longweekend58 wrote on Jun 14
th, 2011 at 9:26am:
If it is a challenge to interpret the bible correctly then go for it. but your lack of forgiveness and a desire to punish anyone and everybody for everything is very Old Covenant.
longweekend58,
Even in the 'Old Covenant', God's mercy was always extended to us, always offered to us.
Isaiah 55:6
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him
while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
As it was also, in the new covenant....
Luke 17:3
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him;
and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
John 8:10
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee:
go, and sin no more.
But God's forgiveness and mercy, was never a 'blank cheque', as many Christians today believe, and as many Christians today dearly 'wish' to believe.
Those who believe that God's forgiveness and mercy will fall on all of mankind are sadly mistaken, imo.
God's forgiveness and mercy, is, and always was, joined with a requirement for ongoing repentance and remorse on our part, for our bad behaviour.
That 'message' is there, throughout the Bible
Matthew 3:7
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
The message that i get from studying the Bible is that there will be mercy for the repentant,
....but a 'stick' for the 'foolish',
the unrepentant.
And the underlying message throughout the Bible too, is that if we join ourselves to God, that we should condemn and separate ourselves from oppressors and criminals.
.....and
not be tolerant of oppressors and criminals.
Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:...
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Amos 5:14
Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.
15 Hate the evil, and love the good,
and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
Hosea 12:6
Therefore turn thou to thy God:
keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
Romans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
In Isaiah, God rebukes the people of Jerusalem, and clearly identifies the sin of the people of that city, as a clear absence of proper judgement against wrongdoers, and criminals.
Speaking of Jerusalem [which was meant to be a holy city, for a holy people.] as an example of where there is no judgement [against criminals]...
Isaiah 1:21
How is the faithful city become an harlot!
it was full of judgment;
righteousness lodged in it;
but now murderers.22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
Jeremiah 9:23
Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
If we join ourselves with the wicked,
that is, if we ourselves, tolerate what is wicked, we will be judged with the wicked.
Leviticus 20:26
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
2 Corinthians 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
"Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil."
Thomas Mann