When God is speaking to fallen creatures and He says..."come now, let us reason together."...where do you think He wants us to meet Him to reason things out?
Inside His temple, of course. That is where one must go in order to make an "offering" (i.e., prayer) to God. In fact, we must go before the "Ark" of our [individual] covenant with God... which is in the "Most Holy." Previously, only the high priest could enter into the Most Holy and before the ark of the covenant. Now... ANY can enter... so long as they trasncend the "curtain" that is the flesh... and go through the "door" that is Christ. Alternatively, they can make request of the TRUE High Priest... Christ... and ask him to intervene on such one's behalf. But it would be inside the temple that one would go to reason things out with the Most Holy One of Israel... through prayer. In turn, He speaks to such one through His Word, Christ.
do you think that the Holy Spirit was partially involved or wholly involved in the writing and compilation of the Book that God wants us to read to learn of our eternal salvation?
There are a few things I must address here: First, there is no "Book" that God "wants us to read." Prior to Christ, God spoke to His people "by means of the Prophets." These wrote "scripture," some of which was later canonized into what you know as "the Bible," which is a compilation of many "books," including "scripture." But what is "scripture"? It is what results when: 1. God transforms the writer into spirit, by means of His holy spirit. Thus, such ones are "inspire" (pronounced "in speeray") or "in spiritu". Meaning, IN SPIRIT. Which is how the Prophets were able to see and hear what they did, so as to be able TO write. Revelation 4:2 2. God directs the one to write and then, by means of holy spirit, helps them do so. Revelation 1:11 Therefore, at the time of Christ's physical presence on earth, "scripture" included ONLY "Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets." Which is why the Bible only includes these when reporting how my Lord "opened up the Scriptures" to his disciples. (Luke 24:27, 45). Note, there was NO mention of the Chronicles, or Kings, or Job... or Proverbs. Since my Lord's physical presence, the ONLY "scripture" written and included in the Bible is the revelation given to John (Revelation 1:11, 19)... and John's gospel account, which he received and was told to write at the same time. (Revelation 1:19; 2 Corinthans 12:2-4). Second, God does not want us to learn of our eternal salvation through a book. And nowhere does the Bible say He does. The Bible SAYS He wants us to learn of our eternal salvation through the One who can grant it, His Son, Christ, the Holy Spirit: "But the helper, the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you ALL things and bring back to your minds ALL the things I told you." John 14:26 "Now, the Lord... IS the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:17 "If you had known the free gift of God and who it is that says to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked HIM... and HE would have given you... living water. Whoever drinks from the water that I will give him... will NEVER get thirsty... at all... but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water bubbling up... to impart everlasting life." John 4:10, 14 "And as for you, the anointing... that you received from HIM... remains in you... and you do not need anyone to be teaching you; but, as the anointing from him is teaching you about ALL things... and is TRUE... and is NO lie... and just as it has taught you... remain in union with him." 1 John 2:27 Third, that Son... NEVER turned God's people to the "scriptures." The ONLY people he quoted scripture to... where the Jews lacking faith... those who needed to "see it in writing." In fact, he CONDEMNED those whose task it was to write/copy the scriptures. Do you not recall that he said "Woe to you... SCRIBES... and Pharisees"? Even called them "offspring of vipers"? Why? Because the scriptures had been tampered with. It was prophesied they were and would be. Jeremiah 8:8; Matthew 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29 The teaching that we should look to the scriptures came from Paul... and was the cause of the turmoil between him and the 12... due to what occurred with the Corinthian congregation. There, Paul used the scriptures to judge a man and convince the congregation to throw him out. This caused a GREAT division... because the APOSTLES who walked with Christ (of which Paul was NOT)... had learned FROM Christ himself... to NOT judge... but to forgive. They tried to tell Paul this, and he called them "superfine" apostles. And so, the Corinthian congregation expirienced a great division, one that almost annihilated the congregation, because there were those who did what Paul said, and those who disagreed with it. Paul later CHANGED his position, however, after coming to understand the TRUE gift of mercy and forgiveness, so that he subsequently admonished the congregation to forgive the man (as he should have to begin with)... stating that the reproach of the congregation was "sufficient" for him and that they should welcome him back. Praise JAH, no permanent damage what done; however, the rift between him and the 12 lasted... 14 years!! Why did Paul teach a return to the "scriptures"? Because did not yet fully know the Son; he was NOT chosen because he was "zealous." He was chosen because he had a bloodguilt he needed to "atone" for: he had been instrumental in having many christians put to death. In order to help him repent... and save HIS prospect for eternal life... Christ was going to "show him all the things he must SUFFER... for [Christ's] sake. But the 12 NEVER taught a return to the scriptures... but taught that it was the anointing and HOLY SPIRIT... that was to teach us. Just as my Lord himself taught them. John 20:22, 23; Acts 3:6; Acts 8:18; Acts 19:2-6
...have you decided what parts of the Bible are more alive than others...
