Originally posted by Kewpie
me;
"But man is damaged, fallen, and in need of reconciliation to God. You don't understand the fall of man. "
Kp:
This is the kind of putdown for mankind that really irritates me.
Why do you not consider it as a Physician's
diagnosis intended to heal the sickened patient ? You only hear "putdown". Why do you not instead hear a caring Healer leveling with us about a malady, an illness He can provide cure for?
I don't mind if you believe every word of the stuff you say, you should keep it among yourselves and let the rest of us be real adult persons making our own informed choices and dealing with whatever life throws at us.
You're saying not passing on the Good News of a healing great Physician cannot be an adult person's informed choice in dealing with life.
You're saying you have right to inform others of your philosophy but I must keep mine private. How about we both put our beliefs out there for the public to examine.
I write about Christ in other people's threads usually when they something about my faith which is misrepresentative. You have every right to open a thread on your Spiritual concepts too.
What then is your take on the nature of
Spirituality ?
I don't for a second accept that mankind is "damaged, fallen and in need of reconciliation to God.
In spite of the belief in the revelation of a Fall of man into a damaged state, I also can see the innate dignity and marvelous design of human beings.
The existence of a Creator does not detract from human worth.
Do you think we need reconciliation with one another ?
" I believe that mankind is growing, learning, developing over millennia and will go on doing so until the sun goes cold.
I don't think growing, learning and developing are
verses man having a relationship with God. The direction of growth, learning and developing should be towards God rather that against Him in rebellion to his own hurt.
Your viewpoint looks like "if you're a good child, Santa will bring you something nice, but that means you have to do what I tell you and never question anything." Rubbish!
Not really. The "something nice" as a reward is God Himself. What could be better, more valuable, more precious ?
There was a story about a little boy who stopped by an auction of a very rich owner of a large house. All kinds of wonderful things were being auctioned of by the owner of the house. People were clamoring for this thing or that.
The little boy grasped what the highest possession would be. He said " I want the OWNER of the house. " He knew that possessing the owner he would possess all the good things that were his too.
God told Abraham that He Himself was Abraham's exceeding great reward.
" After these things the word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision, saying, Do not be afraid, Abram; I am your shield and your exceeding great reward." (Gen. 1:1)
.
Some of us grasp that seeking first God's kingdom and His righteousness all things will be added to us. God Himself will be impenetrable shield of protection and our very great reward.
Being in the realm of the living God is a great enjoyment. And it completes my humanity. I tried living without God. Something so essential was missing. Something of a emptiness was there even in the presence of worldly fun.
I first became aware of this one moonlite night when I crawled through the window of my house to sit on the roof. It was fall. The leaves all over the ground gleamed in the bring moonlight. It was utterly beautiful.
But I asked myself in perplexity - "With all this beauty and peace,
WHY am I not happy?"
Something like a God shaped vacuum was in the midst of my being. It was filled on the day I let Jesus Christ come into my heart. I was overjoyed to be forgiven and reconciled to God in Jesus.
Who said I cannot question things ? I have some good questions.
We can only handle so much truth at a time.
But touching this living Person of Christ, touches a peace that surpasses every man's mere intellectual curiosity.