Sorry James. I had no intention of being discourteous. I try
to be direct and never use guile in my communications. False styles
of American courtesy (how to make friends and influence people)
such as "my good friend; your a good man;
be it far from me to change your views," etc. are simply not
my stype. In fact, I find such false courtesy repulsive and guileful.
I prefer Nathaniels' style of directness without guile.
Incidentally, Jesus also liked Nathaniel's guiless style.
As far as breaking fellowship with me, that is your choice. I try
never to break fellowhip with anyone except for clear Bilical
reasons. I try not to be offended easily and always consider
the raging, ridicule, scorn and pain Jesus endured for sinners.
It helps Christians thicken their skins to meditate on Jesus'
sufferings and Crucifixion. I find it is mostly childish and
immature Christians that pout.
--------------------------
It is true that modern secular and worldly use of the word Gentile
simply means a person that those not belong to modern Judaism.
However, that is not the Biblical use of the word, and when we
are dicussing Biblical Christians doctrines it is important
to understand and use biblically defined terms.
In the New Testament Greek there are two uses of the word Gentile.
In six places the word refers to Hellen or Hellas--meaning
of Greek descent. In these places the word could have been traslated
Greek instead of Gentile.
All of the remaing uses of the word Gentile in the New Testament
comes from the word ethnos implying by context a foreign
race of nonbelievers or pagans. It was a term used to distinguish
the nonbelievers from the covenanted people of God in the Old Testament.
After the destruction of the Temple in 70AD, Christians stopped refering
to themselves as Gentiles because they were not unbelievers.
The practice of calling Christian people Gentiles continued among the
antichrist Jews. In fact, the term was refined in the Babylonian Talmud
to mean despicable non-human cattle and pagans. Only during the
Protestant Reformattion was the Talmudic terminology ressurrected.
------------------
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for Gentile was GOY.
The literal definition of Goy was simply a foreign heathen nation.
Figuratively, however, it refered to unthinking cattle or people
without God.
In the ancient times--from 2000 B.C to the time of Christ--, there
was a legitimate reason for refering to the heathen nations as unthinking
pagans.
----------------
Under the New Covenant, it is highly inappropriate to call Christian
people and Christian nations Gentiles. If you want to
use the word appropriately you should call nonchrisitans Gentiles or
nonbelievers--that includes the memebers of Talmudic Judaism.
--------------------
Without this distinction, it is impossible to even begin to understand End Time
prophecies; you will be constantly confused by Biblical terminology.
--------------------------
May the Lord Jesus give you a glimpse of my heart and may
I have a better glimpse of your heart.
To the glory of Jesus and His Church, now and forever.
Love in Christ.
Emile---
Incidentally, I just returned from a prayer, Bible study and worship
service at a nursing home. We had a Holy Ghost time. |
