Gospel Thoughts

Webers.Home · Oct 19, 2023

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Webster's defines "penance" as an act of self-abasement, mortification, or
devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin.

Extreme forms of penance include things like donning sackcloth and ashes,
malnutrition, hermitage, celibacy, walking around with a pebble in one's
shoe, privation, self flagellation, the wearing of garter belts studded with
metal spikes, and ascending flights of stairs on one's knees, et al.

Those types of calculated pain and/or suffering are usually meant to
convince God of one's sincerity.

Spikes and stones and whatnot may seem logical to a humanistic sense of
piety; but actually Christ's believing followers can get by just fine without all
that because his crucifixion did for them what no amount of their own
personal suffering will ever in a million years accomplish.

● 1John 2:2 . . And he himself is the propitiation for our sins

Webster's defines propitiation as: pacify, appease, assuage, conciliate,
mollify, placate, and/or sweeten.

● Isa 53:5 . . He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.
_

Webers.Home · Oct 20, 2023

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When people are desperately clinging to treetops, with murky flood waters
roiling around them, just inches away from death and the hereafter, the last
thing they need is somebody coming by to discuss America's border crises
and/or the ongoing coal mine fire in Centralia Pennsylvania when what they
really need is a National Guard helicopter to lower a harness down and pull
them up from that treetop.

When someone awakens at night in a burning home and finds themselves
trapped in their room; that is not the time to talk to them about Covid 19
and/or the war in Ukraine when what they really need is firemen to break
thru the flames and get them outside to safety.

Wouldn't it be nice if it were possible to dial 911 for emergency assistance
when someone comes to the realization they are in grave danger going to
Hell and see no hope of ever escaping it on their own?

Born and raised in the Catholic religion, it was never once suggested to me
that the primary purpose of Christ's crucifixion was to rescue folks from a
fate worse than death.

● Rom 5:5-10 . .While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for
the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for
the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His
own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

. . . Much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be
saved from the wrath of God through him. For if while we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more, having
been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
_

Webers.Home · Oct 21, 2023

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● 1Tim 2:5-6 . . Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all.

One of the New Testament Greek words for redemption is apolutrosis (ap
ol-oo' tro-sis); which means: to ransom in full.

Another is lutrosis (loo'-tro-sis); which means: a ransoming.

Ransoms can be defined as considerations paid or demanded for the release
of someone or something that's stuck in a grave situation; e.g.
overwhelming debt that a debtor cannot possibly ever pay off, and or
slavery from which the slave himself hasn't, nor will ever have, the means
with which to buy himself out.

The thing is: were it not for Christ's crucifixion, the best that God would be
able to offer anybody is a reprieve: defined as a temporary suspension of
the execution of a sentence especially of death, i.e. delay. In other words:
there's coming a day when the demands of Heaven's criminal justice system
will finally be given its pound of flesh, and that day would be humanly
impossible to circumvent were it not for Christ's crucifixion per Isa 53:5-6.

That's one aspect; there's yet another:

● 1Pet 1:18-19 . .You were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on
by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the
precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.

"futile conduct" is no doubt relative to human nature-- every natural-born
human child comes into the world a slave to it; even the best of us; for
example the apostle Paul.

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with
me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at
work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind
and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
What a wretched man I am! Who shall rescue me from this body of death?
(Rom 7:15-24)

FAQ: God created mankind with a nature that's bad to the bone?

REPLY: In the beginning, God evaluated His work and graded it not just
good, but very good, i.e. excellent. (Gen 1:31) Then came the forbidden
fruit incident whereby mankind's characteristics underwent a remarkable
transformation from their excellent condition to a corrupted condition; due in
part to the Serpent's handiwork. He has the power of death (Heb 2:14) and
the ability to tamper with the human body and the human mind in ways not
easily detected. (e.g. Luke 13:16, Mark 5:1-5, and Eph 2:1-3)

The Serpent's power is binding; so that nothing less than Christ's
intervention could liberate mankind from it.

● John 12:31-33 . .The time of judgment for the world has come, when the
prince of this world will be cast out. And when I am lifted up on the cross, I
will draw everyone to myself.

* What some may not know is that this ransom is available to everyone
merely by consent and an RSVP to Christ letting him know they want in on
it.

● John 6:37-40 . . Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and
I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from
heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this
is the will of the one who sent me: that I should not lose anything of what
he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day. For this is the will of
my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have
eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.
_

Webers.Home · Oct 25, 2023

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Folks on the wrong side of things in the afterlife should not get their hopes
up by expecting to be given a second chance.

