I could tell you, but God said you wouldn't listen.

So I will take a leaf from Jesus's skill book and give to you a parable.

The lord of the house has love for his servants. He loves them so much that he would see them each as part of his family. He plots a test for them, in secret, to give each his own mansion as a reward for their loyal service. He has taught each of the servants personally to run the entire house. To test them, he leaves the house with much pomp and returns in secret at night. He sees the servants fighting for control of the house. Each thinks he would make a better house than the others, for they think that the lord has gone. One of the servants goes to the window and looks out and sees the face of the lord. He warns the others to come to the window and see! And they say "Would our lord return in the dead of night? Our lord will surely return with much pomp!"

god was right.

Originally posted by Rikku
god was right.

I told you. My conscience is clear.

As a new Christan myself, faithful follower of science and reason for many years, I found Jesus in a men's home and haven't looked back since. On that note I still struggle with my faith. Most days I have no problem seeing God in the day to day things. But other times I can't see the point. I know my life has a purpose and there is something great I'm meant to do, even if I can't see it. I just can't see what the point is of giving God the glory. If its good its God. If its bad its not Him. How can One take credit for the work I have but not the drinking problem He blessed me with? Sorry if this is off topic of the OP. I saw this on my new topics and it came upon me to ask.

reply to post by 03Smoker


You can't give God all of the blame. You always have a choice. God gave you free will. I always promised myself that when I gave up smoking, I would only say I quit once. But every day I have to remind myself: I cannot smoke no matter how badly I want to, because I quit.

reply to post by SpiritofEnoch


The entire house is the Earth and everything in it. Everything we receive comes from God, no matter how hard or honest you worked for it. It is not the result of your hard work and honesty for we are all servants.

But some of the servants are poor, and starving and never gets out of their misery...

For some who thinks it has become their possession and keeps all to themselves, maybe give 10% as tithes to the church

They also exploit the poor servants, profit off their cheap labor. Drive away, kill quadrillions of God's creatures all for the sake of better living, and profit. It's all about the $$$$!

Instead of sharing their earnings which is not really theirs, they spend it on their house, maybe move to a bigger house when they get that promotion! Buy a better car, book their dream vacation, send their kids off to college.

They say to themselves, "We are abundantly blessed by God!!". God can't object the corruption of His teachings, of course, He away, far far away!!

God comes back, and all's too late for change.. Pencils down!! All papers to the front!! You have failed to take the test!! It's over!!

reply to post by ahnggk


Please correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just attempt to interpret my parable? Honestly, I'm a little disturbed. In a manner that is almost but not entirely unlike something that resembles pride.

reply to post by SpiritofEnoch


Are you sure you want to tell a parable to explain something? "Taking a page out of Christ's book" in regards to parables means you're hiding Biblical truth not revealing it.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


Yes I'm sure. I came not to accuse anyone, to judge not. I... felt God had warned me of something and I couldn't keep it to myself in good conscience.

Originally posted by 03Smoker
As a new Christan myself, faithful follower of science and reason for many years, I found Jesus in a men's home and haven't looked back since. On that note I still struggle with my faith. Most days I have no problem seeing God in the day to day things. But other times I can't see the point. I know my life has a purpose and there is something great I'm meant to do, even if I can't see it. I just can't see what the point is of giving God the glory. If its good its God. If its bad its not Him. How can One take credit for the work I have but not the drinking problem He blessed me with? Sorry if this is off topic of the OP. I saw this on my new topics and it came upon me to ask.

I don't often have the opportunity to defend your Jesus so I'll do it now. Your god has the ability to change your heart and bolster your spirit. The biology and chemistry that makes you attracted to the drink is all science. Your god did not cause that.

I also have to say this: If you are being enlightened and are evolving as a result of your religion, do not leave it because of something like personal struggles. Draw strength from it. If another path will help you more, it will call you without you having to search for it.

