“Dennis what do you mean by you thought that God said all that morbid stuff in the OT?”
This was in response to a number of things I had written saying that now I see just how dumb many things I had believed were. the post was headlined, “what was I thinking”
I would like to start by saying this article isn’t directed at any individual, bible teacher, pastor, church, or denomination. This is not to be taken personally at all. As in, a debate I am only defending and explaining my view of this matter even though I may appear tough on some points its only because this is something that I am particularly passionate about. I love my God and Savior very, very much and I want others to see Him as awesome as I do in their life, in His Word, and in the World throughout all eternity.
Let me first say that although I was once a believer in the inerrancy of scripture and every word of the bible was from GOD. I obviously do not believe that now and I think for good reason or reasoning, common sense thinking instead of the brainwashed religious thinking that requires us to disengage our brain…
I believe that GOD inspired men to write certain things in the bible. I believe they were inspired to write by and through the anointing of The Holy Spirit. Furthermore I believe GOD still today inspires men and women to speak, write and communicate in various ways for and through Him by the same Holy Spirit. Although man being an imperfect instrument logically did not and does not write a perfect message, including me; but parts of the biblical writers own thinking, culture, civilization, traditions, background and customs leaked into their writing. I believe this is why, and what GOD was trying to show us in allowing the first four books of the New Testament to be four very different versions of the same story told from different perspectives. God seemed to be saying, “Look I AM speaking to these men but they are hearing and seeing me differently according to their particular character, nature, background, and personality.” Therefore, what we have is four very different Gospels that even contradict each other in places; yet they are part of the bible. Nevertheless, the message of Christ Jesus comes through each one loud and clear… Jesus The Christ IS THE WORD of GOD and the perfect representation of our creator GOD, and Father of All. Knowing Him is to know the TRUTH. That being said, much of what Jesus said and done does not line up with the character and message of the purported statements of The LORD in the Old Testament. Any biblical scholar knows this, so they have adapted their elucidations into their particular theology; that is their privilege, and right, I honor their freedom to do so; and so should they honor mine.
The bible says we should “rightly divide the word of God” also; the book of Proverbs speaks much about common sense. We also know that the bible is spoken of as Spiritual food.
OK; if I am at a seafood restaurant eating snow crab, I have enough sense to take the shell off before I eat the good meat inside. I discard the shell, knowing it has no desirable nutritional value but if I tried to eat it together with the good meat inside it would actually ruin the meal….. In like manner, I think GOD expects us to have enough sense to “rightly divide” the words written in His Holy Book. I feel He is saying in my heart, “you know me don't you? Do you think I would say or do that?”
Here are a few (I could include hundreds) references that I believe support my view.
(Mat 5:18 MKJV)
For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the Law until all is fulfilled.
What is “the Law” Jesus speaks of here? Most likely the Torah the first five books of the bible - the Jewish Pentateuch and the collective body of Jewish teaching embodied in the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud. It is not clear however, how much or what parts he was referring to; what is clear though, whatever it was – Jesus Fulfilled it… so the “till” is passed and past.
Luk 24:44-47 WNT
And He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you--that everything must be fulfilled that is written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me." (45) Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, (46) and He said, "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise again from among the dead; (47) and that proclamation would be made, in His name, of repentance and forgiveness of sins to ALL the nations…”
NOW: Gal 5:14 NIV “The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Rom 8:4 MKJV “so that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
The Spirit of Christ that is in the heart of every person through the reconciliation and restoration accomplished through the cross and resurrection of Christ, the Second Adam, Restoring Right Relationship with GOD and Mankind; what was lost for all in Adam was Gained back for ALL through Christ. Joh 1:9, Rom 5:18-19, 2Co 5:19. We only need to hear the true Gospel and have “our minds opened to understanding the scriptures” – The Gospel, Good News that God in Christ Jesus has saved the World! Then comes the renewal of the mind resulting in a redirection of actions and regeneration of attitudes (repentance) for “IN this GOSPEL” IS the POWER of GOD when one hears and believes it… (Rom 1:16) But most of the world has not heard the Gospel but a counterfeit that defames, insults, and slanders the name of My Victorious God and Savior. Their so-called gospel makes GOD and Jesus Christ out to be, not a triumphant Great God and Savior, but a Great Looser of most of humanity to a fiery pit of eternal sufferings. That my friends, is NOT good news…
The true Word of GOD today is all around us and even within us; not bound up between two leather covers with pretty, gold edge pages. Although I do love my bibles as much as anyone. I know I have 40+ in my study; maybe 50 something. Truth is though The Word of GOD that gives life is living and active IN YOU.
