Hi Stile,
Stile writes:
My preceeding discussion with iano has led to the following possibility that these two seemingly-different aspects are actually one-and-the-same, or maybe "one priority consisting of two parts" as iano puts it.
I would have to agree with iano on that point. Being a follower of Christ puts upon a christian an obligation to love his neighbour. Infact, this obligation is so binding that the scriptures tell us that
"If anyone makes the statement: ‘I love God,’ and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot be loving God, whom he has not seen. And this commandment wehave from him, that the one who loves God should be loving his brother also. 1John 4:20, 21.
Stile writes:
I am also interested in who you may think the Biblical Jesus Christ may go and talk to first.
Jesus spoke to both. He went to the self righteous religious people and to the poor lowly and downtrodden sinners. Jesus hope was that all people would acknowlege their sinfulness and turn to God in repentence.
On the other hand, Jesus did not always openly impart understanding to those whom he did not feel were deserving. He could openly see who's heart was right toward God and who's heart was dark which is why he spoke in parables and illustrations. This is why said "Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine. Matt. 7:6
So Jesus can see a good person from a bad person and like you, he knows how to make that distinction. But that judgement is not for us to make. As christians, we are obligated to impart biblical truth to all people. But it is up to Jesus to judge them based on what they do with that knowledge.
Stile writes:
3. How many different times did Jesus identify himself to other people as the single necessary tool for salvation?
He did this very few times. The reason is that he wanted people to draw their own conclusion as to his identity. He didnt want to tell them that he was the Messiah, thus obligating them to believe, he wanted them to accept him based on their faith. They saw his miracles for themselves and these were enough for a good hearted person to put faith in him.
But not all people did not put faith in him even though they saw his miracles because their hearts were not inclined toward goodness.
Stile writes:
4. When attempting to teach others, would Jesus generally do both of these things? (Provide a parable and also identify himself as the single necessary tool for salvation?) If so, which did he do first?
the parable always came first. The reason why he spoke illustrations was as he told his diciples at Matthew 13:10
This is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations, because, looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it; and toward them the prophecy of Isaiah is having fulfillment, which says, ‘By hearing, you will hear but by no means get the sense of it; and, looking, you will look but by no means see. For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive.’
Notice he said that their 'hearts had grown unreceptive' ?
So only good hearted people would get the sense of Jesus teaching and they would be drawn to him by faith whereas a person with an unceptive heart would not be moved by Jesus teaching, nor would they demonstrate any faith in who he was.
Of course this doesnt mean that everyone who claims to believe in Jesus is going to be a good person either. We know that there are many people who claim to be christians who obviously are not. But the point is that Jesus knows who these ones are and in time he will deal with them.
™ Version 4.2
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