HERE IS ANOTHER GREAT POST BY SOMEONE WHO GETS WHAT THE BIBLE IS ABOUT
Corban, post: 4376928, member: 298250"]It seems to me that our esteemed lenna addressed two different points - both of which are valid. I'll reverse the order for ease of answering.
(1) Attack by infidels on the Person of Christ. This is shortly dispensed with by the historical fact that our Lord Jesus, His Person, His deity, His resurrection, and His very existence is always under attack. We can't stop it, but we should try to equip ourselves with solid answers. But at the end of the day, because our FAITH is based on what is NOT seen (Heb.11:1), we must expect not to convince the infidel.
(2) The opinion of some on this Forum that the contents of the Gospels is largely for Israel, or that they do not address the Christian. This is a far more subtle and dangerous attack because it comes from within our ranks and is mostly well-meaning. The answer to this threat is only slightly less simple than the first.
Because God chose Abraham and made a Covenant with him and his SEED, God was bound by His Words to approach Israel with the Solution to all the earth's problems - Jesus Messiah. So it is true that our Lord Jesus FIRST approached Israel with the glory and benefits of (i) sin and sins being dealt with, and (ii) His coming Kingdom as promised in Daniel. One would remove the main problem that Israel faced and which had caused their crisis - sin and sins, and once that was dealt with, Israel would again be elevated to leading and invincible Nation among the nations. But you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. But by Matthew Chapter 12, our Lord Jesus had been fully rejected and accused of being the emissary of Beelzebub. The Chapter ends with our Lord Jesus severing His connection with His brethren by the flesh.
From this moment on, our Lord Jesus starts to work with a NEW assembly which He calls His DISCIPLES. And the Lord shortly reveals a NEW assembly called "The Church". The three synoptic gospels reveal the Man Jesus in His role as King, Servant and normal Man in dealing with the SAME problems that faced Israel - namely, sin and sins, and the coming Kingdom. This time though, His teaching is directed at the NEW Assembly called His DISCIPLES. The fourth gospel, that of John, reveals Christ's deity for the purpose of returning man to his first estate in Eden - eating from the Tree of Life and thus have an orgainic union with God to be equipped to be in the image and likeness of God, and to be "up to the standard of Christ" to be His Bride.
What we have on the Forum is mostly people who have not seen this. They have not lifted up like an eagle to view the grand vista of God's purpose. They, for more than one reason, very often not their fault, stayed in the multifaceted puzzle of God's divine Revelation and have to contend daily with ... a PUZZLE. The solution is that that (i) we DEBATE, and (ii) that each attempts to be honest and accepting of a logical structured argument that leads to a logical end. And when we are forced to change our mind by this honesty, that we do not let that every present PRIDE cloud our judgment.
But THAT ... the matter of pride, is almost invincible. And THAT ... is why this problem will also not be solved in our time. The last Church is Laodicea. Matters will get worse before they get better. But let the DEBATE go on. We are bound to TESTIFY.