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Gary Patton

Was Jesus' Last Supper a Seder? - Biblical Archaeology Review - 0 views

www.bib-arch.org/...jesus-last-supper.asp

bible scripture interpretation Jesus judiasm christianity archaeology history

shared by Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12 - No Cached
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Why would two people, Matthew and Luke, who were the more consistent eye witnesses to the accounts that they report copy Mark? It makes no sense. Mark was a boy while Jesus walked Israel and did not travel about with Him. Mark also was not an original Disciple of Jesus and reported on most the events in his Gospel based on second hand information from the Disciples who did travel with jesus, one can assume. I feel the whole Mathew and Luke copied Mark plus Mark is based on some lost document called "Q" theory of many scholars is rooted in a desire by many to deny or ignore God's supernatural involvement in the documentation of His Son's incarnation and ignores the fact that Matthew and John were eye witnesses to all of what they wrote about. They had no need to copy but had their own perspective on what they heard and saw as do modern witnesses. Likewise, modern research indicates that the reports of most eye witnesses are highly unreliable. If God was not involved, one would have to question the accounts. If that one is not a Jesus Follower and without faith in the supernatural inerancy of the Biblical accounts of both the Old and New Covenants, that's another matter entirely.
  • Thus, in fact we don’t really have three independent sources here at all. What we have, rather, is one testimony (probably Mark), which was then copied twice (by Matthew and Luke).
  • Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Seder?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      This April 2012 article in BAR analyzes the similarities between the Jewish Seder and what Christians call Jesus' "Last Supper" and the timing of the event based on archaeological evidence. gfp (2012-04-07)
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • the Gospels—with their hatred of the Jewish authorities
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      I wonder why the author construes an historical report of what the writer considered 'truth' and 'facts' as 'hatred'. The history of Christianity may be replete with antisemitism, especially some of the protestant Reformers of the Catholic Church, like Luther particulalrly. However, I feel the charge of hatred in the Gospel accounts of the Jewish involvement in the death of Jesus is an unfair one. The Roman authorities were jst as responsible for the crucifixion of Yeshua/Jesus. In fact the Bible seems to make clear that the sin nature and sins of every person who has ever or ever will live is the real reason for Jesus' death. We are ALL responsible ...not just the Jewish and Roman authorities!
  • John’s timing of events supports the Christian claim that Jesus himself was a sacrifice and that his death heralds a new redemption, just as the Passover offering recalls an old one. Even so, John’s claim that Jesus was killed just before Passover began is more plausible than the synoptics’ claim that Jesus was killed on Passover.
  • the Last Supper could not in fact have been a Passover Seder.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Christian historical tradition labels "The Last Supper" a Seder ... not Jesus. He is recorded to have simply called it the "last time He would eat this bread and drink this wine until ...". It was "the time for passover". That Jesus duplicated many Seder rituals seems to be clear from the Gospel accounts ...even if the timing was off. What's the big deal? The REALLY important thing about the Easter events is that Jesus died for humankind's sin nature and sins. Plus, the other big historical event is His resurrection from the grave as proof that God accepted Jesus' sacrifice on behalf of "all who will believe" in Him and what He did for us!
  • That Christians celebrated the Eucharist on a daily or weekly basis (see Acts 2:46–47) underscores the fact that it was not viewed exclusively in a Passover context (otherwise, it would have been performed, like the Passover meal, on an annual basis).
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Jesus called us to "do this", i.e., celebrate His sacrifice by eating together as a community of Believers in and Followers of Him. He did not call us to celebrate Passover an eternal commandment for Jews only. Jesus claimed that he had come to fulfill "all the [requirements of the] law and the prophets"!
  • Moreover, while the narrative in the synoptics situates the Last Supper during Passover, the fact remains that the only foods we are told the disciples ate are bread and wine—the basic elements of any formal Jewish meal.
  • “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant’” (Matthew 26:26–28=Mark 14:22; see also Luke 22:19–20). Is this not a striking parallel to the ways in which Jews celebrating the Seder interpret, for example, the bitter herbs eaten with the Passover sacrifice as representing the bitter life the Israelites experienced as slaves in Egypt?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      I'd suggest it is more a replacement of, as I note above, rather than a parallel with a Seder!
  • For many Jews (especially non-Orthodox Jews), the process of development continues, and many modern editions of the Haggadah contain contemporary readings of one sort or another. Even many traditional Jews have, for instance, adapted the Haggadah so that mention can be made of the Holocaust.8
  • Almost everyone doing serious work on the early history of Passover traditions, including Joseph Tabory, Israel Yuval, Lawrence Hoffman, and the father-son team of Shmuel and Ze’ev Safrai, has rejected Finkelstein’s claims for the great antiquity of the bulk of the Passover Haggadah.
  • It’s not that rabbinic literature cannot be trusted to tell us about history in the first century of the Common Era. It’s that rabbinic literature—in the case of the Seder—does not even claim to be telling us how the Seder was performed before the destruction of the Temple.b
  • the Holy One, blessed be He
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Here may lie the roots of the similar Muslim practise regarding their reverance, not for God's holy name(s) but, for their human prophet Mohammud. Many Muslims are taught to rever their prophet at a level that approaches worship. The Judeo-Christian Bible reserves worship ONLY for Almighty God ...not the demonically inspired construct called Allah and certainly not a murderous Arab warrior from the 7th Century.
  • King of Kings, the Holy One Blessed be He
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      As I wonder in the e-Sticky Note immediately above, here may lie the root of the similar Muslim practise regarding their reverance, not for God's holy name(s) but, for their human prophet Mohammud. Many Muslims are taught to rever their prophet at a level that approaches worship. The Judeo-Christian Bible reserves worship ONLY for Almighty God ...not the demonically inspired construct called Allah and certainly not a murderous Arab warrior from the 7th Century.
  • Might not Jesus be presenting a competing interpretation of these symbols? Possibly. But it really depends on when this Rabban Gamaliel lived. If he lived later than Jesus, then it would make no sense to view Jesus’ words as based on Rabban Gamaliel’s.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Most Jesus Followers would work from the premise that Yeshua's/Jesus' words during his last Supper on earth, 'till His return at the end of times, were inspired by God's Holy Spirit ...like all His other recorded comments in the Scriptures.
  • Virtually all scholars working today believe that the Haggadah tradition attributing the words quoted above to Gamaliel refers to the grandson, Rabban Gamaliel the Younger, who lived long after Jesus had died.14 One piece of evidence for this appears in the text quoted above, in which Rabban Gamaliel is said to have spoken of the time “when the Temple was still standing”—as if that time had already passed.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Like many scholars, including some Christian ones, statements like this one are often rooted in a disbelief of the supernatural plus a denial of the possibility that God gave Gamaliel, the Grandfather, a prophetic "word of knowledge"! Prophesy can place the words in the elder Gamaliel's mouth who did live at the time of Jesus who also prophesied the soon-coming (about 40 years later) destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
  • And presumably they would have engaged in conversation pertinent to the occasion. But we cannot know for sure.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      A Jesus Follower can know that s(he) knows by faith in the accuracy of our Scriptures. The Scriptures make clear, not 'presumably', that Jesus discussed His replacement of an Old Covenant commandment with a New Covenant. he explains clearly a NEW symbolism for the bread and wine as remembrances and tokens of His sacrificed body and blood on behalf of all who would believe ...NOT the Jews deliverance from Egypt but... all humankind's route to deliverance from the penalty of our sin nature and sins (Romans 3:23 & 6:23) through Him!
  • Having determined that the Last Supper was not a Seder and that it probably did not take place on Passover, I must try to account for why the synoptic Gospels portray the Last Supper as a Passover meal.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      The Last Supper being a Seder meal on the Day of Passover is NOT the key issue for a Jesus Follower as I mentioned in my e-Sticky Note above. The key on the cotrary is Who Jesus was as the God-man and what he was about to do for us on His cross on cavalry.
  • Another motive relates to a rather practical question: Within a few years after Jesus’ death, Christian communities (which at first consisted primarily of Jews) began to ask when, how and even whether they should celebrate or commemorate the Jewish Passover
  • The Quartodeciman custom of celebrating Easter beginning on the evening following the 14th day apparently began relatively early in Christian history and persisted at least into the fifth century C.E.
  • Early on, a number of Christians—Quartodecimans and others—felt that the appropriate way to mark the Jewish Passover was not with celebration, but with fasting.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Interestingly, no where, that I can find in the Old or New Covenants, does God command or even suggest that His people should fast. I have not extensively researched the issue but, I suspect I'll discover that, this propably is a Jewish ritual that was carried on by early Christians, i.e., another man-made tradition. There is the reference in Matthew 6:16-18 where Jesus says: "When you fast ...." This is NOT a command but simply, in context, an observational reference to a practise that was common among religious Jews ...the group to whom Jesus was speaking. I comment further on this issue in e-Sticky Note on the Matthew 6 Scripture at http://diigo.com/0piw0 and in the article on fasting from Christianity today at http://diigo.com/0p9iv .
  • Thus, until Jesus’ kingdom is fulfilled, Christians should not celebrate at all during Passove
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      here again, and depsite what Karl Kuhn says, the issue is not celebrating Passover, but Jesus' command to eat together as a group of his Followers whenever we can and "remember" him.
  • By calling the Last Supper a Passover meal, these Jewish-Christians were trying to limit Christian practice in three ways. Like the Passover sacrifice, the recollection of the Last Supper could only be celebrated in Jerusalem, at Passover time, and by Jews.c
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      This heresy didn't last very long. Some Messianic Jews still today follow Old Covenant feast and other practises that other Christians do not.
  • there are various reasons why the early church would have tried to “Passoverize” the Last Supper tradition.
  • This too is a Passoverization of the Jesus tradition, but it is one that contradicts the identification of the Last Supper with the Seder or Passover meal.
  • Surely the depiction of the Last Supper as a Passover observance could play a part in this larger effort of arguing that Jesus’ death echoes the Exodus from Egypt
  • a widely popular Paschal sermon, which could well be called a “Christian Haggadah,” reflecting at great length on the various connections between the Exodus story and the life of Jesus
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      Typology as some call it i.e., seeing Old Covenant people, practises and places as 'types' or 'shadows' pointing to or representing Jesus is common in some Christian circles and with some teachers.
  • Contrary to popular belief, the Catholic custom of using unleavened wafers in the Mass is medieval in origin. The Orthodox churches preserve the earlier custom of using leavened bread.23 Is it not possible to see the switch from using leavened to unleavened bread as a “Passoverization” of sorts?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 07 Apr 12
       
