GODhead and Christian belief are topics, today. Also, there is more on breaking covenant, divine mercy, redemption and slavery. The “Yahoo! Answers” Top Contributor using ID “The fifth ape” (Level 7 with 41,516 points, a member since September 16, 2010) posted the following:
Christians: How many Gods are there?
THE BATTLE AXE: Law, Slavery and Redemption (09/13/2013)—(5.) To break covenant with divine person is not a simple crime that may be described in human terms of misdemeanor, felony, or capital offense. Vital terms for existence and relationship with the Creator are dishonored and violated. In effect, the covenant-breaker denies fundamental conditions that establish their own being, and are intended to maintain and support the lives of others. Such sinners may no longer be regarded and trusted to function in ministry as a caretaker to the Creation of GOD, as one endowed with the spirit of GOD, or as one established in sacred operations of eternal life. Through the pursuits of lust, selfish pleasure and pride, sinners become abominations; they lose all godliness, and are no longer capable of angelic or human displays of humility, obedience and reverence. (6.) What we today are calling “captives”, “exiles” and “slaves” in Bible reports generally were a defeated nation’s labor force and manpower denied their homeland, and relocated because of shortages in conquering nations and empires (e.g., Assyria, Babylon, Rome). Christian believers do not attribute the creation of slavery to GOD. Among other things, men in a condition of servitude became spoken of and treated as “chattel” and “property” through misuse and perversion of provisions in the law that endorsed their continued voluntary association with host families following their employer’s decease. This took on the appearance of ownership, and as an aspect of dynasty and inheritance. (7.) The dependence of servants upon the household wherein they served was little different than that of a child. Food, shelter, clothing, meaningful activity and work were all provided. Divine law, therefore, protects the servant as one who is vulnerable, and servitude is managed as though an adoption. Where servants earned the affection and trust of an employer who was childless, the servant could become the employer’s spouse, or even the employer’s sole heir. See Genesis 27: 28-30, Exodus 34: 19-20, 1st Kings 9: 20-22 and Romans 6: 1-23, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. (Acts 17: 18-32, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: A Start for the Idea of GOD? (09/09/2013); Utterance is Spirit (09/08/2013); Why GOD Prayed to GOD (09/07/2013); How Was GOD Known Before Jesus (10/06/2012); Jesus, King of Earth? (10/07/2012)
“The fifth ape,” here are a few points most Christian believers endorse as in line with their sacred nature only after much prayer, and careful study of the holy writings. Those who take up the Bible casually, usually operate with the warped idea that, at best, GOD is an equal with mankind, and may be correctly understood using only human devices. In their view, the transformation of human substance (i.e., being born again from divine DNA, so to speak) is superfluous, and unneeded:
(1.) There is only one GOD, however, because the substance and process of divinity is not limited to carnal, material and social effects, Christian believers acknowledge the single GOD as appearing through many aspects of existence, pursuing distinctive sacred goals, and functioning in many clear, identifiable patterns.
(2.) The Bible record documents sacred events wherein GOD has appeared to and through human lives. A divine perspective is provided displaying divinity over the course of thousands of years, and thousands of lives. While there are permanent aspects of GOD to be seen and acknowledged as immutable and unchanging, how GOD is spoken of has changed in accordance with various features of human language. Included are how language is acquired and learned, regional differences, the names for GOD, and development of language through change for novelty. (In our lifetime, today, we rarely hear, Cool! Narly! and Crazy Fat!)
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually understood. For example, (3.) GOD is a spirit. The concept of a single “Godhead” that would contain multiple expressions of divinity as person requires a strict use of ideas and language that respond to sacred substance found only within the make-up of GOD, and that has been imparted to mankind through divine process such as adoption (of the spirit), baptism, creation, and rebirth. The various inseparable aspects of GOD include faith, holiness, humility, joy, longsuffering, love, righteousness, truth, wisdom, and wrath against sin.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Focus today is upon the role of “life companion,” and there is more on seeing with new eyes, including a drawing to clarify “thinking inside/outside the box.” Also, because I want to share some perspective with my readers upon what we may have accomplished in this writing ministry, I reviewed some of the numbers. Since 2006, I have now shared 827 responses to questions posted at “Yahoo! Answers.” I estimate that at least 800 of these replies have been to issues and queries found in the Religion & Spirituality section.
