Please note: If you continue to mince my every post in mid-sentence pieces...at some point I am just not going to respond anymore.
Yeah, I care not; suit yourself. I thought you were pulling out of this exchange, anyway, which would have been just fine with me... and really somewhat disappointed you didn't. But anyway, if I deem something important to note, I will do so, and in the way I think necessary.
I will say, though, sort of in the same vein, that your apparent penchant for isolating things and then stringing your responses into several posts seems silly to me, but yeah again, suit yourself. And the funny thing is, it's really the
same thing, but in a slightly different form, as what you're calling me out on here. <
smile>
What changes? Oh, just the advent, crucifixion, and ascension of Christ, His teachings and gospel, Him overcoming the world and being given all power in heaven and earth, the kingdom of God coming upon men, the finish of the House of Israel and the beginning of the Church age and times of the gentiles, God beginning to pour out His spirit at Pentecost, etc., etc.
None of those things changes; they are what they are. They may change the way one thinks about and understands those things, yes, but that's the very point. In... golfing terms, if one has a loop in his or her swing and cuts across the ball even the slightest little bit, his ball is going to sail out of bounds (to the right if he is right-handed and to the left otherwise)... and that's you, Scott.
None of which "nothing new under the sun" refers to--boy did you ever miss that one by a mile, or a thousand miles!
Ah, you misunderstood. Which... is a repeating pattern... And by the way, who's assuming things here? <
smile>
And why you turned that all around to make me look foolish or whatever--is really telling--
I'm trying to turn
you around, Scott. And really to help you
quit looking foolish... or whatever. <
smile> Regardless what you tell yourself... <
smile> But yes, turn
you, from your erroneous, um, "understandings." In the vein of my... golf parable... <
smile> ...just above, it might only take a few minor adjustments. But until then, you are going to continue to acquire penalty strokes and, well, shoot some really big numbers... <
smile> ...far, far over par... But again, suit yourself.
...since you didn't even acknowledge all the great number of changes...
Ah, right, see above... there are no "changes." All those things are what they are. You know... the grass withers, and the flower falls, but the Word of our God stands/endures forever...
But to what you say, here, on its face... I mean we can apply this to us both, and both ways, actually: if we think no changes are necessary, then, depending on where we stand, we think we have already made them... or we think there are no changes to be made.
"which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen."
Wow, talk about misapplications...
"Now-and-not-yet" is wrong...
Even though you yourself allude to it. I mean, okay... But when you say things like this, it seems you're making this concept of 'now and not yet' into something like 'then and now,' and those two things are totally disparate ~ essentially different in kind and not allowing for comparison... apples to oranges, as we all sometimes say.
, because back "then" (that former time) when Paul wrote the "now we see dimly" passage, and "now" (this present time) serve different purposes appointed by God.
So the "because" presented here doesn't in any way follow. But here we are again... To you, obviously, some of what Paul said
may be applicable to us today, but at least some of it... it seems a lot of it to you... is irrelevant. I mean that's a huge problem, which... yeah, if you were to understand some things properly, it would change a lot of things for you, things like... yeah, like what you yourself mentioned above.
So, you grouping it all together as if that same principle applies both then and now...
And here it is explicitly. See above. I'm doing no such thing. You're the one conflating, or making it a conflation.
...means you are stuck in that former time and circumstance, and not tracking with God--you've effectively put Him in a box limited by you.
So... "means" nothing, because it's a total misunderstanding on your part. And to this, I would then say that because of this total misunderstanding... yeah, right back atcha, Scott, this "not tracking with God," and effectively putting
yourself in a box, really, shooting those big numbers... But, yet again, suit yourself, which you are obviously so intent on doing. Nice job saying 'effecting' rather than 'affecting,' though... <
smile>
Many do the same thing with the early church...as if they were doing everything perfect...
Don't think anybody thinks this, except getting back to the fundamentals of the worship of God and the fellowship of the saints... being led by the Holy Spirit rather than... well, other stuff... <
smile> But were they "doing everything perfectly"...? No... But there are some
really important ways in which we should strive to emulate the early church...
...Jesus said He was "somewhat against" 5 out of the 7 churches He named in the book of Revelation.
Uh-oh. I mean I don't disagree with this, of course, but I think I understand what you mean and what you
think is the correct way to apply that, and that's where the 'uh-oh' comes in... <
smile> Yeah just a few (seemingly) minor adjustments... But alas.
So, yeah, lots of things have changed down through the ages.
Humanistically speaking, yes. <
smile> But you know, with God, the Father of lights, there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17), and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever... (Hebrews 13:8). In that sense, no, not so much.
Even so, nothing has changed regarding each generation and person facing the same choice set before all: "life and death, blessing and cursing."
Agreed.
Grace and peace to you.