The Bible... is not alive, dear Michelle. It is a book... of books... an inaminate object made of paper and other materials. It is God's Word... Christ... who is alive.
or would you leave that up to THE Holy Spirit to decide?
The Holy Spirit, my Lord, has revealed to me what is "scripture"... and what is not. And that "scripture"... is for the UNBELIEVER... those who do not yet have the Law (of Christ) written... on their hearts. Like ancient Israel and its golden calf, these need something PHYSICAL to worship... something they can SEE... in order to "exercise" faith. They are not yet able to worship God... IN SPIRIT... and in truth!
when you "vehemently deny" parts of the Bible, are you saying that God didn't have the power/foresight to control what constituted His written Word?...
I ask you, dear Michelle... show me, please... where the Bible says that God constituted it as His Word... written or otherwise. You will not find it. You believe this only because you have been told... by earthling man... that it is so. You have not, however, checked it out for yourself. You believe it, therefore... blindly. And it is the blind... that led you to do so.
it sounds like "your voice" is advocating chucking the Bible/written Word (once you get the jist of it, apparently)...
While it is not my voice, but the voice of my Lord, the Word of God, I would say that this is absolutely true. Let me give you an example: certainly, you would agree that those books credited to "Moses" are "scripture." Certainly, the Bible includes them as such. Now, let me share with you something Paul (in whom you and so many others put great faith) is credited with writing. My commentary will be in black: "Therefore, as we have such a hope, we are using great freeness of speech and NOT doing as when Moses would put upon his face that the sons of Israel might NOT gaze intently at that which was to be done away with (i.e., the Law Covenant). But their (i.e., the sons of Israel) mental powers (or powers of discernment) were dulled. For to this present day... the same veil remains... UNLIFTED... AT THE READING OF THE OLD COVENANT, because IT (the Old Covenant) IS DONE AWAY WITH... by means of CHRIST. But in fact... down to this day... whenever Moses IS read... a VEIL... lies upon their hearts (and so, God's glory cannot be seen!) BUT... when there is a turning to the LORD... the VEIL... IS TAKEN AWAY" (and the glory of God... is revealed! What is that glory? The SON!) Corinthians 3:12-16 But let's not stop there, because it did not go well with the Israelites, this veil. You see, the reason Moses even HAD a veil was because the sons of Israel rejected their opportunity to see God's glory for themselves. How so? Well, God was actually going to come down and speak with them all, directly. And so, He had Moses congregate the people at the base of Mt. Sinai; however, He gave an instruction that no one, not even an animal, could touch the mountain. As He started to descend, however, the people became so frightened... so UNFAITHFUL... that they began to shake and cry. What happened next is unbelievable: they said, "Oh no, WE don't want to see and hear the True God. So, Moses, tell you what: YOU go up and get whatever message God has for us... and then bring it back down to us. And we'll wait here." That is HOW Moses became their "mediator." God did not choose him to do so; Israel forced him to. And so, Moses went up, saw God's glory, got the Law... and came back down. Twice. So what? So, let's see what the BIBLE has to say about that (again, with my comments in black): "For YOU (those who belong to Christ) have NOTapproached that which can be FELT and that which has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a tempest, and the blare of a trumpet and the voice of WORDS (all of which occurred as the Most Holy One of Israel was preparing to descend), which voice the people implored that no word should be added to them (so, you go for us, Moses). For the command was not bearable to them, "And if a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned' (they couldn't handle that directive!). Also, the display was SO fearsome that (even) Moses said, 'I am fearful and trembling.'" "But YOU (those who belong to Christ) have approached a Mount ZION (as opposed to Mt. Sinai!) and a city of the LIVING God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn (those who belong to Christ, as opposed to the "congregation" of Israel) who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God... the Judge of all... and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, and JAHESHUA the mediator of a NEW covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a BETTER way than Abel's. See that YOU... DO NOT BEG OFFfrom him... WHO IS SPEAKING. For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning UPON EARTH... much MORE... shall WE not... IF WE TURN AWAY... FROM HIM WHO SPEAKS...FROM THE HEAVENS. Hebrews 12:18-25
consider the consequences of those that follow your course who are not well grounded in the Scriptures...how many different "voices" could people follow?...
Depends... on who they belong to, who their Shepherd is. If it is Christ, then they will follow only ONE voice, because his is the ONLY one they know. John 10:5
I'll answer your opening question with another question...would they naturally prefer being put under the microscope or not? (hebrews 4:12)
He that has nothing to hide... hides nothing.
love michelle
The greatest of love and peace to you, too, dear Michelle, truly! YOUR servant, as I am servant to ALL those of the Household of God, Israel, and those who go with, SA
