The Israel of God

[svedbygrace]

Israel the Children of Promise !


Rom 9:6-8

6Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Israel, the Children of Promise ! There was a Children of Israel according to the flesh, and a children of Israel according to to Promise. Now to which Israel did God make the Promises to ? The Children of Israel according to the flesh or according to Promise, and without hesitation I answer the Israel, the Children of Promise.

How do we discern discern which is which ? Lets seek the scripture to find a answer. As stated in Rom 9:6, Paul see's two Israel's, vs 7 seeds of Abraham, vs 8 Children of Abraham; Now within the scope of being children of Abraham, it could happen one of two ways, according to the flesh or according to promise.87

 

[zone]

Israel the Children of Promise !


Rom 9:6-8

6Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Israel, the Children of Promise ! There was a Children of Israel according to the flesh, and a children of Israel according to to Promise. Now to which Israel did God make the Promises to ? The Children of Israel according to the flesh or according to Promise, and without hesitation I answer the Israel, the Children of Promise.

How do we discern discern which is which ? Lets seek the scripture to find a answer. As stated in Rom 9:6, Paul see's two Israel's, vs 7 seeds of Abraham, vs 8 Children of Abraham; Now within the scope of being children of Abraham, it could happen one of two ways, according to the flesh or according to promise.87

oh my.
i have not heard this new teaching.
what is it i wonder...

Christianity

 

[ProphetExcalibur]

oh my.
i have not heard this new teaching.
what is it i wonder...

Christianity

Rom 9:6-8

Children of the promise, New Covenant Israel, The Church?!


Good Form!!!

 

[svedbygrace]

Israel the Children of Promise cont

How do we discern discern which is which ? Lets seek the scripture to find a answer. As stated in Rom 9:6, Paul see's two Israel's, vs 7 seeds of Abraham, vs 8 Children of Abraham; Now within the scope of being children of Abraham, it could happen one of two ways, according to the flesh or according to promise.

The Two Israels in vs 6 are of the flesh or of the promise [the spirit]

Now Abraham had Two Sons, Before Issac was Ishmael. Ishmael can trace His natural [flesh] descent back to Abraham [as can natural Israel] for Jesus speaking to them [natural jews] says:

Jn 8:37

37I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Yet Ishmael was not counted as a Heir of Promise Gal 4:30


30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. see Rom 9:8

In fact in Gal 4:22ff, the Apostle identifies natural Israel according to the flesh as Ishmael and his mother hagar, they representing that Israel constituted at Mt Sinai :


24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

And Identifies Isaac as as from the freewoman, born of promise to Abraham.

Ishmael was born by the flesh to Abraham [in unbelief], But Isaac was born by the power of God's word of Promise to Abraham.

You see Isaac was conceived and brought forth by the direct activity of God, Sarah having been hopelessly barren, and Abraham his Father was past the years of natural procreation ability [see Gen 17:17], but nevertheless God made a promise too them to give them a Son, A Heir. It was the power of that promise that brought forth Isaac in the womb, and likewise, its the sovereign power of God that gives being to the Children of Promise, which are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of men, but of God Jn 1:13 [as Isaac] and thusly Isaac is a type or figure for the True Seed of Abraham, the Israel of Promise, born of the Holy Spirit of promise..even Isaac was born after the Spirit Gal 4:29

But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after [or according to] the Spirit, even so it is now.

Hence all the jews in the OT that were born after[or according to] the Spirit was the True Israel, the True olive Tree 88​

 

[svedbygrace]

But Paul no doubt met with opposition and objection, that all of Isaac's natural descendants are of the Promise ! So Paul goes on to speak of his natural descendants, per Jacob and Esau, who where both born of Isaac and Rebekah Rom 9:10-13


10And not only this; but when Rebbecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth

12It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.


So what Paul is doing is abolishing the false idea that the natural descendants determines whether or not one is included in the Israel of God or Promise. For it can be said of both Ishmael and Esau that they can be traced back to the natural lineage of Abraham, they are children of the flesh, however both were rejected from being heirs of promise or Israel of promise ! You see Abraham was given a seed born after the Spirit, that seed is Israel, but it has nothing to do with His natural children, although some of them have been grafted into that spiritual Israel, as even some gentiles as well..

Folks it is those of Faith [ A Spiritual Fruit see Gal 5:22] that belong to Israel of promise to which pertains the promises Gal 3:7


7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham=[Israel].