● 2Cor 6:1-2 . . As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's
grace in vain. For He says: In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the
day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now
is the day of salvation.

● Heb 3:8 . .Today, if you hear His voice, do not be stubborn.

As a case in point; the Pharaoh of Egypt was given ample opportunity to
comply with Moses' demands until the night when an angel came thru Egypt
slaying all the land's firstborn sons; even the firstborn among livestock.

Another case in point is the Flood when Noah warned of an impending
deluge year after year until the day came when all not aboard the ark were
slain; including moms, infants, and elder citizens.

Compare the parable of the ten maidens wherein five weren't thinking. They
let themselves be distracted with a trifle and by doing so missed the party.
_

Webers.Home · Oct 27, 2023

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● Heb 10:26-27 . . For if we sin willfully after we have received the
knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a
certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will
devour the adversaries.

That passage is basically a reiteration of Num 15:30-31 which is codified in
the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. (For the purposes of a letter that
specifically addresses Jews, a "knowledge of the truth" would of course be
relative to that one particular covenant.)

Now the thing is: that covenant's rules and regulations are not retroactive.
(Deut 5:2-4) Therefore they wouldn't be binding upon priesthoods
established prior to Aaron's.

Melchizedek (Gen 14:18) was exempt from the rules and regulations of that
covenant because he was the Almighty's high priest something like +/- 400
years before Aaron. (Gal 3:17)

Jesus' priesthood is patterned after Melchizedek's. (Ps 110:4 & Heb 5:10)

Therefore, seeing as how Jesus' priesthood isn't subject to Num 15:30-31,
then neither are any of the people unified with him.

● Acts 13:37-40 . .Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through
him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through him everyone who
believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through
the Law of Moses.

* The word "freed" is translated from dikaioo (dik-ah-yo'-o) which basically
means just and/or innocent, i.e. acquitted; defined as an adjudication of
innocence due to a lack of evidence to convict. An acquittal is far and away
better than a pardon because it leaves nothing in one's personnel file to
discuss in court.

NOTE: On the night of Jesus' birth, an angel announced good news of great
joy. Well; speaking for myself, as someone who had a lot to answer for, the
availability of an acquittal was very joyous news indeed.
_

Webers.Home · Oct 29, 2023

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"Moral Hazard" can be defined as a situation in which a party is incentivized
to risk causing harm because another party is obligated to remedy the
consequences of the harm caused.

For example; financial services like investment banks, mortgage lenders,
and credit rating firms, are emboldened to practice irresponsible methods
because they know the government will bail them out with public money
when their schemes blow up. Though the stability and the futures of their
customers will be ruined and/or jeopardized by their methods, the services
themselves will survive. (e.g. the 2008 housing bubble)

There is currently a new player in the moral hazard world called carbon
capture. Let's say a manufacturer releases six tonnes of CO2 into the
atmosphere per annum. So to "offset" their CO2 release they pay a carbon
capture company to remove an equal amount from the atmosphere; and
that way they can claim a net-zero production process. (It's only a matter of
time before the carbon capture world becomes another "cap & trade"
industry.)

Folks "in Christ" enjoy a similar moral hazard. In a nutshell; passages like
those of John 5:24, Rom 6:3-11, and Eph 1:13 guarantee them that they
will never again be in danger of eternal suffering no matter who badly they
conduct themselves from here on in; hence the enjoiners:

● Rom 6:1-3 . . What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that
grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any
longer?

● Rom 6:12-14 . . Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey
its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been
brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as
instruments of righteousness.

● Gal 5:13 . .You, my brethren, were called to be free. But do not use your
freedom to indulge the sinful nature.
_

Webers.Home · Nov 4, 2023

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FAQ: Can a Christian be a Buddhist?

REPLY: Well, to begin with: classic Buddhism has no supreme being(s) like
there is in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism, i.e. classic Buddhism
is atheistic: consequently Buddhists experience relatively little anxiety about
facing justice some day.

Buddhism's goal is nirvana. However; the nirvana that Siddhartha Gautama
taught isn't a destination: it's a state of mind; and Buddhists who achieve
nirvana live it here as mortals; not somewhere else as immortals.

Technically, Buddhism has no afterlife. When those who achieve nirvana
pass away, they go completely out of existence. But the ones who fail to
achieve nirvana have to go thru a process called samsara wherein they
undergo serial reincarnations; which are quite a bit different than a standard
resurrection.

