Mike - I utterly agree with you - that while the Word of God
was written with definite intent and meaning - and while
some think it an honour to profess that God - being God - could
speak with multiple meaning - that the ultimate analysis of such
is that if something can mean everything - in truth it means nothing specifically.
The FACT than men arrive at truth in spite of the darkness
that prevails in the real world of interpretation
does signify exactly as you have said:
RE>>He gives to us as we are ready to understand it<<
The problem I have found in men reaching what may even be
a plain and easy truth is that they hold other things of higher value.
For instance - people when they post in an "arena" such as this
have fantasies of being heard by a large crowd of on lookers.
This plays right into the biggest problem concerning the pursuit of truth
= PRIDE leading to more Pride leading to Even More Pride ;-)
Rather than having a teachable spirit they presume a stance
of defending God's truth but in truth their main
concern is to be seen as wise and learned.
The Pharisees attempted to publicly humiliate even Our Lord
by asking questions they themselves could not answer.
Many people are very careful not to reveal what they themselves
believe but feast upon attempting to destroy what other hold to.
For instance - there is an endless supply of men who think they
are disproving Preterism (a position I hold to) but would NOT
enjoy defending the many splintered concepts of their own futurism.
This is wise if your main intent is to win debates and appear wise
but it is not really very conducive to discovering truth.
Another problem is having another First Love
People get saved - join a church - then love the church more than God's Truth.
When men join "visible" churches they often lose their affection
for the invisible church - they begin to treat despitefully
anyone who is not of their denomination or persuasion.
I have (or maybe I should say "had" as my wife is tossing
lots of stuff) in my possession a large debate that
occurred during the reformation. It consisted of at least
1000 pages of #8 font a debate that took over a year if my
memory serves me. It was over sprinkling baptism verses
immersion baptism.
I am of the sprinkling crowd
Noah was sprinkled but the world was immersed :-)
Anyway, I did not read it - I could not imagine reading it.
It would take forever to read.
I could not imagine anyone being so determined to study and
debate as to having presented such a magnitude of
argumentation and debate to fill such a huge volume as
this. I asked a friend who was familiar with the debate
"who won" He said that most people who studied
the debate started out on one side or the other but upon
reading the debate decided that neither party could have
been said to having WON
This to me was a very powerful lesson really - such a
simple question with such a difficult and evasive answer.
Here however is the bottom line
John the Baptist either sprinkled or immersed.
I am familiar with the very very many of the
arguments and believe the latter but in all honesty I
cannot make this a point of division among Christians.
At one point those who were professing the "Love Jesus"
were drowning Anabaptists. They took them out in boats
- tied their hands and said "here you go - have your immersion"
Now here is a funny fact - those who are called "Baptists"
today actually baptize the least. They do not baptize
their infant children. That is surely ironic but when you
understand how they got their name - it make sense - but only then.
In any case, when some things are much harder to understand
than others. I find it ungodly that others would condemn
those who hold to truths other than they have been taught.
Many men will profess others as damned for their beliefs
when they could not defend their own with anything other
than to state that the CHURCH has always believed
otherwise - this is having a first love other than Christ
and the Word of God.
I have been very seriously convicted of the sin of
"sowing discord" under the guise of "Defending God's Truth"
Here is God's Truth:
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the
work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 15:12 This is my commandment,
That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Men are instant to make critical to salvation the creeds of
their churches. This is a false witness:
Proverbs 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he
that soweth discord among brethren.
Paul taught that we must have mercy and patience for those
who are "weak" - if we are right - why do we set at nought
those who are weaker than we? Is this what Christ did to
those who believed in His Name?
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
What does it take to be a "son of God" - a superior
understanding of theology and scripture?
The bible is quite plain - it is quite minimal really:
John 1: 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name:
How is it that so many Christian believe that they can
decide what is or is not a "Damnable Heresy"
You see - history has shown that once men can decide
someone is a "damnable heretic" they feel at liberty
or even duty bound to abuse and persecute such.
They have no fear of raping their wives - killing their
children - imprisoning them and torturing and killing them.
Scattering their ashes so God can not resurrect them
and other such nonsense.
All of this from the men who are Defending God's Truth
I have come to the place where I am not so concerning about
what a man believes as much as I am
how a man believes what he believes.
I have found this to be terribly true that
it is possible to hold truth in utter unrighteousness
It was that very spirit that put Christ upon the Cross.
It was not Roman religion - it was not atheists - it was
not the sexually immoral or the alcoholics that put Christ on the cross!
Matthew 21:31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father?
They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily
I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into
the kingdom of God before you.
It was devotedly religious men who studied God's Word that killed the Christ
That in and of itself should be a warning to us all.
Thanks for your post.
Brian |