And that regardless of ethnicity, without Faith from being born of the Spirit, all of Abraham's physical descendants are of the seed of satan[gentiles too], with no distinction between them and the offspring of Ishmael or Esau, or the sons of ketruah, Abraham's second wife, and as such they have no right or claim to any of God's gracious covenant of promises, nor to be regarded as Israel of promise, Rev 3:9

9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie;[/B] behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

No doubt these where physical jews, but as Jesus told them once before Jn 8:44

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.89

 

[svedbygrace]

Rom 2:29 ;Rom 9:6,8

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

What seed ? The Children of the promise are the seed of Israel !

The seed of Israel that shall be Justified per Isa 45:25

In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

That seed of Israel is the same as the seed of Abraham in Gal 3:29



29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed [Israel], and heirs according to the promise.

That Israel is the Church ! Which belongs to Christ..To deny this is to deny scripture and call God a Liar..

Now even though they are ignored or twisted, there are many scriptures in the NT where OT Prophecies regarding Israel's restoration or regathering are made to be realized in the Church, the One Christ builds Matt 16:18


18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The greek word for build is Oikodomeo and means:

to build a house, erect a building

a) to build (up from the foundation)

b) to restore by building, to rebuild, repair

Notice He said I will be building MY Church, the Church of Me, in other words, it was presently His Church, that He would be building upon, for He himself is the foundation, so if He existed then and now, then so did His Church..The building material is but part of and erected from the foundation, Now who is the foundation ?

1 Cor 3:11

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

So this points to the Church as being the True Israel of God, the body of Him who is the True Israel of God, the seed of Abraham, Christ.

Now notice something, Who is the seed of Abraham to whom the promises of God were made ? Lets look at Gal 3:16


16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ

Now, none but a fool would deny that Christ is the seed of Abraham from this scripture. Now Who is the Head of the Church, the Body ? Lets read here Eph 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.

Now, is this the same Christ which is the seed of Abraham in Gal 3:16 ?

If it is, then whats to keep us from saying that the seed of Abraham is the Head of the Church ?

Did this Seed of Abraham exist in the OT ?

And this True Israel is made up of both believing Gentiles and believing Jews, for this is the Israel that is of Abraham's Faith, and not of His blood..hence the differences outlined here by Paul Rom 9:6-8


6Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

The Children of Faith are the True Children of God as per Gal 3:26

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were True Israel, Children of God, by Faith in Christ, not because of their blood or Ethnicity..Now there Faith in Christ constituted them the seed of Abraham as per Gal 3:29

29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So from the Faith perspective, Did Christ Church, of which He is the Head of as the seed of Abraham, did it exist in the OT..

Did Abraham Isaac, and Jacob believe in or Have Faith in a Living Christ ?90

 

[svedbygrace]

Are made to be realized in the Church !

Now even though they are ignored or twisted, there are many scriptures in the NT where OT Prophecies regarding Israel's restoration or regathering are made to be realized in the Church.

The Church has not replaced Israel, but is the Clarification of who Israel [of God] has always been, never a Physical People, however comprised of spiritually reborn physical people.

The Israel of God which was comprised in the OT with ethnic jews who had been circumcised in their hearts [born again] is now in the NT comprised of both circumcised in heart jews and gentiles [Phil 3:3 & Rom 2:29] or as another way Paul puts it the Olive Tree , which stands for the True Israel of God, which is now comprised of born again Natural Jews [branches] and Unnatural Branches Gentiles, but in any case believing Branches..

With that in Mind we can begin to understand why prophecies and promises in the OT directed to Israel are fulfilled and applied to the Church..

We will look at a couple of Illustrations for evidence of the same.

In Acts 15:14-18 James interprets the prophecy of Amos 9:11-12, which is the rebuilding of Davids Tabernacle as finding its fulfillment in the calling out of the Gentiles a people for His names sake in a expanding formation of the Church, Christ is building His Church as the Son of David..

This is another way of saying gentiles being grafted into the Olive Tree of Rom 11:17 91[/INDENT]

 

[svedbygrace]

The Preeminence of the Church !

1 Cor 3:21-23


21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;

22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;

23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

All things are yours Paul writes to the Church, so if by chance dispensationalism was true [which it is not] then the Church would reign over the ethnic jews, for the Church has a much higher position of Authority than the ethnic jews would, and the earthly millennium jews would belong to the Church, because of Her Union with Christ..

Notice Paul says to the Church as to what is Hers, things to come so if there is a future earthly millennium, it belongs to the Church 92

 

[2Thewaters]

that verse is for the whole chapter including this verse

Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.


the Israel of God are those who follow closely all things in the Bible because the love God

otherwise they are false christians

Christian means to follow Christ the word of God.
may it be so in us.