Reincarnation doesn't return one's soul to their body, primarily because
there is no soul in Buddhism; instead, reincarnation reassembles one's
karmic matter; which doesn't always result in another human life, nor even
the same gender. Sometimes it results in a lower form of life, e.g. a horse, a
meerkat, a moth, or a pheasant, et al.

* Were I to question Buddhism, I'd focus on reincarnation and inquire as to
the source of power that makes it happen.
_

Webers.Home · Nov 5, 2023

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● Gen 3:22 . . .The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and
evil.

The man became "like" one of us, which is different than becoming one of
us. In other words: the man became a tin God (Psalm 82) and his
conscience-- which at one time had the potential to be perfect in every way
--is now a fallen conscience.

The Levitical system per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
specifies a number of sacrifices and offerings for a man's behavior, but
doesn't specify a ritual that atones for a man's fallen conscience; not even
Yom Kippur. (Heb 9:9)

But even if there were a Levitical atonement specified for a man's fallen
conscience, it would still need to be replaced with a conscience that has the
potential to be perfect in every way.

Well; the cross atones for a man's fallen conscience (Heb 9:14 & Heb 10:22)
but it appears to me that only a regeneration like the one spoken of by John 3:3-8
can actually do something about correcting it. (cf. Ezek 36:24-27)
_

Webers.Home · Nov 7, 2023

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The Old Testament has quite a bit to say about the kingdom of Heaven, and
so did Jesus in something like thirteen of his parables.

I decided for myself long ago that its venue isn't up. Instead it's down here
on Earth relative to messiah's future jurisdiction as monarch and ruler of the
entire world; which for now is in the hands of the wrong kinds of people.

For example; according to Isa 2:4, messiah intends to put a stop to war.
Well; just look at the kingdom of Heaven's politics today. War is common,
even in the very promised land itself.

Of particular interest to me is the prediction that "neither shall they learn
war anymore". Well; here in my land, kids as young as six are training in
martial arts; and boastful of the fact that they are able to kill somebody with
their bare hands.

My favorite atheist, Christopher Hitchens, once remarked that religion ruins
everything. He was so right. Well, that has to stop, and it will, as Isa 11:9
predicts a one-world religion; and it won't be given lip service, no, it will be
practiced. (Isa 2:2-3)

● Rom 3:23 . . All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Well; in my own experience, that statement has been 100% reliable because
I have yet to encounter somebody who I felt was successfully duplicating
God's sinless perfection. So then, I've concluded that God has set the bar so
high that nobody can reach it. His own goodness is the gold standard and,
speaking for myself, I can't even come close to equaling it let alone topping
it.

When I was a young guy coming of age, it occurred to me that if I were as
naturally pleasing to God as His son Jesus always is, then it would be very
easy to attain to Heaven and to stay in Heaven without fear of being kicked
out: that would be the cat's meow.

● John 8:29 . . He that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone;
for I do always those things that please Him

I was very surprised, and excited, upon discovering that something very
similar to the thing I wished for is contained in a promise that God made to
Moses' people.

● Ezek 36:24-27 . . I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you
home again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you
will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship
idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will
put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a
new, obedient heart. And I will put My spirit in you so you will obey My laws
and do whatever I command.

That benefit will make it possible for Moses' people to live with God on earth,
but it isn't sufficient for making it possible for them to live with God in
heaven. However, there is a benefit available that makes it possible for them
to live with God in heaven as well as on earth. It goes like this:

● 2Pet 1:3-4 . . His divine power has given us everything we need for life
and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory
and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious
promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and
escape the corruption that's in the world.

I should think it goes without saying that the divine nature would be a whole
lots more successful at producing an acceptable level of piety than the
human nature could ever hope for because even at its best, the human
nature is corrupt; which is translated from a Greek word basically meaning
decayed, i.e. spoiled, as in gone bad like when raw meat is left out for too
long. Decay can be stopped but it can't be reversed, and therein is a serious
problem with the human nature: it's too far gone. Hence Jesus' statement:

"Do not be surprised that I said you must be born again". (John 3:7)
_

Webers.Home · Nov 8, 2023

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● Luke 11:1-2 . . He was praying in a certain place, and when he had
finished, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray just as John
taught his disciples. He said to them: When you pray, say: yada, yada,
yada, etc.

When I was a little boy, just about every night at bedtime I recited the
classic lay-me-down-to-sleep children's prayer. In my opinion; a rote prayer
like that one is okay for getting kids started communicating with God.

