On Good Friday

Today, I got a lot done. Despite that, I tried to keep my focus on Jesus. It is Good Friday. I admit I am not the perfect Christian. I have some beliefs that differ from the Orthodox while at the same time, I believe the essential might have been stripped from Christianity. Some of that is due to the fact that we do not have original manuscripts. Yes, I know that Dead Sea Scroll copies of early texts are a lot like modern Old Testament books. Yes, I know that translation does not destroy, but only changed meaning a little bit. Yes, I know that we have early copies of New Testament books.

I still believe that modern practice of Christianity has little similarity to early Christianity.

Yet, I refuse to believe I am lost due to this.

I am a Protestant, but I am not an ideal one.

This is a day I feel my religion closer than many others.

Luke 20:19-24:53, 2 Timothy 1:9-4:22

Does Paul know of his future martyrdom? He writes about "being poured out as a drink offering." Even Jesus questions his future martyrdom, asking if it was necessary. It is tough to know and go willingly.

Luke 14:15-20:18, 1 Timothy 3:10-6:21, 2 Timothy 1:1-8

Adam was not deceived like Eve. Adam ate because he wanted to fail with his wife. That does not absolve him, but shows the strength of love.

Luke 9:43-14:14, 2 Thessalonians 3:3-18, 1 Timothy 1:1-3:9

In Luke, the Apostles show that they are afraid to ask questions at times. This includes when Jesus tells them that he will be delivered into the hands of men. We should not be afraid to ask questions.

This world is losing people capable of being ministers according to the restrictions on who can be officers in the Church. Even evangelicals are divorced in 50% of marriages. So it goes.

Luke 5:25-9:42, 1 Thessalonians 4:2-5:28, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-3:2

In 2 Thess. 2:15, we are taught to live by the counsel of word of mouth and letter. These letters have become books of the Bible and this may or may not be totally wise any longer. It depends on where you base your belief.

Luke 1:1-5:24, Colossians 3:16-4:18, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-4:1

Jesus' three temptations: Jesus was tempted because He knew this to be one incident where he would gain the world. He would also be saved from his future Cross, which hung over him his whole life.

As it is Valentine's Day, women are taught to respect their husbands and husbands to love their wives. This goes back to the Curse of Genesis 3. There is much wisdom between this passage and Genesis 3's curse.

Colossians 1:1-3:15

Some unbelievers believe that it is best to wait until the last possible moment to become close to God. This is illogical. First, one does not know their date with the Judge. Second, we earn rewards and gain fruit as long as we know the truth. Putting it off minimizes this.

Philippians 2:13-4:23

Do your work on earth without grumbling. The worst Cross has been taken from you.

Mark 10:17-13:29, Ephesians 2:21-5:33

This passage speaks of the inevitability of going to eternal life without Jesus.

Mark 7:24b-10:16, Galatians 5:20-6:18, Ephesians 1:1-2:20

Ministering to the Hebrews did less good than the crumbs that fell to the Gentiles. Yet, because they failed to be ministered to, the Gentiles receive the Gospel.

Innocence towards Heaven to see yourself blameless.

Mark 4:24-7:24a, Galatians 2:20-5:19

If you measure by a harsh standard in life, you will be measured by the same harsh standard. Judge lightly.

The way to be away from the law is to let the Spirit judge

Matthew 12:38-18:35, 1 Corinthians 14:24-15:54

I know not whether we will be judged for our merits or our pitfalls.

Matthew 18:10-11 speaks of a pre-existence or Guardian angels like Catholicism.

Matthew 7:19-12:38, 1 Corinthians 11:21-14:24

More of Jesus' command of the supernatural is covered here.

On tongues: Every gift is seen as the same. There is no prevalence to those who speak in tongues.

Matthew 1:1-7:18, 1 Corinthians 8:7-11:20

I believe I spoke about the differences in Matthew with the record from Josephus and the other gospels. Josephus never spoke about the murder of infants. The issue of Quirinius makes someone wrong or Jesus was born ten years give or take from where we normally think.

I believe Jesus speaks about putting a hedge around the law and our code of ethics when he talks about removing the hand that offends you.

I do not wish to understand the articles I've read about head covering and pubic hair and what that all means.

1 Corinthians 1:27-5:10

Paul's distinction between Malice and Wickedness is from the word Truth. It appears that we are to keep malice and wickedness away. But we should still tell the Truth. I guess that does not need to be said, but in Ministry, we must make sure we are not erring towards malice when telling the Truth.

John 17:1-21:25, Romans 15:16-16:24, 1 Corinthians 1:1-26

Jesus' overarching goal was the glorify the Father. He did so by dying on the Cross. These goals are joined together.

Pilate asked "What is Truth?" when he had Truth, Himself in front of him. I feel Pilate is a tragic character in this parts of the Gospel.

"It is finished!" is the last words of Jesus in the life of Jesus in John's Gospel. It is also something written on a prisoner's debt form when his sentence was paid in full. We are the prisoners.

John 12:18-16:33, Romans 11:32-15:15

Jesus is in the likeness of the Father. We'll all have our guess what that means. There are several choices. Trinitarian, binitarian, and oneness people.

Jesus is teaching passive-aggressiveness or teaching us how to harm our enemies in the afterlife, when he says by doing good to our enemies we heap coals upon their head. Hmmm?

John 8:29-12:17, Romans 9:4-11:31

Those who are "born in sins" can still become a believer. The inclusiveness of the Gospel frightens me sometimes, yet I see other religions as inclusive with a different message.

Jesus seemed to never be where His persecutors wanted Him to be until the Cross. I do not know if this was natural (running) or supernatural.

Paul, as  a Jew, makes a convincing argument late in our Romans passage about the Jews and their not being rejected. That is true, even if they are immediately blinded until later.

John 5:23-8:28, Romans 6:21-9:3

I wrote a sermon about Bread from Heaven and John 6:41. I should get to posting that online.

Romans is a book I've tried to stay away from. Maybe I should fix that.

John 1:1-5:22, Romans 3:18-6:20

Religious institutions should not become businesses. I go so far as to discourage new churches from taking non-profit status. They should not become institutions that bow to governments for tax breaks.

Jesus' speaking to the Samaritan woman is a distinct event in which he tells the truth to a non-Jew. Her faith should be seen as important and is the beginning of gentile faith.

Romans 4:6 uses a verse from Psalms equating to "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account. Interesting.