(2Co 3:3-4 ESV) And you show that “YOU” ARE A LETTER FROM CHRIST delivered by us, written not with ink but WITH THE SPIRIT of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (4) Such is the CONFIDENCE that we have through Christ toward God…. (2Co 3:6-18 WNT) It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connexion with a “NEW” Covenant, which IS NOT A WRITTEN CODE but A SPIRIT; for the written code INFLICTS DEATH, but the Spirit GIVES LIFE. (7) If, however, the service that proclaims death--its code being engraved in writing upon stones--came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily on the face of Moses because of the brightness of his face--a vanishing brightness; (8) will not the service of the Spirit be far more glorious? (9) For if the service which pronounces doom had glory, far more glorious still is the service which tells of righteousness. (10) For, in fact, that which was once resplendent in glory has no glory at all in this respect, that it pales before the glory which surpasses it. (11) For if THAT WHICH WAS TO BE ABOLISHED came with glory, much more is that which is permanent arrayed in glory. (12) Therefore, cherishing a hope like this, we speak without reserve, and we do not imitate Moses, (13) who used to throw a veil over his face to hide from the gaze of the children of Israel the passing away of what was but transitory. (14) Nay, THEIR MINDS WERE MADE DULL (BLIND); for to this very day during the reading of the book of the ancient Covenant, (Law) the same veil remains unlifted, because it is only in Christ that it is to be abolished. (15) Yes, to this day, WHENEVER MOSES IS READ (OT LAW), a veil lies upon their hearts. (16) (JMNT ) Yet whenever the time should be reached when it [= the heart] will twist and turn upon [so as to face] toward [the] Lord [= Christ or Yahweh], "the head-covering (veil) is by habit progressively taken from around [it]." [note: the same act was performed, by the husband, on the bride after the ceremony] i.e. “The bride of Christ”…. WNT (17) Now by "the Lord" is meant the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is enjoyed. (18) And “ALL OF US”, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness, from one degree of radiant holiness to another, even as derived from the Lord the Spirit.
Notice also in the bible the first five books of the bible are called “the Law OF MOSES” not of “GOD” I know, I know, settle down… HE, MOSES, said it was God’s Law and writing… nevertheless the other parts of the bible call it the Law “of Moses”; see note 1. also in one place Jesus said “written in “YOUR Law” not “MY” Law” (Joh 8:17). Other books are called “the prophets” then “THEY”, the prophets said “thus saith the LORD” I’m just Looking at this with common understanding of words and writing. Other places would say “a psalm OF DAVID” or a psalm “of ASAPH”. I’m not saying they were not inspired; I believe they were, but I don't believed they were perfect – there was only one perfect man that walked this earth. Also, consider that this Law would be abolished and fade away – a Law of GOD could not be abolished or fade away because GOD is eternal and does not change… Now seeing this, I would consider the rest of the bible to be the writing “OF WHOSEVER” about GOD. I’m not saying that God did not inspire these people to write in the bible; I’m just saying that it could be up for debate and deliberation as to how we might divide the man part from the GOD part. I think this position is justifiable even as we can see; from the bible itself.
