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But what does this all have to do with a Hebraic Idiom?..Which means to be greedy and selfish?...
While you think Jesus was talking about filling your belly, it is inevitable you will ask me dumb questions.
What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"
I question not my corporeal eye any more than I would question a window concerning a sight. I look through it and not with it. William Blake.
A couple theories of mine as to why this is the case:
I'm sure the bible isn't the only religious text over which there are disputes. Perhaps part of the problem is that people are relying too heavily on ancient religious texts to figure out God, a God who already resides in each and every heart and is communicating with them directly.
Another way I've looked at is that the bible is like a mirror. What someone gets out of it depends on what's already going on in their mind and heart upon looking at it. There's a saying that we don't see things as they are, we see things as we are. I think this also applies when it comes to what one sees in the bible.
For example, someone who wants women to be nothing more than doormats will focus on and interpret scripture to support that view. Someone who wants those they don't like to get what's coming to them will interpret and focus on scripture that seems to suggest the most vile punishments for (those they consider) evildoers.
When I bear this in mind, I realize that people aren't telling me about what the bible says, the bible is telling me about them! As Karl Barth once said, “I have read many books, but the bible reads me.”
I wouldn't be at all surprised. Reminds me of Jeremiah 8:8: "'How can you say, "We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord," when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?’” This doesn't stop folks from arguing about the Law and which commandments to follow (if any), though!
I agree. It's what I consider the Religious Spirit. I think what may be happening is that people take what should have been private, one-on-one communications from God to the individual and attempt to make it into some one-size-fits-all proclamation applicable to all mankind.
I know for myself that I felt much more at peace about this kind of thing when I stopped trying to mold myself according to the expectations of any particular religious organization or ancient holy writ, and instead started just leaning more on what I sense the Lord is conveying to me personally. I also try to remember that whatever I think it is He is telling me applies to me, not to the other guy. I'll share it if I think it might help in giving another perspective on things (as I'm doing in forums like this one), but it's nothing over which I feel compelled to instigate some self-righteous holy-war.
And that has gone further than any other method prescribed by religion in producing within me a "peace which passes all understanding"!
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You have lots of good thoughts in there, Rayjeena. God may or may not have intended the Bible to get into the confusing mess it is. But the term, "confusing mess" should be qualified: many can read the Bible and interpret its scriptures 100% literal, so when Revleation says the lampstand talks, they can believe the stand actually sprouts a mouth and begins to speak English. If that's fine with them, great. But a few more discerning people would question, "Is that what John really means? A physically talking lampstand?" So for them they have to do a little digging and that's going to involve tons and tons of reading. But for many, like myself, the more we read, the deeper a hole we dig for ourselves theologically. One can drive themselves to the point of theological burnout, as I am, so I find myself just saying to myself, "Look, Thrill, all you need to know is Jesus Christ and Him crucified for the forgiveness of your sins. Love God and love your neighbor. The rest is just fodder for debate." I find myself taking this direction more and more. Just keep it simple. God will fill in all the blanks for me after I kick off.
While you think Jesus was talking about filling your belly, it is inevitable you will ask me dumb questions.
What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"
I question not my corporeal eye any more than I would question a window concerning a sight. I look through it and not with it. William Blake.
You are joking right ?. You know perfectly well what i am saying, that if you believe that something is Light when in fact it is darkness, the Light you think you have is actually darkness ?. It is nothing to deny or be ashamed of, we have all been there and done that. To deny the fact you have is very good indication that the Light you believe you have is actually darkness.
Go read Isaiah 60 and see what happens when Light shines in a dark place and then come back and tell me that the verse I am referring to is not saying that if your eye is not single( seeing only God who is Light)then the light you have is great darkness and is referring to the greed and selfishness. You refer to.
(Psalm 130:3) If errors were what you watch, O Jah, O Jehovah, who could stand?
(Revelation 20:12) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds.
As all are born under the sin of imperfection, none of us can "measure up" as it were, to God's righteous standards...that is what Psalm states. Jehovah knows we are weak and imperfect but he has given us a way back to him. Though many refuse to accept this loving provision. He is not just making a general judgment against mankind, he is using their heart condition and actions and attitude show that heart condition. If we are to be given everlasting life in perfection, we must meet certain standards. We can no longer rebel against God's commands. He will not put up with this much longer and many will be destroyed, just as in the day of Noah. Only 8 souls of all living man survived that judgment. So it is up to us as to weather we receive life or complete destruction. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20) 19 I do take the heavens and the earth as witnesses against YOU today, that I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive, you and your offspring, 20 by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him; for he is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell upon the ground that Jehovah swore to your forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give to them.”
Only 8 souls of all living man survived that judgment.
How do you explain what Josephus recorded in his history quoting more ancient history books written by barbarians regarding people who ezcaped the flood on top of a Mountain in Armenia and stating that a great boat landed there wherein 8 people were?...
How do you explain what Josephus recorded in his history quoting more ancient history books written by barbarians regarding people who ezcaped the flood on top of a Mountain in Armenia and stating that a great boat landed there wherein 8 people were?...
I say they were good at fiction and not at history. The Bible doesn't lie or contain any fiction.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is incurable; who can know it?
Pro 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it is the ways of death.
So much for following after one's heart...Yea, go ahead and do that...
Yeah and people either:
don't know - or
don't believe-or
forget this piece of scripture:
Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
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