      And regardless of leavened or unleavened bread or wafers, these kinds of issue are seen by many Jesus Followers as focusing on dead and deadly religious ritual, regalia and rules rather than on relationship, revelation and romance with a living God through Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah/Christ.
Gary Patton

"Muslim Persecution of Christians: July, 2012" by Raymond Ibrahim - 0 views

www.raymondibrahim.com/...cution-of-christians-july-2012

persecution Islam islamism jihadism

shared by Gary Patton on 04 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • Muslim Persecution of Christians: July, 2012
  • Gary Patton on 04 Sep 12
     
    "Muslim Persecution of Christians: July, 2012" by Raymond Ibrahim Because the persecution of Christians in the Islamic world is on its way to reaching epidemic proportions, "Muslim Persecution of Christians" was developed to collate some-by no means all-of the instances of persecution that surface each month. It serves two purposes: Intrinsically, to document that which the mainstream media does not: the habitual, if not chronic, Muslim persecution of Christians. Instrumentally, to show that such persecution is not "random," but systematic and interrelated-that it is rooted in a worldview inspired by Sharia. Accordingly, whatever the anecdote of persecution, it typically fits under a specific theme, including hatred for churches and other Christian symbols; apostasy and blasphemy laws; sexual abuse of Christian women; forced conversions to Islam; theft and plunder in lieu of jizya (tribute); overall expectations for Christians to behave like cowed "dhimmis" (barely tolerated citizens); and simple violence and murder. Oftentimes it is a combination thereof. Because these accounts of persecution span different ethnicities, languages, and locales-from Morocco in the west, to India in the east, and throughout the West, wherever there are Muslims-it should be clear that one thing alone binds them: Islam-whether the strict application of Islamic Sharia law, or the supremacist culture born of it.
Gary Patton

The Sin Nature ...Do Jesus Followers Have One? by Dr. Bill Gillham - 0 views

www.christianforums.com/t22382-3

sin nature Mr. Sin christianity dead religion Gillham scripture interpretation romans galatians

shared by Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • We are known as “humans.” Jesus was a human without a sin nature in that He was never descended from Adam. The Holy Spirit furnished the 23 male chromosomes which united with Mary’s 23 to enable Jesus Christ to leave heaven and take on the form of human male.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      One cou;d argue that this implies that our first parent's sinful, human nature is transmitted ONLY through males. Does mr. Gillam really mean that? gfp
  • It is the sin nature that condemns a man to hell, not his sinful performance.
  • The whole ballgame for all of eternity is spiritual, not physical… the bottom line is spirit!
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      This is why Jesus said we can woship God ONLY in spirit and in truth" (John 4:22-24)!
  • ...44 more annotations...
  • The Bible speaks of only two types of spirit-natures referring to them as “men.” They are the “old man” and the “new man.”
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      Modern Bible translated have changed the literal translation of the King James Version of "man" to "self" and noted the original word in a footnote.
  • the Bible speaks of the old man being able, by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, to be born in a new way in order to change his identity (Jn. 3). Through turning from his self-centered rebellion, submitting himself to Christ’s authority as the God He is, appropriating His provision for getting shed of his dead spirit and beginning all over again with a new, good, alive, godly spirit, man can become something he has never been…alive to God through Christ (Rom.6:13). This new man is now a son of God via faith in Christ (Jn. 1:12).
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      This is why the Bible says only Jesus Followers are "children of God" and not all people. The latter are His "creation". But, non-Followers are not his children until they are put to death, spiritually, with Jesus and, then, resurrected or "re-born", as Jesus told the Pharisee in John 3:3-5, by Holy Spirit. gfp
  • We are cut from the same spirit-genetic cloth as our Lovely Lord Jesus! God reveals no provision in His word for adding His Spirit to a spirit-son of the devil You cannot mix Light with darkness.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      Don't misunderstand what Mr. Gillham is saying in the second sentence here. All human beings are "sons of the Devil" until re-born in and by Jesus (John 8:42-45) as Mr. Gillham shares above in this article. gfp
  • A great problem exists today in that many well-meaning Christians teach that the death of the old man is simply a “positional truth”; it’s the “position in which God sees us.” They speak of it as if it were something we have to “reckon on” (count it as true) to keep it true.
  • we do not have to reckon on it to derive any benefit from it
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 22 Dec 11
       
      This sentence contains a typo that confuses its sence. I believe that Dr. Gillam intended to write: "...we DO have to reckon on it..." because that is what Romans 6:11 says!
  • The only kind of sons either God or Satan have are spirit-sons,
  • In God’s ecology, in order for a man to cease to be the son of Satan and become a son of God, the man must first die (spiritually) and then be reborn (spiritually), this time to a NEW FATHER! This is portrayed clearly in Romans 7:1-4.
  • the flesh (body, brain, memory traces (flesh) in the brain
  • The reason a Christian doesn’t have a sin nature is because he is no longer the spirit-genes of God, his (New) Father! Hallelujah! Shout for joy! Whoooooeeeee!
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 22 Dec 11
       
      This sentence also includes a typo that confuses its sense. I believe it should be read, and Dr. Gillham intended to write: "The reason a Christian doesn't have a sin nature is because he has no longer the spirit-genes of Satan but has those of God, his (New) Father!"
  • you are NOW a holy (Eph. 1:4), righteous (2 Cor. 5:21), saint of God (Rom. 1:7), blameless (Eph. 1:4), with Christ as your very Life (Col. 3:4), a son of God (Jn. 1:12), housed in an earthsuit (2 Cor. 5:1-8), a citizen of heaven (Eph. 2:19), on foreign assignment as an ambassador representing the “Fatherland” (2 Cor. 5:20), a righteous son of the King (2 Cor. 5:21), a spirit-son of the Second Adam (1 Cor. 11:45), spawned from His Spirit gene pool (Rom. 8:9), filled up with Christ Himself (Eph. 3:19), will all your needs (not greeds) supplied (Phil. 4:19), blessed with every spiritual blessing in heaven (Eph. 1:3), impervious to the obstacles of this planet (Phil.4:13), taking all things in stride as a part of the Loving Father’s “obstacle course” designed to prepare us for eternal rulership (Rom. 8:28-29)!
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      This is an incredible list of Biblical truths that flow from our being born-again in Messiah!
  • It’s not my old self that I am fighting against inside! It’s the power of sin working on my (new) mind (Rom. 7:23) through the flesh (the old memory traces) that I battle, and we are dead to having to submit, brother! (Rom. 6:11)
  • Accept this by faith as your true identity! Set your mind on it! Dwell on it! Meditate on the truth of it! Then, moment by moment act like it is true!
  • Can a man possibly possess dual spiritual sonship? No?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      This is an incredible freedom-granting truth and a major benefit of being born-again children of God!
  • Stop acting like who you are not! That’s hypocritical! Act like the new man you are by faith! That’s obedience!
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
       
