Why did God create a temporary universe?
Why does God allow evil?
The Lord Christ Jesus talks about a planter planting seed and waiting until it grows properly, before going in with the sickle. Jesus also talked about allowing the weeds to grow up alongside the good seed, because ripping the weeds up would rip up also the good seed.
One other way to describe this is as a "sting operation": God wants to see who will be faithful. The Universe is a "sting operation" where God can observe who is faithful to Him, and who is not faithful, drawn away by evil.*
This is consistent with the antetype example of God's drawing a people to Himself: the Exodus history. God promised a holy land. But a process of testing was required first: the years in the harsh and testing wilderness.
For a Christian, then, everything that happens to him or her ought to be understood as test, chastizement, or reward. The whole purpose of this time is to test and to sanctify.
This is the clear message of the New Testament (when one reads the entire text of 27 books).
Unfortunately, false preaching deceives people into thinking that God only blesses people who have confessed Christ as Lord. When these deceived people experience tests and chastizements, they do not understand the importance of passing the tests, and the importance of understanding why they are being chastized. These deceived people are prevented from working together with God on the project that is the entire purpose of this period of time.
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* Christians are to be, like Christ, holy rescuers. No one should misunderstand the time of testing as an excuse to abandon other people to being kept in sin slavery or being led back into sin slavery.
Friday, May 12, 2017
More information about the wife of valour
Isn't there something puzzling about the King James translation of Proverbs 31:28?
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praiseth her. (KJV)
Children "arising up" is unclear in what it means, it has a negative sense (cp. "uprising", "rebellion") when it is intransitive, and it is also unclear in its connection to calling the mother blessed. And then the husband does the same?
What about the Greek version? Checking here, one finds wonderful new information about the wife of valour.
27 Watertight are her houses' occupations;
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praiseth her. (KJV)
Children "arising up" is unclear in what it means, it has a negative sense (cp. "uprising", "rebellion") when it is intransitive, and it is also unclear in its connection to calling the mother blessed. And then the husband does the same?
What about the Greek version? Checking here, one finds wonderful new information about the wife of valour.
27 Watertight are her houses' occupations;
yet idle grains she does not eat;
28 Yet the mouth opens wisely and lawfully;
28 Yet the mouth opens wisely and lawfully;
yet her charity raises up her children,
and they become wealthy,
and her husband approves of her. (CFB)
Consider, for example, the need to meditate on the three contradictions (or antithetical parallelisms) that follow one another, each marked by "yet".* Here is beauty, as defined by God's Word, also in the New Testament:
8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
(1 Timothy 2, KJV)
1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
________________
Notes
* A brief meditation and proposal on the three contradictions is this:
27 Watertight are her houses' occupations;
KJV: Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.
CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2017 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
and they become wealthy,
and her husband approves of her. (CFB)
Consider, for example, the need to meditate on the three contradictions (or antithetical parallelisms) that follow one another, each marked by "yet".* Here is beauty, as defined by God's Word, also in the New Testament:
8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
(1 Timothy 2, KJV)
1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6 even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
(1 Peter 3, KJV)
(1 Peter 3, KJV)
________________
Notes
* A brief meditation and proposal on the three contradictions is this:
27 Watertight are her houses' occupations;
[The wife of valour operates the family's businesses in such a way
that they have watertight, entirely secure, incomes.]
yet idle grains she does not eat;
yet idle grains she does not eat;
[However, even though the income rolls in,
she does not sit around inactively.]
28 Yet the mouth opens wisely and lawfully;
[Instead of being a lazy glutton, she has a mouth that opens with wisdom and lawfulness.]
yet her charity raises up her children,
yet her charity raises up her children,
[The contradiction here is that although she is a business-like, active, wise and lawful
person, she is a charitable (rather than judgemental) person, also toward her children.
That is to say: they are not judged by their mother for being kids who are not always
business-like, etc.; likewise she does not judge people who need charity.]
and they become wealthy,
and her husband approves of her. (CFB)
KJV: Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.
CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2017 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Theological errors of "Predestination to Eternal Life" and "The Preservation of the Saints" cause mistranslation
A clear case of mistranslation due to a theological error is how modern English bibles translate 1 Thessalonians 5:9.
Although there is very scant evidence to support them, translators allow theological errors like "Predestination to Eternal Life" and "The Preservation of the Saints" to cause them to read the Greek verb títhemi in the middle voice to mean "to appoint" (King James Version) or "to destine" (New Revised Standard Version).
But look at the lengthy analysis by the best Ancient Greek dictionary available in English, Liddell Scott Jones: no such sense for this verb is mentioned.
Here is how the Christ Family Bible translates the verse:
9 because the God did not set us unto wrath, but unto safe-keeping of salvation through the Lord of ours, Jesus Christ. (CFB)
Note that this translation is consistent with the Exodus example of God's salvation of His people: the Israelites were set in safe-keeping of salvation through God's providence, when God ransomed them from Egypt and led them through the wilderness to test them. This safe-keeping was not for the rebellious, who did not pass the test and did not enter the promised land.
