Comments on: Conformed to the World http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/ We are Flesh-and-Spirit on a journey to Integral Unity with God. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:54:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Huw http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9714 Huw Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:20:02 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9714 We're not arguing, I think. I'm sitting in Buffalo, NY, drinking port wine, discussing Bible with someone who has a such a differing opinion as for us not to have yet agreed on the meaning of terms. Were you here I'd offer some of this port (or the sweet tea that's in my kitchen). That was the point of my post: there is a way for us to stay in communion that is beyond our theologies. It's only our pride that moves us apart from each other into a "Kingdom divided against itself." God's peace, Joel - remember me in your prayers as I will you in mine. We’re not arguing, I think. I’m sitting in Buffalo, NY, drinking port wine, discussing Bible with someone who has a such a differing opinion as for us not to have yet agreed on the meaning of terms. Were you here I’d offer some of this port (or the sweet tea that’s in my kitchen).

That was the point of my post: there is a way for us to stay in communion that is beyond our theologies. It’s only our pride that moves us apart from each other into a “Kingdom divided against itself.”

God’s peace, Joel - remember me in your prayers as I will you in mine.

]]> By: Joel http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9713 Joel Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:12:28 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9713 Even if I granted differing canons (I don't, I hold to the traditional western and now Prot canon) it would not serve in any way to diminish what is in the books that all these branches hold in common. This approach is used as a wedge to question the authority of scripture, or of God, IMO. Jesus clearly affirmed the OT, as did all the other writers. He even affirmed Jonah in the whale as true. Jesus is God and if he is cool with the OT, so am I. Peter called Paul's writings scripture. It's not too hard to figure out what is in and what is out, even in the early church. But it seems to always be a method of evading truth to attack the reliability of God's word written. You see, now we are arguing again. And I know we won't agree. I'd better stop. Even if I granted differing canons (I don’t, I hold to the traditional western and now Prot canon) it would not serve in any way to diminish what is in the books that all these branches hold in common. This approach is used as a wedge to question the authority of scripture, or of God, IMO.

Jesus clearly affirmed the OT, as did all the other writers. He even affirmed Jonah in the whale as true. Jesus is God and if he is cool with the OT, so am I. Peter called Paul’s writings scripture. It’s not too hard to figure out what is in and what is out, even in the early church. But it seems to always be a method of evading truth to attack the reliability of God’s word written.

You see, now we are arguing again. And I know we won’t agree. I’d better stop.

]]> By: Huw http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9712 Huw Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:05:41 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9712 The XXXIX used an early version of the historical critical method to divide the Historic Bible of the Church into two classes of scripture... the "real scripture" and the other books "not read for doctrine". The Romans have more books than the prots, the Orthodox even more. Ethiopia has something like 30 or 40 extra books in their canon and the Orthodox have 151 psalms. A sovereign God dictating scripture would be nice, but I wish he'd make up his mind! The XXXIX used an early version of the historical critical method to divide the Historic Bible of the Church into two classes of scripture… the “real scripture” and the other books “not read for doctrine”.

The Romans have more books than the prots, the Orthodox even more.
Ethiopia has something like 30 or 40 extra books in their canon and the Orthodox have 151 psalms. A sovereign God dictating scripture would be nice, but I wish he’d make up his mind!

]]> By: Joel http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9711 Joel Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:55:30 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9711 I'm positing a sovereign God who was able to preserve for us what he wanted to preserve for us, namely our current Bible. I am currently reading a short book from about 1970 called "The End of the Historical-Critical Method" that's a pretty good summary of this position. I think the 39 Articles point quite clearly to this view of sovereignty. Best regards. I’m positing a sovereign God who was able to preserve for us what he wanted to preserve for us, namely our current Bible. I am currently reading a short book from about 1970 called “The End of the Historical-Critical Method” that’s a pretty good summary of this position. I think the 39 Articles point quite clearly to this view of sovereignty. Best regards.

]]> By: Huw http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9710 Huw Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:52:25 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9710 LOL. Cool. I'd only note you use some interesting words that are not part of the theology I was taught... like "sovereignly left us" which I'd have to parse out for a long time before I'd be able to argue at all! God's peace. LOL. Cool. I’d only note you use some interesting words that are not part of the theology I was taught… like “sovereignly left us” which I’d have to parse out for a long time before I’d be able to argue at all!

God’s peace.

]]> By: Joel http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9709 Joel Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:45:18 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9709 God's word being Jesus, yes, and the entire "God-breathed" Scriptures that he sovereignly left us. Look, we obviously don't agree and I don't want to get into a shouting match, so I can move on. God’s word being Jesus, yes, and the entire “God-breathed” Scriptures that he sovereignly left us. Look, we obviously don’t agree and I don’t want to get into a shouting match, so I can move on.

]]> By: Huw http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9708 Huw Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:42:15 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9708 God's word being Jesus. It sounds very like his standard as it has come to us in the lives of saints down through the ages and today. God’s word being Jesus. It sounds very like his standard as it has come to us in the lives of saints down through the ages and today.

]]> By: Joel http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9707 Joel Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:33:51 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9707 That doesn't seem to be the same standard that God lays out in his word at all. That doesn’t seem to be the same standard that God lays out in his word at all.

]]> By: Huw http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9578 Huw Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:46:52 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9578 Ideally, no. Let God sort them out. Of course I draw lines all the time and have tonreprnt them later. For I often find the pagans act More Christian than the Christians. Ideally, no. Let God sort them out.

Of course I draw lines all the time and have tonreprnt them later. For I often find the pagans act
More Christian than the Christians.

]]> By: Joel http://raphael.doxos.com/2008/08/23/conformed-to-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-9577 Joel Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:59:49 +0000 http://raphael.doxos.com/?p=3156#comment-9577 So is *anyone* on the outside of your Christianity? And if so, why? By what criteria? So is *anyone* on the outside of your Christianity? And if so, why? By what criteria?

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