Quotations of the day

[FineLinen]

“Most of us were taught that God would love us if and when we change. In fact, God loves you so that you can change. What empowers change, what makes you desirous of change is the experience of love. It is that inherent experience of love that becomes the engine of change.” - Richard Rohr-

 

[FineLinen]

“Before the truth sets you free, it tends to make you miserable.” - Richard Rohr, (Falling Upward)-

 

[FineLinen]

“The Reformation was a time when men went blind, staggering drunk because they had discovered, in the dusty basement of late medievalism, a whole cellar full of fifteen-hundred-year-old, two-hundred proof Grace–bottle after bottle of pure distilate of Scripture, one sip of which would convince anyone that God saves us single-handedly. The word of the Gospel–after all those centuries of trying to lift yourself into heaven by worrying about the perfection of your bootstraps–suddenly turned out to be a flat announcement that the saved were home before they started…Grace has to be drunk straight: no water, no ice, and certainly no ginger ale; neither goodness, nor badness, not the flowers that bloom in the spring of super spirituality could be allowed to enter into the case.” - Robert Farrar Capon-

 

[Gary K]

An event now burst upon the world, which was destined to give public sentiment an impulse which it had not felt since the fall of the Roman empire. It was not a reformation, but a revolution. A convulsion commenced in France, which tested the stability of every institution, creed and opinion known to the civilized world. That its final results were not unmingled evil, can never be ascribed to the virtues of those who directed the storm. It is a consolation, amidst the wildest outbreaks of human extravagance, that still "the Lord reigneth," that he can "restrain the wrath of men, and cause the residue of that wrath to praise Him." The example of an entire nation, which arose as one man, to vindicate its freedom, and proclaimed itself the champion of the oppressed and the supporter of liberal sentiments, enlisted the best wishes and the warm admiration of all who paid more attention to words and acts than to principles. The actors in this drama were equally impatient of political and religious control. Making no distinction between the corruptions of the Papacy and the religion of the Saviour, they assailed both with the same blind fury. Those who could wield the pen, deluged Europe with pamphlets and volumes filled with the bitterest attacks on Divine Revelation. The ruling powers of the new republic, which sprang to light like the prophet's gourd, however inconsistent with themselves in everything else, remained constant in their enmity to the word of God. The unsparing boldness of French skeptics was communicated to "kindred spirits" among the more cautious Germans. Public sentiment received a shock from the revolution, which went far to destroy its conservative power. Lax sentiments on the subject of religion were hardly considered as a reproach to the clergy: still, while the members of this order received salaries for the avowed purpose of teaching the truths of the Bible, some respect for appearances must be preserved-a sort of conventional decorum, in the treatment of that book, was yet necessary. The time had not arrived when a religious instructor might announce that he believed in no other religion than that of nature. Some latitude might be allowed, on the ground that though he was not a believer of Luther's school, yet he was a rational Christian, as might naturally be expected of one, who lived in "the age of light." He might be a skeptic in heart and life, so long as he pretended to be a disciple of Christ. He must profess to believe the Bible, while he was allowed, by every art of fallacious criticism, to explain away all those doctrines, which hold a vital alliance with the redemption of man. However revolting such hypocrisy may seem to men of integrity; in Germany, multitudes were found, men of varied condition, possessing talents which gave currency to their opinions, who would stoop to such hypocrisy. By acting thus, they have given a memorable lesson to the world. They have proved, that in the cause of divine truth, genius and learning are worse than useless, if their possessor is destitute of an upright and humble heart-if he does not fear God and tremble at his word.

Nathaniel Whiting

 

[Gary K]

Your life as a Christian should make non believers question their disbelief in God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

[Gary K]

Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

[Gary K]

Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
[SIZE=+0]35[/SIZE] For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
[SIZE=+0]36[/SIZE] And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
[SIZE=+0]37[/SIZE] He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
[SIZE=+0]38[/SIZE] And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

 

[Gary K]

