Yes, Lance. This certainly sets our discussion into
perspective. Let us not lose sight of whom this is about and how then it relates
to us -- from the side of his fulfillment.
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lance Muir" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 6:32
AM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Unilateral covenant sorry
-- the proof read version
>
> Galatians 2:15-21 'We are Jews by birth, not 'Gentile sinners.' But we know
> that a person is not declared 'righteous' by works of the Jewish law, but
> THROUGH THE FAITHFULNESS OF JESUS THE MESSIAH.
>
> That is why we too believed in the Messiah, Jesus:so that we might be
> declared 'righteous' ON THE BASIS [OF] THE MESSIAH'S FAITHFULNESS, and not on
> the basis of works of the Jewis law...........
>
> I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH THE MESSIAH . I am, however, alive--but it isn't
> me, IT'S THE MESSIAH WHO LIVES IN ME. And the life I do still live in the
> flesh, I live WITHIN THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE SON OF GOD, who loves me and
> gave himself for me.
>
> Let's keep the focus where it ought to be.
>
>
> Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Unilateral covenant sorry -- the proof read version
>
>
> > Jonathan wrote:
> > > In fact, it is Abimelech who is declared righteous (God
> > > says, "I know you did this in the integrity of your heart")
> > > in this situation, not Abraham. I repeat, Abraham was
> > > not righteous in this narrative.
> >
> > Sorry, Jonathan. I don't buy it. While you certainly are correct in
> > noticing a bias I have to justify Abraham and David, your bias to find
> > Abraham a sinner in this case appears to me to be working overtime.
> >
> > Look at the text:
> >
> > Genesis 20:3-7
> > (3) But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him,
> Behold,
> > thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a
> > man's wife.
> > (4) But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay
> > also a righteous nation?
> > (5) Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said,
> > He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands
> > have I done this.
> > (6) And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in
> > the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against
> > me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
> > (7) Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he
> > shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not,
> know
> > thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
> >
> > Abimelech is the one who declared himself righteous. God told Abimelech
> to
> > repent. God was going to kill him for doing something that he did not
> know
> > he was doing. God had mercy upon him because of his ignorance. He gave
> him
> > a chance to repent. When he says that he did it in the integrity of his
> > heart, this does not mean that Abimelech was righteous, but that he was
> > ignorant of the facts and therefore not sinning presumptuously and in
> > rebellion. Abimelech still had some repentance to work out. The anger of
> > God was against Abimelech, not Abraham. This fact appears to elude your
> > attention, perhaps because of your bias to find Abraham to be a sinner.
> >
> > God never told Abraham to repent. God told Abimelech to repent.
> > Furthermore, he told Abimelech that his fate was in the hands of Abraham.
> > He told Abimelech to ask Abraham to pray for him. Perhaps this is why
> > Abimelech was so nice to Abraham after this.
> >
> > For the record, I do recognize that Abraham and David were both sinners in
> > need of a Savior. It is not my intention to try and make them "perfect."
> > If John had simply said that Abraham had sinned by saying that Sarah was
> his
> > sister, I might have let it go at that. When he ascribes an evil motive
> to
> > Abraham's heart, that Abraham was willing to let men sleep with his wife
> so
> > that they would not kill him, that is an entirely different matter.
> Perhaps
> > my knowledge of the customs of that day regarding adultery, marriage
> > arrangements, etc. influences my perspective, but even lacking such
> > knowledge, a person should be careful in ascribing such evil motives to
> > anyone when the text does not plainly say it. What he did to Abraham is
> the
> > same thing many of you do to my posts. Some will misunderstand what I
> write
> > and read between the lines, ascribing evil motivations. We should beware
> of
> > what the Bible calls, "evil surmisings."
> >
> > Peace be with you.
> > David Miller.
> >
> >
> > ----------
> > "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may
> know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6)
> http://www.InnGlory.org
> >
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>
> ----------
> "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
>
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