Jesus' disciples were full-grown men physically. But they were just babies
spiritually. A prayer like the Our Father is a good place for spiritually
immature Christians to begin, but it's not a good place for them to stay.

● 1Cor 13:11 . .When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child,
reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things.

Now you take Jesus for example. There is no record of him ever even once
praying the Our Father. In point of fact, when examining Jesus' prayers, it's
readily apparent that he always prayed in a conversational style instead of
rote. A really good example of his style is located at John 17:1-26. Jesus'
style is the style that mature Christians are to follow as their role model.

● Eph 4:15 . .We should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ

● Heb 4:16 . . So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive
mercy and to find grace for timely help.

The Greek word for "confidently" basically means all out-spokenness, i.e.
frankness, bluntness, and/or boldness.

Reciting a rote prayer like the Our Father is not what I call forthright, nor
blunt, nor out-spoken, nor bold. No; it's actually quite childish.

When people have been Christians for some time, and still reciting rote
prayers, I'd have to say that their spiritual growth has been stunted, i.e.
they're not developing properly because they haven't been getting adequate
nourishment.

● Eph 4:11-13 . . And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others
as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for
the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to
the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to
the extent of the full stature of Christ,
_

Webers.Home · Nov 10, 2023

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FAQ: Do you not know it is the kindness of God, rather than fear and threats
of fiery justice, that leads men to repentance? (Rom 2:4)

REPLY: If the Bible's God weren't so kind, then He wouldn't bother with
giving His creatures advance notice of the potential horror in store for them
in the afterlife.

● Luke 12:4-5 . . And I say unto you my friends; Be not afraid of them that
kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will
forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath
power to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you fear Him.

Was Christ wrong to instill a fear of God within his friends? No; I think he
was 110% justified. For example: when I was working as a professional
welder for the US Army Corps of Engineers, we had weekly and monthly
safety meetings wherein we were shown some grisly photographs of real life
industrial accidents involving burns, chain saws, punctured eyes, explosions,
falls, crane collapses, suffocation, crushing, and the like.

Let me tell you: those safety meetings got our attention, and really made a
sharp distinction between the fool and the wise. Somebody like Billy Graham
needs to get out there and let people know that they're up against a celestial
despot far more dangerous than the CCP and/or North Korea's Kim Jong-Un.

A Danger Foreseen;
Is Half-Avoided.
(Cheyenne Proverb)

A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the
simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
(Prov 22:3)

The kindness of God has given the world fair and adequate notice of what to
expect in the afterlife. Those who don't care about it one way or the other
would be well advised to use what time they have remaining to begin
preparing themselves for the worst when they cross over to the other side.
_

Webers.Home · Nov 11, 2023

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FAQ: Why is Palestine called the promised land?

REPLY: Back in the 17th chapter of the book of Genesis-- several centuries
before Moses --God deeded that region to Abraham, and to his posterity via
Isaac, as a permanent possession.

The covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, isn't retroactive. (Deut 5:2-4, and
Gal 3:17) Therefore no matter how grossly, nor how often, Moses' people fail
to honor their obligations per that covenant, they will never lose possession
of Palestine because Abraham obtained it for them in perpetuity as an
unconditional gift. There is always the possibility of their losing sovereignty
in that land, but never a possibility of their losing ownership of it.

● Rom 11:29 . .God's gifts . . . are irrevocable.

** The actual borders of the land that God promised to Abraham, and to his
posterity via Isaac, delineate quite a bit more territory than today's squeaky
little State of Israel.

● Gen 15:18c-21 . . from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river
Euphrates: the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the
Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgasites, and
the Jebusites.

The Euphrates is Iraq's eastern border. The "river of Egypt" is very likely the
Nile since there was no Suez Canal in that Day; though it's been suggested
(with some merit) this water might be a small stream south of Gaza known
as Wadi el Arish.

If there's a map handy, it's readily apparent just how huge a piece of real
estate that God assigned to Abram and his offspring. It's very difficult to
precisely outline the whole area but it seems to encompass a chunk of Africa
east of the Nile, (including the delta), the Sinai Peninsula, Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, Onan, UAE, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

We're talking about some serious square mileage-- roughly 1,538,370 of
them; which is more than Ireland, United Kingdom, Scotland, Spain, France,
Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Finland combined!

Currently, Israel, at its widest east to west dimension, across the Negev, is
less than 70 miles; and south to north from the Gulf Of Aqaba to Shemona,
about 260; comprising a square mileage of only 8,473: a mere ½ of 1% of
the specified region.