The phrase "safe-keeping of salvation through the Lord of ours, Jesus Christ" also has clear support in existing knowledge of Ancient Greek, and avoids misleading formulations.
_____________
CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2017 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Although there is very scant evidence to support them, translators allow theological errors like "Predestination to Eternal Life" and "The Preservation of the Saints" to cause them to read the Greek verb títhemi in the middle voice to mean "to appoint" (King James Version) or "to destine" (New Revised Standard Version).
But look at the lengthy analysis by the best Ancient Greek dictionary available in English, Liddell Scott Jones: no such sense for this verb is mentioned.
Here is how the Christ Family Bible translates the verse:
9 because the God did not set us unto wrath, but unto safe-keeping of salvation through the Lord of ours, Jesus Christ. (CFB)
Note that this translation is consistent with the Exodus example of God's salvation of His people: the Israelites were set in safe-keeping of salvation through God's providence, when God ransomed them from Egypt and led them through the wilderness to test them. This safe-keeping was not for the rebellious, who did not pass the test and did not enter the promised land.
The phrase "safe-keeping of salvation through the Lord of ours, Jesus Christ" also has clear support in existing knowledge of Ancient Greek, and avoids misleading formulations.
_____________
CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2017 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The tragic misreading of Paul (when he argues against Israelite works for Christians)
It is astounding that even people who claim to believe that the entire Bible is from God continue in this gigantic misreading of Paul's letters. His own letters, and many texts from the rest of the New Testament, clarify that Paul was not saying that people receive eternal life by grace (i.e. free gift) only, no matter what their deeds are (good deeds and bad deeds). Consider for example that Paul explicitly clarifies that certain kinds of deeds can disqualify from eternal life:
"Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakoì,* nor arsenokoîtai,* nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor the abusive, nor the rapacious will inherit God's kingdom." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, CFB)
What Paul was focused on, when he made a distinction between salvation by grace and salvation by works, was the Israelite model of salvation from the Old Testament, where works (circumcision, sabbath-keeping, food purity, etc.) were the condition for becoming part of God's chosen people. Why was Paul focused on this? Because there were preachers telling churches that they had to have these Israelite works to be Christians.
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Notes
* The Greek term malakós (plural: malakoí) has a large number of senses (refer please to Liddell Scott Jones for a description of these). It is not clear what sense, or senses, that St. Paul means here in 1 Corinthians 6:9. The immediate context and the New Testament give the best support for the sense of "cowardly".
* The Greek term arsenokoítes (plural: arsenokoîtai) refers to men engaging in coitus (laying together sexually) with men.
CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2017 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
"Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor malakoì,* nor arsenokoîtai,* nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor the abusive, nor the rapacious will inherit God's kingdom." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, CFB)
What Paul was focused on, when he made a distinction between salvation by grace and salvation by works, was the Israelite model of salvation from the Old Testament, where works (circumcision, sabbath-keeping, food purity, etc.) were the condition for becoming part of God's chosen people. Why was Paul focused on this? Because there were preachers telling churches that they had to have these Israelite works to be Christians.
___________
Notes
* The Greek term malakós (plural: malakoí) has a large number of senses (refer please to Liddell Scott Jones for a description of these). It is not clear what sense, or senses, that St. Paul means here in 1 Corinthians 6:9. The immediate context and the New Testament give the best support for the sense of "cowardly".
* The Greek term arsenokoítes (plural: arsenokoîtai) refers to men engaging in coitus (laying together sexually) with men.
CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2017 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Friday, May 5, 2017
Why are lack of understanding and lack of sympathy common?
Update: I would like to add some information around the text highlighted in yellow below. I believe that the first priority must go to the words of Jesus, the keeping of which is necessary for salvation, according to Jesus (Luke 6:46-49, John 14:15-24, 15:10-14, Revelation 2:5 etc.). Also, the canon of the Bible is up for scientific and faithful investigation. I do not accept any special authority of what are called the Eastern or Oriental Orthodox churches.
_______________
Unfortunately, because of incompetent preaching, people have not heard that the widespread problem of uncomprehending and unsympathetic behaviours by people is explicitly promised in the New Testament.
Lack of intelligence (understanding, comprehension, etc.), and lack of sympathy are two of the punishments that falls upon people who "do not deem God worthy to have in knowledge". Romans 1:16-32 explains that God has the power to make a person righteous (when they accept Jesus as Lord), and the power to hand a rebellious person over to sin so that God's wrath becomes obvious.
How can one "deem God worthy to have in knowledge"? My answer is that a person needs to have a humble, listening attitude toward God. Such a person considers as a first priority,
(1) The texts that are said to have been inspired by God's Holy Spirit. (Here I believe with many Orthodox churches that there are 77 books of the Holy Bible.)
