Posted on 01/21/2011 3:01:25 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
Sure, anytime.
1) In other words, only God can resurrect a person from the dead. If thats the case, how was Jesus resurrected since he was sealed inside a tomb and, if He was ungodly as you and others here have alleged, why would God raise Him from the dead...
Yes, resurrections are of G-d. G-d is omnipresent and doesnt have to be in a physical form (he cant be physical per Deut 4:15)in order to resurrect someone. When the resurrection took place by Elijah, for example, G-d was not there in the flesh, so G-d need not be there in the flesh for Jesus to resurrect. In fact, at the end of time and all the righteous resurrect, there is no personage there commanding it to happen. So, there is no problem with G-d raising Jesus from a sealed tomb. My point however was not to prove that his resurrection is doable, the point is the resurrection in and of itself is not a unique event. And that faith in a resurrected personage is NEVER a scriptural command by G-d. There is not one scripture in all the Jewish Tanakh that says: When the messiah is resurrected, you will have faith in it or else. Faith is NEVER mentioned because it will take zero faith when the messiah comes. The entire world will see the fulfillment of exhaustive and exclusive messianic tasks, that no one but messiah ben David can fulfill.
The question, did Jesus ressurect? He could have...I dont know. But it is not part of messianic fulfillment so I need not answer that question.
2) How do you explain this willingness to give up everything that they had to follow Jesus if there were any doubt at all about His claims?
Well, there is a very simple answer to that. A) They were uneducated and couldnt read the Torah or Tanakh. They relied on miracles rather than messianic requirements stated in the Tanakh. B) I believe that they expected Jesus to return quickly with the Heavenly Host and rout the Romans. For Example:
Matt 16:28"Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." .....So they are thinking that he will return shortly, within that generation before they all die. The problem is, that he didnt return before they all died with his kingdom. So, how do the gospel writers solve that problem? They attribute that statement to the transfiguration.
Matt 17: 1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
Six days later? (8 in other gospels) Some would not taste death? Then who did taste death in those six days? And where was the kingdom and the power? Only Moses and Elijah appear? Thats it? Then Peter makes the three equivalent?
So, at any rate. Between the miracles and the promises of imminent return, it is easy to see how they would believe it. Look at the crazy mormon story. Joseph Smiths diciples believed his story and many of them were chased accross the US and even killed for their silly belief. And muzzies who blow themselves up by the thousands for a lie of 72 virgins....
3)You (at least I believe it was you, I may be mistaken) earlier made the claim that YHWH is not a man and the idea of a Triune Godhead is a pagan idea imported from Greco-Roman sources.
That was probably me....I do agree with that statement.
Even in the OT, we see YHWH the Creator, His Holy Spirit and the Angel of the Lord (Exodus 3:4 calls Him elohiym) who is listed as God and treated as such, but not YHWH. How is that not the same thing that we, as Christians, have been saying all along?
Okay, in Exodus 3:2, the angel of YHWH appears.....First notice that it is not G-d in the flesh but an angel, probably in the form of a man. (Like Gen 18).
Exodus 3:4, When YHWH say Moses approaching, Elohim called to him.......Here, YHWH are equivalent. It is not uncommon for there to be a name change from the holiest name YHWH, to Elohim or sometimes El. It does not involve a change in personage within the godhead. For example, Is 45 has the YHWH 23 times. Ans several times, like 45:3,5,18, you see YHWH directly connected to Elohim, when G-d is proclaiming His singular unity. From the Blue Letter Bible:
45:3 And I will give 5414 thee the treasures 214 of darkness 2822, and hidden riches 4301 of secret places 4565, that thou mayest know 3045 that I, the LORD 3068, which call 7121 [thee] by thy name 8034, [am] the God 430 of Israel 3478...........YHWH is 3068.......Elohim is 430.
45:5 I [am] the LORD 3068, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God 430 beside 2108 me: I girded 247 thee, though thou hast not known 3045 me:
45:18 For thus saith 559 the LORD 3068 that created 1254 the heavens 8064; God 430 himself that formed 3335 the earth 776 and made 6213 it; he hath established 3559 it, he created 1254 it not in vain 8414, he formed 3335 it to be inhabited 3427 : I [am] the LORD 3068; and [there is] none else.
Isa 43:10 Ye [are] my witnesses5707, saith5002 the LORD3068, and my servant5650 whom I have chosen977 : that ye may know3045 and believe539 me, and understand995 that I [am] he: before6440 me there was no God410 formed3335 , neither shall there be after310 me.......God 410 is El.
