the simplest explanation of all
--- the God who has created persons in his image for personal
communion with himself, with each other and, indeed, with all the other
sentient beings which contribute o to the richness of the world we know.
? (p222). And there you have it -- ?the simplest
explanation of all,? that mankind has been created in His very
image. If there is another explanation for that image, certainly it
must in clude the idea of ?community.? God loves the Son, the Son loves the Father and the Holy Spirit
is the _expression_ of each in this world and in the lives of those who are a
part of His creation after The Reconciliation (Col 1:17ff). That being true, the personal behavior of man is incomplete until
expressed in the company of others (p210). Man was created
for the expressed purpose of the expansion of community (ye shall be
fruitful and multiply) ?.. God?s covenant with Abraham had everything to do
with the blessing of an increasing community of persons. The grand truth of the Christian faith is our participation in His
personal existence as opposed to His nature ?. For it
God at work in us to will and accomplish. If we understand that
intrinsic to His existence is this thing we call community, we, then,
understand just how important it is to be a beneficial part of the larger
community. John says it this wise: &nb sp; No one has seen God
at anytime but if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is
perfected in us ???. He has given us His Spirit. Perhaps this is where the "kingdom" comes into
play. If we understand that the Kingdom is tied irrevocably to the communion of God in man; that
is what I have come to believe. When we speak of sovereign
rule and authority, we do the idea great injustice if we separate that rule
from its inward throne --- the hear t and soul of
man. Kingdom rule, at whatever level, always includes His
?subjects? That is the illusion -- kingdom = a
king and His people. And that is His kingdom. His
influence in the people of God.< SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> Paul says it this way: The Reject the notion of community and you cannot understand the Godhead,
the fellowship of the saints, the purpose of creation, the nature of God,
the effect of the cross, the vitality and importance of the
church, the indwelling spirit and kingdom rule. The
heuristic circumstance that best pictures all these things is the consideration
of community as the image of God. All of the above and more is
explained in this concept. It is the model that best speaks to all
aspects of the biblical account. JD |
- RE: [TruthTalk] community and the Kingdom of God ShieldsFamily