(2) The claim that God is omnipotent: nothing happens without God's permission.
(3) The claim that God is an impartial, entirely just judge, who rewards and punishes based on a person's deeds.
How can one "deem God worthy to have in knowledge"? My answer is that a person needs to have a humble, listening attitude toward God. Such a person considers as a first priority,
(1) The texts that are said to have been inspired by God's Holy Spirit. (Here I believe with many Orthodox churches that there are 77 books of the Holy Bible.)
(2) The claim that God is omnipotent: nothing happens without God's permission.
(3) The claim that God is an impartial, entirely just judge, who rewards and punishes based on a person's deeds.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
The working system of God's salvation
Why do so many pastors and preachers say things like, "It doesn't make sense!", "It isn't fair!", and "I don't understand it all myself!" about the "Gospel" that they preach? It's not God's fault. It's the fault of theologians, among others.
Theologians have very often, and starting very early in Church history, misread, mistranslated and corruptingly taught the message of God in the Holy Bible. The illogicality of their idea systems ought to be a clear warning to anyone: these idea systems are not from God.
The working system of God's salvation is represented allegorically by the history of God's salvation of the Israelites. This is just like God: to provide an explanation in the form of a story that a child can understand. The New Testament says repeatedly: the histories of the Old Testament are there for our example and warning.
A brief summary could be like this: "Precisely according to the Exodus antetype, Christ-believers are given teaching, commandments and leaders, ransomed, baptized, tested, and chastized—a seven-part sanctification process." ("New Light from Science on Methods for Bible Translation:A test case from 2 Corinthians", J.J. Thomas, February 2016)
Note well that in the Exodus history, not everyone passes the test. This is precisely what is warned and described historically in the New Testament as well, about Christians.
Theologians have very often, and starting very early in Church history, misread, mistranslated and corruptingly taught the message of God in the Holy Bible. The illogicality of their idea systems ought to be a clear warning to anyone: these idea systems are not from God.
The working system of God's salvation is represented allegorically by the history of God's salvation of the Israelites. This is just like God: to provide an explanation in the form of a story that a child can understand. The New Testament says repeatedly: the histories of the Old Testament are there for our example and warning.
A brief summary could be like this: "Precisely according to the Exodus antetype, Christ-believers are given teaching, commandments and leaders, ransomed, baptized, tested, and chastized—a seven-part sanctification process." ("New Light from Science on Methods for Bible Translation:A test case from 2 Corinthians", J.J. Thomas, February 2016)
Note well that in the Exodus history, not everyone passes the test. This is precisely what is warned and described historically in the New Testament as well, about Christians.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Is there any idea more destructive than a "Law-Gospel" division?
Update: I wish to question the claims made in the text below that is now highlighted in yellow. For more on that, please see my Translator's Preface to The Christ Family Bible.
_______
How many lives have been destroyed, through eternally deadly sins, through destroyed families (when divorce and remarriage are liberally approved), through social breakdown (when dishonesty, corruption, incompetence, slackness and laziness are normalised)?
This is the error that draws the most focus from the New Testament books, namely the error that Christianity should be associated with licentiousness, moral libertarianism. Jesus provides many of the most stark and clear warnings.*
Its competitors for most destructive idea are surely:
(2) Christians remain slaves to sin.
(3) The Church can forgive every evil, even evils that the Lord Jesus and the NT apostles condemned (e.g. blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, voluntary sin, persisting in sinful conditions such as adultery). The Church can contradict its founding apostles like St. Paul (who said that for example adulterers do not inherit the Kingdom of God).
(4) God is not a just and impartial judge.
(5) Christ Jesus does not chastise (manifested as, for example, sicknesses, even lethal ones).
Atheistic and anti-Christian ideas are of course very destructive too; but are they as deceptive and blinding to the every day, every moment judging and chastising that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit carry out? It is not easy for even very intelligent people to see through the deception of theologians and spiritually deprived churches.
What all the destructive ideas (1)-(5) have in common is that they are covered by the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ about the wasteful and dishonest house-manager, who when dismissed solves his inability to support himself by dishonestly writing down his masters' debtors' debts!** How different is that from a fleecing pastor-wolf who tells people that their debts to God are cancelled, but only if they continue to support his church?
Nota bene that one key verse is most usually mistranslated, weakening the force of Christ's teaching: compare Luke 16:9 in the King James and New Revised Standard versions, with the Christ Family Bible.
_________________
Notes:
* See for example: Matt. 7:21-27; Mark. 8:34-38, 9:42-48; Luk. 6:43-49, 14:25-35, 21:34-36; John 15:9-14; Rom. 2:4-11, Gal. 5:16-21; Eph. 5:1-11, Phil. 2:12; Heb. 12:14-17; Jam. 2:14-26; 1 John 3:7-12; Jud. 3-21; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2 Pet 2:1-22; Rev. 2:1-3:22, 21:5-8, 22:12-15.
** Luke 16:1-3.
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