It is interesting to note that both El and Elohim can be used to describe non-gods. Moses is called Elohim...judges are called Elohim...Idols can be called El. But when used with the unspeakable name of G-d, YHWH, the meaning is clear. One G-d, One Creator as in 45:18 YHWH and Elohim are both the Creator and at the end of the verse, I am YHWH and there is none else.
Finally a person have to account for Deut 4:15, where G-d clearly states His non-physicality
"So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,........Watch yourselves carefully? Since you saw NO form! Why is this important? Because NEVER wants us to worship a form of any kind (next verse) Because when man worships a form...it is then idolatry. This is the whole beauty behind the revelation of YHWH! All other religions have some type of image or personage to worship. NOT WITH HaShem! (YHWH) A singular unity G-d with no image!
shalom
You crack me up. I am not siding with anyone who is not exactly per the Torah and the Tanakh(OT). I find it interesting that your anti-christ is a man that people will worship. A Jew will NEVER worship a man. EVER. We worship the unseen G-d YHWH and ONLY YHWH. And persecute Christians? Aah no. The Jews are never prophesied to persecute ANYONE nor do Jews proselytize for converts.
Actually, there seems to be some confusion on American Constitutionalist’s part as to what will happen during the End of Days, or the Time of Jacob’s trouble as it’s also known.
The very idea that Jews, aka the descendants of Jacob, would turn against God and side with the Anti-Christ, aka the Son of Perdition, is laughable at best. Every time that the Son of Perdition has shown up (and to my knowledge, he’s shown up at least twice before and possibly even more times than that), the Jews have rejected him and held to YHWH. This time will be no different.
I may disagree with my Jewish brothers, I may think they’re blind to continue to look for the One who’s already came, but under no circumstances will I ever side against them. Unlike every other nation and race on this earth, the Jews have not only a promise of a future full redemption but a Husband who is jealous of Her and never slumbers or sleeps. I stand with the Jews, come hell or high water.
Thats awesome...very well said.
It does seem likely, given the backdrop of Israel and the Middle East, that those who would actually worship a man anti-Christ would come from among Christians (who would likely mistake the anti-Christ for Jesus).
If you want to have a christian Caucus thread, designate is as so...keep in mind, Psalms are part of the Jewish Tanankh, and merely co-opted by christians to try to explain their belief in Jesus...magritte
If the thread had been labeled "ecumenical" then anyone could still post, but antagonism would not be allowed.
If the thread had been labeled a "caucus" then only those Freepers who are members of the caucus, e.g. Catholic Caucus, LDS Caucus, Christian Caucus - can post.
No debate of any kind is allowed on the other two thread types in the Religion Forum: prayer and devotional.
Truthfully, I suspect that you’re right. After all, we’re told that before that day comes, there will be a great falling away and the love of many will grow cold. I could very easily see this being turned against Israel and the Jews.
My FRiend, it is called a polemic. Christian Jewish polemics have been going on since Jesus. I like Pastor Randles, we have had lively but honest discussions for some time. Often times I end up in dialog with others on his thread. I realize it may seem like dishonor to you but it is just a discussion among FRiends. I could claim dishonor as well but I dont see it that way. Had Pastor Randles given it a Christian Caucus status I would never offered an opinion.
I need to straighten you out a little on some of what you said here.
Yes, God is going to send a strong delusion. We’re not sure what it will be yet, but we know that it’s so strong that even the elect are likely to stumble if they’re not rooted deeply in the faith.
Yes, the AC is against Christ. Yes, he will set himself up as the Messiah, just like he did before.
Yes, the AC will perform miracles and deceive many.
The text does not, however, say that the AC will persecute Christians. The text that you’re referring to is Daniel 11 and is referring to how the AC persecutes those who “...do know their God...”
Normally I would agree with you on this point, but given that it’s set in the Tribulation, I’m not sure that this isn’t a reference to the Jews.
I also am not a KJV only guy, although I do prefer it for day to day reading. That being said, I suspect that we’re on the same page here, as all I’m saying is that there will be a great delusion in that day and unless you have something to guide you (Holy Spirit), you’re not going to have a chance to see through it.
The reason that I say that it may be possible for the elect to be deceived is because of how easy it is, even as a Christian, to not hear what God’s Spirit is saying to you due to other influences in your life. In my mind, I see it much like being hard of hearing or distracted. If you have something else in your life that’s yammering for your attention, it’s easy to miss the Spirit’s guidance. That’s the whole reason I believe that we all, as believers, need to be deeply rooted and accustomed to hearing from God and obeying His will. There’s coming a time in the very near future that our lives are going to depend on it.
“You are aware that Christianity didn’t even exist at the time the Psalm was written, right? Heathen meant anyone not of the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which we know today as Judaism.”
David the Psalmist was speaking prophetically!
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