      Our "New Man/Creation" is truly astounding. In life or death situations, human beings can lift cars. Just think for a moment of the limitless capabilities we have as New Creations in Jesus. We are flowing and operating in the power our Inner Warrior when we "abide/rest in" Jesus (John 15:5) and "live His Spirit" (Galatians 5:15).
  • “The King is Dead! Long Live the King!”
  • was thoroughly confused
  • he was talking about two different people
  • But after the one’s “birth” as the new king, the old king could never again resurrect himself because he had no capability for self-resurrection! The very existence of the one precludes the existence of the other and vice versa!
  • The old man has indeed died (Romans 6:6, etc.) and the new man has indeed been generated by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 3:10, etc.). But, unfortunately, the pervasive position taken by most Christian leader is that the old man is till “alive and well’ within the believer…that sinful performance gives daily testimony to this as “fact.”
  • The two can’t coexist any more that the two kings can! It was the death of the old man, which enabled the new man to be born! It is impossible for the new man to exist until the old man has died and the old man cannot resurrect himself. There is but One Life Who has such resurrection power…the Life of Christ!
  • Galatians 5:17 says that the “flesh lusts against the spirit” and vice versa and there is obviously a war going on inside of every Christian, but it’s not the old man versus the new man doing battle.
  • Those cannot exist simultaneously.
  • peaks of the POWER OF INDWELLING IN (not the sin nature) working in man to produce undesirable (sinful) behavior. The power of sin simply deceives the Christian by masquerading as the old man, suggesting (deceiving) to the will that a choice be made to perform according to the old self-serving patterns programmed in previously. This is referred to as “walking after the flesh.”
  • masquerade in the thought life of the Christian posing as his unique version of the old man! The naïve Christian will believe he, himself, is generating the unchristian suggestion and thus direct his defensive efforts against the wrong foe…what he perceives to be a darker side of himself! He fires all his bullets at a shadow! This is the explanation for the frustration depicted in Romans 7:15 “…why do I do the very thing I hate? Why can I get no victory?”
  • Though it would appear that the “two-natures” view places the greater responsibility for poor performance squarely on the Christian and that the “one-nature” view is a cop out, the opposite is actually true!
  • So long as one embraces the former he is constantly deceived into believe his failure is just standard Christian experience. As Scofield said (paraphrased), “This is not standard Christian experience, it’s the standard experience of most Christians,” the tragic result of faulty discipling.
  • Once the Christian enters into identification with Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension, claiming he no longer has two natures, but is now “the righteousness of God in Christ” and “holy and blameless in His sight” he is without excuse when he sins, because he knows what it is to possess the Life (“Christ in me”) which overcomes on a moment-by-moment basis.
  • In reality, it is accepted as fact that Christians no longer have a sin nature that places one squarely on the hook and totally responsible to choose, moment-by-moment, against the wooings, deceptions and accusations of indwelling sin working through the flesh. “Always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus (moment-by-moment) in our body.” (2 Cor. 4:10—NAS)
  • Indwelling sin deceives the “two-natures” believer into rationalizing, “I’m just human. I just fail a lot and God understands it’s just my old sin nature that got the better of me.” This is the true cop out position!
  • Awake sleeper! The king is dead! Long live the King!
  • The power of sin is what its name implies, a power to entice you into sin. It dwells in you (Rom.7:21) yet it is not you any more than a gold tooth that dwells in your mouth is you. Sin’s goal is to deceive the saints into living to get their needs (though good and godly) met by sinning rather than by using the Matt. 6:33 method; that is, “seeking Christ first.”
  • The power of sin is not your sin nature. Your sin nature is a synonym for old man or old self. That “old you” was crucified in Christ (Rom. 6:6). Before you were saved, it was as normal for you old nature to rebel against God’s authority as it is for a fish to swim.
  • Yet the power of sin is alive and well in you, saint. It indwells your body (Rom. 7:23). On page 1055 of W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vine states that sin is, “a governing principle or power” that is “personified” in the following passages. He then lists sixteen verses in which this holds true. The term personified means “represented as a person.” The power of sin can represent itself as a personage.
  • Since sin is personified, let’s call it “Mr. Sin” so we won’t confuse it with the verb. Mr. Sin tries to control you, to make you live to satisfy your bodily needs.
  • “For sin shall not be master over you…(Rom. 6:14). Mr. Sin (the personification) cannot master you. Remember how sin is “represented as a person?” It tries to master you through presenting thoughts to your mind by masquerading as the old man who has risen from the tomb. But no one except Jesus can do that, right? That’s not the old man; it’s the power of sin personified.
  • “But, if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but Mr. Sin which indwells me (is somehow doing it)” (Rom. 7:20). This verse can really be a puzzler if you interpret the word “sin” as a verb. But it’s a noun, and Vine says it is personified (represented as a person).
  • Mr. Sin the “personage,” wars, fights and seeks to control your mind. But your mind does not want to be controlled by this power, so it fights back.
  • Can you see what a difference this makes in motivating a Christian as opposed to berating him by constantly telling him what a sorry, no-good sinner he is and how he is going to face an angry God some day? Folk, it’s our works which will be judged in the future, not our personhood (2 Cor. 5:10) and God is not mad at the saved. He took our all the anger He had against us on Jesus (Isa. 53). We’ll either be rewarded or we’ll lose what we potentially could have won, but “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ” (Rom. 8:1).
  • The Law is the source of Mr. Sin’s strength. To couple law with Mr. Sin is like pouring gas on a fire. This personage called sin needs a law to aid it if it is to optimally control you. It “eats, breathes and sleeps” via the Law.
  • “The Law is not made for a righteous man” (1 Tim. 1:9).
  • Why? Because you, the righteous man (2 Cor. 5:21), don’t need it. The lost man does (in order to show him his condition), but you don’t. You now “have the laws of God written on (your) heart and mind” (Heb. 10:16).
  • it was exciting to discover that a man of Vine’s stature as a scholar testifies that the power of sin is often personified in the Word. What liberty there is in knowing that the rebellious, evil, hateful thoughts I experience are being presented to my mind, not generated by it.
  • In this verse, sin is represented as a personage which can harden you through deception.
  • Is Our Sin Nature dead or NOT?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 25 Feb 12
       
      In the short articles below, Dr. Gillham demolishes the common teaching, often implies by preachers, that a Jesus Follower can have two natures ... a Satanic, sinful nature plus the righteous nature of God in Christ? This hypothesis" or opinion (http://is.gd/2tUCAb) is taught or implied by many in the church usually as truth. It also is implied by the New International Version (NIV) Bible's translating Biblical 'flesh' as "sin nature" ...wrongly as Dr. Gillham illustrates. Can a wo(man) really possess a dual spiritual sonship? You'll find freeing meditating on the clear Biblical answer presented here because Rev. Gillham says the answer is "NO! We don't have two natures!!" "Stop trying and start trusting God! It's not what you have to do that counts. But what Jesus has already fully done for you and the power He gives you because He lives in you!" ~ gfp '42™ gfp (2011-09)
  • Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
     
    In these 3 short articles, Dr. Gillham addresses teaching that a Jesus Follower can have two natures ... a Satanic, sinful nature plus the righteous nature of God in Christ? This hypothesis" or opinion is taught or implied by many in the church usually as truth. It also is implied by the New International Version (NIV) Bible's translating Biblical "flesh" as "sin nature". But, can a wo(man) really possess a dual spiritual sonship? The clear Biblical answer according to Bill Gillham is "NO!" "Stop trying ...and start trusting God, It's not what you do. But what Jesus has already fully done for you!" ~ gfp '42™ gfp (2011-09)
  • Gary Patton on 01 Dec 11
     
    "Mr. Sin" is a more dangerous moment-to-moment foe for you than Satan. Pastor Gillham tells why! gfp
Gary Patton

The Barna Group - Are Christians More Like Jesus or More Like the Pharisees? - 1 views

www.barna.org/...sus-or-more-like-the-pharisees

christians jesus attitude workplace behaviour religion relationships theology

shared by Gary Patton on 01 May 13 - No Cached
  • 20 statements
  • used to examine Christ-likeness
  • I listen to others to learn their story before telling them about my faith. In recent years, I have influenced multiple people to consider following Christ. I regularly choose to have meals with people with very different faith or morals from me. I try to discover the needs of non-Christians rather than waiting for them to come to me. I am personally spending time with non-believers to help them follow Jesus.
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • I see God-given value in every person, regardless of their past or present condition. I believe God is for everyone. I see God working in people’s lives, even when they are not following him. It is more important to help people know God is for them than to make sure they know they are sinners. I feel compassion for people who are not following God and doing immoral things.
  • 10 statements used to assess self-righteousness (like the Pharisees)
  • I tell others the most important thing in my life is following God’s rules. I don’t talk about my sins or struggles. That’s between me and God. I try to avoid spending time with people who are openly gay or lesbian. I like to point out those who do not have the right theology or doctrine. I prefer to serve people who attend my church rather than those outside the church.
  • I find it hard to be friends with people who seem to constantly do the wrong things. It’s not my responsibility to help people who won’t help themselves. I feel grateful to be a Christian when I see other people’s failures and flaws. I believe we should stand against those who are opposed to Christian values. People who follow God’s rules are better than those who do not.
  • Christ-like in action and attitude
  • Christ-like in action, but not in attitude • Christ-like in attitude, but not action • Christ-like in neither
  • The findings reveal that most self-identified Christians in the U.S. are characterized by having the attitudes and actions researchers identified as Pharisaical. Just over half of the nation’s Christians—using the broadest definition of those who call themselves Christians—qualify for this category (51%). They tend to have attitudes and actions that are characterized by self-righteousness.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, 14% of today’s self-identified Christians—just one out of every seven Christians—seem to represent the actions and attitudes Barna researchers found to be consistent with those of Jesus.
  • About one-quarter (23%) of evangelicals are characterized by having Jesus-like actions and attitudes, which was higher than the norm
  • Looking at America’s evangelical community—a group defined by Barna Group based on its theological beliefs and commitments, not self-identification with the terms “evangelical”—38% qualify as neither Christ-like in action nor attitude
  • Evangelicals are notably distinct from the norms in two ways: first, they were slightly more likely than other Christians to be Christ-like in action and attitude.
  • in the “middle ground,” with so-called jumbled actions and attitudes, evangelicals are the only faith group more likely to be Pharisaical in attitude but Christ-like in action.
  • The research shows that non-evangelical born again Christians and notional Christians were not much different from one another and not too distinct from national norms among all Christians.
Gary Patton

