And we are called to that intimacy as far as I can tell.
"Abba" means father,,but it is more accurately translated as "daddy".
"And we are called to that intimacy as far as I can tell."
"Abba" means father,,but it is more accurately translated as "daddy".
Right! Thank you, that is the point I was trying to make. [BTW, Barabbas is a play on that idea :) ]
' Jesus is not just "one of the gang". Nor is He equal with us. He is God. '
True, but did you ever hear the scriptures:
Jhn 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
Jhn 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are]. http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Jhn/Jhn017.html#11
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; ***heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, ***but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Hbr 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Jam 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world RICH IN FAITH, and HEIRS of the kingdom which he hath promised to ***THEM THAT LOVE HIM?
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and ***he shall be my son.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.
God wants to be our FATHER. I don't know about your father, but my dad would not be offended by my calling him my homeboy; he would be flattered that I thought enough of him to emblazon that across my chest for all the [Christ-hating] world to see.
We are admonished not to throw a stumblingstone in the path of baby Christians:
Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for *****God is able to make him stand........
Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Rom 14:11 For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. [Madonna, and others who seek to mock Christ will have their day in court. I went into the National Cathedral the other day. You can't get better trappings than that - the ornate surroundings, the music, the priestly garments, ceremony, etc. etc. But I was very disturbed by the doorway that was blocked by an ornate iron gate that was festooned with several images of Baphomet. I was also surprised to see one huge buttress that was donated by Eli Lilly. Knowing that the building has a masonic cornerstone, I came away truly feeling I had visited the synagogue of Satan, although I doubt if everyone who goes there is a whited sepulchre. My point is that God tries the hearts and reins of every man, and He WILL be able to separate His sheep from the goats, no matter where they are. The ones who will have the hardest time of it will be those who DELIBERATELY led his 'little children' astray. And if He is not pleased with His childrens' worship, I'm sure He will let them know, because they are sons and not bastards. He will chastize those He considers sons.]
Rom 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that **no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in [his] brother's way.
Rom 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that [there is] nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him [it is] unclean.
If you slap a baby's hands often enough, he will learn not to reach out at all. Let them reach, and then GENTLY teach them in the ways and the Word of the Lord, but for heavens' sake heed this:
Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea. *** http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Mat/18/6.html