Christianity Oasis Forum

[vahn]

Matt. 21:23 says "When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching ... " and my brain decides to take a hike to the 4th dimension of existence (don't you just hate it when that happens ?) , I mean , "What was He teaching anyways ? , Do we know of those things that He taught in the Temple or were they just lost forever ?" on and on it went . I tried to put myself in that Temple and listening . OK , heres the short of it . What I have in my hand in front of me is a collection of Scriptures (Bible) that some group of people , though Inspired and "Complete" put together. So, what about the things He said that were NOT written ? I get to asking , first myself (of course!!) then I turn to my Lord and ask Him , oh , wait a minute ! Did somebody say ASK ? as in A.S.K. ? Hmm , let me see . Oh ! There it is !

Ask , and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock , and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh , findeth; and to whom that knocketh it shall be opened . Right ? ok , HERE COMES THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PART .
What MAN is there of you , whom if his son ask bread , will give him a stone ?
Or if he ask a fish , will give him a serpent ?
If ye then , being evil , know how to give good gifts unto your children , how much MORE shall YOUR FATHER which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask HIM ?

Let us, imagine for a moment, if you will, a multi millionaire having his own lil zoo or animal park and he keeps it for his own personal hobby. It is stocked with its own number of creatures which exist solely for his own interest and pleasure. Now he visits his zoo from time to time and orders certain animals to be destroyed and others to be ordered into more comfortable cages, and yet others perhaps to be dealt with in this way or that. He has of course no spiritual communion with them whatever, right? They are simply his animated toys that exist for his entertainment.
Does that ring a bell of a fundamentalist idea of God?

I don't know , is that a loud and clear announcement from our Lord the Christ of the primary truth of the Fatherhood of God ? The foundation stone upon which the whole structure of true religion is built .
As long as man believed in many other gods (Prestige , Ego , Standing in community , Financial security , Careers , Fears , Pride , Woes and Sorrows) a sound spiritual experience was not possible . And those who did go beyond that idea (many gods) to the concept of One , or True God , still thought of Him , almost universally , as a kind of an Oriental or Mid-Eastern tyrant-king or a sultan of some sort . The God of many Old Testament writers is a very jealous , revengeful , and a cruel monarch ; a sultan whom it is impossible to please or quench his anger , and often indiscriminate in his vengeance . He seems to have no more in common with mankind than men have with animals; in fact less ! That idea denied man anything in common with God at all .

Ask , and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock , and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh , findeth; and to whom that knocketh it shall be opened . Right ? ok , HERE COMES THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PART .
What MAN is there of you , whom if his son ask bread , will give him a stone ?
Or if he ask a fish , will give him a serpent ?
If ye then , being evil , know how to give good gifts unto your children , how much MORE shall YOUR FATHER which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask HIM ?

Now, in this passage Jesus once and for all lays the ax to the root of this horrible superstition for those who will read the Bible. He says here definitely and clearly- and He stresses His words in a matter of fact way- that the real relationship of God and man is that of a parent and child. Here God ceases to be the distant monarch (zoo keeper) who deals with spineless crawling slaves, and becomes the loving Father of us, His children.

The teaching of Jesus concerning the Fatherhood of God was original and unique. Jesus made the declaration of the Fatherhood of God in the opening of what we call the "Lord's prayer" . It explains for instance a tremendous statement in Genesis that man is the image and likeness of God.

NOW, let me get this... an eagle can not beget a chicken, right? so if that is the case than man and God are indeed Father and child, so he must be essentially Devine as well, right?

Jesus Himself says elsewhere, according to the older scriptures "I have said ye are gods and sons of the Most High" He then emphasizes point by adding significantly " and the scriptures cannot be broken."

We are then the children of God; and if children, then sons, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, as Paul says ; and as sons of God we are the heir of our Father's estate, (which is Kingdom?) and not strangers of paid servants. Much less spineless slaves. We are sons of THE House and will one day enjoy our inheritance.

Any questions ??


In Christ , our Lord

[sbennett]

AMEN!! So very true. Thanks for sharing that wisdom.