theoprudence - Latest Comments

Re: Justification Theory 1: The Power of Justification Theory

Jipsey — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:21:51 -0000

I realize I am not answering your questions, BUT here are a few inconsistencies I see.

Quote: Human beings are incapable of satisfying these ethical demands;

-Seems there is a problem here with contradicting YHVH!
Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (KJV)
11For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12It
is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to
heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13Neither
is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the
sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

-Quote: God has graciously acted by redirecting the retribution that should have been visited on humanity on his son, Jesus;

Maybe the Messiah died for more than one reason!
YHVH DIVORCED Israel (Jeremiah 3:8) and according to the TORAH he cannot remarry her (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)!
How is ISRAEL his BRIDE?

Quote: These ethical demands are known to the Jews through written legislation and to everyone else innately;

"written legislation"? How did Cain and Abel (non-Jew) know what and how to make a sacrifice? How did Abraham (non-Jew) follow YHVH's charge, commandments, statutes, and laws. (Genesis 26:5) How did Noah know unclean animals from clean animals? (Genesis 7:2)

-You might find studying some of this from a "HEBREW ROOTS"
interesting! The Jewish people will tell you the commands were NEVER
given for salvation. Example: The Israelite's were redeemed BEFORE
they received the TORAH.

Re: The Last Week

Matt — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:54:21 -0000

Jipsey-

Thanks for stopping by. Most of the time, the Bible writers refer to the resurrection on "the third day" - they don't really talk about nights. Thus, Friday = the first day, Saturday = the second day, Sunday = the third day.

Re: The Last Week

Jipsey — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:18:11 -0000

How do you get three days and three nights with the crucifixion on Friday?

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

Angie — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:02:30 -0000

I alerted the readers of "Why 'Modest is Hottest' is Hurtful to Women" at Her.menuetics about your post.http://blog.christianitytoday.com/wom... Good thoughts.

Re: Sacred Dance #3: VW Vans and Divine Hide-and-Seek

Holli McCormick — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:18:42 -0000

I LOVE the way that you make hard concepts a little bit easier. This is such a poignant post for both the relationship on the intimate side as well as the God side. Every time I think that I know what God is doing...He certainly reveals that I do NOT know what He is doing. That my thoughts are not His thoughts and His ways are not my own. I think when we falsely allow ourselves to slip into the idea that we fully know God and his character...then we can easily fall into the trap of judgmentalism and being critical towards our fellow man. You are so right when you say that God is only revealing to us "how much we can handle" at that present moment. But that is what makes the relationship so exciting...and what makes intimate relationships so exciting in a way...like you mentioned in the Victoria Secret one...that people are ever changing, keeping us on our toes. If we knew other people or God as well as ourselves, there would be no need for conversations and no need for growth...for we would know it all already.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Re: On Healthy Sexual Expression

Holli McCormick — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:14:28 -0000

That is some loaded questions I will have to spend more time on when I am more awake. But I hope you continue to touch on this subject once in a while...more about how the world would look if we had a true Godly picture of the sexes in relation to today and our marriages.

But I thought I would "introduce" you to the pastor of the young adult ministry that I go to and his brave sermons on the subject. I was very skeptical at first when I listened to the talks (can go to the iTunes link and then find the series called "Going all the way"...great titles huh?...from about 3 years back). But Scotty just did a new series as well, and the first one (This is about that) is the best sermon on sex (considering I've probably only heard 3 in my 15+ years as a Christian...which is sad in and of itself) and what it means to have a "healthy sex life" whether you are married, single, divorced or some where in between. I wish I had learned this stuff as a young Christian back in college...but at least I get to learn it now!

Here are some links:
http://www.sanc.info/messages/...\

I remember in listening to the first sermon series (Going all the way) hearing Scotty talk about how when we repress our sexuality, then it is like a caged lion waiting to get out. This is what can lead to sexual addictions.

The goal then is to learn how to integrate our sexuality into our life...to realize that we have a God given sex drive that in-and-of-itself is not bad but good...and that when we acknowledge that then there can be a healthy view of sex in that persons life. Something along those lines.

Blessings for your Christmas season Matt!

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

Holli McCormick — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:02:15 -0000

Hi again Matt! So I didn't copy the whole post over...but you are in there with a link. And a letter from me...hope you have a chance to read it!

http://www.realmamareallife.co...

