jt JD you are disingenious from the start.
While claiming to be a pastor and not a theologian you title
this little rant against God's Word 'A heuristic
consideration' which is 'theological' - The word isn't even
found in a regular dictionary
JD: so the word is poorly chosen because it is not in one of your "regular dictionaries?" I
have a Websters and and a
Cambridge dictionary and the word appears in both. We, all
of us who study the biblical message, are putting scripture
together in an effort to make the Message work for us with the
least amount of problems. "Heuristic' has to do with that
very process.
jt: Actually I found a larger dictionary with the word in it
- still it has nothing to do with understanding scripture.
It is from German heuristisch ie: helping to discover or learn,
specif. designating a method of education or of computer
programming in which the pupil or machine proceeds along empirical
lines using rules of thumb to find solutions or answers.
This has nothing to do with Holy Spirit revelation and
would not be understood by ordinary every day sheep (the ones
God calls).
JD: Apparently you are upset that I did not include
myself as being a theologian.&n bsp; Thank you but,
alas, I am a lowly pastor and nothing more.
jt: Has God put you in a position to care for and be an
example to part of His flock? How can you shepherd
anyone or be an example to others of how to follow Christ
when you are not walking in the light yourself? You have
legalized God's Word and made it into something it was never meant
to be while ATST embracing an
entirely opportunistic message for yourself.
JD: Honestly, I have no idea
what this last sentence means.
jt: In all of your anthropological considerations have you ever wondered why only 8
persons were saved through the flood the first time and why Jesus
brings this up in Matt 24:38,39? God was so pleased with
99.9% of the world population that he destroyed them all.
You and Lance remind me of the Jews who clung to the fact that
they were 'Abraham's seed' and
that was going to save them. You can quote your
'incarnation' doctrine all over the place but if you do not have
fruit in your life meet for repentance - you will wind up in the
same shape as them. As for the things written aforetime (which includes all of
God's laws, statutes, and commandments); they were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope. You can throw them out if you like.
As for me I believe "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting
the soul" and my soul needs converting every day until it is
completely conformed to the image of Christ.
JD: And that is
fine. I cannot
ignore the comments in Romans 2-5 nor the entire letter to
the Galatians on this
subject.
jt: The entire letter to the Galatians has to do with Jewish
legalism and Romans 2 is not teaching that the
unregenerate have God's Law written on their hearts JD. We
have been over this before. Everyone in the whole world is
not immediately born again because Jesus was born in a flesh body,
died, and rose from the dead historically.
My comments below constitute a substantive consideration that would
best be rebutted with equally substantive
comments. Emotionalism and judgmentalism are not
appropriate responses to argumentation. Such is the
reasoning of a lynch mob -- not a student in a
discussion forum. I will be glad to consider any biblical or
philosophical argument you may wish to share.
JD
A Heuristic Consideration
The scriptures I have seen used to support the Law are
scriptures written to and for and by the Jews on that
subject. The Law is a late date administration
coming hundreds if not thousands of years after the creation
event. When it was presented to
"mankind," it was given to an extremely small part of
"mankind." The Old Testament is not the story
(IMO) of the people of God verses the condemned. Rather,
it is the story of the people of God AS DEFINED BY THE MOSICAL COVENANT exclusive of any other anthropological
consideration. There is no reason to believe
that the rest of mankind is lost and hell bound because they
were not Jewish. In fact, in Romans 2 gives us a
little insight int o just how things may have worked for the 90%
of humanity who were never given the Law. Paul makes
it clear (I believe) that th e purpose of the Law was best
seen in the fact that it served as a tutor until the coming of
Christ................. who, in turn, reconciled the 10% (the
Jew) with the 90% (everyone else on earth).
Perhaps I have not stated things as accurately as I
might - being a pastor and not a theologian.
But the above needs to be considered as we formulate our
opinions on The Law.
JD
