Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeIn order to make this somewhat like what you're implying it is, is the father able to see into his sons' hearts to their true feelings and beliefs?
You have two sons. As a caring father you ask both of them to believe in you, and your message of love. The first son gives you lip service and says 'yes, he believes in you,' but the second son takes your message to heart, and although not vocalizing it like the first, reflects your love in the way he treats his neighbors. Which son has your favour?
Originally posted by @romans1009My question was for sonship, but feel free to answer it. Which son has your favor?
You and rajk don’t understand the difference between lip service and believing in one’s heart. You apparently think they’re the same and you couldn’t be more wrong.
Originally posted by @suzianneYes. But, keep in mind the second son doesn't speak his belief and can probably be taken analogously as an atheist.
In order to make this somewhat like what you're implying it is, is the father able to see into his sons' hearts to their true feelings and beliefs?
The question still stands though. Which son has your favour?
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeIt’s a false choice. The one who only pays lip service has not accepted Jesus Christ into his or her heart.
My question was for sonship, but feel free to answer it. Which son has your favor?
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeYour analogy is flawed in that the Lord can see on the heart and an earthly father cannot.
Yes. But, keep in mind the second son doesn't speak his belief and can probably be taken analogously as an atheist.
The question still stands though. Which son has your favour?
Originally posted by @romans1009So your favour goes to the second son, thanks.
It’s a false choice. The one who only pays lip service has not accepted Jesus Christ into his or her heart.
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeWrong. My favor goes to the son who is right in his heart. That may be the second son. That is certainly not the first son.
So your favour goes to the second son, thanks.
But because I can’t see the second son’s heart, I don’t know his motivation for doing what he’s doing.
I can’t see the first son’s heart either but his behavior clearly indicates a lack of heart belief.
Follow, amigo?
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Originally posted by @romans1009See my reply to Suzianne's question.
Wrong. My favor goes to the son who is right in his heart. That may be the second son. That is certainly not the first son.
But because I can’t see the second son’s heart, I don’t know his motivation for doing what he’s doing.
I can’t see the first son’s heart either but his behavior clearly indicates a lack of heart belief.
Follow, amigo?
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeThen my favor goes to neither, amigo.
See my reply to Suzianne's question.
Wouldn’t you have to know the motives behind the second son’s actions and wouldn’t that only be possible by looking on his heart?
Originally posted by @romans1009Again I refer you to my answer to Suzianne. For the sake of the analogy, I agreed the father could see into the sons hearts and could see that the second son had taken his message of love into his heart.
Then my favor goes to neither, amigo.
Wouldn’t you have to know the motives behind the second son’s actions and wouldn’t that only be possible by looking on his heart?
You'd still reject the second son?!
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Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke
You have two sons. As a caring father you ask both of them to believe in you, and your message of love. The first son gives you lip service and says 'yes, he believes in you,' but the second son takes your message to heart, and although not vocalizing it like the first, reflects your love in the way he treats his neighbors. Which son has your favour?
It is no mystery to me that Jesus intended that the son who did the father's will was more exemplary.
There is no argument from me on that.
His repentance bore fruit. See Matthew 21:31.
"And he answered and said, I do not want to; yet later he regretted and went."
This is consistent with what I have emphasized. Repentance, in the Bible is mainly about changing one's mind about one's past. He regretted his past. That was the repentance.
His going forth to do the father's will was the fruit of his repentance.
The other son did not have any repentance. He just said he would go and do thus and such.
The repentant son is held forth by Christ as the better son.
"Which of the two did the will of the father?
They said, The first. Jesus said to them, truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the harlots are going into the kingdom of God before you." (v.31)
Don't miss the underlying point of the lesson. The BELIEVERS go into the kingdom of God. The BELIEVERS have regret and repentance concerning their past life. The BELIEVERS change the way they thought in the past and believed Christ to enter His kingdom.
"For John came to you in the way of righteousnes, AND YOU DID NOT BELIEVE HIM, but the tax collectors and the harlots BELIEVED him. And you, when you saw it, did not later regret it to believe him. (v.32)
Repentance in the Bible is mainly a change of mind about one's past. He thinks differently.
Originally posted by @romans1009Believing in ones heart = Good works and obedience to the commandments of Christ.
You and rajk don’t understand the difference between lip service and believing in one’s heart. You apparently think they’re the same and you couldn’t be more wrong.
Originally posted by @rajk999You are going to prove that I taught people to ignore the commands of Christ ?
Believing in ones heart = Good works and obedience to the commandments of Christ.
Or are you satisfied with simply bearing false witness about what I taught here?
Originally posted by @sonshipYou've bled outside of my analogy a little.
[quote] You have two sons. As a caring father you ask both of them to believe in you, and your message of love. The first son gives you lip service and says 'yes, he believes in you,' but the second son takes your message to heart, and although not vocalizing it like the first, reflects your love in the way he treats his neighbors. Which son has your favour ...[text shortened]... ]
Repentance in the Bible is mainly a change of mind about one's past. He thinks differently.
Within the parameters I provided, which son would you, as the father, favour?
You appear to be leaning towards the second son as his heart is true, but this son has neither spoken his belief or repented.