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Peace to you, Judy. You do not read for
understanding. If you did, you would understand what I say below by the things I
have said many times before. Nope, yours is a different ambition. You read
only to find something you can use to stir up strife. Well, guess what?
Peace to you. I'm not biting.
Bill
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2004 5:07
PM
Subject: [TruthTalk] (no subject)
With the words, "Be fruitful and multiply,"
we may know that we were created for relationship, both with God and
our neighbors. This is koinonia: fellowship,
giving, sharing, participation, communion, community. Prayer is
relational, too, you know. When Jesus left the crowds he did not leave these
things behind. He kept them fully intact, presenting them whole to his
Father. Bill
jt: Where did Jesus have all of the above fellowship, giving, sharing,
participation, communion and community in the four gospels Bill?. It
appears to me you "perichoresis"people are trying to find a reality to fit
your theology. Jesus ministered to people (leaving us an
example that we should follow in His steps) but Hebrews teaches that he was "separate from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26) and he "endured such a contradiction of sinners against
him" John 2:23-25 tells us that "when he was in Jerusalem at the
passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the
miracles which he did. But jesus did not commit himself
unto them, because he knew all men and
needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew
what was in man"
In a message dated
7/28/2004 6:03:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
Having said that, I think you may have
unwittingly put God in a box by assuming that He always wants His followers
(or his animals) in continual close contact. Abraham was a
nomad, not a member of a community. Moses ,as I recall, spent a few
years alone, as did Elijah, John, the Baptist, and Paul. Though I
don't have much right to put myself in this crowd, I try to spend time alone
every day, just to keep my priorities straight and do some thinking on my
own.
Just as God made geese to be in flocks, He made tigers to be
loners. You may see a herd of deer, but never a herd of skunks.
Fellowship is important, but uninterrupted fellowship can be a drag.
Jesus often went alone to the wilderness. I assume that was to get
away from the crowd, and have fellowship with God. Something we all
need to do from time to time.
Just a
thought.
Terry
I agree with your comments
above. What I see in the thinking I shared is a case for the necessity
of community. All interpretive conclusions have problems, I
think. That is why we have some many opinions floating around on
TT. Eph 5:18-20 presents the idea that Spirit filling is an aspect of
community, "Be you filled with the Spirit as you address one another in
song ..." is a Smithson translation (in part) of that
text.
Among other considerations, the presentation gives
added weight to church involvement, something my wife and I have been a
little lax in. The community of believers bears the image of God
and, therefore, in that community we would expect to see real benefit.
Because community does or should bear the image of God, when that fellowship
moves from God, seeks secular solutions and the like, it becomes less than
what it could be.
I did not mean to imply a one dimensional
concept relating God to man. I will take a look at the post with
that issue in mind.
Thanks
Terry
John
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