The God That Paul Marketed Over Time.

I see essentially one version. The story may have been embellished for King Agrippa, but who are we to say it was not God who told Paul to go to the Gentiles, since the Jews didnt trust him?Lets look at the places in Acts where the story is mentioned to see if it is consistent.1) The story of Damascus road starts in Acts 9:4-7.
2) it is also mentioned in Acts 22:7-14. Essentially the same story.
3)Admittedly Paul embellishes the story when reciting it to King Agrippa. (Acts 26:14) but it may well be that Paul was beginning to see Gods plan for him unfold and was able to more fully testify as to his calling in life. I do.Saul approved of the stoning of Stephen. Saul killed Jews who believed in Jesus as God.
Paul listened to what he was told to do by God. Paul was persecuted. Saul voluntarily repented and changed his name. He knew he had sinned. Paul may have had the same basic character traits he had before---but I could make a case that his daily behavior and motive had done a 180 turn. What supposed truth did I reject? I can tell you that they rejected the position of Jesus Christ over them. Many do the same today.

It is my belief that Saul (as well as many Jews today) believed in an unknown God. You may make a case that the God in us is only our own internalized belief, but I will argue that only when God becomes known---through Jesus Christ---do we actually have Gods Spirit within us.I will agree that folks always do what they think God wants them to do, and that even believers can mistakenly substitute their own bias,prejudice, and will and attribute it to God in them. Why cant we ask God in and let Him be our source? It does not absolve us of responsibility...rather it enhances it.Edited by Phat, : No reason given.

The same way that people usually do better on tests with a full stomach.if I am depressed, in debt, unhealthy, or just plain tired I will be much less able to leave my house and be anywhere near as effective at helping others.How am I going to help you with your depression if I am depressed myself?

I see your point also. Thanks for sharing...Now lets get back to Paul. Paul bought up faith credited as righteousness and that works appear to be an obligation rather than a justification.So if Faith is credited as righteousness, does faith in and of itself enhance responsibility?James says no. Faith without works is dead. One question might be what context is James different from Romans?Edited by Phat, : No reason given.

Thats because Christianity superceded the other religions through the monotheistic affirmation of Jesus Christ. Zoroastrianism claims to be monotheistic but is more of a dualistic expression of good/evil. There are no new revelations from those old religions.Paul actually did address the point of an unknown god, establishing once and for all time that Jesus represents the fullness of God--revealed through human character.Look at your scriptural quotes: In other words, the law was fulfilled in Christ. While we can argue on the idea that doing is always better than simply believing, I contend that Paul explains that doing will never get you closer to Heaven.

This has been a debate for centuries. Islam concurs. Paul has different ideas. The argument here is whether some guy off the street with no desire to know Christ or change his ways can attain salvation merely by rolling up his sleeves and feeding people.Lets take a hypothetical guy. He could care less about religion. He likes to drink---maybe a bit too much. He does have a conscience, however...and feels uneasy when he sees people hungrier and worse off than he is.So he rolls up his sleeves. He works to help others. He is still stubborn concerning organized religion...and rightly so.He professes atheism. His only guidance comes from his own inner conscience.Anyone who approaches him to ask him to accept Jesus are challenged and told to take a hike.The question? How does God see this child? Does it matter if he dies without accepting Jesus Christ?Perhaps your argument is that through his works he already has accepted Jesus...through accepting the challenge of the message.My only question is why doesn't he accept that the messenger may well be alive and desiring communion with him?As to his eternal destiny, I won't worry. Promise.

Some claim otherwise. Personally I feel that teaching what you say can be a faith killer. If people had no words to trust, no certainty of a messiah or a God or even so much as a spaghetti monster...how can they be encouraged?Simply telling them to go feed people or take out the neighbors trash seems rather limited, but perhaps GOD if GOD exists can and will reach them.I don't like your idea of throwing Jesus away, nor throwing the Bible away and simply trusting the belief that God chose everyone.The reason is because I believe that Jesus is the way to God.You seem to think that obeying our own inner charge and conscience is enough.Maybe after all these years I might agree with you---but I will have to pray about it.After all, you wouldn't want to be teaching something that may end up hurting people.

Thomas wanted to know where Jesus was going. Jesus answered him and said that no one comes to God except through Jesus.

Jesus says that it is the Father living in Him who is doing His work.

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Is the concept of GOD being in someone that hard to grasp?

