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
