Your words will fall on deaf ears, Suzy. You will soon
discover this fact. I've been here for a while (this is my second helping of
humiliation and belittling) and this is my experience.
You will find this
a frustrating exercise in futility, unless you can follow this rule of thumb:
use this forum as a way to practice vocalizing your opinions. Please remember
what Kefa was told in 1 Peter 3:15-16: ...But
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer
to everyone asking you a reason concerning the hope in you, with meekness and
fear, having a good conscience, that while they speak against you as
evildoers, they may be shamed, those falsely accusing your good behavior in
Christ, for it is better, if the will of God wills it, to suffer for doing good
than for doing evil... (1 Peter 3:15-17). In this passage, the
Apostle is told that he should be able to give a good, solid answer for any
question that comes our way. He isn't told that everyone will instantly accept
the message because we're also told not to cast our pearls to swine (in
Pharisaic and Rabbinic Judaism, pearls are Scripture verses).
If you begin to get frustrated or mad in that Suzy-kind-of-way, you have lost your focus. (I know because I've been there). I look at this as practice, practice, practice.
As a side note, you will discover Izzy to be an ally and friend. I like her a lot. We don't always see eye to eye and she thinks I've fallen into some pious garbage pit, but she's missing the point. I know if we talked face to face (maybe at some Crackerbarrel restaurant) she'll see I'm right after all.
Lance, you will discover, will be able to teach you the Eastern mindset better than anyone on this forum. This is extremely helpful in light of our western/philosophic upbringing.
John (Knpraise) and Jonathan Hughes are good at stretching you and will cause you to look at Scripture in a different light. This is very helpful because we all tend to become dogmatic.
Terry will give you a good argument and seems to remain calm in the process. He's good example of a Christian man showing love to those with slightly divergent views.
I thought about introducing you to everyone, but I don't think people would appreciate being wrapped up in a single idiom. Since 1 Oct 2004, we've had 18 people post comments. Bill (Listed as Thomas) (2), Ben Smith (2), and Marlin Halverson (4), Dave Hansen (6), and Charles Locke (8) all stand out as those who post the least. I really wish they'd get more involved.
-- slade
-----Original
Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Susan Petersen
Sent: Sunday, 14 November, 2004
04.42
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] 613 Commands
If the Levitical Priesthood is
no longer relevant than why do we need Jesus as our High Priest? And if we are
no longer supposed to do the feasts why are we going to be doing them in the
Millennial Kingdom? Also, if we consider ourselves adopted sons and daughters of
Christ why don't we have to follow the House rules? Following the Law is not a
thing that we do to earn our salvation! We follow God's Law because we love him
and want to obey him. John 14:15- If you love Me, you will obey my commandments.
Jesus quotes the Law all the time. Also, John 15: 9-11- Just as the Father has
loved Me, I have also loved you ; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments,
you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commands and abide in
His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and
that your joy may be complete. Knowing and believing Moses and the Prophets
is a must. Luke 16: 27-31: When the rich man asked to have someone warn
his brothers to believe, Jesus told him that they had Moses and the Prophets and
that his brother should hear them. v. 31- But he said to him, "If they do not
listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone
rises from the dead. John 5:46-47- For if you believed Moses, you would
believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how
will you believe My words? Matthew 5:17-20 tells exactly what Jesus came to do
in reference to the Law. "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you,
until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass
from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of
these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be least in the
kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great
in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of
heaven." I John 2:3-6 explains how we know that we have come to know Christ. "By
this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one
who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments is a
liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His Word, in Him the love
of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who
says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
Suzy