God has yet to give Abraham posterity via Isaac control of all the land. In
point of fact, the boundaries were very early on temporarily reduced for the
time being per Num 34:1-12)

The temporary boundaries run from the Mediterranean Sea eastward to the
Jordan River; and from the southern tip of the Dead Sea northward to a
geographic location which has not yet really been quite accurately identified.
Ezek 47:15 says the northern border passes along "the way of Hethlon"
which some feel is very likely the valley of the Nahr al Kubbir river which
roughly parallels the northern border of modern day Lebanon, and through
which a railroad track lies between An Naqib on the Mediterranean coast to
Hims Syria.
_

Webers.Home · Nov 13, 2023

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Heaven? Not Interested.

It's an alien world with which I am totally unfamiliar; and when I leave here,
I will be leaving behind everything dear to me, e.g. photos, mementos,
souvenirs, collections, sights and sounds, mountains, creeks, rivers and
forests, clothing and equipment, landmarks, entertainment, hobbies, a
spouse, BFF, etc, etc.

The culture shock tsunami of leaving all that I know & love and going to a
foreign land where I know & love nothing at all, is not my idea of a good
time. Personally; I dread the thought of having to start all over again from
scratch.

For many of us working stiffs, the first day on a new job is stressful and
quite an adjustment. The night before that first day can cause enough
anxiety to keep us awake fretting about what we might expect.

I'd imagine that, whether we end up in the right place or the wrong place in
the afterlife, we will be just as stressed on our first day there as the first day
here on a new job.

The anxiety associated with death is to be expected seeing as how most of
us have no experience at all with that particular journey. But much of my
own anxiety in regards to death is related to what comes after. Pity there
are no guide books available in print to prepare us in advance for the
adjustment folks are required to undergo as they struggle to fit into
Heaven's (or Hell's) way of life.

** The one thing I do look forward to in Heaven is its library where
everything that can be known about the cosmos is stored. Carl Sagan
would've loved that library because he went to his grave with a lot of
unanswered questions. But now they'll never be answered because Carl was,
at best, an agnostic, and at worst, an atheist.
_

Webers.Home · Nov 15, 2023

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God has given His son a number of sheep to be his own. (John 10:29)

It is God's will that His son lose none of them. (John 6:39)

So (to me anyway) Jesus' miracles demonstrate that he has all the powers
of the supreme being at his disposal to ensure the sheep remain in his
custody; and that's final because it is Jesus' will to comply with his Father's
will. (John 4:34 & John 8:29)
_

Webers.Home · Nov 16, 2023

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● Isa 53:2 . .He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,
there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Quite a few of the artistic representations of Jesus' face that I've seen depict
him as a rather attractive man but according to the Bible, he wasn't.

● Isa 53:3 . . He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was
despised, and we esteemed him not.

My youngest brother was a chick magnet growing up, and very popular in
school amongst both the boys and the girls. He was admired and had lots of
friends; but apparently Jesus wasn't so fortunate. He was more or less one
of the nobody's in his community rather than a stand-out, and his peers
tended to ignore him.

● Isa 53:4 . . Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet
we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Like Job's friends-- who were positive the old boy deserved what he got -
the folks in Jesus' community assumed his medical conditions attested that
underneath that facade of piety he was actually a bad man.

People really couldn't tell just by looking at him that Jesus was somebody
special. In point of fact, his own cousin John the baptist had no clue that
Jesus was the man for whom God sent him to pave the way. (John 1:29-33)

All in all, Jesus didn't fit the picture of God's choice for a man destined to be
the supreme of all prophets; not even close, so it's no wonder folks who
knew him were astounded to be told he was "the one". (Matt 13:54-57 &
Luke 4:16-29)
_

Webers.Home · Nov 17, 2023

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FAQ: What was the purpose of Jesus' miracles?

REPLY: Well, there's an official purpose, but I see in them an alternate
purpose that speaks to me in a special way.

God has given His son a number of sheep to be his own. (John 10:29)

It is God's will that His son lose none of those sheep. (John 6:39)

So Jesus' miracles demonstrate (to me anyway) that he has all the powers
of the supreme being at his disposal to ensure the sheep remain in his
custody; and that's final because Jesus is stubbornly, and resolutely,
determined to comply with his Father's decisions. (John 4:34 & John 8:29)
_

Webers.Home · Nov 18, 2023

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During dialogue with a Jewish man several years ago, I was asked a very
pertinent question that went like this:

"Jesus died for your sins up to the point of your conversion. What about the
sins you are committing now?"

