~”As a convert myself, this is one of the things that struck me the most about “Christianity”, the lack of answers to some of the most basic questions & the lack of continuity amongst the answers they do have.”~
I was raised in the Church, and have only recently begun to grasp the significance of that. All those ontological questions that plague Christian and Pagan alike, we know the answers to. What a blessing that is. What an impact that has on how we regulate and order our lives. Some of us in the Church take it for granted, I think, particularly when we’ve grown up with it.
~”I would submit, the Lord is not the author of confusion. He wants us to know the truth definitively, & by HIM, not the “wise” of the earth.”~
That is indeed the crux of it. Well stated.
That is indeed the crux of it. Well stated. [Tantiboh]
How is it you seem, Reno, to be able to highlight one truth sourced in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians that backs up what you say, but seem to gloss over yet other vital additional truth via Paul in later letters?
Yes, it's true that the worldly wise is foolish to God (1 Cor. 1:20)...that God's wisdom is quite distinct from that of this age (1 Cor. 2:6)--things not taught by human wisdom (1 Cor. 2:13). But Paul is especially highlighting worldly philosophers (1 Cor. 1:20)...worldly scholars (1 Cor. 1:20)...worldly debaters (1 Cor. 1:20)...and worldly rulers (1 Cor. 2:6). He's not talking about the Church-at-large.
He wants us to know the truth definitively, & by HIM, not the “wise” of the earth.”
Tanty, does your "crux"--and Reno, does your "wise" include the church who best represents the traditions of Paul? (If it doesn't, you have abandoned Paul's epistles & much of the NT!)
Consider this passage Paul wrote to the Ephesians: This grace was given to me--the least of all the saints! to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of the Messiah, and to shed light for all...This is so that God's multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens." (Eph. 3:8-10)
Now, how do we know Paul wasn't talking only about the NT church & the Latter-day church?
Simple, keep reading Eph. 3! ...to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. (Eph. 3:21)
Paul makes it ABUNDANTLY clear that it's the Church-at-large which gives glory to God "to all generations, forever and ever" (Eph. 3:20-21) that is the source for God's manifest, multi-faceted wisdom (Eph. 3:10)!!!
Where were the Mormons for 1800 years among all those "forever & ever generations?" (They're the johnny-come-latelies...the very ones Elsie has reminded you via his consistent postings of Galatians 1:6-8...a passage, BTW, that Mormons ALWAYS ignore & FReepers Mormons also tend to ignore): I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ, and are turning to a different gospel [a new Mormon gospel version, BTW, where grace doesn't even kick in until ALL you can do!!!] ...there are some who...want to change the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!
...the Lord is not the author of confusion.
Exactly. If the Mormons would have been as noble as the Bereans of Acts 17:11...and actually compared Smith's newer revelations to the existing ones, "to see if it was so," LDS everywhere wouldn't be in this mess! Instead, the LDS are the ignoble of the earth!!!
And not only ignoble, but you, Reno, ignore that God is not the lone author: Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God's message, but in God's sight we commend ourselves to every person's conscience by an open display of the truth. But if, in fact, our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Regarding them: the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gosepl of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord..." (2 Cor. 4:2-5)
WHEN...
...people ignore the order of Acts 17:11--comparing new revelations by what's existing...
...THEN...
We get what we see in the LDS church...LDS apologists & leaders doing cartwheels to cover up & negate what past LDS "prophets" have sermonized as "truth"...mass confusion because so many LDS "prophets" disagree with one another...
And WHY???
Because of what Jesus said long ago: Jesus answered them, "You are deceived, because you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God." (Matt 22:29)