Twin, you obviously didn’t read my post.
When Ethelbert shows up, he’s the real deal, without question. “No, I’m not Jesus,” he says. “They got that part wrong. I’m the son of God.” And it’s true absolutely true.
Would you follow him? Hypothetically…
Esprix
I back the one that saved my soul. When he comes back, I’m going to meet Him in the air. That means he’s going to give us the ability to do so. If the person who claims to be Jesus doesn’t have the power to do bring me to him, then he’s not Jesus.
I have several problems with your hypothetical situation. How do I know he is the real deal, without question and that its true, absolutely true? As I stated above, when Jesus comes, I am going to meet Him in the air, not under my own power. If Ethelbert can’t deliver, then I am not going. If he can deliver, and I know that he is Christ, what does it matter what his name is?
When I say The Real Deal, I mean he meets all your critera of the Rapture and whatnot - gives you the ability to “meet him in the air,” whatever, and it all tells you, unequivocably, that he’s IT. And then he says, “Well, I’m actually not Jesus - you got that part wrong. In fact, all of Christianity was basically wrong. Name’s Ethelbert the Really Neat Flyin’ Guy, from some teeny tiny religious cult up in northern Canada. So you comin’?”
Would you go?
Esprix
What about the guy who travels around W. Virginia, dressed in a white robe, barefoot, and looks like a (caucasian) Jesus? He’s not saying WHO he is, but people who have met him are impressed with his spirituality!
Perhaps he is …
Twin:
Yes, but as Esprix has outlined, what if the guy who comes back isn’t the one who saved your soul? And what if Ethelbert arranges for you to take a flight up to see him? And explains that you got most of it right, except that he, Ethelbert, is the cat who won’t cop out? And all you have to do is realize the error of your ways (y’know, I just love using that line, dunno why), and profess that you were wrong, and Ethelbert is tha man? Would you do it?
Or, on another tack, would you be willing to follow the fellow hiking around West Virginia that egkelly is talking about? What if he were to explain to you that he’s your guy? And that the whole “meeting in the air” thing was an unauthorized addendum?
And finally, I’m starting to understand where those folk who voted for LaRouche came from.
Waste
Flick Lives!
How about one, then? The Old Testament says that the only unforgiveable sin is taking the Lord’s name in vain. The New Testament says the only unforgiveable sin is denying the Holy Ghost.
Don’t even try to tell me that you equate “Name” with “Holy Spirit” as it’s more than obvious that these two are not the same, and therefore, they are contradictions.
Since I’m peeved at some of the fundies on this board with proven ignorance of the Bible, look up the verses yourself.
The New Testament represents a new covenant between God and man. Rather that destroy the world once again, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ to pay for man’s sins by His death on the cross. After Jesus’ resurrection, He announced that although He was leaving, He would return, but that the Holy Spirit would remain, in His place, until His return.
That is why the only ‘unforgiveable sin’ is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
::
David B
Moderator
Posts: 3914
Registered: Mar 99
posted 03-17-2000 09:19 PM
David: Have you forgetten that this is the same dude who’s told us all that yeast is evil and yet the Bible says the kingdom of Heaven is like yeast. Thefore his deity is ruler of an evil empire - can’t be much love there. At least that’s the way it looks.
Monty:
Does that mean that God has one of those funny-looking birthmarks on his forehead?
Waste
Flick Lives!
Since only Jesus could perform these feats, then I would believe he was Jesus.
This could never happen. I never prayed to Ethelbert for salvation, so he never would have heard my prayer. God provided us with the Bible which explains what we should do to be saved. God inspired men to write the words He chose. He would not have led them astray by misquoting his own son’s name. He certainly wouldn’t call his own religion wrong. As far as him saying “So you comin’”, at this point in the hypothetical scenario, I really don’t have a choice. He’s the one who brought me up to meet him in the air, I didn’t have a choice to go up or not. I can’t go down under my own power, so I guess I have to float around and see what happens. If he did give me the choice, I’d say no.
I’m not sure you completely understand the rapture. When Jesus descends with a shout and with trumpets, I am going to meet him in the air, wheter I am ready or not. I could be sitting inside, watching The Price Is Right, hear a trumpet, and I am going to start rising up to meet Jesus in the air. When I get there, my body is going to be perfected(immortality). We will be made like Him. It says so in I John 3.2
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
This verse also tells me that I will know Jesus when he comes.
The Bible says many will come claiming to be Jesus, and that we shouldn’t be deceived by them. When Jesus returns, there is not going to be any doubt that it’s him. Does WV Jesus have holes in his hands and feet? I somehow doubt it.
Then he’s a false prophet, and I don’t want to have anything to do with him.
I already answered this one in this post.
There are no unauthorized addendums to the Bible. God wouldn’t allow his word to be corrupted by us. So if WV Jesus said this, then I would KNOW he wasn’t Jesus.
CalifBoomer answered this one sufficiently.
Twin:
Okay, who else read this and filled in the blank?
As to the rest of your post, well, you are certainly within your rights to believe whatever you so desire.
Waste
Flick Lives!
You know, why is it that when Jeezers post a “what if” scenario, they stick vehemently to it, but when someone else does, they disregard it out of hand? {sigh}
Esprix, who might be through with “what if” threads for a while
What am I disregarding? Haven’t I answered your question? If everything happened just as the rapture is going to, except the guy descending from Jesus was named Ethelbert, and I was given the choice, I would not go. This Ethelbert character sounds pretty messed up. He says Christianity is basically wrong. Why would I want to go with him?
I guess if I am disregarding anything in your hypothetical scenario it is the ability for me to make a choice. I have already made my choice by accepting Jesus Christ as my personal savior. When the rapture comes, I am going to meet Jesus in the air. No choice involved. It’s not like I am going to get up there and Jesus is going to say “Hi there. Ready to go to heaven?” The choice has already been made.
Oops! I meant to say the guy descending from Heaven was named Ethelbert.
When you accepted the first half of my hypothetical situation, but renounced the second half by saying, “This would not happen.”
But, yes, you answered my question.
Esprix, who is waiting for Ethelbert to take him away
In re: the original question.
Personally, I would check myself into the nearest detox center ASAP.
In short, you’re agreeing that the Bible contradicts itself.
Not at all. I’ll try to elaborate.
I take it these are the verses you claim are contradictions:
Exodus 20:7: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
Matthew 12:31: “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”
Before Christ was born, the Lord had a covenant with man. Sin was forgiven by yearly sacrifice. God had a more personal relationship with his people, speaking with many of them directly. Therefore, taking the Lord’s name in vain was disrespectful to the Lord, and broke that relationship.
When Jesus was born, God entered into a new covenant with men. Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets. He gave some new commandments to his believers. He died on the cross so that every sin of those who believed on Him could be forgiven, even ones that couldn’t be forgiven before.
Acts 13:39 “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses”
A new unforgivable sin was established, blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Why? Well, after Jesus went up to heaven, He sent the Holy Ghost to the disciples. When people accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior, the Holy Ghost enters into them. God is three-in-one, God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. To blaspheme the Holy Ghost is to blaspheme God and Jesus as well, which can’t be forgiven.
Twin:
In short: Malarkey. Now how about showing us what verse in the Bible says that God changes? And when you get done with that, how about showing us exactly which verse, and not your inadequate spin just provided, that changed which sin is the unpardonable sin.