"The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church" - Book Summary - 0 views

www.grandpappy.info/brapture.htm

bible scripture scripture interpretation rapture

shared by Gary Patton on 16 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • The following summary is based on Chapter Ten of Marvin Rosenthal's book, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      In his book, "The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church", Marvin Rosenthal, outlines a powerful, Biblical analysis of the Old and New Covenants regarding when the so-called "Rapture" of Jesus Followers takes place. Mr. Rosenthal concludes from his well-documented, clear, easy-to-understand and graphics-supported analysis that the commonly-believed "Pre-Tribulation Rapture" theological position of most North American Bible teachers is inaccurate and not supported by a careful Biblical analysis. This is an excellent summary of the key aspects of Mr. Rosenthal's thesis.
  • There is a debate going on among Christians
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      The debate is because Jesus said: "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Luke 12:40). Please read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 at http://diigo.com/0mkzs . It clearly stated there that we cannot know for certain when Jesus will return for his Followers and the judge the earth. But we can be certain He will do so! Therefore, Jesus Followers are wise to live lives of faith, obeying Jesus in all things as we are commanded in 2 Peter 3:8-13 (Contemporary English Version (CEV)) 8 Dear friends, don't forget that for the Lord one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years is the same as one day. 9 The Lord isn't slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost. 10 The day of the Lord's return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe. [a] Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are. [b] 11 Everything will be destroyed. So you should serve and honor God by the way you live. 12 You should look forward to the day when God judges everyone, and you should try to make it come soon. [c] On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and everything else will melt in the heat. 13 But God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to that! Footnotes: 2 Peter 3:10 the whole universe: Probably the sun, moon, and stars, or the elements that everything in the universe is made of. 2 Peter 3:10 will be seen for what they are: Some manuscripts have "will go up in flames." 2 Peter 3:12 and you should try to make it come soon: Or "and you should eagerly desire for that day to come."
  • The fact of the Rapture is not in question (at least not among Christians).
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      Most Jesus Followers would agree that 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes what Christians call 'The rapture. This verse is included below in the discussion of the Scriptures re the "Sixth Seal" mention in the "Book of Revelation" in the Bible.
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • Most Christians believe it will occur immediately before the tribulation period begins. A few Christians believe it will occur either during the tribulation period, or near the very end of the tribulation period.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      As you'll discover, the latter belief, i.e., just before the end of the Tribulation, is Mr. Rosenthal's thesis.
  • Christians believe the entire Bible is the true and accurate Word of God, and it is without error.
  • The most logical way to address this issue is to see what the Holy Bible has to say about this event.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      Many Christian teachers would say the last statement here is too strongly put. They would say that "the Bible is infalabie" only in its original source documents ...none of which ave been found when I write this in 2012. Teachers, generally, are less dogmatic on the infalibility of current translations. They offer various positions on this issue.
  • Do not rely on footnotes added to your Bible. A biblical footnote is not the inspired Word of God, even though it is printed in your Bible. It is simply one person's interpretation of scripture.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      This is a valuable warning.
  • Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      You'll find out about the background and expereice of the author of this article at http://is.gd/sAdEWE. Regrettably, "Grandpappy" his nickname, does not describe his background as a Christian.
  • Who, of their own accord, without the witness of a fellow Christian, would be willing to accept the Christian faith if that meant they would be immediately slain?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      I'm unsure that this argument proves anything! No one accepts Jesus as Saviour and Lord of their own accord before, during or, as noted here, after the so-called Rapture of "Believers in Jesus" that are still alive on the earth just before the opening of the "Sixth Seal". We are always and only saved by God's grace and even our faith, which is involved as it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, is a gift from Father God. Holy Spirit does the convicting and the saving of pre-believers. There is no Scripture that says Holy Spirit's presence EVER leaves the earth, that I've found.
  • In the book of Revelation, a great multitude of Christians, from all over the world, suddenly appear in heaven. For someone with an open mind, these two descriptions are almost identical to what we Christians call the Rapture of the saints. Notice also that this reference to the Rapture in the book of Revelation occurs right after the 144,000 Jews are ordained to spread the Gospel. God does not want anyone to perish, and he has provided a way for the Gospel to be carried forth after all the new testament Christians are Raptured.
  • Christians will be spared from that wrath.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      Most Jesus Followers would agree with this statement on the basis of the numerous Scritures you can find described at http://is.gd/3y1nV8 . I lean especially on 1 Thessalonians 5: 9 at http://diigo.com/0mkzs . I believe all the Scriptures at the above link clearly refer to Jesus Followers' salvation, in Christ, from an eternity separated from God. The latter seems to be what happens after the "Seventh Seal" is opened on those still remaining on the earth.
  • That is why they will be Raptured sometime between the opening of the 6th seal and the 7th seal.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 19 Jan 12
       
      This is Mr. Rosenthal's thesis based on his anlysis of the Old and New Covenant Scriptures mention above by this author. Mr. Rosenthal includes more in his book which I recommend to you for prayerful consideration, study and meditation. gfp (2012-01-19)
  • The opening of the seventh seal begins God's Wrath on an unbelieving world (from which Christians are spared).
  • This is a poor choice of terms for Daniel's 70th week, because
  • My purpose was to provide you with more information upon which you can make an informed decision.
  • His book is not based on personal opinion. It is based on the Word of God
  • Gary Patton on 16 Jan 12
     
    This summary of Marvin Rosenthal's thesis in the book of the above title is by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.. He summarizes Rosenthal's Old and New Covenant Scripture analysis regarding the timing of the rapture of the Church.
Gary Patton

Andrew Sullivan: Christianity in Crisis - The Daily Beast - 0 views

www.thedailybeast.com/...an-christianity-in-crisis.html

bibliolatry bible religion christianity politics

shared by Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • Not the supernatural claims that, fused with politics and power, gave successive generations wars, inquisitions, pogroms, reformations, and counterreformations
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      I'm not so sure the Bible documantation of Jesus' miracles are responsible for the horrors Mr. Sullivan seems to attribute to them.
  • What does it matter how strictly you proclaim your belief in various doctrines if you do not live as these doctrines demand?
  • And more intensely relevant to our times. Jefferson’s vision of a simpler, purer, apolitical Christianity couldn’t be further from the 21st-century American reality.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      Is using Matthew 5:13-16 to justify spending one's time in so-called "social action" really Biblical? Are we wise attempting to get worldly people to obey what they cannot and do what only Jesus Followers are commanded? Does it not seem a waste of time and energy better spent "making disciples" (Matthew 28:18-20) ...one on one (2 Timothy 2:1-2)... God's clearly commanded plan?
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • evangelical Protestants who believe that religion must consume and influence every aspect of public life
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      Please note my questions in the e-Sticky Note above in this paragraph.
  • The crisis of Christianity is perhaps best captured in the new meaning of the word “secular.” It once meant belief in separating the spheres of faith and politics; it now means, for many, simply atheism.
  • you’ll find a small room containing an 18th-century Bible whose pages are full of holes. They are carefully razor-cut empty spaces, so this was not an act of vandalism. It was, rather, a project begun by Thomas Jefferson when he was 77 years old.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      Some would argue that President Jefferson was the R-E-A-L founder of the current "Jesus Movement" of Bible reductionists. Or a kndred spirit of the "Red Letter Christians".
  • Christianity has been destroyed by politics, priests, and get-rich evangelists. Ignore them, writes Andrew Sullivan, and embrace Him. 
  • Christianity in Crisis
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      "What does it matter how strictly you proclaim your belief in various doctrines if you do not live as these doctrines demand? ", the writer asks. That's about as difficult a question as one can ask a so-called Christian. gfp (2012-04-11)
  • the unilateral prohibition of the pill
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      Given the Catholic "Doctrine of Infalibility", "unilateral" is the right word and one all Catholics are expected to obey.
  • The hierarchy was exposed as enabling, and then covering up, an international conspiracy to abuse and rape countless youths and children.
  • Inequality, poverty, even the torture institutionalized by the government after 9/11: these issues attract far less of their public attention.
  • the mainline Protestant churches, which long promoted religious moderation, have rapidly declined in the past 50 years. Evangelical Protestantism has stepped into the vacuum, but it has serious defects of its own.
  • many suburban evangelicals embrace a gospel of prosperity
  • Others defend a rigid biblical literalism
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      If an omnipotent, supernatural God cannot keep His own words to humankind accurate over time, is He really a God that should be worshipped by Mr. Sullivan? There is a great deal of documented proof for the accuracy of the Bible with Scripture documents available from a time when the eye witnesses to what Jesus said and did were alive and active. Does Mr. Sullivan really believe that the first Apostles and early Christians agreed to be tortured and killed, horribly, for lies in forged documents as they were for most of the 270 years after Jesus died? And if you feel the documents were forged after the eye witnesses died, please reflect on my opening question.
  • Still others insist that the earth is merely 6,000 years old—something we now know by the light of reason and science is simply untrue.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      Is Mr. Sullivan really calling as witnesses the same science and it's so-called experts at proving their theories by replicating them that hasn't been able to produce one single shred of evidence for its sacrosanct "Theory of Evolution". Is he really criticizing estimates of the earth's age on the basis of Biblical dating by calling geologists as testamentarians who use the dating of fossils by archeologists to date their rocks when those same archeologists often date their fossils from the rock layers in which they are found. Some science that, eh?
  • Evangelical Christians
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      I agree that torture is unBiblical and something a Jesus Follower should NEVER condone to be used under any circumstances ...never mind the proven fact that it is a totsaally unreliable way to get accurate information. However, Jesus isn't yet finished conforming me to His character as well as His likeness any more than He is the people who support this barbarism. But, I have the promise of the loving, living God that He is doing so in His way and His timing documented in Romans 8:28-39! Any so-called Christian who's not seeing him/herself becoming more like Jesus "as time goes by" is probably not one!
  • Jesus never spoke of homosexuality or abortion, and his only remarks on marriage were a condemnation of divorce (now commonplace among American Christians) and forgiveness for adultery.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 11 Apr 12
       