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jar writes:

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How can helping people hurt people? How can bringing in the neighbors trash can hurt anyone. How can returning the shopping carts hurt anyone? How can holding a door open hurt anyone? How can getting a package down off the high shelf hurt someone? How can kneeling down to be at eye level when talking with kids hurt anyone?

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How can believing that the Creator of all seen and unseen wants to have communion with your soul be a bad thing?

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How can asking Jesus Christ into your heart be a bad thing?

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How can praying for others hurt anyone?

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How can praying with other believers hurt anyone?

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How can praying with unbelievers who allow you to pray with them be a bad thing? (Especially if you also fixed them a sandwich)

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John 14:16-18 writes:

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And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

How can it hurt to accept the Spirit of truth?

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What did Jesus mean when He said that the world neither sees nor knows this Spirit?

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Edited by Phat, : spelling

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Edited by Phat, : format

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Chance as a real force is a myth. It has no basis in reality and no place in scientific inquiry. For science and philosophy to continue to advance in knowledge, chance must be demythologized once and for all. —RC Sproul
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." —Mark Twain "
~"If that's not sufficient for you go soak your head."~Faith
Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.~Proverbs 28:26

A few come to mind. Edited by Phat, : No reason given.Edited by Phat, : No reason given.

My only question is why doesn't he accept that the messenger may well be alive and desiring communion with him? I dunno...lets ask Jesus...

Most teachers whom I study with fail to see your vague conclusion.
Paul was the Apostle to the gentiles. James? Two different audiences. Of course the message will differ. I can agree that the fear was probably well founded. Its the same fear we feel today when it is suggested that everyone is saved and that atheists will go to heaven.(without acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit within)Edited by Phat, : No reason given.

While I respect your effort at presenting a cohesive argument, as well as applauding your increasingly thorough posts, I have never been one to study scripture in light of what others comment regarding it.To me, scripture speaks to my heart and is alive, giving me ample material to write down rather than comments from others who--though perhaps scholars---were less in touch with the living God found in the living word than the simple faith of an unlearned child. Why are we going off topic and discussing circumcision?As you yourself emphasize...knowledge (and quotes from many scholars) puffs the issue up while love (of the scripture itself) builds up.I respect Judaism until through intellectualism they substitute the God revealed in scripture and fully expressed in Jesus Christ for a god of their own vain imagination---even an educated imagination.

Nothing more than a framed picture of a dead saint. But we are talking about life rather than death.Jesus is the mediator between God and humanity. Jesus lives eternally. He will never be a dead saint on the wall, nor a mere crucifix around the neck...He is the message.And I know my doggedly determined opposition. He will ask what this even means. For all of the questions he asks in his life, he never seemed to accept this one answer. So let me spell it out plainly. We can never be the mediator simply by trying to do our best. We can feed people, build them shelter, clothe them and comfort them to a limited degree.But you know the drill. I wont convince you that the messenger is the message, and you wont convince me that feeding a hungry guy is enough.Thankfully I actually do the things you suggest.We feed, clothe, and encourage a poor community. We never force our messenger on anyone but they always ask us about our message.And if you politely declined, we would rake your leaves and feed you anyway.

I see your point. Where we differ, however, is that you think humans are already equipped with all they need to go out and do good works...thus proving their faith. John 1 affirms that the Word is Jesus. The container is itself the contents. But then again, im beating a dead horse.You can do this all day! You never have liked religion and you see no need for a savior...aside from one who reminds you to go feed people.Perhaps Paul was trying to keep people under the umbrella of organized religion...though I see his words emphasizing the interaction of himself and the living Christ. Pauls message was clear in that we need a savior.Your message is more like Nikes...Just Do Itas for matthew 25, I'm wise enough to understand that one scripture does not a Bible make. Yes, it was Jesus talking. Yes, it has a valid charge.But why not look at everything Jesus said? And dont forget John and blame a redactor.

The messenger is the message! Who else are we gonna trust? Donald Trump? I am curious if you think that the Gospel of John itself is mumbo jumbo, as you eloquently put it.Just because the author is not on the Matthew 25 cheerleading squad, He does affirm the love and power of Jesus...supercharged with Godlike power.Some of you believe that only humans can make America, Humanity, or Themselves Great Again.Others believe that Jesus (Superman, Donald Trump,Arnold,or Thor) alone has the power.Still others...such as myself...maintain that there is power in communion. It is on all of us.