Of course I don't want to be held to everything that Cyprian or Augustine said. In fact, as a Southern Baptist, I don't want to be held to everything that Calvin or Luther said either! :) None of these men were inspired, but they all have made good contributions to Christianity. Because of this, and out of the goodness of my Christian heart, I have allowed all of them to be wrong on certain issues. :)
The OT Jehovah did certain violence to the Earth. It is striking the comparison to Jesus. Look at the Two Commandments of Jesus to the 10 Commandments and Deuteronomy. Look at the Sermon on the Mount (and the Plain). Jesus comes to us with love.
It's all about purpose. God had His purpose for doing what He did in the OT. Jesus had a very different purpose on earth when He was here. When he gave us His Commandments, it was to show us our purpose in Him. The fact that they don't all match in result is not of concern. In addition, the Commandments (and their subparts) must be taken in the generalized way they were given. When Jesus said to turn the other cheek, He did not mean to let a mugger stab you in the heart if you had the means to stop him. Jesus was talking about a WAY of living for the Christian. He was not talking in hyper-technicalities, as the Pharisees thought.
God’s doctrines v. 1.0 versus 2.0.
That's an interesting way to put it, but I'm not sure I can agree. If I may be hyper-technical :), a 2.0 is always an improvement on the 1.0. I don't think God was improving, He was completing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the OT God that needed fixing. The OT God is exactly the same as the NT God. We just get to see more and more of Him as we page through the Scriptures. So, we get more, not better.
That is your opinion, FK, not a fact. Hebrews 8 tell a different story. The entire OT is a series of attempts and failures to bring the Jews to stay with God. Apparently, even the New Covenant failed with them and had to be assumed by non-Jews (although that is revealed more as an afterthought than a plan). What purpose did God have to play dice with Hebrews?
***None of these men were inspired, but they all have made good contributions to Christianity. Because of this, and out of the goodness of my Christian heart, I have allowed all of them to be wrong on certain issues. :)***
Very good of you.
But there arises the most definite of questions: what is right and what is wrong? How is the truth to be judged? What makes FK right in a particular instance and Calvin or Luther or Augustine or Cyprian wrong? The indwelling HS?
That is a tremendous error on the part of the Reformers which has given rise to the thousands of different denominations, as well as declaring fair game for any individual to develop his/her own theology and hang up a church shingle if he/she chooses.
***If I may be hyper-technical :), a 2.0 is always an improvement on the 1.0. I don’t think God was improving, He was completing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the OT God that needed fixing. The OT God is exactly the same as the NT God. We just get to see more and more of Him as we page through the Scriptures. So, we get more, not better.***
I think that we might be quibbling here over very little. More, better; okay. Some of both perhaps?
The OT outlines the failure of God to get the Jews to pay attention and prepare themselves for the Messiah. The mission to the Gentiles was a fallback. The Jews are God’s Chosen People and they as a nation have not accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah. This alone should provide sufficient evidence that God has created us with free will.
AMEN!
If men really understood that, life would be a lot easier and happier.
Life isn't just some late-night poker game that might well continue on til morning. There is an end-point and it is God-ordained, along with every step it takes to get there...
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" -- Isaiah 46:9-10"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,