      Jesus doesn't have to speak on every moral issue condemned in the Old Covenant and He did say He had come to fullfill it! Does Mr. Sullivan really see Jesus condoning the homosexual behaviour that is rampant now on TV while He still loves and died for the sin nature and sins of it's practitioners? How can Mr. Sullivan suggest the antiviolent God-man who deplores murder is not appalled by abortion ...let alone the malevolency of "Partial Birth Abortion" that is practised by so-called healers all over Canada and in many U.S. States.
Gary Patton

Christian Reconstructionism ...What it is! - Paul McGlasson - 1 views

www.patheos.com/...rsaking-domination-for-service

bible Scripture scripture interpretation politics

shared by Gary Patton on 16 Jul 12 - No Cached
  • according to the Bible, faithful people don’t know everything.
  • Christian Reconstructionism is a powerful mix of religious and political ideas gaining enormous strength in the American church and society
  • Christians have a unique “worldview” with unique access to universal truth“Christian laws” should be put in place at local, state, and federal levelsChristianity and American culture are two sides of the same coinThe proper, God-given role of Christians is to dominate the earth
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 24 Jul 12
       
      The first of these 4 bullets is the ONLY one that conforms to the Bible without twisting its truths.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • growing buzz surrounding these ideas, along with serious confusion about what it all means.
  • Do Christians really have a biblical mandate to turn the judicial code of the Old Testament into the civil law of society?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 24 Jul 12
       
      There is NO Scriptural mandate for this whatsoever. The complete Old Covenant legal code was designed for Jews and no one else. Jesus fulfilled the whole law in His death and resurrection for those who believe in and follow him as outlined in Romans 10:8-12 at http://diigo.com/0lk6j .
  • The issue is the twofold rule of love for God and neighbor, which Jesus himself, the true Interpreter of the Old Testament, gives to guide us in applying it to daily life
  • they left a Christian nation
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 24 Jul 12
       
      There is no such thing as a Christian nation simply because the Old Covenant talks about a "Hebrew Nation".
  • it is centered in the risen Christ alone, not in any geographical center
  • What is Christian Reconstructionism?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 24 Jul 12
       
      This short article is little more than a sales pitch for the athor's book but does list at least four of the dimensions of so-called Christian Reconstructionism. GaryFPatton (gfp '42™ 2012-07-15)
Gary Patton

Rick Warren's Tower of Babel - 0 views

www.wnd.com/...rick-warrens-tower-of-babel

shared by Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12 - No Cached
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12
       
      How the so-called "America's pastor" could feel that Christians and Muslims believe in the same God and promote peace simply illustrates the power of politically-correct denial operating in North American including within the traditional church.  That a high-profile U.S. Christian could be so misled by Muslim "taqiyya" ("liefare") would be scary except Jesus warned us to beware of false teachers and our God IS in control. gfp (2012-03-01)
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12
       
      Allah or Allāh is the Arabic word for the so-called One God of Islam. Because Christians and Muslims say the each worship One God is not the same as saying we worship the "same God". He is not YHWH of the Hebrew Pentateuch (Jewish Torah / Muslim al-Tawrāt), nor of the Jews' larger Bible, nor the "God" of the Christian Bible.   A Jesus Follower or Jew who actually reads the Qur'an, the chief Islamic Holy book will quickly discern that Allah is not the Judeo-Christian Almighty God because: * he is not a god with whom one can have a personal relationship as Our's is. * he is fickle and judgemental as Our's is not, and * he allows devout Muslims into his paradise only on the basis of their individual "good works" including murderous jihad e.g., Surah:Ayat 3:97-1040 while Our's requires only faith in His grace as it says at http://diigo.com/0n20e . And these are only three key traits that distinguish the Muslim deity, Allah, from the God of Jews and Christians. To argue, that he is is a lie from the pit of Hell. And please don't be fooled by some Muslim or Christian "false teacher" telling you that the name Allah was used by Christians in some cultural groups hundreds of years before Muhammad came on the scene. That may be true, but, the issue is: "Is Allah a Christian's Almighty God. 
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12
       
      The few loving, peaceable and early Qur'anic passages e.g., 2:256, 50:45 & 109:1-6 were laid down when Muhammad was at Mecca and weak. The latter hateful, violent ones e.g. (Qur'an 4.76, 9:5-6, 9:29, & 60:4) were "received" when he was strong and expanding later. The Islamic "Principle of Abrogation is supported by EVERY Islamic "School of Jurisprudence". It states that later, seemingly contradictory verses abrogate and replace earlier ones because in Qur'an 2:106, Allah specifies:      "Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We {Allah} abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?"
  • ...1 more annotation...
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12
       
      One could wonder if Mr. Warren is using the Islamic principle of "taqiyya" in denying proven facts. a-Taqiyya is the Arabic word for intentional lying and dissimilitude to advance the cause of Islam. I call it "liefare". It is approved by both Muslim Holy Books, the Qur'an and the a-Hadith. One or more of Qur'an 2:173, 2:185, 4:29, 16:106, 22:78, 40:28, are the verses usually cited by Muslim Imams, Mullahs and all Islamic "Schools of Jurisprudence" as justifying taqiyya. 
  • Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12
     
    How the so-called "America's pastor" could feel that Christians and Muslims believe in the same God and promote peace simply illustrates the power of politically-correct denial operating in North American including within the traditional church. That a high-profile U.S. Christian could be so misled by Muslim "taqiyya" ("liefare") would be scary except Jesus warned us to beware of false teachers and our God IS in control. gfp (2012-03-01)
Gary Patton

"The R-E-A-L Gospel & Jesus...God's Saving Power Source" - Bible Gateway - 0 views

www.biblegateway.com/passage

bible scripture romans evangelism

shared by Gary Patton on 24 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • Romans 1:16
  • I am not ashamed of the gospel,(A) because it is the power of God(B) for the salvation of everyone who believes:(C) first for the Jew,(D) then for the Gentile.(E)
  • Romans 1:16
  • ...1 more annotation...
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 24 Nov 12
       
      The word "Gentile" is the English translation of the Hebrew word that means "non-Jew". It's the equivalent of "Infidel" to a Muslim. Gentile was a negative word for ancient Jews. Gentiles were nearly non-people as Nassara are to Muslims. (This is the Qur'an's derogatory term for Christian.)
  • Gary Patton on 24 Nov 12
     
    "The R-E-A-L Gospel & Authentic Jesus...God's Saving Power Source" To Muslims the Gospel is a long lost book. For Christians, it is what is described below. And the Jesus referred to here is NOT the Isa of the Qur'an! The 'Isa' of the Qur'an is the purely human, Jewish Prophet described there that pre-dated the Prophet Mohammad and he was a Muslim. (See Surahs 4:71; 5:116; 6:101; 19:35 & 88-89 & 23:88-92 among others in context ) Therefore, Isa cannot be the 'Yeshua/Jesus' of the Christian Bible's New Covenant ...Whom Christian believe is God Almighty, the YHWH of the Old Covenant. (John 10:28-30 at http://diigo.com/0ti6o and Thomas among others). says? When the Qur'an is properly read by Muslims in Arabic, not another language, the word used is Isa, not Jesus. Indeed, the revered Muslim historian Dr. Tarif Kalif (insert quote used by Tony Costa in debate) In addition: * The heavenly Father of Yeshua/Jesus is YHWH, the written name of the Jewish "One God", according to the Bible Book/Chapter/Verse(s): Mark 5:21-42). Isa is stated in the Qur'an to be a gift of Allah. (Qur'an Surah/Ayah(at): 47:19; 112:I Peter 4:8: "Say: He is Allah, the One and Only.") * Yeshua/Jesus was born to a virgin, Mariam, by means of an immaculate conception by God. (In Matthew I Peter 4:8:16, speaking of Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, the verse says: "… the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ". Matthew does not say, "….and Joseph "the father of" (begat in some translations) Jesus" ...as he had done with the preceding generations. Matthew thus makes clear that Joseph was not the genetic father of Jesus. No man was.) Isa was "begat" by sexual intercourse between Joseph and Mariam. (Qur'an 23:91; 112:3: "He begs not, nor is He begotten" or, "God neither gave birth nor is born"). * Yeshua/Jesus said He was "Emmanuel" (God with us). He was orally proclaimed by His heavenly Father to be His Son. Isa was only a human Prophet (Qur'an 23:84-91 htt
Gary Patton

Liberal Christian Scholarship ...Redaction Criticism, and Islam (Part 1) - 0 views

aomin.org/...index.php

christianity Islam christians muslims religion bible scripture scripture interpretation

shared by Gary Patton on 27 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Some Brief Thoughts Regarding Liberal Scholarship, Redaction Criticism, and Islam
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 27 Mar 12
       
