Quote Originally Posted by David Merrill View Post
Being that §501(c)(3) is not the ecclesia, I have been prompted just today to form the church - the true church at that. Furthermore I have been attending Bible Study, unwittingly preparing myself for just that.

Sunday night in the Bible Study, the leader/pastor and a couple others were preaching to me about the Christian doctrine of sacrifice, futurism and several other folly arguments. Understand that this is in the same breath as the Prodigal Son parable. - Emphasis on the unconditional and consistent love of the Father being representing of God's love.

Now what that does is gets me thinking, If I were in a position to preach the correct rendition of God's Word, and be ministering to the Christians about their folly what exactly would I say to be convincing? Well, I should start when I asked the Holy Spirit for guidance during my lecture; excuse me, the sermon.

I like this method - my Bible fell open to Acts, Chapter 22. Somehow it seems to me that I have never had a Red Ink rendition with Jesus speaking in red font for this particular chapter before. Paul is recounting his early journey to Rome and says that while in a trance Jesus spoke to him and warned him, Get out of Jerusalem. Well, if Paul was obedient to Jesus then he would not have been convicted of treason and had to run to Felix to hide from the Sanhedrin in jail, eventually ending up in Rome under that same protective custody, living on the Roman taxpayer dole...

But that is how it happened folks! Paul wrote the epistles forming the Christian religious formula simply because he disobeyed Jesus!

The reason I requested guidance in the first place is that through gossip behind my back (mostly from Christianity Explored - a program at that church) these guys knew I am not a fan of sacrifice, and born-in-sin guilt trips. So they were battering me with Paul's teachings about being cleansed in Jesus' shed blood; which to me is just a continuation of the sacrificial laws but with the Substitution of Jesus as the Perfect Sacrificial Lamb. So imagine my (NOT) surprise when the Holy Spirit opens my Bible to see that - Paul created Christianity as it is through disobedience to Jesus!!

There is another author who wrote though - most Bible historians proclaim that The Book of Hebrews was written by another author, more like two authors, neither one was Paul. Here we learn a ministry of Remembrance. - Not sacrifice, but remembrance.

We get distinct reference to Melchizedek, rather than the function of the Priests from Levi - appointed for the blood sacrifice. If I was to start a cult tomorrow, I think that might be where I would start.

The other item I found offensive about the Original Sin doctrine was the idea that God is angered - much less wrathful. What this does is project lower dimensional attributes like fear and anger on to a supernatural super-being - God. This is contrary to God being unending perpetual Love. The Father in the Prodigal Son parable was never angry. Even to the son who remained at home and "faithful" - the Father went out to find him, missing the party for the prodigal son, to see what was wrong. The Father did not send a servant to go summon the other son and he met the angered resentful son with the same unconditional love that he had for the returning prodigal son! There was never a lapse in the Father's Love.

I am not saying that God is pleased by sin, or even complacent. What I am saying is the suffering we feel due to our sins is a consequence of law - not because the Creator of the Universe feels anger. We project that "anger" upon God as we feel fear ourselves, as an ego-driven emotion.

Then moving on, the Christians were affirming to one another that God does not need us for ANYTHING!

I beg to differ. God needs us to have any meaning. Think this through though please. To have meaning one must be attributing the existence of that - meaning - into the conscious cognizance of another. So without us, for God to have any meaning He would have to create another cognizant being beside you and me. So without the Created, the Creator has no meaning by definition of meaning.

Perhaps I am over thinking things but I figure that is why I have a brain.



P.S. Paul's excuse for staying in Jerusalem and facing trial by the Sanhedrin was a guilt trip he had for his involvement stoning Stephen. You have therefore a major religion promoting blood sacrifice, even a surrogate human blood sacrifice caused by disobedience to Jesus because of a self-imposed guilt trip!

I might debate your findings but consider that God NEVER wanted blood - this is why Isaiah was so shaken up. However sin has consequence and I find the model of blood sacrifice of an INNOCENT animal interesting. Atonement is not within the sinners grasp.

And therefore something greater must redeem the lesser. Therefore we see in the flesh of Christ Jesus the making of Peace by establishment of a covenant in blood. I see the Covenant between El Elyon and Yehovah. So that the reader might not be confused Yehovah in the OFFICE of the Son took the name Yehoshuah [Hebrew Name].

In the Aramaic Language : Yeshua
In the Greek Language : Iousus
In the English Language : Jesus

That names are Transliterations but they all mean Yehovah is Salvation. Which comports with Psalm 27:1.

Therefore Yehoshuah has the Agreement with El Elyon to redeem all those who place their trust in Him. How that agreement was struck was between El Elyon and Yehoshuah.

Therefore I look onto Yehoshuah as my Savior. Now Christ Jesus made peace in Covenant with El Elyon [a body thou hast prepared for me] and was glorified as Jesus Christ. I see The Word made Flesh.

An anti-Christ by definition of the Word is one that denies that Christ Jesus, The Word, came in the Flesh, was crucified and resurrected.

Consider the depth of the Trust the man Christ Jesus placed in El Elyon. For he read "Thou art a priest Forever after the order of Melchizedok". This time - looking back upon Abraham - no substitution would be made - the Lamb was provided by the Father to provide the Purchase [ransom].

El Elyon is righteous. If a King issues forth a Law it stands forever. Those who thought to overcome El Elyon sought to bind El Elyon in the Law of the Kingdom. Therefore I look onto the blood of Yehoshuah as the means by which He made peace with El Elyon.

Now then, where does that leave me? I am now a free moral agent - free to engage any suitor. However being wooed by The Word I drink of the "communion cup" which is my PLEDGE to Yehoshuah that I intend to make myself clean, in the purification process so that I might qualify to be one of the many called - but even more - one that is chosen to be Bride.

The Bride is the Priest in the Order of Melchizedok. I look upon Yehoshuah, sinless under the Law, innocent. And I see the lesser [me] is redeemed by the greater [Him]. So then, placing my trust in Him, I am made subject to His Administration. Which is to say - I shall take my Orders by the Holy Spirit.

For Sin is the transgression of the Law and I am commanded go forth and sin no more! I am also told when I do sin, to be faithful to confess my sin and He is faithful to forgive. Now then Yehoshuah has the Contract; therefore He has the rights to forgive. The Law is set to govern the wicked; however, I do not seek to Trespass my Redeemer as I undertake in this Realm for His Kingdom.

Now if I am required to confess my sin; and sin is transgression of the Law, THEN I am required to know the Law. Now the one who is led by the Holy Spirit may entitle himself a Son of God. That one is Recreated as ROYALTY - a member of the Household of Elohim.

Therefore fundamentally the Contract is in Yehoshuah. That contract was established by El Elyon with Yehoshuah. Therefore noone comes to El Elyon except by and thru Yehoshuah. Which is to say one must put their trust in The Word of God.

Therefore Yehoshuah is my Passover. For if I am in Yehoshuah, then El Elyon sees His contract with Yehoshuah. I am therefore "dead in Yehoshuah" - which is to say my life is placed in Trust with Yehoshuah. Why is this so? Because in sin, I lack the ability to atone for myself and as such, I am doomed absent a Redeemer; and, furthermore, I lack a contract with El Elyon.

For the Father, El Elyon, stipulated no man comes to Him except thru the Son, Yehoshuah. Therefore I find that Yehoshuah was annointed with the oil of gladness ABOVE his fellows.

Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith [El Elyon speaking], Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God [the Son], even thy God [El Elyon], hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Therefore it is the vanity of man to think he can "buy his stairway to heaven" - there is but one path, one Redeemer.


Shalom,
Michael Joseph