Many times the things I make the most noise about is not people's beliefs/faith as much as the faulty logic that supports those beliefs/faith. It is important that we understand well why we exercise the things we exercise, rather than just accept it as truth because "They" told us so.
Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law [Torah] of thy God, I will also forget thy children." I added [Torah] because that was the original Hebrew word. God is pretty straightforward on this issue of "knowledge". Hosea 4:17 "Ephraim (Christians may be referred to as the Old Testament 'House of Ephraim') [is] joined to idols: let him alone." Many times our "idols" have been the dogma and theories of our organized religions that so heavily influence the "exercise" of our Christian lifestyle.
I prefer to not point out people's mistakes, but rather work mutually toward a more logical and biblically sound rationale for "why we do what we do...". And I am far from perfect. Even my own logic is continually reforming and strengthening as I share with others when we "midrash" Scripture from the perspective of Torah.
This week I had dinner with a great friend and his wonderful wife at their home. As usual we get into lively discussions about our Christian experience and how amazing God is at bringing us into His "ekklesia" despite our best efforts to the contrary. This time we discussed "baptism and the ritualistic applications of water to the body as spiritual acts of cleansing".
We broke baptism into five categories:
Infant Baptism, which we agreed is the Christian equivalent of Circumcision
Baptism of Repentance, which is an act of repentance as preached by John the Baptist
Baptism of Faith, which is a declaration of faith to the Community, as exemplified by Jesus when Baptized by John the Baptist
Mikvah, which can be a regular and private Hebraic version of Confession of Sin and Re-affirmation
Rahatz, which can be a daily public or private Hebraic version of Christian repentance for the day's known and unknown sins
I am currently thinking there are multiple "ritualistic applications of water to the body as a spiritual act of cleansing" but only one "Baptism", that being the Baptism of the Spirit. It could be that in John 3:5 Jesus' statement, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God", the phrase "born of water" is not a reference to what the Christian Church understands to be water/immersion baptism at all... or, at best, only in part. Certainly water does not give us Salvation - only Christ's Blood redeems us from our sin-debt. There is more to this crucial statement than we at first read.
When Jesus spoke about the finer points of "Law" (Torah), He was often speaking directly to the more learned men and women in His audience. Therefore, He used Moses and Isaiah and other authors of Torah to re-educate the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Lawyers of His day.
As a Jew, Jesus spoke in Aramaic and Biblical Hebrew words and pictures that His countrymen would clearly understand and appreciate. Jesus' words "born of water" probably does not mean "born" "of" "water" as translated in the Greek language. This is evident in English as most times a preposition joins verbs and nouns or predicates (ie: a prepositional phrase) an idiom is formed that is unique to that language base and cultural reference. The phrase in question most likely formed a Hebrew idiom - a culturally recognized word phrase, and quite likely was a direct reference to the Laver in the Tabernacle.
Thereby, He was calling each member of His audience (then and now) to engage in the Tabernacle more completely than ever before, made possible by His Sacrifice on the eve of Passover. To serve in the tabernacle Priests/we pass through the Gate of Circumcision (Salvation), place their/our Offerings on the Brazen Altar (Obedience to Him), and wash their/our bodies in the Laver (Status Change). The act of being "born of the Spirit" is a prerequisite for Priesthood in my opinion, which is the "effect" of the Laver when they/we experience a status change from "Common to Uncommon, Unholy to Holy" before God. After the Laver they/we dress in Priestly Garments ("Putting Off the Old"/"Equipped for Every Good Work"/"Putting on the Whole Armour of God") to be made ready to enter the Holy Place (His Service) as His Priests did/do and to enter the Holy of Holies (His Presence) as His High Priests did/do. Ultimately, I think "Brazen Altar/fire/Internal" and "Laver/water/External" are immediately causal and effectual, linked by obedience to Him.
Paul also often compares water baptism to "the grave"... referencing Christ's time in the Tomb... blood/covenant, fire/altar, water/regeneration... that's a word study to look into.
Like me, many Christians struggle with many of the dogmas of our upbringing; and this "struggling/striving/contending" is a gift, a unique talent given by God so we may question and test everything against sound biblical principles, the same way Paul tells Timothy in II Tim. 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved [ready] unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (I added the [ready] based on the etymology of the Greek and Hebrew words for "approved").
Cross references for this verse include:
Romans 6:13; Ephesians 1:13; James 1:12 ; and James 1:18
Other references for key words in this scripture are (these are NT references. I have not yet looked at OT references):
"study": Heb 4:11 2Pe 1:10,15 3:14
"approved": Ac 2:22 Ro 14:18 16:10 2Co 5:9 10:18 Ga 1:10 1Th 2:4
"a workman": Mt 13:52 2Co 3:6 6:3,4 1Ti 4:6,12-16
"rightly": Mt 13:52 Mr 4:33 Lu 12:42 Joh 21:15-17 Ac 20:27 1Co 2:6 3:1,2 2Co 4:2 1Th 5:14 Heb 5:11-14
Back to our "struggle" with dogmas, words and meanings... I consider "struggling" Christians to be the same in spirit as Jacob who "struggled/contended with God". God was so impressed by Jacob's earnest efforts to get God's blessing that He renamed Jacob to Israel and thereby named His entire Kingdom after one man. To me, we are, by Christ's Perfect Example able to become like Jacob/Israel, and in New Testament terminology like Paul's "One New Man", which is Jesus.