      In this article, Dr. James White, of Alpha & Omega Ministries examines the dangers of "Redaction and Form Criticism" in Christian scholarship (sic) and the refusal by Muslim scholars to apply it to Islam while using it to attack Christians beliefs based on our Bible. gfp (2012-03-27)
  • the vast majority of those who embrace form and redaction criticism in all of its flavors and kinds do so out of tradition, not out of having examined the case set forth in defense of these methods.
  • I truly wondered why the Lord had closed all other doors and put me in that context, but, now I know) forced me to consider deeply why I could not in good conscience embrace the "status quo" of modern NT scholarship
  • ...18 more annotations...
  • I found, over and over again, the same kind of bald anti-supernaturalism at work, even amongst those who did not openly espouse such a view in their "religious life."
  • This kind of double-mindedness was epidemic in Christian theology then. It is still quite prevalent, but in the past decade more and more have shed the religious trappings and are seeking to be consistent, not even bothering with the religious garb any longer.
  • I would challenge (respectfully
  • saying the gospels were quite late, post AD 70, for example, I would ask why they would date them so late (and, as a result, deny the eyewitness authorship of, say, Matthew)
  • we would date them late because…of theories. Theories about how documents develop (in the natural world). Theories about how the early church developed (based upon, again, how such things happen in the natural world). And of course the big reason was…they had to have been written after AD 70 because, well, they couldn't have been written before otherwise they would contain…prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem! And we all know prophecy doesn't really exist, so there!
  • I only learned later in seminary and after graduation how confident scholarship had been in the past in giving even later dates, German scholarship, for example, having dated John as late as AD 175, only to have those dates thrown to the wind by manuscript discoveries.
  • the "consensus of scholarship," especially in a day when humanism and naturalistic materialism has become the religious dogma of the society, and of higher education, is not an option for the faithful follower of the teachings of Jesus the Messiah.
  • For years Shabir Ally had been making a presentation wherein he presents the "snowball" argument. It is a basic anti-gospel argument based upon a rather simplistic viewpoint of the origination of the gospels.
  • Shabir thinks there is an over-riding impetus on the part of both Matthew and Luke to "grow" Jesus, assuming, of course, an evolution in the development of Christology (another assumption that is just accepted, never proven). So, Matthew and Luke are looking for ways to "improve" on Jesus---which puts them in the category of deceivers, really, at the very least from an Islamic viewpoint
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 27 Mar 12
       
      Muslims who, like Imam Ally have a minimal knowldge of the New Covenat and wish to feign politness, can use this "improvement" approach. It prevents them from having to use the blunt English word change when attacking Scriptures validity. During the debate, I heard a Muslim and a Christian in the seats immediately behind me discussing the semantical difference between these words. The Christian suspected, as do I, that Imam Ally was accusing the Apostles Mathew and Luke of being "liars".
  • examples of where Matthew was "growing" Jesus
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 27 Mar 12
       
      "Growing" is Dr. White's word. Imam Ally never used it. Instead, he stated candidly that Mathew and Luke intentionally "deified" a human Prophet which Muslims say Yeshua only was because "Allah doesn't begat" (Qur'an 23:88-91).
  • Shabir did not know that Mark used the Greek term κύριος (kurios) when he was making his presentations before 2006, but he does now. But still, in our debate in Toronto, he argued that in fact this is still an example supportive of his thesis, no matter what his understanding had been before, for "lord of the house" is still different from "Lord." He likewise cited a scholar who, writing on the "synoptic problem," likewise mentions this "change."
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 27 Mar 12
       
      In other words, Imam Ally has found an obfuscating, so-called, Christian author to justify what he now knows is a 'lie" that he wishes to still feed to his ignorant Muslim audience, knowing that they will believe him over Dr. White.
  • let's talk about how this text could be seen in a very different fashion.
  • Let's admit something: We do not know when any of the gospels were written. They have no date stamps on them. If we examine the internal material of the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) without naturalistic biases, we would have to conclude they were written between 35 and about 65 AD (i.e., after the crucifixion but prior to the opening of hostilities leading to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in AD 70)
  • As Richard Bauckham has pointed out (and his role in our debate was most interesting, and again illustrated that I really do not believe Dr. Ally understands my point on this matter), the eyewitnesses to the events of the gospel continued in the church for many decades, forming a very important core element of the continuation of the gospel message.
  • The gospel story began to be proclaimed by the eyewitnesses and the first generation of believers immediately after Pentecost. It spread like wildfire, turning the world upside down. It spread both by zeal as well as by persecution. The oral tradition of the church was the context out of which the gospels themselves were written. The gospel writers were fully aware of that tradition. They were not seeking to supplant it, but to organize it and preserve it in yet another form.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 28 Mar 12
       
      During the debate, I could not understand why Dr. White kept referring to the "oral tradition" as he does here without once making the powerful point that the Gospel writers were the originators of the tradition as the disciples of Jesus. They were writing about their eye witness accounts ...not recounting an oral tradion circulated first by others.
  • This oral tradition, something shared by the entire community, is the source out of which they drew their narrative.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 27 Mar 12
       
      It is the source only to the extend that they, themselves, were the creaters of the so-called "oral tradition" as members of Jesus "inside group of disciples".
  • If we assume that Matthew and Mark are not liars, that they are not dishonest men, and that they are seeking to communicate a message faithfully, drawing from the tradition known to them, we conclude, upon examination of numerous texts such as the above, that
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 28 Mar 12
       
      Here Dr. White writes again like the Gospel accounts were repeated by the Apostles from what others said rather than them writing down the stories in which they, themselves, particiapted with Jesus. Dr. White's approach confuses me because, to me, it doesn't make the point regarding eye-witness testimony!
  • we can see that both are giving us perfectly proper renditions of the same incident and the same words, one in fuller form than the other, both seeking to communicate the same concept, though to two different audiences.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 28 Mar 12
       
      Police and lawyer studies confirm this type of variiance is common between eye witness accounts when an event is seem from different perspectives through the experiences and mindset of unique people. I'm unclear why Dr. white doesn't state this fact which reinforces his hypothesis about Scripture's timeline and seeming contradictions.
Gary Patton

A Comprehensive Look at Genesis 3 | The Bare Times - 0 views

baretimes.org/...3

bible lifestyle nakedness

shared by Gary Patton on 25 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • In verse 21, God mercifully provides coats of skin for Adam and Eve. People view the slaughtering of the animal as God’s start of the sacrificial system for ancient Israel because something died to cover their sin.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 25 Feb 12
       
      One is wise to note that God did so only AFTER Adam and Eve had gone into the clothing business and covered their so-called "private parts". God did not design man to wear clothes except as protection which is why He may have replaced the foliage with the more sturdy animal skins as He sent them into the "cold cruel" world! The sacrifice of the animals to cover the sins, not the bodies, of human kind also presages the ultimate and future sacrifice of Yesus (Jesus) for the sins and sin of those whom would trust in Him and it in the "fullness of time".
  • after the fall, Adam saw his body as shameful; even while God did not say the body was evil after the fall.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 25 Feb 12
       
      Satan cons modern Christians, I believe, with diabolically-generated shame to believe the opposite untruth i.e. public nudity is shameful and unBiblical. Could not Adam's reference in Genesis to his shame have been about his disobedience rather than about his being naked? Old Testament ceremonial washings, including baptism, were performed in the nude. [Note 1 - Please don't hestitate to contact me if you would like the details for the source of this or any of the other historical facts included below. I'm a trained historian and also like to see the documentation for so-called facts that are not commonly accepted.] Christ, too, was probably baptized naked, as depicted in numerous early works of art. [2] Early Christians bathed communally in the nude at the public baths or public places during most of the second through the fourth centuries. This was common practise in Rome for hundreds of years at all levels of society. Public nudity was also common during this period in other parts of ancient Roman society. The writings of early Christians such as Irenaeus and Tertullian make it clear that they had no ethical reservations about communal nudity for Christians. [3] Christian historian Roy Bowen Ward confirms based on his research that "Christian Morality did not originally preclude nudity. . . . There is a tendency to read history backward and assume that early Christians thought the same way mainstream Christians do today. We attribute the present to the past." [4] For the first several centuries of Christianity, it was the intentional custom to baptize men, women, and children together nude. This ritual played a very significant role in the early church. The accounts are numerous and detailed. [5] Margaret Miles, a historian and author, notes that "Naked baptism was observed as one of the two essential elements in Christian initiation, along with the invocation of the Trinity. . . . In the fourth century, instructions for baptism throughout the Roman Emp
  • Gary Patton on 25 Feb 12
     
    This article outlines what the anonymous but Biblically astute author feels God says about nakedness at the time of creation.
Gary Patton

