Have You Ever Read Ephesians?

The example of the lady with her two mites suggests that "begrudgingly" has as much to do with how much you hold back as it does with "attitude". But isn't it better to bitch and moan as you take out your garbage (and your neighbour's garbage) than to let it pile up in the house? That would depend on what "walking in the Spirit" means.

You're making the fundamental mistake that fundamentalists always make. You're turning the messenger into a cult hero and ignoring the message.There's a certain symbolic value in the King sending his own son as his messenger. It shows that the message is important to the King and that he is willing to take certain risks, make certain sacrifices to have it delivered.However, there is no operational significance in who the messenger is. The message is the same even if it is delivered by an expendable flunky.It doesn't matter if the messenger dies, as long as the message gets through. Unfortunately, it often doesn't if you deify the messenger.So I would say that "walking in the spirit" has more to do with the spirit of the message than the spirit of the messenger.

That's a niche cliche. Does it mean anything?Edited by ringo, : By the way, "niche" is a typo but I'm leaving it because it works.

Even if the King carries his own message, the message is still more important than the messenger. So other messengers didn't put themselves above the message? Good for them.Your claim that Jesus did put himself above the message isn't really the topic here.

The question is whether God's plan is, "Love God and love thy neighbour as thyself," or, "Allow me to rescue you from my vengeance."Edited by ringo, : Spellinge.

But it doesn't matter how or why the King's authority is accepted. Ultimately, what counts is whether or not the message makes sense. If you respect the King, you're likely to suspect that a nonsensical message didn't come from him, regardless of what the messenger claims. I don't reject either God's authority or Christ his messenger. I reject jaywill's claims about the message because jaywill's version of the message is nonsensical. I haven't said anything about "idle words". What I've said is that the message (the words) is what counts and it doesn't matter who says them. What we disagree on is what the message is. You say it's about how God will help us escape his own wrath against us. I say it's about how we should live our lives. On the contrary, the head of the organization is not the organization. The head exists to lead the body but without the body it has no value.