Wow, thanks for the comments the other day, guys. I was going to apologize for not posting yesterday, but you guys took care of the reading material for me. Thanks.
Believe me when I say that I am not trying to be divisive. I think the church has enough problems without Troy dividing the flock on top of it. On the other hand, I also think that we are too passive with key elements of the Bible. For some reason we have ‘buzz-words’ or ‘buzz-topics’ of the Bible that we are not supposed to speak about. I think that is a dangerous situation. I’ve heard so many people, even Christians, say that you shouldn’t talk about religion with your friends. This doesn’t make much sense to me. I really kind of doubt if this was Paul’s attitude. My intentions for writing these posts are to encourage us in our faith. To encourage that there is more Jesus out there (or in there in your heart) than what you might know. That there is more to it than being in the world. We don’t have to be, and shouldn’t be of the world. I am not sorry for writing the post on Wednesday. If it made someone consider that we can believe the whole Bible as true and accurate, than that’s what my goal was. To me, to say that some may be literal and some may be figurative, what message are we sending to new believers. Are we telling them that you have to be careful what you read and believe in the Bible because all is not literal? That just sounds confusing. Or that they need to learn the Hebrew and Greek language before they can own and read a Bible?!?! I understand that I have a simple thought pattern. I understand that I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed. I also know that the Bible said that the words in it are inspired by Him. I also know that is says in Revelation that anything added to it or taken away from it are the mixings of bad things happening. I am not willing to risk throwing my interpretations in to it. I am trying to take it as literal as I can. The way it comes off the pages into my simple mind. The post on Wednesday, like I said, wasn’t even about the fact of creation., but indeed about taking the Bible literal. About living holy. Keep reading this blog. I will soon be talking about holy living. That might make someone else mad. That’s not my goal either. I don’t want to make people mad. I want people to take their faith seriously. I don’t think sermons or Bible lessons have to be full of jokes to keep peoples interest. If you have to sing a song or do a dance to keep them focused, they are there for the wrong reasons. And if you give in to that ministering, you are there for the wrong reason. “But they might leave if I don’t entertain. That might effect my numbers.” So…let them leave. And if you are a minister of the gospel and you like to ‘play’ church too, than maybe it’s your time to step down. Like the article written by Spurgeon, we were not called to perform and entertain. We were called to preach the straight-forward, hard-hitting, true gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s time to clean up the church of Christ (not the church called the Church of Christ). This is the Bride of Jesus that he is coming back for. Why are we prostituting her? Will he come back for some unclean, used, abused, social gathering? We need to wake up. I think that taking the whole Bible literally is a good starting point. Without it and the Holy Spirit, we certainly would be lost.
Keep reading and always feel free to post a comment. Just keep it clean! And one more thing, is this font too small? These are the things that a simple mind struggles with.
God Bless!
“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14
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10 comments:
Hi Troy.
I think it is fine.
And Bryce.
My wife has been raving about the goose ever since she ate it. It's her favorite meat.
And everyone.
Although I might disagree with people on here and on my blog, I wanted to make sure that you never take my disagreeing with you as a comment about my feelings towards you.
I love both Bryce and Troy and wish I spent more time with both of them.
Bryce,
You did write a lot, but it was great. Thanks for your interest.
And I'll work on the 'comment' fonts.
As for the Greek and Hebrew comment. I do think a useful knowledge of the tools could be taught in four weeks. I think the church misses out a lot on not teaching how to use the tools to believers.
But I do not think it is essential. I think all the essentials of the Bible can be grasped through the translations we have.
After further thought. I bet the tools that are necessary could be shared in one one hour session.
But then again, if we believe the literal six days is essential, then knowing Hebrew might be essential to the faith.
Okay. Now I'll quit cluttering up your replies.
This is what happens when these thoughts are scrambling through one's mind as they are ordering comic books.
As I read a response about Hebrew and Greek as tools good for us to use in the church I would agree that they can be useful but not something to be used often as it robs us of faith in God, to faith in man. Maybe that is one of the problems in American churches we have replaced the Holy Spirit and the KJV of the Bible with man's knowledge. To many Christians are knowledgable of the Scriptures but they don't allow them to change their lives just their thinking. We as a society put emphasis on academics. We have pride in our degrees and knowledge but we are ineffective in ministry. We need to see God as God and stop trying to dumb Him down to our level of thinking and allow Him to finish the work in us by His Holy Spirit. Jesus called the simple to follow Him not the academic because of their simple faith in His kingship and redeeming power which bought freedom and not man's laws and interpretations which bring confusion and divisions.
2Tim.3:7-ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
1Corth.1:25-29-because the foolishness of God is wiser than men;and the weakness of God is stronger than man.For ye see your calling, brethren,how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty,and the base things of the world,and things which are despised,hath God chosen,yea,and things which are not,to bring to nought things that are:that no flesh should glory in his presence.
Isaiah 55:6-13 - If you have time please read these verses today and meditate on them.
Love, Troy's wife
I would love to talk in person about these things, but I think over the internet wouldn't work well.
If you ever want to share geese again, we would love to participate.
And I didn't even answer the question.
I wake up early. Go to bed late (except when I'm exhausted). Thank about the thoughts all the time. And check and post in between tasks at work. I don't take a lunch, so I take little breaks throughout the day.
I believe my blog has turned into a chat room:-)
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