Hi everyone

[whyiloveitaly.com]

Barry,
Thinking still about the "docrine vs. compassion" thing, this one's for you!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m584z5aE4Uc&feature=fvw

You might also like this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ChristianNewsWatch#p/u/4/9ncu7nzcgSY


Curious to hear any comments from anyone..

Love to all,
Brian

[Barry DuPont]

Hey Brian
On the first one:
Luk 6:33   And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 
Luk 6:34   And if ye lend [to them] of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 
Luk 6:35   But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and [to] the evil. 
Luk 6:36   Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 

My understanding of the "reward" is different from the traditional views on this. IMHO it is blessing others. The reward in question is being a blessing. 
The old covenant advocates and the "evil" did not receive this reward of being a blessing to others. The fristfruits Christians were called "priests and kings" and a "holy priesthood" in the scriptures. Such is inherently outwardly focused. A priest is never a priest just to themselves. They were told to love like God loves.
Barry

[Barry DuPont]

On the second one Brian:
He seems to have the same concepts as Mike Williams.
He has some good points and I agree with much of what he says. He places old covenant fulfillment at the cross and I see it is as transitionary from the Cross to the end of the temple in the first century where the old covenant is visibly finished with.


God does not dwell in temples made with hands.
JMO
Blessings Barry

[Barry DuPont]

Subsequent thoughts if you don't mind: :)
The ambition is to be like God. To be Godlike!
And also used by the serpent to tempt Eve.
The lie was, "you shall not surly die".
Gen. 3:22, may give us the impression that the serpent was telling the truth about the forbidden tree making them like God.
The problem however is that this was like coming to the knowledge that jumping into a canoe will take you down a river, but not knowing that there is a water fall just around the corner.

The problem was in the knowledge or understanding, that they did not know. What they did not know is that people are more important than right and wrong. They did not maturely speaking know love.
Over time this resulted in the "law" being given. Notice how John puts it:
Jhn 1:17   For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 

This was the "truth" of God's love in Jesus Christ.
1Cr 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 
1Cr 8:2   And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 
1Cr 8:3   But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 
To love God is to know God's love.
Love reigns love rules.
I'm not sure that Christendom as a whole has really grasped this point. But I have hope that we are heading there.
JMO
Barry

[Dondi]

:bigGrin:
Jesus did not come to save us from God.
Barry

No, He didn't. He came to save us TO God.  :thumbsup: