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It's interesting to me, and I could be wrong, that Jesus didn't spend a lot, if any, time in going after the Pharisees. He just did what He was supposed to do--He preached God's Word, He spent time with "sinners"', and the people He DID go out of His way to interact with (the Samaritan woman, the 10 lepers, etc.) were all deemed the worst of the worst by the rest of society.
Now, Jesus DID interact with the Pharisees when they came after Him to trap Him or when He encountered them at the temple (but again, to my knowledge, He was not actively pursuing them to minister to them, He was just there at the same time, preaching and teaching.)
Rather, Jesus pretty much told it how it was or how it would be for the Pharisees ("Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees!" "You brood of vipers, you whitewashed tombs!") and then left them alone, because He knew they were already set in their minds. There was no convincing them. Jesus stated the truth and nothing more. And when they rejected what He had to say, He moved on to minister to other people.
Which I think is the proper example of how we are to react to such people as well.
Even God Himself told Samuel (regarding Saul, whom he loved), "How long are you going to cry over this guy? He's made up his mind. Let it go and let's move on, because I have someone else I want you to work with."
I often feel that way too, as if God is saying, "Don't worry about this one, I'll take care of it. You just keep going and move on to the next person I'm sending you to."
Now, Jesus DID interact with the Pharisees when they came after Him to trap Him or when He encountered them at the temple (but again, to my knowledge, He was not actively pursuing them to minister to them, He was just there at the same time, preaching and teaching.)
Rather, Jesus pretty much told it how it was or how it would be for the Pharisees ("Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees!" "You brood of vipers, you whitewashed tombs!") and then left them alone, because He knew they were already set in their minds. There was no convincing them. Jesus stated the truth and nothing more. And when they rejected what He had to say, He moved on to minister to other people.
Which I think is the proper example of how we are to react to such people as well.
Even God Himself told Samuel (regarding Saul, whom he loved), "How long are you going to cry over this guy? He's made up his mind. Let it go and let's move on, because I have someone else I want you to work with."
I often feel that way too, as if God is saying, "Don't worry about this one, I'll take care of it. You just keep going and move on to the next person I'm sending you to."
S
Jesus laughed too...probably at the pharisees more than anything. Why..... they were all puffed up and self righteous...wearing their purple robes and poking out their chests because of their greatness and righteousness. How can you not laugh at that and at people that take themselves so seriously? I'm the chief knucklehead and when I point out the knuckleheadedness in others....my own is at the forefront of my thoughts as well. lol
J
Nobody would have gotten saved, had the apostles camped out and made a career of those who reject the gospel. I know I'm guilty of just fooling around, enough, as salvation is God's spiritual work, anyway, not an unceasing debate matter. You don't talk somebody into responding to the deep conviction of the Holy Spirit in their heart: if that Spirit, the power of God, is not enough, our rhetorical skills aren't needed.
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If I had a choice in gods, I'd pick the always-happy-to-see-me, likes-everybody, sends-everybody-to-heaven, never-ever-wrathful, kumbaya, peace-loving, wouldn't-hurt-a-fly, and makes-everybody-millionaires god.
Since I know that about me and know there is no such god, I've had to steer clear of what I want in him, and work toward figuring out what he wants. And then I had to find a church always looking for the real God too.
I wasted decades (28 years) in churches that thought like me. And sadly, most of the people we really liked and thought were Christians in those churches have since gone on to find new-and-improved gods.
Now I'm still working on learning who the one and only God is.
Since I know that about me and know there is no such god, I've had to steer clear of what I want in him, and work toward figuring out what he wants. And then I had to find a church always looking for the real God too.
I wasted decades (28 years) in churches that thought like me. And sadly, most of the people we really liked and thought were Christians in those churches have since gone on to find new-and-improved gods.
Now I'm still working on learning who the one and only God is.
Care to back that with scripture. For l am here to discuss scripture. We all need to talk about how l see scripture. In other words, l am here to discuss scripture, and how you don't see scripture like how you need to see scripture.
Anyways, after you realize that l just insulted you, may the Lords light shine greatly upon you.....that is, if you can get any light,
Because?....,..ya know, ...... the Lords glorious light is mainly meant for me.
If anyone thinks this is making fun.
Why? Do l resemble someone?
Stop judging me.
This is how l spread the truth.
Anyways, after you realize that l just insulted you, may the Lords light shine greatly upon you.....that is, if you can get any light,
Because?....,..ya know, ...... the Lords glorious light is mainly meant for me.
If anyone thinks this is making fun.
Why? Do l resemble someone?
Stop judging me.
This is how l spread the truth.
S
The overly spiritual types...and I've said this before on this site.....do a great disservice to people who are broken and hurting and need the saving grace of Jesus. They do this by denying our "humanness"....the fact that we are both biological and spiritual beings. God made us that way and as you said before...It was VERY good.
So what does the biological side of us entail? We were created with very distinct regions in our brains that carry out various functions. From the base of our brains which carry our involuntary functions, to the middle part of our brains which is the "emotional' seat to the prefrontal cortex that "some" people use occasionally to reason with. To discount every single problem in life as spiritual right out of the gate, is like putting a scarlet letter on someone and taking away their value as a human being.
So what does the biological side of us entail? We were created with very distinct regions in our brains that carry out various functions. From the base of our brains which carry our involuntary functions, to the middle part of our brains which is the "emotional' seat to the prefrontal cortex that "some" people use occasionally to reason with. To discount every single problem in life as spiritual right out of the gate, is like putting a scarlet letter on someone and taking away their value as a human being.
S
Care to back that with scripture. For l am here to discuss scripture. We all need to talk about how l see scripture. In other words, l am here to discuss scripture, and how you don't see scripture like how you need to see scripture.
Anyways, after you realize that l just insulted you, may the Lords light shine greatly upon you.....that is, if you can get any light,
Because?....,..ya know, ...... the Lords glorious light is mainly meant for me.
If anyone thinks this is making fun.
Why? Do l resemble someone?
Stop judging me. This is how l spread the truth.
Anyways, after you realize that l just insulted you, may the Lords light shine greatly upon you.....that is, if you can get any light,
Because?....,..ya know, ...... the Lords glorious light is mainly meant for me.
If anyone thinks this is making fun.
Why? Do l resemble someone?
Stop judging me.
This is how l spread the truth.
J
The gospel is about the righteousness of Jesus Christ, imputed to us by grace in faith, His work alone of merit, He alone fulfilling the law, not about any inherent righteousness we perceive we are going to perform to, as if, juice the Lord's anemic work. We, as Christians in the flesh, are not righteous, ever, in our own merit. The fact of the rightness, of Christ alone, escapes many here, every day. The simple gospel is clear all our righteousness is filthy rags, in the presence of Holy God, and it's only a grave humility and awareness of that holiness the Holy Spirit impresses on the true believer, which is the opposite of pride of life and self righteousness displayed by some people posting in the forum. Such people who don't know God this way, or themselves, in relation to God? It's hard pressed such a one could be saved, who doesn't grasp the most fundamental truth of the cross.