This is more of the same old red herring and straw man conclusions drawn from a judgmental heart. You seek to bloviate and pontificate while going about on wild ethereal fantasies that are without substance. You white wash the outside of the tomb but the inside is still filled with the filth of death.
God is a God of love but God is very much a God of judgment and wrath upon sin. John 3:36
For the cause of Christ
Roger
Roger, in your faith Jesus brought nothing of value to you other than the theory of being born again.
You devalue this spiritual transformation so much you say we are still lost in sin, there is no victory of conquering problems, no matter how much we struggle. Our fate is merely to struggle like worms under judgement, no grace. You say I have a judgemental heart, when actually I am saying Jesus conquered sin for a purpose, that the Holy Spirit is given to give power, transformation, literally life. If in christians and the christian community there is no change where is Jesus's fulfillment, "they will know you are my deciples because of the love you have one for another."
Now I know how hard this is, I have 40 years of walking this road. "Love one another as I have loved you."
Now to many intimacy is an empty phrase. I suspect Roger is one, correct in theology quotes, but not in meaning.
I speak from a family racked with mental illness, denial of emotion, of love and life, of need, of admiting sin and ownership of ones own cause.
Read what Jesus had to say, and ask yourself, was this man expecting change or passive defeat?
My heart says Jesus knew me from the time I was in the womb to today, and still loved me, and sowed this love, to bring forth real fruit to eternity, acts of love, of sharing of reality.
Listen to the accusation "wild ethereal fantasies". Does Jesus love you? I mean really, really love you.
Did he do all to emblazon this love into eternity with the cross? Then why does this love mean so little to you.
It is possible to close your heart to this love, to eternity and the kingdom, but this is not what Jesus spoke to.
Few, very few, know these words or reality, and many have given up, and follow the form without the substance.
But what are you?