So which "Baptism"? All of them... in their proper placement and timing, before God in our hearts, families, churches and communities. Not any one is more or less valuable or valid than the other. Matt. 6:33 ,"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." And this is further supported in James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Which Baptism? You ask God which one or ones apply to you in your walk with Him.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Vatican and Aliens?!
"Vatican scientist says belief in God and aliens is OK
Philip Pullella, Reuters
Published: Wednesday, May 14, 2008
http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/science/story.html?id=fa0c5620-4d7f-44e6-9436-5cd4cb7153ac
The Vatican's chief astronomer says there is no conflict between believing in God and in the possibility of "extraterrestrial brothers" perhaps more evolved than humans.
"In my opinion this possibility (of life on other planets) exists," said Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, a 45-year-old Jesuit priest who is head of the Vatican Observatory and a scientific adviser to Pope Benedict."
THE ABOVE IS A QUOTE.
The rest can be read at the link provided.
Below is my reply to the newspaper that published the article.
"Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes is flatly wrong.
In ALL of creation GOD created only one race "like Himself". That race was Human. In Christ, God came physically to one planet, Earth, and made Salvation for Humans from their state of "lost friendship" with HIM. ONE sacrifice made ONCE, perfect and complete. To suggest that any other "race like Himself" exists anywhere else but on Earth is to suggest that Christ's death and resurrection - GOD's fulfillment of HIS own Scripture - was less than perfect... and therefore unacceptable payment for our fallen state. In other words, GOD Himself would not be enough to save us back to Himself... so much for Omnipotence.
There are no "un-lost" in creation, Human or Alien or "Other". Read your Scripture, "For all have fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3: 23. IF aliens do exist as Rev. Funes suggests, then GOD would have to make that same sacrifice on each of their worlds - so their peoples could know and accept Salvation - thereby watering down the validity and sufficiency of the ONE LAMB of GOD, breaking with HIS own Word and nullifying ALL of Scripture for the Christian, the Islamic, and even for the Jews, since Abraham is the shared Patriarch of these Faiths.
It is far a more useful expense of time for our religious leaders to encourage us to love the "aliens" among us, the people we call our enemies, with whom God seeks us to have fellowship and peace. We have plenty of "brothers" to show God's love to here on Earth."
Philip Pullella, Reuters
Published: Wednesday, May 14, 2008
http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/science/story.html?id=fa0c5620-4d7f-44e6-9436-5cd4cb7153ac
The Vatican's chief astronomer says there is no conflict between believing in God and in the possibility of "extraterrestrial brothers" perhaps more evolved than humans.
"In my opinion this possibility (of life on other planets) exists," said Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, a 45-year-old Jesuit priest who is head of the Vatican Observatory and a scientific adviser to Pope Benedict."
THE ABOVE IS A QUOTE.
The rest can be read at the link provided.
Below is my reply to the newspaper that published the article.
"Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes is flatly wrong.
In ALL of creation GOD created only one race "like Himself". That race was Human. In Christ, God came physically to one planet, Earth, and made Salvation for Humans from their state of "lost friendship" with HIM. ONE sacrifice made ONCE, perfect and complete. To suggest that any other "race like Himself" exists anywhere else but on Earth is to suggest that Christ's death and resurrection - GOD's fulfillment of HIS own Scripture - was less than perfect... and therefore unacceptable payment for our fallen state. In other words, GOD Himself would not be enough to save us back to Himself... so much for Omnipotence.
There are no "un-lost" in creation, Human or Alien or "Other". Read your Scripture, "For all have fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3: 23. IF aliens do exist as Rev. Funes suggests, then GOD would have to make that same sacrifice on each of their worlds - so their peoples could know and accept Salvation - thereby watering down the validity and sufficiency of the ONE LAMB of GOD, breaking with HIS own Word and nullifying ALL of Scripture for the Christian, the Islamic, and even for the Jews, since Abraham is the shared Patriarch of these Faiths.
It is far a more useful expense of time for our religious leaders to encourage us to love the "aliens" among us, the people we call our enemies, with whom God seeks us to have fellowship and peace. We have plenty of "brothers" to show God's love to here on Earth."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Abigail, Priest and Bride
I Sam. 25: 18 "Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses."
I Sam. 25: 41 "And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."
When you read this story begin in verse one. In verse 18 Abigail's quick and honest response to her husband's evil treatment of David's men is a picture of Christ as He quickly and completely saves us from our fully-deserved judgment.