 

[2Thewaters]

How do you know if you belong to JEsus?

1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word (every word in the Bible, keeping it), in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.



John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Those keeping the entire Torah, (all that the prophets have spoken) in the word of God.

1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

 

[ProphetExcalibur]

The Preeminence of the Church !

1 Cor 3:21-23


21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;

22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;

23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

All things are yours Paul writes to the Church, so if by chance dispensationalism was true [which it is not] then the Church would reign over the ethnic jews, for the Church has a much higher position of Authority than the ethnic jews would, and the earthly millennium jews would belong to the Church, because of Her Union with Christ..

Notice Paul says to the Church as to what is Hers, things to come so if there is a future earthly millennium, it belongs to the Church 92

Amen!!!!!!

 

[svedbygrace]

Are made to be realized in the Church ! cont

Another OT Prophecy about Israel finds its application to the Church by the inspired Apostle :

In Romans 9:25-26:


25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

The Apostle is quoting scripture from Hosea 1:10

10Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Hos 2:23

23And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

These were actually being addressed to the Ten Apostate Northern tribes of Israel before the Assyrian captivity in 722 bc, for the rebellious manner of God's people [not my people / not beloved] and predicting her future restoration [my people/beloved/ sons of the Living God].

And Paul under the direction of the Holy Ghost applies these to the calling or salvation of the elect gentiles, the church. Paul here without hesitation takes the two prophecies of Hosea regarding the future salvation of Israel and applies them to the Church, which consists of both the called jews and gentiles [rom 9:24], they both become the People of God Covenant Israel.

Again the grafting in of the gentiles into the Olive Tree is being demonstrated, or the making of one new Man of Eph 2:12-19

12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Now, who were the Saints and Household of God in the OT under the Old Covenant People ? Was it not Israel ? 93[/INDENT]

 

[svedbygrace]

Are made to be realized in the Church ! cont

So Paul has shown how the prophecies of Hosea are fulfilled in the Church, the one Christ is building Matt 16:18. Many will scream that this is spiritualized hermeneutics, well if it is, so be it, for paul did it, an authorized messenger of Christ..

Thats exactly what the NT does to the OT predictions, with this, the OT promises to Israel [The People not the Nation ] their restoration to God is being fulfilled in the salvation or conversion of believers in Christ, both of jews and gentiles in the church age, the Church Eph 2. The calling out of the gentiles from every tribe, tongue, people and nation is the prophesied restoration of Israel, the inclusion of Abraham's Gentile seed from among the Nations as per Gen 17:5, and hence the church is the continuation and perfection of Israels believing remnant Heb 11:40

God having provided some better thing for us, that they[OT Saints] without us[NT Saints] should not be made perfect.94

 

[zone]

" the Israel of God - The recognition of a distinctive people who are the recipients of God’s redemptive blessings and yet who have a separate existence apart from the church of Jesus Christ creates insuperable theological problems. Jesus Christ has only one body and only one bride, one people that he claims as his own, which is the true Israel of God. This one people is made up of Jews and Gentiles who believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

- O. Palmer Robertson on the Israel of God

The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: O. Palmer Robertson: 9780875523989: Amazon.com: Books

scroll for reviews

...

 

[zone]

Abraham and his offspring were promised that “he would be heir of the world” (Rom. 4:13), and that singular promise according to Rom. 4:16 is guaranteed to “all his offspring… to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all”.

Recently as I read through Isaiah, I couldn’t help but be reminded of this great theme. Notice Isiah 60:19-21.

The sun shall be no more
your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give you light;
but the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
Your sun shall no more go down,
nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning shall be ended.
Your people shall all be righteous;
they shall possess the land forever,
the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
that I might be glorified.

So possessing “the land forever” is in the context of God being the “everlasting light” which replaces the sun and moon. Doesn’t this sound a lot like these verses from Revelation?

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. (Rev. 21:22-23)

They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Rev. 22:5b)

So the land promise is connected with these heavenly realities which are ultimately realized in the eternal state.

Ezekiel 37:24-28 sounds a similar note:

My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children\’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.

The idea of God’s dwelling place being with his people is connected with the fulfillment of the promise of Israel dwelling in the land. Again, see Revelation 21 for a comparison (verses 1-3).

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Of course Isaiah concludes his book with the promise of “new heavens” and a “new earth” (64:17, 66:22). The glorious restoration of Israel to their land is ultimately fulfilled in the eternal possession of the Heavenly Jerusalem, and the entire recreated, new heavens and earth by God’s people. And that possession and enjoyment of the land will endure forever. And redeemed Jews certainly will be enjoying that land along with the Church.