Remember, the most effective drinking rehab is AA and they require a belief in a higher power. This could be whatever you want it to be which is exactly the point. It doesn't matter. If you gain spiritual strength from it, be it Jesus, Goddess, Satan, Kali, etc, it will assist you when you make the choice to manage your drinking.

Originally posted by SpiritofEnoch
reply to post by 03Smoker

 

You can't give God all of the blame. You always have a choice. God gave you free will. I always promised myself that when I gave up smoking, I would only say I quit once. But every day I have to remind myself: I cannot smoke no matter how badly I want to, because I quit.

edit on 18-10-2012 by SpiritofEnoch because: Typo

He did give us free will, but it is just a little wriggle room, compared to God's Plan, which is pre-determined from before the foundation of the world. Drinking problem? Smoking problem? They're just two of the sins common to man, and we will all get washed and rid of them by God's grace.

BTW, we're all going to interpret your parable, whether you like it or not - just the way it works.

Originally posted by SpiritofEnoch
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just attempt to interpret my parable? Honestly, I'm a little disturbed. In a manner that is almost but not entirely unlike something that resembles pride.

That is not an attempt.. I did interpret your good parable...

If you just randomly put it together, then I don't think it's just an accident.

Your parable mirrors the sad state of Christianity today. Now, it's just profits, and business, God will improve my business, our finances. Just randomly tell to any Christian coming out of the church "that God will not improve your finances" and see if you get any genuinely (not sarcastic) positive response.

They only 'love' God for what God can do for them in this life and the next.....

....It's not true love!! It's how the world loves!! Love driven by expectations! Just as you do your boss, your spouses (no wonder divorce is so common!!), your children (poor kids!)

Originally posted by SpiritofEnoch
reply to post by NOTurTypical

 

Yes I'm sure. I came not to accuse anyone, to judge not. I... felt God had warned me of something and I couldn't keep it to myself in good conscience.

edit on 18-10-2012 by SpiritofEnoch because: Clarifying

Then just come out and say it, don't obscure a truth you believe is from God by making it a parable. If you remember from the gospels Christ used parables not to illuminate a spiritual truth, but to hide it from anyone who did not have "ears to hear".

Jesus spoke parables to confound the pharisees, not reveal to them the truth. He was damning them so they couldn't recieve salvation. Jesus used the pharisees' own knowledge and logic against them. They, being pharisees were trained to read between the lines into the deeper meaning, but that knowledge never touched their spirits. They didn't take God's revelations to heart, and so he fooled them by giving them simple stories that the poor and humble could understand but the pharisees, being wealthy and certainly not humble missed the simple meanings in Jesus' parables because they read too deeply into parables that were so simple to understand. If you want to bring all people to repentence do not obscure the Word, but speak plainly in a humble manner and reveal the Word and the revelations Jesus has given to you so that all may learn and come to repentence.

reply to post by lonewolf19792000


I'm not calling anyone to repentance. Nobody can come through Christ but those that the Father has called. And when the Son of Man returns, it is not to save, but to be exalted. I've hidden nothing, the parable speaks for itself. I could cite scripture, saying God warns us to be always vigilant and never complacent, but most of us already know that. Why should you accuse me of hiding truth in plain sight?

Why are we still talking about these 2000 year old texts like they hold truth, it's mythology, it was the way people searched for answers back then. Now we have better ways like science and spirituality to search for answers

reply to post by Jauk3


Science and spirituality are what led me to God, just so you know.

reply to post by SpiritofEnoch


What do you mean with ''God"

reply to post by Jauk3


The search for answers started with science, came through spirituality, and landed on God. I am "with" God only in spirit, but in spirit I am also of God and a part of him through Christ.

reply to post by SpiritofEnoch

I'm not calling anyone to repentance. Nobody can come through Christ but those that the Father has called.

Yes and he works through us by us preaching the Word and ministering. We are the Body of Christ, he is the head but we are his body, his extension into this world from on high.