Abigail is the first example of foot washing by a person other than the one who owns the feet being washed. She is the ONLY example of this in the Old Testament. In fact, in all of scripture ONLY women are seen to wash anyone's feet... except Jesus, Himself, depicting the model of the Bride.
She is also a picture of a Priest making Tabernacle Offerings, feeding David and his men and washing the feet of David's servants. She lowered herself lower than David's servants, and David accepted her offer. She married David after her husband's death, because what she had done was an "acceptable offering".
The stories of women washing feet is not a hierarchy statement, rather that these women knew the role of the Bride. Abigail was a Priest in that she was able to wash others feet, which only a Priest could do.
I Sam. 25: 41 "And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."
When you read this story begin in verse one. In verse 18 Abigail's quick and honest response to her husband's evil treatment of David's men is a picture of Christ as He quickly and completely saves us from our fully-deserved judgment.
Abigail is the first example of foot washing by a person other than the one who owns the feet being washed. She is the ONLY example of this in the Old Testament. In fact, in all of scripture ONLY women are seen to wash anyone's feet... except Jesus, Himself, depicting the model of the Bride.
She is also a picture of a Priest making Tabernacle Offerings, feeding David and his men and washing the feet of David's servants. She lowered herself lower than David's servants, and David accepted her offer. She married David after her husband's death, because what she had done was an "acceptable offering".
The stories of women washing feet is not a hierarchy statement, rather that these women knew the role of the Bride. Abigail was a Priest in that she was able to wash others feet, which only a Priest could do.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
LEB LEB LEB
I can't find a Hebrew "netspeak" equivalent for LOL... except the Hebrew word for HEART [the flesh and blood variety] (Leb - Lamed ל- Bet ב - LB לב) Remember, Hebrews write from right to left. I figure that because their language is so much older than ours, we are the backward ones!
I'm willing to take a risk and state that LEB is a root word for Ce"LEB"rate and also "Lev"ity, where the Hebrew sound for B and V depends on the use of the letter "Bet ב" in the word.
Incidentally, we play the same letter games for letters such as "Y" (here a Y and there an I. It can even be a consonant or a vowel. Hebrew seems so much simpler).
Sooo... LEB LEB LEB!
[KJV] Proverbs 15:13 "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."
[KJV] Proverbs 15:15 "All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."
[KJV] Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."
I'm willing to take a risk and state that LEB is a root word for Ce"LEB"rate and also "Lev"ity, where the Hebrew sound for B and V depends on the use of the letter "Bet ב" in the word.
Incidentally, we play the same letter games for letters such as "Y" (here a Y and there an I. It can even be a consonant or a vowel. Hebrew seems so much simpler).
Sooo... LEB LEB LEB!
[KJV] Proverbs 15:13 "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."
[KJV] Proverbs 15:15 "All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."
[KJV] Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."
Monday, May 5, 2008
Aquila and Priscilla
In Acts 18: 2; 18: 18; 18:26; Rom. 16: 3; I Cor. 16: 19; II Tim. 4:19 we get the story of a husband and wife ministry team, namely Aquila and Priscilla. Note that each time Paul refers to them he reverses the name order; Aquila and Priscilla, then next Priscilla and Aquila. To Paul, because of their marriage unity, they are inseparable. He writes then in this fashion to show their equal contribution to the community. Of the six mentions of them in the whole of the New Testament, Aquila is named first 3 times and Priscilla is named first 3 times. Equal airtime, so to speak.
The name Aquila is a Latin variation meaning "eagle" but it also means "Israelite". He was a Jew by birth.
Aquila <#207> Strong's Greek Concordance
The name Priscilla is a feminine for Priscus, which is a Latin word for "Christian woman". She was Greek by birth.
Priscilla <#4251, #4252> Strong's Greek Concordance
Many times when we see a reference to ISRAELITE or JEW, it is a reference to the House of Judah, or the Groom (Christ).
Many times when we see a reference to GREEK or GENTILE, it is a reference to the House of Ephraim, or the Bride (Church).
It may well be a picture of the WHOLE House of Israel united in "Marriage" as God intends. Its a "perfect marriage", maybe not perfect in our sense, but certainly perfect/holy/acceptable before God.
The name Aquila is a Latin variation meaning "eagle" but it also means "Israelite". He was a Jew by birth.
Aquila <#207> Strong's Greek Concordance
The name Priscilla is a feminine for Priscus, which is a Latin word for "Christian woman". She was Greek by birth.
Priscilla <#4251, #4252> Strong's Greek Concordance
Many times when we see a reference to ISRAELITE or JEW, it is a reference to the House of Judah, or the Groom (Christ).
Many times when we see a reference to GREEK or GENTILE, it is a reference to the House of Ephraim, or the Bride (Church).
It may well be a picture of the WHOLE House of Israel united in "Marriage" as God intends. Its a "perfect marriage", maybe not perfect in our sense, but certainly perfect/holy/acceptable before God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