How Islamic Can Christianity Be? - The Gospel Coalition Blog - 0 views

thegospelcoalition.org/...ow-islamic-can-christianity-be

christianity gospel evangelism Islam islamization

shared by Gary Patton on 22 May 12 - No Cached
  • My wife and I had been working with Muslims for years and were aware of this training, commonly referred to as the Insider Movement.
  • when I first read about Insider Movements, I had the same reaction she did. I was hopeful and excited.
  • Could this be the tool that causes a spiritual awakening in the Muslim world? Over time, as we continued our ministry to Muslims in the Middle East, I realized the answer to my question was "No, it will not."
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • The Insider Movement (IM) remains a hot topic in missions circles.
  • This issue is extremely complicated and extremely important, making it difficult to write about.
  • Rebecca Lewis, a proponent, defines the IM as follows: Insider movements can be defined as movements to obedient faith in Christ that remain integrated with or inside their natural community. In any insider movement there are two distinct elements:
  • This definition is broad and can be interpreted many different ways---which is one of the difficulties in pinpointing the teachings of the movement.
  • those opposed to IM seem to assume that proponents are syncretistic heretics.
  • The IM advocates I've met are wonderful people.
  • They are winsome, intelligent people who love the Lord and want to see Muslims saved.
  • we need to address the dangerous practices within the movement, which varies to some degree from person to person and country to country. Therefore, my critique may not apply to all IMs. Nevertheless, the following key issues need to be addressed.
  • many other IM advocates believe the gospel can be found within the Qur'an, if you correctly interpret the text. But the gospel cannot be found in the Qur'an, because the Qur'an did not come to us through the inspiration of God as found in the Bible.
  • There is also an arrogant attitude---almost imperialistic---involved in this assertion.
  • IM practitioners seek to keep new followers of Jesus within their socio-religious networks. For support their cite various texts in the Bible (1 Corinthians 7:17-24, 9:19-23; 2 Kings 5:15-19). Therefore, a Muslim who follows Jesus remains a Muslim.
  • I agree that Muslims who follow Christ shouldn't be required to take on the name "Christian."
  • We find among many IM advocates a belief that Islam can be redeemed---we should not abandon the religion but rather change it from within and welcome it into orthodoxy.
  • How Islamic can Christianity be? Can a Muslim who now follows Jesus fast during Ramadan? Can a Muslim who follows Jesus use the Islamic prayer stances? Where do we draw the line? These are tough questions.
  • While the word Christian can have a very negative connotation among Muslims, encouraging MBBs to retain the title "Muslim" can be confusing at best and deceptive at worst. Advocates for using the title "Muslim" argue that it literally means "one who submits to God." This is semantically true. However, the word connotes much more---namely, one who follows the religion of Islam by confessing, "There is no God but God and Muhammad is his prophet."
  • Some argue that God used Muhammad to bring monotheism to the Arabs---a kind of John the Baptist for the Arabs. This is a dangerous concession.
  • Rejecting Muhammad as a prophet does not require denigrating him before Muslims; it means we should not say more than necessary.
  • We can be respectful and identify the positive contributions he made to society without agreeing that he is a prophet.
  • How Islamic Can Christianity Be?
  • I never encourage MBBs to retain the title Muslim. Nor do I encourage them to take the title Christian.
  • Recent Bible translations for Muslims have created a frenzy by moving "Father" and "Son" language about the Trinity from the text to the footnotes.
  • What if the only understood meaning is physical and sexual? How do we translate without losing or grossly misrepresenting the biblical meaning?
  • the decisions about how to make the Bible comprehensible in other cultures are not easy or made lightly.
  • Some in the IM prefer to talk about Muslims "entering the kingdom of God" as opposed to "joining" Christianity.
  • We should view as suspect any form of church planting that does not seek to connect believers with the universal body of Christ and promote unity.
  • emphasis on the kingdom of God can downplay the importance of the church.
  • Missionaries and academics have wondered aloud whether the problem extends beyond Western politics, military intervention, and spiritual bondage to the very way we present the gospel. Could our methods be to blame? Could more sophisticated contextualization unlock many more hearts for Christ?
  • we can introduce Muslims to Jesus through the Qur'an
  • Gary Patton on 22 May 12
     
    This article explains the dangers of what's called the "Insider Movement" i.e. evangelizing Jesus Followers using the Qur'an and telling Muslims they can follow Jesus while remaining part of Islam. The article is written by a couple who have shared Jesus', not Isa's, love wit Muslims for many years in the Middle East. gfp (2012-05-21)
Gary Patton

Congo's Chaotic Past - 0 views

www.frontline.org.za/...christ_in_congo.htm

politics ethics third world Congo corruption

shared by Gary Patton on 03 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Although the Congo has vast mineral resources and tremendous agricultural potential, it is one of the poorest counties in the world.
  • The Congo’s fertile fields and tropical forests cover an area larger than the combined areas of California, Oregon, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. The Congo is rich in diamonds, gold, copper, uranium and other precious metals. The huge Congo River has the potential to generate enough hydroelectric power to provide all the electrical needs of the entire continent.
  • Literally millions of Congolese have been massacred, often by the very soldiers and police who were meant to be protecting them.
  • ...15 more annotations...
  • Immediately after independence in the 1960’s tens of thousands of Christians and hundreds of missionaries were martyred, particularly in the Communist Simba rebellion of 1964.
  • corruption has continued to cripple the country,
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 03 Dec 11
       
      For the opposite perspective, see the research article, "Economic growth with endogenous corruption: an empirical study" by Mushfiq Swaleheen of Florida Gulf Coast University (http://diigo.com/0ln18). In it he postulates that a measure of corruption in deeply corrupt countries such as Congo actually enhances economic growth ...perhaps by helping companies sidestep onerous rules. But that's only at the extreme; for a country with average endemic corruption, a one-standard-deviation increase in corrupt incidences depresses per-capita GDP growth by 0.12 percentage points, he has found. gfp
  • forces from Communist
  • Soon the armies of eight other nations were embroiled in the conflict in the Congo.
  • Documenting the human rights abuses and persecution of Christians in the Congo can be overwhelming.
  • the Christian church has emerged as the only viable national structure to survive the general social, political and economic collapse of the country. The growth of the church in the Congo over the last century has been dramatic. The number of Christians in the Congo has grown from 1.4% of the total population in 1900 to over 90% professing Christianity today.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 03 Dec 11
       
      Sicne Jesus went back to heaven, His "Body on earth", "The Church" has continued to thrive best when persecuted. The Congo is typical. So are Canada & the U.S where the Body has become flacid and is disappearing ...down to less than 3% by some estimates. gfp
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 03 Jan 12
       
      Since Jesus went back to heaven, His "Body on earth", "The Church", has continued to thrive best when persecuted. The Congo is typical. So are Canada & the U.S typical of what happens to the Body without real persecution. It has become flacid and is disappearing ...down to less than 3% by some estimates. gfp
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 03 Dec 11
       
      1 Chron. 16:24-25 is a powerful Scripture regarding God's glory & my role in proclaiming it that I have quoted in my Spiritual Mission Statement.
  • 1 Chronicles 16:24 – 25
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 03 Jan 12
       
      is a powerful Scripture regarding God's glory & my role in proclaiming it that I have quoted in my Spiritual Mission Statement.
  • Estimates exceed a million AIDS and war orphans.
  • Just about the only functioning schools are church run. The Catholics have dominated the education field, but Protestants are increasingly striving to rise to the challenge as well.
  • There is a famine of Christian literature and an intense hunger for Christian books.
  • Many nominal Christians have no clear grasp of repentance and faith in Christ. Animism, witchcraft and syncretism are also major problems. The vast swamp lands north east of Kinshasa include many communities which have never been effectively evangelized. The half a million Swahili speaking Muslims need to be reached with the Gospel. Despite the Muslims mounting considerable efforts to spread Islam in the Congo, very little has been done to try to reach Muslims for Christ.
  • Despite the small Pygmy peoples of the Congo rain forests being despised and abused by the Congolese, there has been a tremendous turning to Christ amongst them. Nominally 30% of the Pygmies claim to be Christian.
  • Much of the country needs to be re-evangelized.
  • The “Democratic Republic of the Congo”, in its 46 years of independence from Belgium, has never been a democracy.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 03 Jan 12
       
      The Congo's past may soon be duplicated by numerous new, allegedly democratic nations that are merging in the Middle East following the so-called "2011 Arab Spring" i.e. Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Yemen for starters. Democracy has never flourished, or even survived, when radical Islamists can gain control of a country & implement Islamic Sharia Law. Even the perdominately Muslim people of the previously relatively-free and secular Turkey have handed control of their country over to an Islamist dominated government in 2011. gfp
  • Gary Patton on 03 Dec 11
     
    Here's how God arranged to effect from communist chaos to Christ in the Congo. gfp (2011-10)
Gary Patton

Jesus Warns Great Evil Exists Around Us & Tells Us What To Do - Bible Gateway - 0 views

www.biblegateway.com/passage

bible scripture matthew Islam islamism islamization evangelism jihadism jihad

shared by Gary Patton on 28 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • beware of men, for they will hand you over to the (G)courts
  • as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles
  • do not worry
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and (M)children will rise up against parents and [b]cause them to be put to death
  • I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so [a]be (E)shrewd as serpents and (F)innocent as doves.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 17 May 12
       
      Jesus Followers are commanded here to exercise discernment and wisdom, in the context of our Master's over-arching command to demonstrate and exercise gentle, peaceable love, while relating to family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues throughout our daily lives. We must love others regardless of what they do or say as noted in John 13:34-35 at http://diigo.com/0l8po . This is especially true when dealing with those of other faiths and sharing Jesus' Gospel because we are His ambassadors here on planet earth. We must NEVER forget that we live in a foreign Kingdom under the influence of Satan who hates everybody, especially Jesus Followers. Jesus' command and why He shares it here is important to remember, every day, in view of the aggressive and widespread advance of radical, violent Islam throughout the world and the current Islamization of Canada and the dangers here of Islamism that Prime Minister Harper warned about in his Sept. 9, 2011 interview on CBC TV at http://diigo.com/0koug . Abroad also, Christians worldwide are currently experiencing organized and Government-sponsored or, at least, unopposed genocide in most Muslim-dominated countries. Christians are persecuted heavily by Hindus in some countries, like India, as well. For more information to pray and give effectively to support persecuted brothers and Sisters I recommend http://www.BaranabasAid.org as a trust-worthy organization. They specialize in helping the persecuted church. Jesus' warning takes on a powerful and troublesome other dimension in the modern world. Many Christians do NOT appreciate it because they forget the companion warning to this one that our God left for Jesus Followers. Holy Spirit inspired Jude to caution the Body of Christ (Messiah) about rwhat he and other Bible writers called "false teachers" at http://diigo.com/0neqs . Anti-Christ, false teachers often were, Jude warns, in the pulpits and pews of some First Century gatherings ('churches' in mistranslated Greek in
  • Matthew 10:15-21
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 17 May 12
       
