I would like to know your thoughts on the following passage found in Luke.
"When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite." (Luke 12: 58-59)
I think this is illustrating the principle that when you are in the wrong, it is better to confess and seek mercy or resolution before you get before the judge and receive a fine or imprisonment.
Paying the last mite indicates this is a dispute over payment or fair exchange of some sort.
This is what I believe about aionian kolassis. In this life we have this great opportunity "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 2
While some universalists believe there will be little or no consequences for those who have rejected that opportunity at the Great White Throne, I believe the consequences will be quite severe in many cases. It is always better to fess up and throw ourselves on the mercy of the court- especially since our judge is merciful to all, especially the repentant.
"He that hides his transgression will not prosper. He that confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy". Prov 28:13
It's practical, real-world advise.
I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite
This part is key. Even if prison represents hell (maybe maybe not?) it clearly isn't eternal.
Quote from: GodIsLove on June 09, 2017, 05:36:27 AM
I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite
This part is key. Even if prison represents hell (maybe maybe not?) it clearly isn't eternal.
Thanks to all of you, great insight. :dsunny:
Quote from: Thomas on June 08, 2017, 05:28:30 PM
I would like to know your thoughts on the following passage found in Luke.
"When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite." (Luke 12: 58-59)
Here are my thoughts on the subject:
The flesh is the adversary to the spirit, the magistrate is the one in power ..... what is the power of the flesh, I believe it is "desire" ..... in another version of this verse, it speaks of being delivered from the adversary along the way, so we see that we are to be delivered from the flesh before we reach the one in power .... before we reach the desire of the flesh
if we have not settled with the flesh (admitting to ourselves that it is sinful), but knowing that we are not of the flesh but of the Spirit, we cannot be delivered to the desire of the flesh because we are of the Spirit
but, if we (in part) are still of the flesh, the flesh delivers us the the power of it; delivers us to the desire of it, because that desire is the judge that delivers us to the officer (the mind) that puts us into the prison of the fleshly world
and we will not be delivered from the fleshly world until every mite is paid, every small part of the flesh dies, the flesh (spirit of the flesh [old man]) pays for the sin of the flesh not the new spirit ..... for flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of God ..... for just as blood fills and flows through the physical body ..... so can desire fill and flow through a spirit ..... the spirit of the world which inhabits our flesh, that being our old man, which is dying.
"When you (your new spirit) go with your adversary (flesh, old spirit) to the magistrate (desire, the one in power), make every effort along the way to settle with him (I am not of the flesh), (because if you are) lest he drag you to the judge (desire of a fleshly heart), the judge deliver you to the officer (the mind set on the flesh), and the officer throw you into prison (spirit of the flesh). I tell you, you shall not depart from there (the spirit of the flesh) till you have paid the very last mite."
Again, these are just my thoughts on the subject