Salvation December 22. 2004
Salvation - By Duane Michals
I found this surfing the net. It's sort of how I feel about what the extreme right is doing to religion. They are robbing us of our most sacred grace... free will... with/in/for the Holy Spirit.
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By jumping off of a tall building you are not disproving the laws of gravity, in fact, you are exemplifying them when you don't bounce. As are the laws of God, by breaking them we are not proving them faulty.
I don't know if you are claiming that the RCC is the "extreme right," but if you are I think you are doing yourself a disservice. The Roman Catholic Church stands by its laws and teaches them to the people because we believe the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit. So if the Church was to say, "This act is a sin and shouldn't be done" I'm going to listen, not because they're twisting my arm, but because I want to align my will with God's.
Further, I think many churches go so far out of their way to lasso parishoners that they allow their beliefs about the Truch slip into popular opinion. Somehow the RCC seems "extreme" by not voting on beliefs?! Too many people look for churches to fit their beliefs, they want God's will to align to theirs, I think this is grossly out of line.
I don't know if you are claiming that the RCC is the "extreme right," but if you are I think you are doing yourself a disservice. The Roman Catholic Church stands by its laws and teaches them to the people because we believe the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit. So if the Church was to say, "This act is a sin and shouldn't be done" I'm going to listen, not because they're twisting my arm, but because I want to align my will with God's.
Further, I think many churches go so far out of their way to lasso parishoners that they allow their beliefs about the Truch slip into popular opinion. Somehow the RCC seems "extreme" by not voting on beliefs?! Too many people look for churches to fit their beliefs, they want God's will to align to theirs, I think this is grossly out of line.
I wasn't saying anything about the RCC (the guy in the picture looks Episcopalian if anything).
Laws will never help anything. They will only make things worse. They are like sticks in a stream and only divert water a little but the course of the stream is set. Even if a law makes it to the status of damning up the stream the water will soon find a way around the damn and will be engulfed by the torrent of water (that is unless the damn allows some water to pass through). Magistrates cannot dictate the path of Humanity.
Nor should it(!?)
If one reads in the book of Judges it is clear that time and time again that relaying on the strength of magistrates and not on the Spirit of the Lord will always lead to turmoil. Further more, we need to Live by the Spirit and by Vision not by the Law. We will not fail for The Advocate is on your side. In the Spirit we are free from sin, law, and tradition (Jn 8:31-34, Ro 7:6, Ga 4:9) under the law of humanity (and God?) we find only condemnation. The Law is not Salvation only Condemnation! (Rom. 3:19-20)
In the Law there is only death. In the Spirit there is only life.
You choose which is better to live by
peace
Laws will never help anything. They will only make things worse. They are like sticks in a stream and only divert water a little but the course of the stream is set. Even if a law makes it to the status of damning up the stream the water will soon find a way around the damn and will be engulfed by the torrent of water (that is unless the damn allows some water to pass through). Magistrates cannot dictate the path of Humanity.
Nor should it(!?)
If one reads in the book of Judges it is clear that time and time again that relaying on the strength of magistrates and not on the Spirit of the Lord will always lead to turmoil. Further more, we need to Live by the Spirit and by Vision not by the Law. We will not fail for The Advocate is on your side. In the Spirit we are free from sin, law, and tradition (Jn 8:31-34, Ro 7:6, Ga 4:9) under the law of humanity (and God?) we find only condemnation. The Law is not Salvation only Condemnation! (Rom. 3:19-20)
In the Law there is only death. In the Spirit there is only life.
You choose which is better to live by
peace
I think I saw someone talking about that in Matthew.. oh yeah, it was Jesus:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
So do we have God contradicting God's self when God opens heaven and gives a vision in Acts 10:15 and abolishes some of God's laws?
Besides... if you really bought in to the "not one jot or tittle" being erased from the law... you would be a hesidic jew and would not be able to enjoy bacon and eggs, shrimp and sauce, a cheeseburger, be able to wear synthetic clothing (clothing with mixed fibers), or touch a woman (shake hands) who is menstrating. There are about 618 other "Laws" that you should be following if you subscribe to the implied interpretation of what Jesus said in Matt.
Which obviously you do not because I've seen you eat a wagon-master
peace
Besides... if you really bought in to the "not one jot or tittle" being erased from the law... you would be a hesidic jew and would not be able to enjoy bacon and eggs, shrimp and sauce, a cheeseburger, be able to wear synthetic clothing (clothing with mixed fibers), or touch a woman (shake hands) who is menstrating. There are about 618 other "Laws" that you should be following if you subscribe to the implied interpretation of what Jesus said in Matt.
Which obviously you do not because I've seen you eat a wagon-master
peace
i read someplace that beer makes wagonmasters kosher.
but then which laws are Good?
are the ten commandments Good?
are no laws acceptable?
but then which laws are Good?
are the ten commandments Good?
are no laws acceptable?
Those are very good questions and they may not have complete answers. I'm still trying to figure them out.
But I am again reminded of what Jesus said when he was asked a very similar question.
"Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as yourself."
Live with a vision of Love! Live in the Spirit of God which is Love! From there all else will fall away. All laws and all condemnation. God first loves us and now so shall we love.
These are no laws... these are expressions of the Spirit.
at least, that's what I think.,... Happy Christmas Eve!
But I am again reminded of what Jesus said when he was asked a very similar question.
"Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as yourself."
Live with a vision of Love! Live in the Spirit of God which is Love! From there all else will fall away. All laws and all condemnation. God first loves us and now so shall we love.
These are no laws... these are expressions of the Spirit.
at least, that's what I think.,... Happy Christmas Eve!
Michel Foucault. Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison.
Wayne A. Meeks. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul.
Michel Foucault. The History of Sexuality Vol. 3: The Care of the Self.
Presbyterian Church (USA). Book of Common Worship.