So my question is, why do we need a literal possession of the entire promised land by a national Israel when we know that ultimately an eternal possession of “the world” will be realized by believing Israel? And if this is the case, why all the fussing over the millennium? However you view Rev. 20, the next two chapters in Revelation make clear that the promises to Israel find their ultimate fulfillment in that eternal era. Remember that is when we all live in the city that is significantly named the “New Jerusalem”. Doesn’t the name itself speak volumes here?

One last point, as my series on the land promise makes clear, in some way the Church enjoys some level of fulfillment of these promises in the here and now. 2 Cor. 6:16 declares:

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people….”

So even now, we are enjoying God’s designation of “my people”. And we experience God as our God. Read my series on the land for more about how we enjoy rest and fellowship with God presently in a way that the OT experience of dwelling in the land was designed to foreshadow.

- The Ultimate Fulfillment of the Land Promise, Bob Hayton

 

[zone]

Why Christ came

1. To Do the Will of the Father ................... 1
2. To Save Sinners.............................. 5
3. To Bring Light to a Dark World................. 9
4. To Be Made Like His People ................... 13
5. To Bear Witness to the Truth................... 16
6. To Destroy the Devil and His Works ............ 19
7. To Give Eternal Life .......................... 22
8. To Receive Worship .......................... 25
9. To Bring Great Joy ........................... 29
10. To Demonstrate True Humility................. 32
11. To Preach the Gospel ......................... 35
12. To Bring Judgment........................... 38
13. To Give His Life a Ransom for Many ............ 41
14. To Fulfill the Law and Prophets................. 45
15. To Reveal God’s Love for Sinners ............... 49
16. To Call Sinners to Repentance.................. 52
17. To Die...................................... 56
18. To Seek and Save the Lost ..................... 60
19. To Serve.................................... 64
20. To Bring Peace .............................. 67
21. To Bring a Sword ............................ 71
22. To Bind Up Broken Hearts .................... 74
23. To Give Us the Spirit of Adoption............... 78
24. To Make Us Partakers of the Divine Nature ...... 82
25. To Reign as King............................. 85
26. To Restore Human Nature to Holiness .......... 88
27. To Be a Merciful and Faithful High Priest ........ 91
28. To Be the Second and Greater Adam............. 94
29. To Satisfy Our Deepest Thirst.................. 97
30. To Be Loved by God’s Children ................100
31. To Reveal God’s Glory ........................103

- Joel R. Beeke and William Boekestein, Why Christ Came

http://www.wtsbooks.com/common/pdf_links/9781601782687.pdf < click pdf

 

[BradC]

Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as Holiday Trees for the first time this year, which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary. My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a nativity scene, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?' In light of recent events... terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.' Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing yet? Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not, then just discard it.... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what a bad shape the world is in. My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully, Ben Stein

 

[BradC]

I think it is a very worldly attitude to hate the Jews. Those who do and call themselves Christians are very carnal in the least and do not have the love of God operational in their heart. If you hate the Jews I am going to tell you that you do not have the love of God stirred up in your heart and that you do not honor the grace of God. How can you hate the Jews and then tell others that Jews need the gospel. Your love is with dissimulation. I would rather be good to the Jew that rejects Christ and win them over that they may see Christ in action through me and see the salvation of God. many of you would reject that because your heart is not established in the grace of God.

 

[Praus]

​Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as Holiday Trees for the first time this year, which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary. My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.

This is a beautiful essay, thank you for posting this.

-> Ben Stein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Benjamin Jeremy "Ben" Stein (born November 25, 1944) is an American actor, writer, lawyer, and commentator on political and economic issues."

"Stein was born in Washington, D.C., ... He is Jewish and grew up in the Woodside Forest neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland."

"Stein lives ... in Beverly Hills and Malibu, California."


Ben Stein is a tremendous asset to the United States of America and to the people of Los Angeles.

I cannot thank him enough for his services to my country and to the city where I live.



Happy Christmas BradC! God bless America!

 

[BradC]

This is a beautiful essay, thank you for posting this.

-> Ben Stein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Benjamin Jeremy "Ben" Stein (born November 25, 1944) is an American actor, writer, lawyer, and commentator on political and economic issues."

"Stein was born in Washington, D.C., ... He is Jewish and grew up in the Woodside Forest neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland."

"Stein lives ... in Beverly Hills and Malibu, California."


Ben Stein is a tremendous asset to the United States of America and to the people of Los Angeles.

I cannot thank him enough for his services to my country and to the city where I live.



Happy Christmas BradC! God bless America!

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Same to you, Praus.