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

Daren Sirbough — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:32:25 -0000

Great thoughts. You are right about both the ideal of a Victoria's secret model or a Proverbs 31 Woman being out of sync with the true nature of the feminine.

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

Holli McCormick — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:46:06 -0000

Hi again - can I have your permission to repost this on my blog with my comment?

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

Holli McCormick — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:44:38 -0000

Matt - you don't know how timely your words are to my soul right now. I am struggling as I disengage myself from an abusive marriage/relationship of 11+ years. I had wrongly bought into the conservative Christian camp of what it meant to be a woman - and am paying for it now. I tried to squeeze my "round" peg into a square whole...and it nearly suffocated me. I struggle with allowing myself to even think there might be good men like you out there who have a great and truly center view on women...who aren't trying to make us fit into your molds of what a woman should be. I never even realized that I was buying into either the "vagina" or the "womb" notion - but this makes so much sense and so much of what I feel is true for me and my life so far. When I tried to fit into the worlds ways...I felt cheap and ashamed that I have to use my looks to get attention. When I tried to fit into the Proverbs/subservient mode...I feel expendable and unseen. Neither allow me to integrate my entire self...but keep me trying to suppress both sides of myself - for I reflect both...but am also so, so much more.

This was a breathe of fresh air to know that there are men out there who can look at each person - whether male or female - and see that they are unique and individuals. None of us should have to fit a stereotype - none of us. Thank you so much for your words that are helping me realize that maybe, just maybe God is bringing me to find men I can trust that don't just want to "use" me for their own purposes. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I have started to write about more the "egalitarian" view in some of my posts at www.realmamareallife.com....I think they are in the "earthquake" titles back in Sept/Oct time frame of this year. Would love your thoughts on those if you have a moment. You would be helping a sister who dearly wants to find her place in the world...and then turn around and help other men and women find a nice neutral ground where we can both serve with the synergy we were meant to have in order to help God's "garden" flourish to its fullest! (This is why I am going to seminary - to study the original languages of the bible so I can figure all this out.)

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

Lauren Nanson — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:39:17 -0000

a woman's created purpose is not submission. woman was created in the image of God. God made humans in his own image, male and female he created them. A woman's created purpose is to bear the image of God and the glory of God. For both men and women, submission is part of the works, but our ultimate purpose is to share Christ's glory.

To degrade women to the purpose of submission is to claim that we are a lesser creation, that we are the servants of men. That would be angels, my friend. If your view of femininity is submission, than your view of the feminine is wrapped up in yourself and what a woman can do for you, rather than seeing her for the beauty of who she is independently. (Not saying this is you, I don't know you, I'm sure you are very respectful of women, just saying this is what this idea would suggest.)

Submission is not what makes us feminine. Submission is something we do because we love. In the same way that Christ submitted to the Father because he loved Him. Yet Christ's purpose was to be exalted and share his Father's glory.

Imagine if someone said a child's created purpose is to obey his/her parents, or a child's obedience is what makes him/her childlike. Just because there's a command that says, children obey your parents, doesn't make it the child's ultimate purpose. It is simply an instruction about how one member of a family should relate to another, for the sake of love.

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

mozi470 — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:45:27 -0000

Thank you for this carefully written article. Reducing women to objects or a single role/duty is counter to the complex characters and contributions of women described in both the OT and NT--something you aptly remind us of in your writing. In re-reading Proverbs 31, I find it interesting that although the description begins from the perspective of a husband looking for a rare and special wife, he figures less and less into what defines her as the poem progresses. In the end (vs. 31) she is to be rewarded and praised not based on her marriage to her husband but based on her own "works." The Proverbs 31 woman is not someone that one can "have" but rather one that can perhaps be known and loved and praised by those lucky enough to find her.

Re: On Femininity, Sexism, and Sensuality in the Bible

Paul Matula — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:15:13 -0000

The larger fault of adhering strictly to the Proverbs 31 model is it neglects the call the NT sets forth with the model of the church being Christ's bride. A woman finds her femininity in adhere to that and the created purpose of submitting. An attempt to veer away from these models removes a woman's femininity because it separates her from her created feminine purpose. When an object no longer performs for the task it was created (a cup that can't hold water) it is no more that object than any other. Females are feminine when they adhere to their created purpose for being female. The Proverbs 31 model helps us to apply that idea for its own given time period; its usefulness to us is that we should find practical means to apply these ideas to our lives.

