[betty boop]

I still love I Cor 2;9.. We probably cannot compute the way things really are.. We just observe what we can observe.. which is not from the same vantage(observation) points/vistas..

Excellently put, dear hosepipe!

And yet the laws of the world and eternity, of heaven and earth -- God's laws -- are the same for all observers, regardless of their spatiotemporal positions. (Einstein said that). Some "observers" are willfully blind; but mainly we all suffer from the "seeing as if through a glass, darkly" problem.

Regarding your interpretation of the sheepfold as a sort of "religious club": I'm reminded of Eric Voegelin's cutting remark that, for many people these days, the churches have become "social clubs for like-minded families"....

Thanks for writing, dear brother in Christ!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you both so much for all of your insights!

betty boop: Regarding your interpretation of the sheepfold as a sort of "religious club": I'm reminded of Eric Voegelin's cutting remark that, for many people these days, the churches have become "social clubs for like-minded families"....

Sad but true. Those who gather for reasons other than a love of God and neighbor (Matthew 22) are missing the boat - but, on the other hand, I can think of no better place for them to be. Ditto for hypocrites et al.