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phareztamar
In response to the thread by Bro. Villa :Before the Beginning...What?, and the enthusiastic engagement by Esaias on the subject, I thought it best to respond here. I'm really not a debater, but as the flagship reads, just an apostolic friend on the forum. didn't want to hijack Bro. Villa's thread, but have a humble opinion nonetheless.
As I grow in grace, I grow in my understanding of the love Jesus Christ has for each of us...in our diversity...in our commitment to understanding...on our individual paths. Here on AFF those paths cross and continue awhile. I like this forum because I can respond-in kind to great men in the faith. Men of passion and standards. I can respond about the things of God to them. Not to debate them heatedly so much, as to simply share my journey a little. A guy in the bleachers enjoying the different visions on display in this forum.
For me Almighty God has no beginning nor ending. The very fact then, that our Eternal God would open His most holy words to us with "in the beginning", can only mean our beginning, as He has not one. What that eternity before our beginning consisted of we cannot know. But we can be sure that love was there. Holiness was there. Mercy and grace and truth were there. But regardless of the garments of eternity, I cannot see that it matters inasmuch as we have "in the beginning". That is our beginning that He gave us, and it is from there forward that matters. Moreover we have in the pages of scripture the most beautiful, sculpted portrait of "He who inhabits eternity" that could possibly be painted.
Nor should we deny ourselves the joy of imagination. The very concept of eternity and an eternal God verily compels our imagination. It's the way He made us. For me, Bro. Villa over-lives these leisure imaginations, at the cost of the sure anchor given us at "in the beginning". Yet I don't want to debate him or berate him, but rather watch and enjoy his opinion. I do not share his opinion. As for me, "in the beginning", and the portrait of our God that next emerges, is what matters. The revelation of His power, of His holiness and greatness, and of His mercy and love revealed in His word after "in the beginning" will always remain the meat and potatoes on my path. That's also how He made us. My imaginations of things eternal are a dessert of sorts that He gve me for moments of meditation and joy.
I enjoy the spirited and skilled verities of Esaias, the commitment to holiness and separation from the world by Benincasa, the visions of Amanah, the squirrely feistiness of Sean, the bold oracles of Votive, and the list and diversity goes on and on and on. It's the whole joy from the bleachers of attending this forum. Each member came after "in the Beginning", and the love of Christ in each of them only clarifies the breadth and the beauty of that portrait painted, and the greatness of his love for his children. Whatever eternity is, these are the things that matter.
Because of Him,
Randall
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