Another bit of wisdom?

[jugghead]

    What does it mean to be double minded? If we look at the original meaning: that it is to be two-spirited; how can we say that God is two-spirited, meaning that He has both a forgiving spirit and an unforgiving spirit. The word "vacillating" means to be unable to choose; to hesitate between courses or opinions; is it not going back and forth between a forgiving spirit and an unforgiving spirit that is of being two-spirited?
     If we agree that God is both forgiving and unforgiving; being two spirited, is not God unstable in all His ways if James understands this concept (this idea) of being two-spirited correctly? We know for a fact that God is not unstable in His ways, therefore He cannot be two-spirited, He can only be one or the other and since we know that God is forgiving, we have to conclude that He cannot be unforgiving. Being unforgiving is not the nature of God, it is however a part of the nature of man, for he can be both forgiving and unforgiving and by that note we cannot conclude that God is just like man.
     Men love the idea of judgment against another person and that is because it makes them look better in the eyes of another (and themselves) if judgment does not come (fall) upon them. It reveals their own heart of their love of the idea of being elevated above another; which is saying the same thing as; it reveals their own heart of pride.
     Now looking at the word "unstable", it also means "inconstant" which by definition means; likely to change frequently without apparent reason; changeable. So with this being understood and we know that God does not change; how can we say that God is two-spirited; that He is unstable, that He is inconstant; that He is changeable? Men change, but God does not, God is the only thing that is constant, the only thing that is unchanging and that is what we have to rely upon, that consistancy; it is the thing that brings hope to men, knowing that He can be relied upon, that He will not change His ways simply because of something we do. When it comes to understanding the ways of God, God does not change His mind because of something we do, but we change our minds because of something someone else does and we change our minds because of something God does; what He does in us; with that being; changing our own heart of an unforgiving nature to be completely forgiving; AS HE IS.
     Men also like the idea of punishment for those who do evil simply because they cannot accept the fact of forgiveness for them, they want them to pay for what they have done. This goes for unbelivers as well as believers. Unbelievers do not like the idea of forgiving those who do evil because it goes against their upbringing, what they have been taught (they will contimue to do it as long as they can get away with it). Not only by people in the world, but also their parents, and that is simply because the fear of punishment is a deterant for those who do wrong. This also applies to believers, they too have been brought up to use the fear of punishment as a deterant and will not accept the possibility that God will forgive them for what they do. But this is all understood under the context of: if they repent and start doing good, then God will forgive them, which of course, this means that they have to earn the forgiveness of God. Their unbringing; what they have been taught is, you earn the forgiveness of God by first changing your ways.
     But that way of thinking goes against what the word of God teaches, that the only way we can change is if God first does something in us; unless He first draws us to Himself and that drawing has to be done before any man can even begin to have his ways changed. And this is for the purpose of: that God gets the glory for the change, not the man in whom the change took place.
     A third thing that men love is; to know something that another does not, for it gives them a sense of being one up on another, which of course is just another way for pride to take hold. If I consider myself as knowing or understanding something that another does not, I do not feel that I am one up over another or that I have an advantage over another, in fact, I sometimes feel that it is a curse and that is for the reason of; if I know and understand that God, by His nature, will save; will forgive all of mankind, who wants to hear or even listen to the idea of evil men being forgiven; who would believe our report.
     This is why I can feel alone in a room full of people. I can't even imagine what Christ went through when He spoke of these things and was constantly rejected for the idea. Sure, unbelievers at the time they hear the good news think it is wonderful, but when their focus goes back unto the evil that is in a man's heart, he does not see how it is possible. Sometimes, by man's interpretation of the Bible, I do not think even some of the disciples completely understood forgiveness

[Deena]

Indeed. The cross is foolishness to the perishing but to believers it is the power of God unto salvation. How does one go from one to the other? God must reveal it, but then if it is done by Him, then what is man responsible for? That question used to make me crazy till i came to understand UR, but it lingers. Some days all i can do is mutter "He works all things according to the council of His will, and His will is good". God is love and in Him there is no variation or shadow of turning. Can we believe it?

[redhotmagma]

Yes Jugghead yes