For some years past it has been deemed necessary in our country, for those who aim at a thorough theological education, to cultivate an acquaintance with German writers. Their language is studied in our theological institutions, and where this is not the case, translations, which are rapidly multiplying, can be substituted for the originals. A tour to Germany, and an introduction to her religious lights, has become as common and as fashionable with American Professors and students of divinity, as a visit to the continent has been with the English nobility. As in the latter case, it has been deemed important to add a French polish to a fashionable education, so in the former, it would seem that a German polish is equally important, that an American may complete his theological training, and be enabled to understand a book, which its author has designed to be read by every nation under heaven, and to be equally the guide of the sage and the peasant. It could hardly be expected, that a familiar acquaintance with the tomes of Rationalism would produce no effects on the minds of our countrymen, who toiled to master their contents. The effects have already begun to develop themselves in the productions of our writers and the sermons of our preachers. They may be traced in the expositions of our divines, in discourses which are valued as specimens of clerical talent and proofs of deep research. In reference to these sermons, our older readers have often had occasion to notice the paucity of scriptural quotations. It would seem that the authors of these productions were apprehensive that they might vitiate their style or betray a want of taste if they employed scriptural language to convey religious ideas. They forget that the great mass of their hearers are more familiar with biblical phraseology, as a medium for religious thought, than with any other, and that holy men of old, who preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, employed a plain, unadorned style, when urging eternal truths on the minds of men; that in this, they followed the example of Him, whose discourses are a perfect model of simplicity. The preachers to whom we refer, would do well to recollect that the Saviour and his apostles made a free use of quotations from "Moses and the prophets and the book of Psalms." Experience shows that men readily and naturally quote those authors, whose language most frequently mingles with their trains of thought, though the reverse is the fact in reference to writers who are only consulted occasionally.

Nathaniel Whiting

 

[7djengo7]

Nathaniel Whiting

I saw you mention this guy's book in another thread. I found a PDF of it on Google Books, and put it on my tablet. Read a few pages in, so far. Great recommendation. Looks like there'll probably be a lot of interesting insights in it.

 

[Gary K]

I saw you mention this guy's book in another thread. I found a PDF of it on Google Books, and put it on my tablet. Read a few pages in, so far. Great recommendation. Looks like there'll probably be a lot of interesting insights in it.

Your welcome for the recommendation. The book is a really good read and gives us the ability to trace the vast majority of the errors that have entered Christianity back to their human sources and human rationalizations. The ultimate source of the errors is the same one who inspired blood to run in the streets of Paris and to inspire men to deify The Goddess of Reason over and above God and His word.

 

[The Barbarian]

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
Mother Theresa

 

[7djengo7]

Your welcome for the recommendation. The book is a really good read and gives us the ability to trace the vast majority of the errors that have entered Christianity back to their human sources and human rationalizations. The ultimate source of the errors is the same one who inspired blood to run in the streets of Paris and to inspire men to deify The Goddess of Reason over and above God and His word.

Several years ago, I found an interesting book, from 1896, called The Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch, by David MacDill. I read some of it on my Kindle at the time, but haven't got back to it, yet; though I really should, and I would like to read the whole thing, and take some notes. Perhaps it would be of some interest to you. I'll give you a link to it:

https://books.google.com/books?id=5...jAhUCEHwKHaDUAckQ6AEINjAC#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[Gary K]

Several years ago, I found an interesting book, from 1896, called The Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch, by David MacDill. I read some of it on my Kindle at the time, but haven't got back to it, yet; though I really should, and I would like to read the whole thing, and take some notes. Perhaps it would be of some interest to you. I'll give you a link to it:

https://books.google.com/books?id=5...jAhUCEHwKHaDUAckQ6AEINjAC#v=onepage&q&f=false

Thanks. I'll read that. I already read some of it, a few pages, and from what I've read this book speaks to the subject Whiting is speaking to when he talks about how the rationalists went about destroying faith in God's word.

Studying about God's word has no spiritual value. Only studying scripture has spiritual value for when we do that we place ourselves where God can reach us, teach us, and change us.

 

[FineLinen]

"This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed - not a single detail missed - and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole." -Jesus, the Christ-

 

[JudgeRightly]

"This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed - not a single detail missed - and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole." -Jesus, the Christ-

Using a highly idiomatic version of the Bible is a terrible idea when trying to determine doctrine, ESPECIALLY when it's a salvation issue. Let's look at what the passage ACTUALLY says:

This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” - John 6:39-40 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John6:39-40&version=NKJV

If someone does not believe, then he will not be saved. It's as simple as that.

 

[FineLinen]

While there is a wonderful simplicity in God, much about Him has been obscured by the traditions of men. We are surrounded with things difficult to understand. The way most people take is to look away, lest they should find out they have to understand them. -George MacDonald-

 

[FineLinen]

"This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed - not a single detail missed - and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time." -Jesus, the Christ-

 

[The Barbarian]

All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that make for peace.
― Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

 

[The Barbarian]

In omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo *** libro.
― Thomas à Kempis

(In all places, I have sought peace and not found it, except in a corner with a book.)

 

[FineLinen]

"Life is a great sunrise. I do not see why death should not be an even greater one." -Vladimir Nobokov -

"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in a manner so that when you die the world cries and you rejoice." -Native American Proverb-