Kramerguy wrote:Craig, this doesn't happen often, so I just had to say it:
I agree with you.
LMAO!
Sadly, some Christian leaders will point out that Jesus got angry on occasion and even insulted others, as some kind of evidence that they are justified in their own tirades against those they see as dangerous, deviant and heretical, and it KILLS ME, again and again, that the ones Jesus always got angry like that with, were actually THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS THEMSELVES of the VERY RELIGION JESUS HIMSELF BELONGED TO!!!!
The self-righteous pricks were so CONFIDENT of their alleged holiness and good works, that not only were they leading themselves away from God's true heart, but they were leading COUNTLESS OTHERS into Hell "WITH THEM", cause, after all, they were TRUSTED RELIGIOUS LEADERS!!!!!
The Apostle Paul was a Pharisee himself.
He used to
PERSECUTE CHRISTIANS and even
OVERSEE their EXECUTION for God's sake! Of course he did... THEY DESERVED IT! They had their chance to follow God's teachings didn't they? Serves them right! Just like they deserve an eternity in a hell, where they will feel burning, just not burn up!
Paul had all the rules anyone could ever need when he was a Pharisee.
Paul followed them to the letter (Maybe there's something about the name Paul?
JK)
Paul was respected by any religious person that came across Him, because he was SO DEVOTED to being an outstanding example of religious observance and obedience.
And yet...
THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS LOST, despite ALL THAT
WORK and
FAITHFULNESS to the letter of the law!
In being devoted to the LAW, he found himself further and further away from the LOVE of God... the thing that matters above all else.
But through Jesus Christ (the leader of the ones he had been killing) Paul's heart became changed, and guess what?
HE STOPPED being a Pharisee!
The former Pork avoider, suddenly teaches that
EVERYTHING IS OK TO EAT!
The former law lover, now called the law an UNBEARABLE BURDEN that
NO ONE can follow... even though he had followed it, probably better than anyone else!
The former meat-sacrificed-to-idols abstainer, was now saying "It doesn't matter if you eat meat sacrificed to idols or not... It's not worth offending the heart of your host, who may be an idolater, when he offers you the meat sacrificed to idols." - So eat the meat he offers you, rather than offend his generosity.
Right there... The Apostle Paul is AFFIRMING that LOVE and CONCERN are more important than LAWS and RULES!!!
How do the religionites MISS THIS STUFF!!!???
.
