Posted on 08/05/2013 10:31:02 AM PDT by Gamecock
Question:
Does the OPC use the crucifix in the church? If not, are they opposed to it?
Answer:
Thank you for your question. The answer is, so far as I know, the crucifix is not used in OPC churches, and here is why:
1.The Second Commandment (Ex. 20:4-6 and Deut. 5:8-10) forbids any picture or image of God, and that would include the Son of God, even as man. At any rate we do not know what Jesus looked like as there is no physical description of him.
2.The crucifix will always end up being an object of worship—regarded as holy. History teaches as much. The bronze serpent Moses made became an object of worship and was not destroyed till King Hezekiah did it (Numbers 21:9; 2 Kings 18:1-5). Roman Catholics have worshipped it, kissed it and held it to have mystical powers.
3.Christ did not remain on the Cross. In the Roman Church Christ is said to be resacrificed each time the Mass is celebrated. This is heresy; he died once for all—Hebrews 9:25-28.
We in the OPC have learned not to trust our idolatry prone hearts not to do the same as others have in the past. Hence, no crucifixes are used. So, yes, we are opposed to it.
US who?
The COVENANT was behind a GOD and a PEOPLE: the Jews.
Gentiles got mentioned in Acts 15.
Oh?
Could you explain a little bit more?
WHY must you?
Don't SAY things like this or you might fire up a NON-smoker to castigate those who do!
(It's PLAINLY in the bible; you know...)
>> “US who?” <<
.
Us who plan to meet at the first resurrection.
The covenant is with the seed of Abraham. That includes those gentiles that are to be “grafted in.”
As far as I’ve heard, the grafting in is not mandatory; you could take your chances.
Thanks, I might give it a shot in the smoker as well.
behind???
between!!!
So is this you not joking like you said in 576?
The insertion of the extra month was declared when the new moon was sighted on the Holy mount. if the barley was not aviv, an extra month was required.
Obvoiusly it is going to follow the numeric ratio approximately, but a cloudy day or days could also delay the sighting. In the end it all is going to come out even.
Oh?
Galatians 3:15-18 (niv)
15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds’, meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed’,[a] meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: the law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
They are falling behind, year by year, so the insertion of the extra month is going to follow the ratio when you are dealing with decades, but there are climatic and atmospheric factors that are pretty much random that can effect it in any given year.
The longer time period you are talking about, the closer the numeric ratio is to controlling.
>> “I had a (Jewish) instructor in college that was telling us that it had to do with the Jewish calender having 12 months of 29/30 days” <<
.
How long ago was that?
The agriculturaliy correct calendar has become reestablished in the last 20 years. Prior to that is was chaos among the various rabbis.
Perhaps you’re not the seed?
Not my job to decide for you.
The longer time period you are talking about, the closer the numeric ratio is to controlling.
But in the chronology of Jesus' ministry, an intercalary month would be very significant. So the year of slaughtering The Lamb on Pesach affects things seriously, and the calendar framework is important in debates.
Elsie: Just WHERE is THIS found in Scripture?
The Greek words are in these passages:
Usually spelled bema = βημα but sounds like baymah, is the Koine Greek word that means "judgment seat"
Rom. 14:10 "... βηματι του Χριστου ..." - sounds like baymahtee too Kreestoo
2 Cor. 5:10 "... βηματος του Χριστου ..." - sounds like baymahtos too Kreestoo
Here is a chart that illustrates the concept (scroll down some to find it); and another link gives the explanation in detail (I think the speaker is Charles Stanley).
Not everyone agrees with this interpretation.
Getting into the weeds here is not meant as an insult to your intelligence. Sounds like you never heard of this feature common to eschatology thinking.
Jesus died under the Davidic Covenant that all humans might have choices about their futures under the New Covenant and live in unity with The Godhead under the Everlasting Covenant.
Hmmmm
Now THERE's something I hadn't thought of!
What does it take to be of "Abraham's seed"?
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The agriculturaliy correct calendar has become reestablished in the last 20 years. Prior to that is was chaos among the various rabbis.
This was about 25 years ago, and like I said the details are kind of fuzzy. It was a one time discussion in a material rich class.
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