Re: Through the Needle’s Eye: A Reflection on the Narrative of the “Wealthy Righteous”

Hdensmore60 — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:09:00 -0000

Love this blog! Totally pinpoints the problem...AND the solution! Surrender!
Check out my blog: The Surrender Secret@wordpress.com

Re: Sacred Dance #3: VW Vans and Divine Hide-and-Seek

Jason — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:43:28 -0000

Your thoughts in the post remind me of these lines from Eliot's "The Dry Salvages":

For most of us, there is only the unattended Moment, the moment in and out of time, The distraction fit, lost in a shaft of sunlight, The wild thyme unseen, or the winter lightning Or the waterfall, or music heard so deeply That it is not heard at all, but you are the music While the music lasts. These are only hints and guesses, Hints followed by guesses; and the rest Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action. The hint half guessed, the gift half understood, is Incarnation.

Re: On Philosophies and Policies: Why Our Political Dialog is in Crisis

Jonathan Sharp — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:32:11 -0000

Yes, and let me add one more that is related to #1 - Computers and electronic media are making us dumber, and making our attention spans shorter, so that not only are we unwilling to grapple with policy issues, we are effectively unable to do so. If anything takes longer than 5 minutes to read, almost nobody will read it. I could go on a 10-page rant about this, and how people feel completely lost without their "smart" phones, and how many people I see at restaurants not talking to the person across the table from them, at movies, sporting events, etc. but have their noses in their phones.

But then nobody would read it.

Re: Jill Jacobs Gets it Right: Scripture is “Political”– But that Doesn’t Make it “Partisan”

Steve — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:17:57 -0000

Yes, everything is political to some extent, I suppose even baseball scores.

Re: Why No One Truly Wants to Rid of America of Immigrants

Nate Shields — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:00:56 -0000

This is not surprising at all. It often is just about the appearance of doing what they say is the right thing instead of actually doing it (I am not advocating kicking out any illegals btw). It is more of the do as I say not as I do.

Re: Will the Health Care Law Be Declared Unconstitutional?

Sam — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 11:29:55 -0000

I still don't quite understand the different reasoning judges will use to uphold Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security and simultaneously deny the Affordable Care Act. Is it because we are required to enter into a contract with a private business rather than with the government?

There are laws that require people to purchase car insurance if they drive. Why not health insurance if they are alive? I suppose it is states who require car insurance though I bet...

It's really not fair. I live in Tennessee, one of the reddest of the red, and there is no chance of my state passing a law that will actually help ordinary people. The blind religious sheep vote the Republicans into office without understanding the magnitude of what the Republicans will in turn do to the average person.

Re: The Paradox of Universalism/Exclusivism

v.small.steps. — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:51:22 -0000

thanks for articulating this so well!

Re: Bell and Hell: NT Wright Comments

Matt — Mon, 23 May 2011 23:39:05 -0000

PS - Thanks to Curtis Klope for the link!

Re: Beat Poetry for the Revolution (A Review of Love Wins)

Justin Heap — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:34:12 -0000

Matt, appreciate your fair and straightforward review. With the exception of a mutual love for the Cowboys, I would say this was a great first impression! Haha! Blessings on you, Matt...

Re: Hell is for Bad People (Duh!)

Curtis Klope — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:50:34 -0000

"Which has made me wonder, for a very long time: What if judgment by works and salvation by grace aren’t two diametrically opposed things? What if its not one or the other? What if God does both of these things to and for each of us? And what if the message of the Bible is this – while God can and must do both of these things, it is his grace, in the end, that is supremely triumphant?"

Good stuff there. I wonder about this too...

Re: Hell is for Bad People (Duh!)

RepentandTrustJesusChrist — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 01:16:43 -0000

If bad people go to Hell, then that would be the default place everybody goes to, since Jesus said no one is good except God alone, which makes all people bad.

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. (Mark 10:10)

Re: Crime, Punishment, Hell, and Utilitarianism: Some Lawyerly Reflections on Love Wins

Aritchie — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 15:41:20 -0000

A simple mind like mine might see Hell as a logical conclusion to one who's life has been one filled with choices alienating God. We know that God turns his back on sin therefore we cannot be in His presence. An eternal life without God sounds unbearable to me. "Hell as God's punishment"? Or Hell as a choice one makes while living his everyday life here on earth?