(06/20/2013) On Testing GOD

Challenge, life process, and temptation are topics, today, along with more on Bible authors and truth.  A “Yahoo! Answers” writer using the ID “Jeremy Jay Beamer” (Level 1 with 65 points, a member since February 25, 2013) posted the following:

Why does the Bible say to not put God to the test when He puts His children to the test every day?

THE BATTLE AXE:  Bible Authors and Truth? (06/19/2013)—  (6)  The believer’s experience of faith operating within their own being and substance makes possible their acknowledgment of faith operating within the Bible authors.  More than this, believers understand that those who recorded the holy writings were chosen by GOD, elect, cleansed and set apart for divine service (we say, sanctified), made prominent through emblems, gifts and signs (we say, justified), delivered divine utterance (we say, prophesied), and used to display godly authority and power (we say, glorified).  Writers used for creating the Bible all were to function as caretakers of holy heritage, custodians, observers and witnesses to events among mankind that would proceed from divine presence, sacred operations, and sovereign interventions.  (7)  While many literary devices appear in the Scriptures that are similar to those featured in secular writing to amuse and entertain (e.g., dialog, metaphor, plots and counter-plots, simile, use of detail), the canon and standards for holy Scriptures demand content that reveals divine person, sacred operations, and eternal purpose.  Accordingly, the Bible is spoken of as “holy writings”, for included are admonitions, chronicles (we say, public records describing divine events), divine commands, doctrine, ordinations, parables, praises, prayers, promises, proverbs, prophecy, testimony, and verdicts in sacred judgment.  See Isaiah 55:  10-12, Matthew 13:  34-35, 1st Thessalonians 1:  2-6, Hebrews 4:  12 and 2nd Peter 1:  16-21, KJV.

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;  And did all drink the same spiritual drink:  for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them:  and that Rock was Christ.  But with many of them God was not well pleased:  for they were overthrown in the wilderness.  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.  Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  (1st Corinthians 10:  1-13, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Faith for Facing Tragedy? (06/04/2013); Words Spoken By GOD? (06/05/2013); Struggles? (05/11/2013); Through Much Tribulation (05/12/2013); Wanting To Have Our Way (03/09/2013); Bad Luck (02/25/2012); Violence In The Bible (02/26/2012); (12/16/2011) Girdle 31:  Being Mixed With Faith; GOD Tempted? (02/12/2011); The KJV Bible? (02/13/2011)

Jeremy, here are some points to consider that may appear strange or new to you, however, these ideas often are shared among believers, and those who function showing respect to GOD through Jesus Christ:

(1)  Becoming mature and the normative life process for mankind may be described as one of continual change and learning with emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual growth produced through encountering specific challenges.  Included are balance to stand and walk, developing dexterity and eye/hand coordination, language acquisition (mama/dada), falling in love, and parenting.

(2)  Where created beings and living creatures accept their given position within the sphere of divine being, they must cooperate with ongoing sacred operations such as creation, death, incarnation, judgment, praise, proclamation, promise, fulfillment of prophecy, rebirth, and sanctification.

(3)  As language from the Bible, to “tempt”, “temptation” and “test” primarily refer to attack, confrontation, or applying pressure to discover a limit and breaking point.  As with the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (see Matthew 4:  1-11, King James Version), those who seek to “break GOD” or find weakness in divinity are usually those in spiritual confusion, having malice against GOD, and those whose self-will is dominated by sin.

There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example,  (4)  GOD revealed himself to Moses as a god of Judgment (see Exodus 34:  5-8, KJV).  While the children are not punished for the sins of their fathers, they are challenged through the consequences and effects of parental sin to the third and fourth generation—as much as 160 years.  Far from being arbitrary, capricious and optional, accountability, duty, and obligation with respect to GOD and divine law are shown to be non-negotiable aspects of being, order and existence.)   Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(10/31/2012) Saved in Childbearing?

      A reader at thoughts.com using the ID “Southern_Grace” made a comment that has challenged me to share as completely and plainly as I can my best, present understandings (see below) that answer the question, how is a woman saved in childbearing? To the extent I am not an evangelist or pastor overseeing a congregation of hundreds or thousands, I demand allegiance, obedience and financial support from no one. Even so, I trust these ideas have authority. I am only another anonymous and unknown Christian writer sharing ideas through the Internet, and what I say is binding upon no one. Nonetheless, where readers here will exercise discernment, they will not be offended in me, and may possess as their own all the divine content in what is written. Honor to GOD.