The “Yahoo! Answers” writer “Dutchess V” (Level 1 with 150 points, a member since June 29, 2007) posted the following:
Bible verse He who finds a wife finds a good thing?
I don’t understand this verse because what’s the point in marriage when there’s so much divorce? Why get married anyway?
THE BATTLE AXE: To See With New Eyes (11/06/2012)—The developing Christian sees with new eyes when first thinking outside the box whose four sides are custom, popular culture, self-will and tradition, and then thinking exclusively within the box whose four sides are facts (Scripture), goals (Spirit), rules (Law), and truth (Gospel).
The Holy Spirit (also called the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of Prophecy) generates discernment, insight, vision, and understanding. Even without a multitude of words, otherwise invisible connections, conflicting details and subtle differences become apparent, and reasonable. In the same way children acquire language (mama and dada) by repeated exposure, correction, and approval, right knowledge of salvation for mankind (and those in the heaven) comes through continuing proclamation, discovery, trial and error, and conclusive judgment. Thereby, the church of Jesus Christ instructs and transforms all within the kingdom of GOD (see 1st Peter 1: 10-12 and Revelation 1: 1-6, King James Version). The greater challenge to believers is that they grasp new truth when dealing with familiar and old things, and not that they encounter new things or things they’ve never seen before. For angelic beings supplied with a full measure of knowledge and understanding that does not include recognition of forgiveness, repentance and sin, and who can receive no added endowment of truth, there remains a capacity to focus discrete knowledge in new patterns that come forth as voluntary action, choice, obedience, service, submission and worship. The angels may not learn new things, yet, they may continually witness new things.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? (Proverbs 5: 15-20, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Women Ordained to Minister? (10/27/2012); Does Everyone Go To Heaven? (10/28/2012); Birth Control and Sexism? (03/16/2012); Many Forms of GOD? (03/17/2012); Monogamy? (11/29/2010); The Lost? (11/30/2010)
It is the faith of many mature believers who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Redeemer, Savior and Son of GOD that marriage is a sacred institution created by GOD, and is being used to accomplish divine, not human, purposes. Included are judgment, maturation (i.e., completing physical, emotional and psychological growth), perfection (i.e., bringing created beings to spiritual maturity), sanctification (i.e., cleansing and setting apart for divine service), revelation and salvation. When Adam and Eve were barred from the Garden of Eden, the pair carried three institutions with them, marriage, priesthood, and keeping the Sabbath.
Every married woman is not a “wife” just as every married man is not a “husband.” To be a wife a woman must be in the peculiar bond established through the Spirit of GOD that is visible as shared identity and union. Thereby she becomes a “life companion,” and is no longer an independent being. Copulation, intercourse, and other sexual joining only establishes an added spirit-presence within a woman or man that in fornication with multiple partners corrupts and defiles their inborn spirit.
Adam was a single entity before GOD, and the same name was given both the male and female (the male came up with “Eve” and “woman”). In holy matrimony, apart from the relationship to her mate, a wife does not exist alone before GOD, the two are one flesh. Besides marriage only adoption and birth create lifelong spiritual relationships (parents, siblings) that serve as primary social anchors to the living. Given there is so much more involved than simply voluntary commitment, desires and feelings, a man or woman’s place as life companion must be gradually discerned and discovered through spiritual growth.
While holy matrimony and divorce are both emblems of divinity belonging only to GOD (like the badge of authority worn by a police officer), society must regulate marriage through civil law as a social covenant, or contract for ownership of property. The spiritual bond of marriage is only established or dissolved by GOD. The principles of duty (things that must be done, like it, don’t like it, no matter what the cost) and faithfulness that express divine presence within the marriage cannot be annulled by judicial, or legislative acts. Thus, as when a mother loses her child in birth, years of separation alone are rarely enough to heal the wounds from divorce.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, the authority, benefit and respect due a wife is as great as that of a mother, and correctly understood, is no less than that of a husband. Equality within marriage is primarily a matter of oneness rather than sameness. Thus, a fifty/fifty arrangement is not automatically a better expression of balance than sixty/forty, seventy/thirty or ninety/ten. Like ones status as a believer begins before ones baptism, and a couple’s intimate relationship is in place before acknowledgment by family and friends, status as life companions begins before wedding ceremonies and other public acknowledgments.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
