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Thank you for that lesson in Latin. Although I believe I understand the meaning of both charity and dignity, it was kind of you to try and enlighten me. Since most of your theological system seems to come from Catholic sources, I thought I would reciprocate and offer you a brief lesson in Biblical theology. ”I have read and studied that which the Catholic Church proposes for belief. I have questioned these things, read some of the many works associated with teachings, and found them to meet an acceptable criteria for belief. Included, of course, is a lot of prayer, asking for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.”

So, we begin…

Many folks (even many evangelicals) believe the Scriptures are organized like a spiritual “encyclopedia”. You seem to hold a view similar to this. For example, you noted that, “Dignity and charity go together, and when taken with the 4-10th Commandments, direct how we should treat each other.”

This is an example of an encyclopedic hermeneutic. You were interested in good behavior, so you found an appearance of a directive and assumed that this is teaching us, “…how we should treat each other.”

This is, however, not how the Scriptures are organized. If you step back and take an “overview” of the Scriptures, you find they are organized much like an historical nove. That is, the real message, the true “Word of God” is an unfolding message delivered over thousands of years. Granted, Moses was the first “writer” (circa 1450BC) and John the likely last writer (circa 92AD), so we have the text created over 1500 years. But, the history over which the message is spread begins (for the most part) with Adam and extends to the end of the world.

If this conclusion is true, then it becomes important to “follow the story line”, to see what exactly is being delivered at what time. I often provide the following example of a historical novel when discussing this matter (assume this actually happened):

Bob loved Sally

Sally went out with Tom

Bob found out

Bob hated Sally

Question: Does Bob love Sally or hate Sally?

Answer: It depends on where in the story you are reading.

Can you see this important feature of a “story line”? If so, then you will appreciate that it makes a difference when the Decalogue (10 commandments) appears in the story. It also, then, follows that it depends on what is happening and to whom it is directed. In the Bible’s case, the 10 commandments are directed to the Jews.

In the story line (at the delivery of the Decalogue), the Jews had been selected to become a “chosen people” (by God to Abraham- Gen. 11), and (as we discover over their 18+ century history), they are on stage for all humanity to watch. From their inception (Abraham) to their removal from favor (after the cross of Christ), the Jews are the folks receiving the revelation of God. To be favored, they are they must obey God. The Jews sadly disappoint. Irrespective of God’s demanding, cajoling, threatening or promising…they fail to obey. Peter even notes this in Acts 15.

Their failure to perform requires God to step in and rescue them from themselves. How will He do this? Ahhh, the Messiah (Is. 53). Follow this story line along and notice something important about their Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. He has come to rescue them from their biggest problem…the inability to obey God and the resultant sin-guilt they bear. He has NOT come for the rest of the world (the term "Gentiles" refers to). He specifically notes this Himself (Matt. 15:24).

Thus, further notice, what does this mean for the so-called “Sermon on the Mount”. It is to the Jews…not to teach Gentiles Christian living (we are not even in the picture, yet). Jesus is pounding on the Jews to drive them to hopelessness. Tear out your eye if it offends! Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect! Give all your possessions to anyone who asks! If you call a man a fool you will burn in hell!

I am not stretching the text…these are the actual demands Jesus makes. Why? Because He is driving His “chosen people” to despair of their ability to rescue themselves. “What is impossible with man…is possible with God.” Only God will be able to rescue Jews from sin. But, what about us Gentiles?

Glad you asked…when do we show up in the script? Notice, please, that Paul makes it clear in Eph. 2 that you and I (Gentiles) do not have access to the Messiah until after the blood is shed (the crucifixion). The story line is moving along and Paul says we were, “…AT THAT TIME without God in the world.” When Jesus died, however, He broke down the separating wall, the Law of Moses, and made the two groups into one new man…believers in Jesus who were granted faith for rescue. The Law is fulfilled and no longer required (Rom. 3) Until the blood is shed, our time as Gentiles had not yet come. The door was not yet opened. And, of course, one may ask, what does that mean? Well, if one follows this “historical development” of the story, it means the so-called “Gospels” are principally written to the Jews. The “Lord’s Prayer” (Matt. 5 - 7) is Jesus telling Jews how to pray as Jews. Read the entire prayer, and see that the end of it reminds the Jews that they will not be forgiven if they do not forgive. Is this a doctrine of the Catholic Church? If it is, then they are abiding by the Mosaic Law…not the Gospel of Grace.

