Visions

[TGBTG]

Originally Posted by Timmy

As for the rules about eating unclean animals, is it your opinion that they were merely traditions of men, and not (originally) commandments of God?

Those rules were originally the comandments of God. The traditions of men was what Jesus was rebuking.

Originally Posted by Timmy

It certainly could have been God's intention all along to forbid (Jews only) to eat unclean animals, and to remove that prohibition at just the right time. So if that isn't changing His mind, it is changing His requirements.

I think this statement of yours also answer the above question...

Originally Posted by Timmy

So OK, let me reword my question:

Will God never again change His requirements of man?

Good question.

Well, let's see. What is God's present requirement of man? Faith. What was his past requirement? Faith (Heb 11 stresses this point)

Now, how that faith is EXPRESSED (perhaps, this is what you're getting at?) is what has changed over time.

Before the law, men like Abraham and Isaac EXPRESSED their faith in God by offering sacrifices (building altars). Enoch walked with God by faith.

Under the law, the EXPRESSION of faith was still through offering of sacrifices. In the NT, the EXPRESSION of faith is by believing in the perfect SACRIFICIAL LAMB of God.

So the requirement is still the same, that is FAITH, but the EXPRESSION has changed depending on what period of time God is dealing with man.

Now, could the EXPRESSION of faith change again (I'm guessing that would be your question?)

To answer this question, we have to know what purpose the EXPRESSION of faith served in the past and presently.

In God's law, the penalty for sin is death and God has by his own counsel and sovereignty determined that blood is required for the atonement of sins.

The EXPRESSION of faith (OT lambs and Jesus the Lamb of God) were a means by which man's sins were atoned for. So we have to get the point that the whole purpose for the requirement was for the atonement of sins.

Now,
Heb 10
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

This scriptures tells us that, yes, the old testament atoned for the sins of the people (also Lev 16), however, the people themselves did not receive a NEW CONSCIENCE.

So the difference between the WORK of the old covenant and the new covenant is that the new covenant goes beyond just atoning for sins. It CHANGES man's conscience.

So, if a man's conscience is changed from satan oriented to God oriented, then God's purpose is achieved.

Hence, this new covenant has served the purpose of RECONCILING man back to God.

Since man is reconciled back to God, the new covenant has done it all and there is no need to change the formula (ergo: EXPRESSION of Faith)

So,
God will not change his requirement: Faith
God will not change the EXPRESSION of faith: Believe in Jesus Christ
God will not change his purpose: To reconcile man back to God

I hope I was able to answer your question...

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Exactly. So, does everyone here believe that God will not again change His mind about what He requires of people?

I guess we will find out when our Creator decides. Until then... carry on according to God's requirements.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Timmy

It certainly could have been God's intention all along to forbid (Jews only) to eat unclean animals, and to remove that prohibition at just the right time. So if that isn't changing His mind, it is changing His requirements. So OK, let me reword my question:

Will God never again change His requirements of man?

You know Timmy, God prohibited certain animals because they just are not good for our health to eat it. Certain animals are scavengers. They eat anything. Swine carries parasites and when we consume them, all the sodium in the meat messes with our blood chemistry...ya know...like raises our blood pressure for one thing. We can eat certain birds...turkey, chicken, quail etc but when it comes to buzzards/vultures and such... they are scavengers and eat smashed animals or animals that "die of itself" from the ground. God knows such meat is not good for us to eat...that it harms our bodies.

We can still take those food laws and follow them to our benefit, if we choose. God gave them for our benefit, not to deny them from us just because He is God and wants to. That's not the way God is.

Cattle are grass grazers. Clean food here. God designed the cow to be clean and gave it to us to eat for nourishment. Lamb is clean too.

But man has decided to add gmo grain and grind up downer cows, cats, dogs, horses and whatever they can to increase the feed trough and force cattle to eat it by locking them in stalls with just that to eat. Then they add antibiotics to keep them from getting infection from the rotten carcasses they grind up and hormones to fatten them faster. Then they go to the slaughterhouse and to the butcher to cut up and shrink wrap it at the store...and we go and buy it for consumption not giving a thought as to all the harm we are doing to our bodies because we are not aware of what kind of process the meat we are eating has been put through.

