Livingbreeze: My reply: Wrong like usual. We understand the meaning of the term son, as to what it meant in the Jewish culture at the time the words were penned. You really do have a lot to learn.
If there is some other meaning of son that was understood by the Jewish culture at that time, I'd be interested in learning about it. I am unaware of any other meaning other than being the son of a father who is the source of the son's life.
My Reply: It referred to identity. Jesus, for instance is the Son of Man...referring to his identity as man, his nature. The Jews took offense to Jesus calling himself the Son of God because they knew he was stating that he shared the same nature as God. They correctly said that he was making himself equal to God- John 10.
Livingbreeze: Don't think your words are falling on deaf ears, I am listening, however, I stilll find that God described death to us in Genesis, we return to the ground, just like the first man did, after that there is no hope for life except the resurrection, to be raised fom the dead.
My reply: The body goes to the ground. The spirit returns to God, the soul has one of two ultimate destinations.
Livingbreeze: Where is the just balance, since no man has the power to cause never ending torment, then how can neverending torment be God's judgement?
My reply: In Matthew Jesus says to fear not man who can kill the body but fear him who can destroy both the body and soul in Gehenna. Man can torture within limits, God does not have such limits.
Livingbreeze: I'd have to say that I've never really been close enough to the personal lives of JWs to know whether they really love one another or not, I guess that puts me in quite a position, doesn't it?
My reply: Jesus said that was the identifying mark of true Christians- not who has what doctrine correct.
Livingbreeze: I do find it troublesome when I've seen a huge list from some person telling people of all the denominations to avoid, should it be so hard to find a so-called good, biblical church? The resident JW here seems to be in the same position I am, since I am not so confident to say that they have the "faithful and discreet slave" in their midst.
My reply: Jesus mentions in Matt how the wheat and weeds will grow together. There is no specific church or certain denomination that is the good church. All churches have faults and shortcomings, none can claim to be God's sole channel of truth. One needs to be fully awake and questioning that what they are being taught is God's word and certainly an enforced unity of beliefs (such as the one present in the JWs) goes against Paul's words to keep testing.
Livingbreeze: I would rather have a simple faith, believing in and trusting God's gift of life through the forgiveness of sins by the shed blood of his son. As to how I would go about obeying his command to "go into all the nations..." I don't know. I honestly wish God's word was easier to understand, then I wouldn't be asking anyone to explain it. I have prayed many times over, so I do ask for direction from God.
My reply: That is what we should have- you are on the right path!
Livingbreeze: Who really knows what is going to happen, we only know that something is going to happen in this tme of the end? We only know there's a beast, a false prophet, Satan and his demons, and all those fllowing that path, and, there is God, his Son, the angels, and all those following that path, why the lines are so blurred, I don't know.
My reply: Agreed- and religious affiliation won;t save. Trust in Jesus will!!