      Christian: Great Evil Lurks Around You ...Know What To Do? In Matthew 10:16-18 of the God's New Covenant, Jesus (Yeshua) warns His first plus His present day Followers that the world is filled with demonically-inspired evil and evil people. And this situation may be even worse in our modern world for many reason including the greater nearness of the end-of-days and Satan's desperation to keep as many as possible separated from Father God. Overt persecution is a current, ever-present experience in Canada for Christians ...especially active Jesus Followers. This is also true in the U.S. The Lord shares here how Jesus Followers should behave in dealing with others in the cruel and hostile environment in which they must live and work as ambassadors of God's loving Kingdom that will come in its fullness some day ...sooner than many Christians believe. We are to do so, however, in the context of Jesus' over-arching command to love others. gfp (2011-11-02+)
  • Matthew 10:15-21
  • Gary Patton on 28 Feb 12
     
    Jesus warns His Followers how to deal with others and to be wary in the world. We are to do so, however, in the context of Jesus' over-arching command to love others ...regardless of what they do or say. gfp (2012-02-28) 2012-02-28
Gary Patton

An Open Letter to America's Christian Zionists | The New Evangelical Partnership for th... - 0 views

www.newevangelicalpartnership.org/?q=node/139

history christian zionism islamism bible bibliolatry theology

shared by Gary Patton on 20 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • An Open Letter to America’s Christian Zionists
  • Gary Patton on 20 Jun 12
     
    A point of view by two Christian "Ethics Professors at US theological schools which argues that "Christian Zionism" cannot be supported Biblically. The authors further state that Christians who support Israel's alleged inhumanity towards the so-called Palestinians will be judged by God. gfp (2012-06-20)
Gary Patton

1 Corinthians 5:10-15 VOICE - "Who Says Christians Aren't Supposed To Judge?" - 0 views

www.biblegateway.com/passage

scripture scripture interpretation corinthians judging

shared by Gary Patton on 23 May 13 - No Cached
  • 12 Why would I ever attempt to judge those outside the church? Aren’t we called to judge those within the church?
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 05 Sep 13
       
      That most Christians believe that we are NOT supposed to judge, under any circumstances, is obviously contrary to what Paul, one of Jesus' Ambassadors, writes here. You'll not that Paul's question here is obviously rhetorical! The demonic myth, of Christian non-judgmentalism I believe, is Satan's attempt to short-circuit mutual accountability within the Body of Christ. Satan's myth also negates tough love which is just as crucial a part of Jesus' "Platinum Rule" ( http://diigo.com/0l8po ) as any other dimension of Body-commanded love. OK, you say, how do I relate Verse 12 here to Jesus' command in Matthew 7:1-6 ( https://diigo.com/0z6a1 ) where he says: "Judge not...!"? Good question! I believe our King's command in the prior Scripture does not conflict with what He inspired in Verse 12 here. Matthew 7:1-6 is meant to have us judge our Fellow Believers, NOT non-Followers, ONLY as led by His Spirit and VERY carefully. And to their face ...not slanderously behind their backs as He commands in Matthew 18:15-17! Because of this, I suggest that Christians forgo the use of the words 'judge', 'confront', and related, seemingly-harsh words, Please substitute the word 'carefront'. Carefront was coined by David Augsburger in his book: "Caring Enough To Confront". You can discover more about his book and read my review of it at http://goo.gl/oal37 . We cannot really love others in the Body without appropriately confronting them as we're led and commanded as noted above, plus further, in Luke 12:57 where our Master says: "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?" Again, in John 7:24 Jesus also says "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly." "Love and truth are "The Commanded Conjoined Twins" for Jesus Followers (https://diigo.com/0z69f); they must never be separated if we wish to obey Jesus' "Platinum Rule (http://diigo.com/0l8po)!" ~ gfp '42™ You can read more about this crucial subject in my S-M-A-R-T Briefing™ at http://goo.
  • 1 Corinthians 5:10-13
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 05 Sep 13
       
      These few verses clearly make a lie of the myth of the Christian, so-called "Doctrine of Non-Judgementalism" that so-many believe. Be blessed by my comments, please, and add your own in an e-Sticky Note window below any of my comments, pro or con. In The King, GaryFPatton
  • Gary Patton on 23 May 13
     
    These few verses clearly make a lie the myth of Christian so-called "Doctrine of Non-Judgementalism" that so-many believe. Enjoy my comments, please, and add your own in an e-Sticky Note window below any of my comments. In The King, GaryFPatton
Gary Patton

The Art of Not Being Offended | Beyond Evangelical | The Blog of Frank Viola - 0 views

frankviola.org/...forgottenbeatitude2

bible scripture stress stress-management dis-stress being

shared by Gary Patton on 13 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Christians are the most easily offended people in the world. We should be the least.
  • everything that comes into our lives, whether good or evil, has first passed through the hands of a sovereign, loving God before it got to us. And He uses it all for our good.
  • Christians will hurt your feelings. Because of the Fall, this will happen (James 3:2).
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • what you do at that moment and afterwards is going to reveal the reality of your relationship to Jesus Christ
  • God intends to use mistreatments for our good.
  • The Forgotten Beatitude
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 13 Mar 12
       
      The Art of Not Being Offended The word "offend" in the New Testament means to trip, stumble, or fall away. Frank Viola, a Christian author and teacher uses the word here with a specific connotation. Being offended is to get so upset with someone that you hold a grudge against them or retaliate actively or passively. Hurt feelings aren't the same as being offended. Mr. Viola says: "Too often, Christians choose to be offended when their feelings get hurt. Christians are the most easily offended people in the world. We should be the least." gfp (2012-03-13)
  • in the eyes of the wise and discerning believer, any statement that has a defamatory tone is discredited out of the gate.
Gary Patton

Muslim Persecution of Christians: May, 2012 :: Raymond Ibrahim - 0 views

www.raymondibrahim.com/...ecution-of-christians-may-2012

muslim christians persecution hate

shared by Gary Patton on 05 Jul 12 - No Cached
  • Muslim Persecution of Christians: May, 2012
  • Gary Patton on 05 Jul 12
     
    Christians must always remember that Scripture clearly tells us that our real enemies are not Islamists, Islam or Muslims or others that persecute and kill us. Our R-E-A-L enemies are diabolical spirits as outlined in http://diigo.com/0jl35 . They are motivated by Satan and his hordes of demons in opposition to anything that is of God. The statement of the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aur
Gary Patton

Red Letter Christians » The Power of Being a Partial Bible Christian! - 0 views

www.redletterchristians.org/partial-bible-christian

bible scripture interpretation scripture christian Jesus Following Jesus' promise

shared by Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • the whole history of the church was changed. It was – as usual – not the whole 775,693 words of the whole bible, but the intensity of the few words in specific passages that had the power.
    • Gary Patton
      Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12
       
      I believe God will attach varying levels of "power" for different people at different times to different passages of Scripture because He is a God who deals with each one of His creations UNIQUELY. Yes, "all Scripture is inspired". But, to be a "PBC" for a moment (Partial Bible Christian), I'll remind you that Scripture also says in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that the wo(man) who is not inspired by Holy Spirit cannot accept what he writes in His "good news" whatever version s(he) uses!
  • The activists, the evangelicals, the Pentecostals, and yes, the conservatives and the liberals, can drive us nuts. They are forever telling us that THEY have the truth. And they can make us feel like second-class citizens sometimes, when we do not go along with everything they say. They make me long for “Whole Bible Christians” who leave me alone. But, my friends, it is the folks whose lives are renewed, defined and driven by their favorite verses and passages who are the ones who bring life to the church, who model for us what it means to take discipleship seriously, who make history.
  • we are focused with laser intensity in the words Jesus spoke. Those words are the text for the sermon we call our lives. We find power in those words. We find direction. We find purpose. We find life itself.  In that sense we dare to stand with the great company of “Partial Bible Christians” who have served the Lord faithfully across the centuries.
  • Gary Patton on 01 Mar 12
     
    Yes, all scripture is "God-breathed" or "inspired". But not all 31,373 verses carry the same weight for our faith in Yeshua/Jesus. gfp (2012-03-01
Gary Patton

Muslim Persecution of Christians: March, 2012 :: Raymond Ibrahim - 0 views

www.raymondibrahim.com/...ution-of-christians-march-2012

Islam Islamist islamism islamization Ibrahim christian christianity christians religion

shared by Gary Patton on 25 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • Gary Patton on 25 Apr 12
     
    Muslim persecution of Christians world-wide ...not just in the Middle east... gives new meaning to Jesus' warnings about what His Followers can expect happen to us in the end times! gfp (2012-04-26)
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