The so-called “Golden Rule” (Matt. 7:12) is the Law of Moses. It ends with the remark, “…for this is the Law and the Prophets.” It is all about the Law and the Jews having to keep that Law. Notice, Jesus is telling the Jews that they must be serious about obedience or they will not enter heaven…and they do not, cannot comply. “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect”.

Can we comply with this command? Of course not. And you should not…it is not directed at you, a Gentile. But, it is directed to Jews. Jesus is there to hold the mirror of the Law in front of them, teaching them that they cannot meet its perfect standard. They finally get enough of it and kill Him.

To a large extent, the Gospel of Grace begins for Gentiles with the Book of Acts…really Luke II. But, this understanding requires an historical hermeneutic, not an encyclopedic hermeneutic. And, it is why believers who reject Rome, point principally at the Epistles, not the so-called Gospels for their theology. Rome relies heavily on the "Gospels" for training it constituency.

Please notice, the word “Gospel” is NOT IN THE TITLES OF Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. The real Greek texts say, “According to Matthew”, “According to Mark”, etc. Check me on this, if you don't believe it. But, your organization has focused its attention on these books as if they are written to train believing Gentiles. They are not.

So, there you have it. Your lesson in biblical theology and hermeneutics. And, while sincerity is important, it is not the most important thing. The Muslims are deeply sincere…and dead wrong. Truth is most important and I offer you truth. Thank you for your kind thoughts, and I pray for you to seek God’s truth, and let the “feelings” derive from what is truthful.

Thank you for your text. The first “Catholic” source I use is the Bible, which, as you noted, was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for also noting it is arranged, again by Catholics, as continuum, a playing out of prophets, prophesies, and fulfilled prophesies.

Regarding the Decalogue, and the whole of the Old Testament, there are a myriad of lessons we can take from them, that align perfectly with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Though we are not bound by the laws the Jews were, it still makes sense that Jesus didn’t start from zero, so to speak.

We are aware that Jesus was speaking to the Chosen People first, in terms they would understand. That is why the whole of John 6 is so important. After feeding them earthly bread, Jesus called them to eat his flesh and drink his blood. He is the bread come down from Heaven, not as manna, but the bread of eternal life. Such statements were so abhorrent to the Jews they said it was a “hard saying” and left him.

As you continue your text about the Sermon on the Mount, and the Lord’s prayer, I agree that it was given to Jews, as they were first chosen to hear the word. These were people who yearned to hear Jesus and be freed of mountain of changing rules and regulations heaped upon them by the Pharisees, etc. However, do you doubt the Lord’s Prayer, or the Beatitudes are without merit for everyday living?

Jesus rarely spoke to non-Jews. Exceptions would be the Samaritan woman at the well and Pilate. Is that to say His message was only for Jews? Was the great commission only for the Jews?

We agree there were Jews who wanted him killed, obviously. He upset the order of the day, challenge their core beliefs, and pointed them out as wanting.

What strikes me about the remaining paragraphs is what appears to be a diminishment of the Gospels and the applicability of what Jesus taught and said.

Do you disregard the Gospels? Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, and commands His disciples to spread His word. That word is found in the Gospels. How can a person who seriously wishes to evangelize not teach what Jesus taught in the Gospels?

The purpose of the Epistles is to help get the new Church up, and on its feet. They provided guidance and direction, as well as clarification. A Gentile, without the context of the Old Testament, would need someone to explain why Jesus quotes the Old Testament so often. They would also need to know what Jesus taught was for everybody, just like His sacrifice.

If I have misunderstood what you have written, please let me know.