Gladiators and Ancient Rome

[Tex_MidwesternerNW]

So, one of the things you should know about Christian life and is well adhered to is that no bloodshed is allowed. This would be called "sex" in even a general understanding of the word, referring to disputes over personal boundaries that causes a person to touch someone else's blood or be called to witness in court something seen or known to be true.

Anyone would be mistaken for confusing intimacy which is proper from acts which retaliate greater conflict:

"A man must not defile himself by having sex..." "This is a perverse act." "Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman." "It is a detestable sin". (Leviticus 18:22)

"Jesus replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."" (Luke 11:28)

Girard Butler put it well, didn't he... I come from that same place. But the guilt that Maximus carries is real.

Leviticus (6:24-25) gives an overview on why that kind of sin can be paid for with animal blood, but guilt requires other testimony, that of blood guilt. Or it did, until Christ Jesus restored people to this right commandment:

"If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin."

And clearly understanding, people absolutely revile sin and will not put up with anything like letting a man and woman sleep on the ground together. It happens, but that is not a valid means by which life carries itself out.

Don't lose your temper, but that was the libel for which the Lord needed to respond. (Exodus 3:14) (Psalms 110:1) (Daniel 7:13)

Nothing about the Lord's character was anything but ritually clean, effectively these charges were for being seen in public near people with leprosy, which took on the nature of blood loss and incontinence... This exists today and is still very contagious. The Pharisees really wanted to see if death would affect their bottom line. It does.

The technical word in this case is "crying uncle", not "blasphemy". That was never the case.

 

[Tex_MidwesternerNW]

John 8:1-11

( The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11 )

"And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more"."

Nicodemus

 

[Jordon]

John 8:1-11

( The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11 )

"And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more"."

Nicodemus

hey tex how's things.

What happens if a person is scared to testify, do they still have to testify

 

[Tex_MidwesternerNW]

hey tex how's things.

What happens if a person is scared to testify, do they still have to testify

"How's things for you?"
I am in a season of repentance and have taken to eliminating certain animal byproducts and costly meal choices where I can. Being able to purge some force of tiredness from winter hibernation gives me hope that I have resources becoming available for the journey ahead.

Testimony might be forced or made coercively, but has real character as the retaliatory element of some sin which comes with the penalty of full omission not being a guarantee.

Christ touched those with afflictions. He cast out unclean spirits from the body. Diseases were able to alleviate by his touch. But this comes from being loved, not by having a rebellious, warrior like attitude. Warriors go home. Paralyzed men walk away. Children walk to God whether they are blameless youth or adults. It isn't right to say that bloodshed and sex exist, but since the principle of hearing the word of God is putting it into practice, I think what can be avoided is "libel" which I see as being an element of the idolatrous aspect of money.

When I say this, it is because God is good; he wasn't using money to make a financial instrument, and being around unclean people wasn't a good reason to test him.

And by that, I say the cross is testimony, not a trial to endure.

 

[Tex_MidwesternerNW]

2 Peter 3:14 "And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight" (New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc).

Sometimes mother talks about this verse with an actual tone of Catholic guilt, and it exposes the reality of being enslaved to sin. The elements themselves will be tested with fire. Something about pigs and dogs being unclean like the people who practice slavery tells me that the signal for danger is a wild beast.

Christ Jesus does not want that for people who are in the fellowship meals who do not deceive themselves by saying that slavery doesn't exist. A Girard Butler has honor and a powerful role as warrior for his enslaved self, but living like a gladiator is not necessary, and the pace at which people move with their young family members toward a lifestyle which does not include deception about how people are enslaved to sin, without Christ.

"These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed" (2 Peter 3:12, NLT)

"His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Then the Lord said to him,
"You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and dish but inside you are filthy -- full of greed and wickedness. Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.""What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,* but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things" (Luke 11:38-42, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc).

If the animals are unclean, being part of their influence would negate tithes given to make gifts for the poor. It undermines justice, it undermines the love of God. Being this way and practicing senseless deception is like throwing ash and sackcloth from the place that the Sodom-doomed people lived.

(Luke 10:8-11 Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) "If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, 'The Kingdom of God is near you now.' But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 'We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this -- the Kingdom of God is near!'"

Some fellowships have lumpy casseroles that make the hunger subside. Towns have festivals and restaurants. People have to unlock stored potential for nutrition from their non perishable reserves. And the wonder is, with justice, the love of God, entire lessons about what being undefiled and blameless in the sight of God, what I find meaningful is that the scales of justice are tilting in the direction of the Kingdom of God, which is near.

(Philippians 1:10-11, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) "I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation -- the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ* -- for this will bring much glory and praise to God." *1:11 Greek with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ.

And when it comes to giving glory back to Christ Jesus a word from Job 41:11 "Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine." (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

The Kingdom of God is near. The sky and stars above; God's dwelling place; abode of eternal bliss.

"This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living." (Romans 13:11-12, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

Let me say that again, softly. "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:11-12, Christian Art Publishers Holy Bible King James Version)

By being pure and blameless, the need to submit to enslavement isn't possible. 1 Corinthians 6:9 states: "Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people -- none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God." (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc)

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thrives, nor covetous, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (Christian Art Publishers Holy Bible King James Version)

Skip the dogs and the pork flesh. Then get around to the shining armor of right living.