That's a reasonable question coming from a Jew because Levitical
atonements had to be repeated over and over again. Even Yom Kippur, the
great day of atonement, is only useful up to that point and from thence Jews
began accumulating sins towards the next Yom Kippur.

Now supposing God were to stop keeping track of a Jew's sins on Yom
Kippur? Well; that would be the cat's meow because the Jew would then
need to avail himself of the great day of atonement but one time only rather
than repeatedly year after year after year.

Well; the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy doesn't allow for God to stop holding
His people's sins against them; whereas Christ's crucifixion is much better
than Yom Kippur because it does allow for God to stop.

● 2Cor 5:19 . . God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not
counting men's sins against them.

The Greek word translated "counting" pertains to inventory, i.e. an
indictment. Well, needless to say; without an indictment, prosecutors have
no grounds for hauling someone into court.

** There's a bit of a moral hazard under these circumstances. Due to the
fact that Jesus' followers are on an honor system instead of a legal system,
they have an incentive to become ever more sinful; hence Paul's urging
them to cultivate self restraint.

● Rom 6:1-3 . . What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that
grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any
longer?

● Rom 6:12-14 . . Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey
its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been
brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as
instruments of righteousness.

● Gal 5:13 . .You, my brethren, were called to be free. But do not use your
freedom to indulge the sinful nature.

FAQ: If God is no longer keeping tabs on the sins of His son's followers, then
what's with 1John 1:5-10?

REPLY: God desires fellowship with His son's followers; which of course
requires transparency on their part. But the important thing is: according to
John 5:24 nothing Jesus' followers do now goes in the books to be used
against them later on down the road at the great white throne event
depicted at Rev 20:11-15. Their sins are no longer criminal matters, instead;
now they're family matters. (1John 1:3:1-2)
_

Webers.Home · Dec 27, 2023

~
I myself have yet to meet someone able to produce sinless perfection, but
some folks in the Bible have been very commendable. For example: Josiah
(2Kgs 23:25) Zacharias & Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-6) and Paul the apostle. (Phil
3:6)

However: their level of success has been possible only because Moses' law
provides them with a safety net in the form of a reconciliation system. It
appears to me from Ps 40:6, Jer 7:22-23, & Hos 6:6 that God would rather
the quality of His people's conduct be such that they can get by without
having to constantly resort over and over again to a reconciliation system,
i.e. a quality that is just as flawless as His son's.

"I always do what pleases Him." (John 8:29)

Moses' covenant contains no provisions for reconstructing the core of one's
being whereas the new covenant per Jer 31:31-34 & Ezekiel 36:24-27
promises that very thing by replacing human nature with a heavenly nature
so that its beneficiaries may always and forever do what pleases Him.

FAQ: The promises per Jer 31:31-34 & Ezekiel 36:24-27 pertain to Moses'
people. Aren't Gentiles claiming something that doesn't belong to them, i.e.
stealing?

REPLY: God wants them in on the benefit too.

● Isa 49:6 . . Jehovah my God says: It is too small a thing for you to be my
servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have
kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my
salvation to the ends of the earth.

In a nutshell:

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and piety through
our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that
through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the
corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2Pet 1:3-4)

The divine nature is much superior to the human nature with which Adam
was created. He failed to always please God even in ideal conditions; whereas
Christ never failed to please God even in less than ideal conditions (John 8:29,
2Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15, 1Pet 2:22) Like they say: the proof is in the pudding.
_

Webers.Home · Dec 28, 2023

~
● Gen 14:18 . . Melchizedek was a priest of God Most High.

Mel was active in Palestine something like +/- 400 years prior to the
covenant that Moses' people entered into with God per Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy; and as the covenant isn't retroactive (Deut
5:2-4 & Gal 3:17) then none of the covenant's curses for non compliance
applied to him. (Rom 4:15 & Rom 5:12-13)

Now if none of the covenant's curses for non compliance applied to Mel, then
neither did they apply to the folks for whom his priesthood ministered; which
at the time included Abraham (a.k.a. Abram)

Seeing as how Jesus' priesthood is patterned after Mel's (Ps 110:4 & Heb
5:1-10) then as it was for Mel and Abraham, so it is for Jesus and the folks
for whom he ministers.

The measure of immunity available to folks via the priesthood order of
Melchizedek is quite an advantage-- it's practically a license to steal, so to
speak --and I could only wish everybody knew about it because there are
folks out there whose slipshod compliance with the Ten Commandments has
them on a direct path toward a terrifying destination.
_

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