Aunty Jane
Well-Known Member
What else was I to think when you refused to answer such an important question....the kingdom of God was the theme of Jesus’ entire ministry. We have to know exactly what it is and what it will accomplish, otherwise how do we tell others about it?Please don't equate ignoring your many questions with "dodging" them.
Jesus trained his disciples before he sent them out to preach his message....yes, he sent them out to preach in all the villages and towns that they could visit. (Matthew 10:11:14)
I think that in a public forum, you are under obligation to defend your faith....isn't that the purpose of a public forum, to present what you believe for others to consider in their own spiritual journey?I have no obligation to answer any of your questions-- I can close the door at anytime of my choosing and you get the privilege of thinking you've been persecuted in the process. It earns a badge of some sort for your sash, doesn't it?
To refuse to answer important questions gives the appearance of having no defense.
If you needed time to formulate your answers, then you could have just just said so.
So in sending his disciples out to preach, Jesus was giving them the wrong direction? Why would Jesus do that if he deemed it unnecessary? If he told his disciples by way of a direct command to “GO and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them...” How were they instructed to do that?I don't think it's easy, no. Neither do I think it's "helpful" to Jesus. I think it's ignorant, arrogant, unnecessary and wholly-- unhelpful. It promotes your religion, not 'the Kingdom' of God which needs no promotion from you or anyone else. I think you are probably right in thinking you and I have different ideas regarding that Kingdom.
Matthew 10:11-14...
“Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving, and stay there until you leave. 12 When you enter the house, greet the household. 13 If the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it; but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you. 14 Wherever anyone does not receive you or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.”
How were Jesus’ disciples to find those “deserving” ones? Was there an invitation from those people to come? Or was it an unplanned visit in a "house to house" ministry? If the household was not deserving of their presence or peaceful message, the disciples were to “shake the dust off” and leave, with the peace of God returned upon them, and then they were to offer the same message at the next house. (Acts 20:20)
How do emergency services make sure that no one misses out on a dire warning about an approaching storm or earthquake or volcano eruption? Don't they go "house to house"? What if people don't have a radio or television set or they live alone with no close family?
Could any message be more important that the coming of God's Kingdom...and the end of the present world....it is not going to end peacefully.
And that is one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible......who was Jesus speaking to? It was the Pharisees to whom he said..."how are you to flee from the judgment of gehenna?" Was the Kingdom "within" those unrighteous men? What was Jesus really saying?The gospels are full of examples that Jesus offered informing us what the Kingdom is like. Jesus taught (and I believe) -- the kingdom of God is in your midst. (within, among and all around you).
He told those hypocrites of whom he also said "their heart is far removed from me" that the Kingdom was right there in their midst, but they failed to accept him for who he was. He was just someone to ignore and treat as of no account.
The kingdom is a real government of God that will crush all earthly kingdoms out of existence, and replace them as man's only government. (Daniel 2:44) It will take place in the time of the present world rulers as these are the last ones in Daniel's prophesy to have dominion over the earth before God finishes the devil's rulership.
What did Isaiah prophesy?
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder" (Isaiah 9:6)
What government is that?