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There are many crown takers in this world .
I would say,yes. The Gospel teachings are for the lost. While the rest of Jesus wisdom guides his eternally permanently saved grace filled saints throughout the rest of their earthly mortal life.
I just remembered something that was pointed out to me many years ago, that is probably obvious to everyone--is that Jesus distinguished the most Mature Disciple from the rest in His 'Sermon on the Mount'--that gives depth of rejoicing on a whole other plane; especially since I'm learning the diff between righteousness and holiness...
Hope it's okay that I took the liberty to post something I found of yours that is beautiful and of great value to me in further understanding Jesus and our Father [and binny vs trinny]. Thank you in advance
Amen. And the broad way of the many leads to destruction, not to eternal life.
The scripture in Philippians 2 says that though He was in the form of God He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but took on Himself the form of a servant. He willingly subjected Himself to the Father and His will, thus setting the example for we who were made in the image of God: "Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done."Hope it's okay that I took the liberty to post something I found of yours that is beautiful and of great value to me in further understanding Jesus and our Father [and binny vs trinny]. Thank you in advance
"I see from the Bible an everlasting and almighty Father dividing Himself into two...thus begetting a Son...a smaller version of Himself.
Jesus is equally God with the Father in nature, character, and Spirit ...but not in stature. The Father is the MOST High. Jesus is not the Most High. But He is Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel, the King of the Jews, the Prince of peace...and mighty God (although not ALL-mighty...that is the Father.)
Everything that Jesus does is to please the Father. Nowhere in the Bible do we see the Father trying to please His Son. People have a hard time seeing the difference between Jesus indeed being God and NOT having the same stature as the Father. But that's just because we tend to rationalize things. We fail to see the scale of just who God is. Look at the size of the universe. Now look at the size of our planet. If we think only on a global scale we miss the scale we are to measure it against. So it is with the Father and the Son.
We are to be conformed to the stature of Christ....never the stature of the Father. But that doesn't mean that Jesus is not the life-giving Spirit who created the world we live in. The Head of every man is Christ. And the Head of Christ is God."
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"Great OP. But I beg to differ with the conclusion....which is being forced into a Trinitarian outlook.
One has to approach these things with an open mind. I find that the only real option we have from the whole counsel of God is one that reflects "Subordinationism". It was good enough for scholars such as Origen and Eusebius. (and as you have stated various early creeds--- Caesarean and Nicene)
What I find gets lost in these appraisals is the greatness of the Father. Jesus Christ is a life source...given to be that way by the will of the Father. That makes the Son co-equal in nature and character. But one does not have to be of the same rank to do so.
In military parlance a captain is seen as one who commands. His subordinate co-leader is a lieutenant. This word comes from the French meaning..."place holder." The lieutenant holds the place of a captain in the absence of the captain or else serving as a helper to him. The Head of Christ is God. And the Head of every man is Christ. So then Jesus is the Captain of our souls....and WE become His lieutenants by abiding in Him. But the Captain over Jesus is the Father.
The problem we have in seeing Jesus as our Captain is that we can't imagine another higher authority. (A captain of a captain???) Jesus was sent to do the will of the Father...as in..."not MY will but YOUR will be done." Jesus Christ came into the world by the will of the Father. The Son serves the Father. The Father does not serve the Son...although He confirms Him, the way a captain confirms his lieutenant.
And as to the Spirit of God...of course God's Spirit is subject to the Father. God is not schizoid. God's Spirit is an extension of Him.
Jesus said....I have come in My Father's name. Have you ever heard of a commercial enterprise that has something like...Smith and Son?
If you ask for Mr. Smith, they ask you, the father or the son? Although they have the same name they are separate persons.
They get equal billing but the Father is first. The son takes the father's name and not the other way round. The father is greater than the son as the son comes out of the father. From there things go by merit.
Co-equal in this case is in nature and character. "Of one substance" goes the creed.
All we have to go on is the scriptures...and they point to a hierarchy with the GodHead. Taking in all the verses leads one to a nuanced view that shows a balance between being equal in nature but the Father being greater.
What is underestimated is the greatness of the Father. A smaller view of God allows for Jesus to be equal to the Most High. A greater view of God allows for both the Lordship of God the Son...AND the greater stature of the Most High."
If that was written about the afterlife, it means that God is playing a high-stakes game with our souls.
He certainly makes sport of the powers and principalities that fell. It's not all about us. And what you don't seem to understand is that those who do not know Christ and have His Spirit are already dead and under the wrath. Through the gospel He gives mankind the opportunity to escape the fate that they already have (which is to die like animals die without the promise of eternal life).
Through he gospel we have access into His life and light. We have access of the same victory over sin that Jesus walked in ....through His resurrection life and power.
Oh, the irony.
This assumes that everyone has an opportunity.
My. my.
Amen. Religious ideologues don't understand how they diminish God...to being as unmerciful as they are. Such will be judged harshly. God judges in righteousness. He is merciful to the meek, the downcast, the widow, the fatherless...regardless of their religious opinions.
I just realized that "if we don't forgive others, God CAN'T forgive us" applies here.
The bible says God laughs at His enemies. And it was Jesus who said to let the dead bury their own dead. My, oh my, you are accusing the Lord Most High of being "hard". It is not me judging, that is always the accusation humanists level at those who speak God's truth. I am merely sharing what the scriptures say....truth. And I don't regard myself as anything; Jesus is all in all. Heaven's perspective is higher than ours. We need to get our minds and emotions and imaginations sanctified.
Yes I agree with your first sentence there.
Again, not my word, but God's:
Yes, God has given life to us all and so long as we are alive, God makes the sun shine and the rain fall on the just and the unjust alike. (And we are exhorted to be of the same mind and nature (His spirit) as He.) But what is being discussed here is the matter of eternal life and not all are granted eternal life after this life ends.
The age of restoration...or the Millenium rule of Christ and His saints over the world...will reveal the deep seated rebellion in the hearts of men...once the devil is allowed to influence the world once again.
The issue is that many religiously indoctrinated ideologues have infiltrated the churches to cast down both the power of God on the one hand (for believers) and the mercy of God (towards those in the world who suffer, and are innocent of evil intent) on the other. Still others have gone too far the other way...in reaction to the others, so that God no longer has any wrath or justice at all. So we have the typical extremism and division that men will always display when there is a denial of the cross of Christ...not for how that serves us (as so may here display)...but rather on the power of the cross to destroy human ideologies, and anything that exalts itself above the truth that is in Christ.
Its simple really . Want eternal life , THEN BELIEVE IN JESUS , cause muhammed cant save squat
The Epi , who calleth himself the great overseer has no idea what you speak of my sister .
