reason on this....

by myelaine 46 Replies latest jw friends

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  myelaine

  I feel the need to elaborate on my original post at this time.

  In the parable of the Faithful Steward in Luke 12:41-48

  in verse 42

  The MASTER made the steward master over all His household to give them their food in due season. The steward is a friend and in agreement with the MASTER or he wouldn't be chosen.

  The MASTER chose the steward, free will was not concidered. GOD CHOSE, NOT THE STEWARD. God gave all men free will, if this steward was chosen and made this steward can not be a man.

  in verse 43

  Jesus is talking about a servant. A servant of the master and, by proxy, the steward. Blessed is the servant doing what the steward told him to do. When the MASTER returns the slave will become ruler over all that the MASTER has. This servant has the free will to not do as the steward asks, but if he does as he is asked he will be blessed.

  in verse 45

  If the servant doesn't have endurance or falls away from what the steward asks of him, the servants portion will be with the unbelievers. The servants portion will not come from the MASTER or the steward. This slave can choose to believe the steward and receive food from the MASTER or he can choose to not believe the steward and get his food elsewhere with the unbelievers.

  in verse 48

  Every servant that the steward has given much to, much will be required by the MASTER. To the servant that much has been given by the MASTER, the people will ask that much more of the servant.

  that's it .....for now.

  michelle
• 

  jgnat

  Oh dear, MyElaine, I fear you have confused logic with faith in the bible.

  If the bible itself witnesses to it's own veracity, that is not enough. At least not in a logical world. You need more witnesses.

  The bible we have today and the scriptures we use for reference, are established now. But they were not when Paul wrote this. Do some more research on what he would have used for study.
• 

  Gretchen956

  When I first lied I did feel guilty very guilty, but as time went on (it has been twenty years) That guilt faded to nothingness. God put it before me again out of the blue, it was the furtherst thing from my mind. I was actually praying to God for help to quit smoking. When God put it before me again after all these years I was shocked(if you can believe that) that he remembered. I did feel guilty again after I was confronted though.

  Hmmm, a psychiatrist would have an entirely different take on this. Meaning no disrespect, and with a lot of empathy for what you went through, I believe you did successfully push this whole episode to the back of your subconscious mind. However things like this do not stay buried forever. And, they tend to manifest themselves in other ways, sometimes through ill-health, stomach problems, other "stress-type" ailments, anger for no apparent reason, and a host of other ways. At some point in your life, though, (a good example is an adult who becomes aware of memories of abuse as a child) these things do come back.

  I in no way make light of your belief in your "god." Its the god you are familiar with, so thats who came to you. It would be hard to imagine that it would be Artemis or Qwan Lin. Being able to turn this burden over to this higher power and BELIEVE that the burden was gone, is indeed enlightening. I have no doubt you had a very spiritual experience, and that you feel your burden has been lifted.

  What I do take exception to in your earlier posts, and in the last one you made, is the assumption that we all need your god to be saved.

  If we were "created" with free will, then we have the will to take another path to enlightenment. I too have read that book many many times. I cannot find my spirituality within its bounds. I'm happy for you if you can. But I have found my "enlightenment," my spirituality, and it is deeply held and strong.

  I truly believe what we have here (and in most religious discussions) is the old analogy of the 3 blind men describing an elephant. One grabs hold of the trunk and describes the elephant by the feel of the trunk. Another finds the leg of the elephant and describes the elephant by what he feels there. The third finds the broad side of the elephant and to him this perfectly describes the elephant. Truly, I believe that we all are headed to the same end, we are taking different roads, and we describe our journeys differently based on our own particular experiences on our way. But ultimately we find the path leads to the same place.

  I doubt, however, that I or anyone else will wring an admission out of you that your deeply felt belief is your own and that others are also valid.

  Oh well... blessed be.

  Sherry
• 

  myelaine

  jgnat,

  We have the witness of the Holy Spirit that leads us into truth. And we have the witness of all the servants that did what the steward asked. More than two witnesses I would say.

  michelle
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  jgnat

  ...and if the Holy Spirit has not breathed this truth in to the hearts and minds of some here?

  List of noncanonical books:

  http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/bible/noncanon.stm
• 

  myelaine

  Dear Sherry,

  I have said this.....I quote scripture because I have used the christian Bible to get to know God. A God or entity that promotes love of others over self in any language, faith, or colour is a breath of fresh air. I don't know if entity is the right word to use. I want to distinguish between all knowing, all good and not. An entity or religion that does not promote God or a spiritual awakening or even reawakening to God would not be from God in my opinion, but at the same time this is giving man a lot of leeway to seek out God.

  michelle

  p.s. I agree with you that christianity, the religion, has glorified itself. God mentioned he had a problem with that in the Bible.

  I said it in a post in FREEDOM TO CHOOSE GOD. No one wrung it out of me. It is my belief
• 

  jgnat

  Faith in the bible leads to faith in a Christian God. If the witness that the bible gives for itself is believed, then belief in God follows. But the bible and reason alone cannot be used as a witness for a non-believer.

  When Jesus directed his disciples to go and tell people what they had seen and heard, I think he was setting the pattern for the personal witness. That is, the most powerful testimony for a Christian is to describe their personal experience with God. What miracle did He do in your life, that convinced you to follow Him to the end of your days?