So I believe its up to the individual heart to decide what “GOD” is saying to them – and that may be right or may be wrong; let GOD be the judge and even that is personal no one else’s business unless one chooses to share it; then it is to be judged by the church in the mouth of two or three witnesses. 1Co 14:29, Mat 18:16, 2Co 13:1
And even in the above mentioned chapter Paul says 1Co 14:34 “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak” I think this was Paul saying this because of his cultural background; and not the Lords direction or desire (even many theologians that disagree with me on the rest of this article would agree with me here… hmmm think about that; what’s the difference? - You must judge, but I’m going to throw out the shell and eat the meat…
Paul himself said it was not always GOD speaking in his writing, and later said to “rightly divide” the word.
(1Co 7:12 NIV) To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord) If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.
(2Co 11:17 MKJV) What I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this boldness of boasting.
(2Ti 2:15 MKJV) Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, <<rightly dividing>> the Word of Truth.
Now here are some examples of some passages that I would leave open for debate and deliberations considering the above afore written testimonial , and the drastic change in the nature of these statements & commands in scripture supposedly “FROM GOD”….?
Num 15:32-35 MKJV
(32) And while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man <<gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.>>
(33) And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation.
(34) And they put him under guard because it had not been clearly said what should be done to him.
(35) And <<the LORD said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones>> outside the camp.
Deu 21:18-21 MKJV
(18) If a man has <<a son who is stubborn and rebels,>> who will not obey his father's voice or his mother's voice, even when they have chastened him he will not listen to them,
(19) then <<his father and his mother shall lay hold on him>> and bring him out to the elders of his city, and to the gate of his place.
(20) And they shall say to the elders of his city, this son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey our voice. He is a glutton and a drunkard.
(21) And <<all the men of his city shall stone him with stones so that he dies.>> So shall you put evil away from you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.
Est 2:2 (BBE) Then the servants who were waiting on the king said to him, Let search be made for SOME FAIR YOUNG VIRGINS FOR THE KING: (in other words “go get me some young little hot foxy girls to play with so I can have my way with them and get their virginity…”)
Num 31:17-18 (CEV) YOU MUST PUT TO DEATH every boy and all the women who have ever had sex. (18) BUT DO NOT KILL THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAVE NEVER HAD SEX. YOU MAY KEEP THEM FOR YOURSELVES” (Yeah, when you get this done with all this killing you can go home and have an orgy)
(Psa 109:9 GNB)
May his children become orphans…. (Yeah, who cares – their trash)
(Psa 109:10 GNB)
May his children be homeless beggars; may they be driven from the ruins they live in! (let them starve on the streets and then be driven even out of town where there is no one to help them! Haahahhhaaa)
(Psa 137:9 MKJV)
Blessed is he who seizes and dashes your little ones against the stones. (here’s what you do…. Grab them by their little legs and then swing them around and smash their little heads on the rocks! Then I’ll bless your socks off)
Do you believe “GOD” said these things and gave these orders….?
I suppose…. I could allegorically understand this crushing infants heads as mortifying the beginning or infancy of sin in their heart… yada yada yada; although that doesn’t seem to fit in this context… I also suppose I could allegorically understand all the other hundreds of places such BRUTAL and MERCILESS LANGUAGE is used; but somehow it just does not AT ALL fit with the depiction of the FATHERLY LOVING GOD in Jesus The Christ that I have come to know through Jesus and the Spirit of Christ in my heart….
Grace, Peace, and Love to you all,
Rev Dennis D Caldwell
Note 1: “Law of Moses” (KJV) Jos. 8:31,32; 23:6; Jdg. 4:11; 1Ki. 2:3; 2Ki. 14:6; 23:25; 2Ch. 23:18; 30:16; Ezra 3:2; 7:6; Neh. 8:1; Dan. 9:11,13; Mal. 4:4; Luke 2:22; 24:44; John 7:23; Acts 13:39; 15:5; 28:23; 1Co. 9:9;