All processed foods contain many chemicals and preservatives, sodium and such and we humans gobble it down without giving it much thought. Then when we get diseased, we wonder why? God has nothing to do with this. It isn't His fault we are gluttonous and stupid for putting everything we see into our mouths.

Certain meat have always been clean food to eat until mankind got greedy. The GMO corn has a pesticide spliced into the genes. If pesticide kills worms and other pests that normally feed off corn, what do people think it does in our bodies? Pesticides such as Roundup is meant to kill.

The healthcare industry tells us not to eat red meat because it causes clogged arteries. But they do not tell you why. The above is one reason why. Antibiotics cause human blood pH to become acidic. That in turn, causes ridges inside our arteries to make cholesterol stick. Cholesterol is needed for proper brain function and nerve function. It's not really a boogeyman. Under normal circumstances our bodies would clean it right out.

Added hormones to the body is never good. God gave us the right amount of hormones for our bodies to function the way He designed it to function. So we eat and drink (milk) added hormones from the cow that man decided to alter to benefit his profits.

So you see, God's intentions toward humanity has always been pure. He's tried to keep us from disease and death. But man has always been hard-headed.

I don't blame God for anything that happens here on earth. Maybe God "changes His mind" in order to find ways to keep us from destroying ourselves? Maybe God just loves us enough to do that?

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

I guess we will find out when our Creator decides. Until then... carry on according to God's requirements.

How will we know when He changes something? Oh, silly me. He will inspire someone to write it.

[AreYouReady?]

Is not God all-powerful?

He surely will let us know in a spectacular way.

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

Is not God all-powerful?

He surely will let us know in a spectacular way.

Inspiring a book is kinda spectacular, don't you think?

[bbyrd009]

Your insinuation that God capriciously changes His Mind to suit His Moods or something is complete yack. It is us who caused the "changes," akin to how you might treat a 2 year old diff from a teenager.

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by bbyrd009

Your insinuation that God capriciously changes His Mind to suit His Moods or something is complete yack. It is us who caused the "changes," akin to how you might treat a 2 year old diff from a teenager.

Never said it was capricious. (Every few thousand years? Capricious? ) Asked if He might do it again. Think He will? Are we young adults now, perhaps?

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Inspiring a book is kinda spectacular, don't you think?

No.

I wrote a book and was told it was written fairly well ...for an amateur. But there was nothing spectacular about my inspiration.

Mankind is out to kill ourselves with our lifestyles. God is always trying to save us...which we do not deserve.

Mankind is always throwing God's love and concern back into his face. I wonder when God is going to say "ENOUGH"!

[bbyrd009]

"Never said it was capricious. (Every few thousand years? Capricious? ) Asked if He might do it again. Think He will? Are we young adults now, perhaps?"

Do what again? Send another Savior? And I have to pretty much agree with
all of AYR's words--see how satan is able to make perfectly healthy red meat, eggs--
um, I see "bananas, never eat them..."--into bad things, while millions of Frenchmen
eat a dozen eggs a day, and live to ripe old ages, laughing in your general direction.

BAM, continue sucking down your sterilized cow milk, and being scared
of butter, or Muslims. Quack.

"Are we young adults yet?"
The wheat grows with the tares,
leaving us with the dichotomy there, imo, so
the best answer is yes, and no?

Are you (2nd you) running from evil,
or voting for it? The Revelation is quite plain to me,
that things will change when believers refuse to participate
in the earthly kingdoms, and not before then.

"When will God say "ENOUGH?"
Never. Not gonna happen. A couple human near-extinctions,
with a few thousand year detour to illuminate the folly
of having an earthly "king," are absolutely no sweat to God.
Heaven does not change. God will not override our free will
and "make" things perfect here; that is the job of the
"Prepared Bride."

Until we are...prepared, to stand up non-violently,
to the death, for what is right--
--The kingdom of Heaven beside us--
nothing is going to change.

If you are scared of satan? and Armaggedon?
Get behind me.