Almost saved- so near and yet so far

[NotforSale]

Originally Posted by Socialite

I could begin an entire thread on the fidelity of manuscripts, and how they stack up as chief among any other ancient writings in terms of earliest witnesses from the original manuscript, to the # of copies, etc. I could also go into how the preservation of the message is in the form of a holistic story and not necessarily nook and cranny details.

Without a Bible, we have of Jesus only what some historians wrote -- that is, if we want to accept their work as legitimate as well. So that leaves us not only without a painting of Jesus, but with no Jesus at all.

The Bible is not a religious idol -- at least it's not supposed to be. It's recordings by mortals of God's intervening in our world and life. It's continuing the story that began in Eden. Flawed men, inspired by their experience, writing and sharing. We too get to live in that Story.

The Bible is a Book written by men, plain and simple. The Bible is also a Book of controversy, and it can basically become what you want it to become. We can proclaim all day long that "We Know the Truth", but others will flat out disagree with you, using Scripture to justify their stance. Over 30,000 Denominations on this Earth prove this. Agreement is impossible and unity unattainable.

For instance, the Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill." This Commandment is pretty clear, at least with me. We are not supposed to kill. Then, Israel basically "Nukes" Amalek, killing every man, woman, child, baby, pregnant women, and animals, in God's Name. You can slice it and dice it, but the bottom line is, this was a mass slaughter of Humanity in the Name of Religion, better known as Genocide.

Today, we totally criticize and condemn what Hitler did to the Jews in the Holocaust, and I agree, this was mass murder. But, this historical slaughter of other Human Beings by the Jews is written down for all to see, and, the Wars and Killings didn't stop with Amalek; the march to conquer and divide thousands of years ago by God's People has the eerie tone of murder and blood.

Let's look at what the Bible says about Jesus; He stopped the stoning of a woman caught in Adultery, and commanded US to forgive and to be merciful. He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” and pardoned a Thief in his dying breath. He reached for the poor, the hungry, and the lost, saying a man beating his chest in confession is more justified than a man walking the Strait and Narrow. He told us to love our enemies and that He came to this World to SAVE people, not destroy them. But in the end He will cast these same people into an Inferno of Torture if they don’t “Line Up”.

This is not only confusing, it’s contradicting. We are supposed to believe that you can be God’s Child today, but not tomorrow if you fail.

Christians today are falling for Religious "Smoke and Mirrors" and live by "Out of sight, Out of Mind." We hammer our pulpits with, "Saul was rebellious for not killing the King of Amalek", yet we wouldn't pull the trigger ourselves. We pat the sword bearer on the back, telling him, "GO AND KILL", while the Commandment to NOT kill is forgotten or justified because, "God told us to KILL".

Agreement within this Book will never happen and this disagreement continues to plague the World with Denominal Faith (We have it, you don't). There is an endless cycle of debate regarding what is truly expected of us (The Human Race), via the Bible, and the Populace of the World is scratching their head with what to do.

Think about the Apostolic Movement; Speak in tongues, yes or no? Baptism, yes or no? Hair on Women, long or short? Jewelry, yes or no? Paying Tithes, yes or no? TV, yes or no? Pants or dresses, yes or no? Drinking wine, yes or no? Facial hair, yes or no? Christmas, yes or no? The Sabbath, yes or no? The Godhead, Holiness, Salvation, Music, Divorce, Sin, the list never stops, and neither do the questions, all because of the Bible. One Church says this, another says that.

I see this problem as a Human Element that cannot be avoided, and that this Human Element is within this Book that we claim is God’s Voice. I honestly don’t know why we can’t seem to admit this. Maybe it's fear. Maybe peer pressure.

I’ve tried sharing with others that we MUST validate Truth by experience, not hearsay. God gave us this Life to gain a measurement that can validate what is real and what isn’t, and every time we step into the “Beyond” the loose cannon is unleashed! When I was in the Marines, firing the M16 and hitting the Bull’s-eye required focus and absolute awareness of the surrounding environment. Ignoring these would send the bullet into the oblivion of maybe.

When the target came out of the “Butts” with a white circle on the pole, a smile would glimmer across my face, knowing I was heading for another “Expert Badge” if I kept the facts in view. I intend to do this with my Walk with God. Socialite, I'm tired of the confusion and the Church playing upon my emotions where there is no black and white, and speculation is the rule.