THE BATTLE AXE: The Fear of GOD (10/30/2012)—Many speak of fear as power, because fear appears capable of replacing logic and reason, and completely overwhelming human self-will. Just as parents must distance themselves from their children in order to correctly exercise authority over them, and properly discharge the many parental duties, GOD must also become known to mankind through their endurance of human experiences that include challenge, hardship, trials, and suffering. Far from being a work intended to destroy, enslave and intimidate mankind, through divine tests all created beings and living creatures are given opportunity to discover the fullness of GOD from within their own being. Many who lack understanding accuse and attack GOD expressing anger, bitterness, fear and hate. In their blindness and darkness of heart, they blaspheme and slander calling GOD a “super bully” because they do not yet rightly know GOD as surpassing all that is in beauty, compassion, goodness and grace. Fear of the Lord that is acquired through the imparted, indwelling Spirit is explained by the Gospel of Jesus Christ that proclaims the eternal love of GOD despite a consuming wrath against sin. Judgment is the final tool for revealing the righteousness of GOD; and even those who will be removed from Creation will first have seen “GOD in action” and in sacred process that displays their own lack of divine content and holy substance as a record of all that they preferred and chose for themselves in place of conformity, obedience, and submission.

THE GOLDEN ARROW: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2: 8-9, King James Version)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Begotten not Made (09/08/2012); About False Witness (09/09/2012); Birth Control and Sexism? (03/16/2012); Many Forms of GOD (03/17/2012); What is Worship? (10/18/2010); No Free Will (10/19/2010)

      In the authority of a teacher sent from GOD, one directed to speak as the Holy Spirit gives utterance, the Apostle Paul proclaimed

For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. (1st Timothy 2: 13-15, King James Version)

      Childbearing comes into view as an extension of Creation. More than this, childbearing pertains to revelation (how, and that GOD is known) as well as salvation (the incarnate operation of GOD in the person of Jesus Christ to restore mankind to right relationship with the Creator). The establishment of existence and the material that is life is exclusively the operation of the same Holy Spirit identified in the generation of heaven and earth. The depth and profound fullness of Creation must be understood as consisting in more than Almighty GOD imposing divine order upon conditions, immaterial substance, and non-matter. There is also the acknowledgment of law; the production and separation of what is and what has never been from nothing that is, has ever been, or ever shall be again; and the diversification and multiplication of what is as various dimensions, elements, forms, and images.

      Childbearing restores a woman to her proper place within godly order through her effecting divine purpose, through her response to the earliest blessing from GOD, and through her sacrificial obedience to law that was proclaimed in the first commandments declared before mankind: Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth (Genesis 1: 22 and 1: 28, KJV). Through their sexual union, man and woman were to increase their own kind to overspread the earth as were all other living creatures. During the development of a child within her womb a female must respond to operations by the Spirit of GOD, and acknowledge her lack of control over the processes of life. Typically, she experiences extreme, sudden, and otherwise unexplainable changes and shifts within her attitudes, body, feelings, mood, sense of wellbeing, her thoughts and sense of security.

      Many women do not accept that GOD should be present within, or operate through their bodies. Some resent being unable to pollute themselves as they see males do; and complain that GOD is biased, hateful toward women, and partial to men. However, her separation as special to GOD is granted every woman through water and blood, and are regularly signaled in menstruation and childbirth. For those in covenant with GOD, when a woman was in her uncleanness she was no longer fit for holy service, and was not to participate in communal worship without first re-dedicating and sanctifying herself through meditation, prayer and washing. As the vessel whereby sin was originally introduced to mankind, women have been given opportunity for almost constant practice of their heartfelt devotion, humility and reverence.
    
     There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, salvation is not a one-time event, an achievement, or an outcome of purely human works such as childbearing, marriage and other human social behavior, and conduct. The Apostle’s declaration includes the important word “if”, and goes on to identify spiritual conditions, and divine spirit content that must appear within covenant with GOD, and other continuing relationships.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC