tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18173351.post5372868831646331140..comments2023-11-11T21:26:46.689+00:00Comments on This Side of Sunday: Cloud 9 vs. Earth 2.0Jon Couttshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01728055140831842717noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18173351.post-58192257555303485702008-06-28T15:45:00.000+01:002008-06-28T15:45:00.000+01:00i'd never heard that before tanti but that's a dec...i'd never heard that before tanti but that's a decent peice of etiquette.<BR/><BR/>you got some pretty relevant scripture passages there francisco/elderchild, but why don't you come out and say (in a brief paragraph or so) what you are trying to say (as it relates to this blog post)? I could speculate, but it is probably better if you help me out. and if you weren't necessarily trying to interact with my blog post, maybe start by reading nt wright's Time interview. any thoughts on that?Jon Couttshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01728055140831842717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18173351.post-83275377292684888532008-06-27T21:12:00.000+01:002008-06-27T21:12:00.000+01:00what's with elderchild copying and pasting in a se...what's with elderchild copying and pasting in a sermon?<BR/><BR/>There's some unspoken etiquette rules in leaving blog comments and I would suggest that one of those rules is that the comment should never be significantly longer than the actual post.Tony Tantihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14619319927519736211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18173351.post-32029166358646449882008-06-27T14:54:00.000+01:002008-06-27T14:54:00.000+01:00The Hope Of Heaven! “For the Hope which is laid up...The Hope Of Heaven!<BR/> <BR/>“For the Hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, <BR/>which you first heard in the Word of Truth that is <BR/>the Good News”! (Colossians 1:5)<BR/> <BR/>The Hope Of Heaven!<BR/> <BR/>There is a “biblical” translation that has been called <BR/>“The Good News”, yet what of The Good News(The <BR/>Gospel)? What was the promise of The Good News <BR/>that The Messiah preached?<BR/> <BR/>The promise of The Good News for the Jews and “the <BR/>lost sheep of Israel”, which The Messiah preached, <BR/>was recorded in Matthew 3:12,4:17,10:7, Mark 1:15, <BR/>and Luke 10:9, 21:31.<BR/> <BR/>"The Kingdom Of GOD(Heaven) Is At Hand"<BR/> <BR/>And what was the promise of “The Good News” which<BR/>Paul preached unto the heathen(gentiles) after The <BR/>Messiah “was raised from among the dead”?<BR/> <BR/>“Through the Good News those who are not Jews(heathens) <BR/>will share with the Jews in GOD's blessing. They belong to <BR/>the same body, and they share together in the promise that <BR/>GOD made in The Messiah. By GOD's special gift of grace<BR/> given to me through his power, I became a servant to tell <BR/>that Good News.” (Ephesians 3:6-7)<BR/> <BR/>And The Good News of The Promise!<BR/> <BR/>“The Kingdom Of Heaven(GOD) Is At Hand”!<BR/> <BR/>A Lively, Living Hope Of Heaven!<BR/> <BR/>When Paul began his ministry, after GOD had “raised up <BR/>The Messiah from among the dead”, he testified that <BR/>“believers were translated into The KINGDOM OF GOD’s <BR/>BELOVED SON”. (Colossians 1:13)<BR/> <BR/>"THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" HAD COME!<BR/> <BR/>And “The Good News” after the destruction of the earthly <BR/>“kingdom” of Jerusalem was:<BR/> <BR/>"THE KINGDOM OF GOD" HAS COME!<BR/> <BR/>All Thanks And Praise Be To Our Father!<BR/> <BR/>Believers have a Living Hope of Heaven!<BR/> <BR/>So why is it so many still believe that “The Kingdom of <BR/>Heaven(GOD)” is yet to come?<BR/> <BR/>"What is Truth"?<BR/> <BR/>"Pilate" asked The Messiah that question after The Messiah <BR/>testified, "You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, <BR/>and for this cause I came into the world, that I should bear <BR/>witness to The Truth. Everyone that is of The Truth hears <BR/>My voice"! (John 18:38)<BR/> <BR/>Do you hear The Messiah’s voice?<BR/> <BR/>The Messiah previously had testified, "The Words that I <BR/>speak are not My Words”. “For I have not spoken of Myself; <BR/>but The Father which sent Me, HE gave me a commandment, <BR/>what I should say, and what I should speak.” (John 3:34, <BR/>12:49) Later The Messiah testified to His disciples, "As <BR/>GOD sent Me, so send I you"! (John 14:10)<BR/> <BR/>“What is Truth”?<BR/> <BR/>The Messiah bore witness unto The Truth, as He revealed <BR/>The Way to The Truth of The Life, both in His Teachings <BR/>and His Life example.<BR/> <BR/>And The Truth of “The Good News” promise?<BR/> <BR/>"The Kingdom Of GOD(Heaven) Is At Hand"!<BR/> <BR/>The Hope Of Heaven<BR/> <BR/>Now when The Messiah was raised from among the dead <BR/>and ascended into Heaven He was given His rightful place <BR/>at the right hand of Our Father and GOD, and "all power <BR/>was given Him(by His Father and GOD) in Heaven and in <BR/>earth?" "The Kingdom" HAD "Come"! And The Faithful<BR/>"were translated into The Kingdom of GOD’s Beloved Son"!<BR/> <BR/>"Giving thanks unto The Father, WHO has made us able <BR/>to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in Light: <BR/>WHO has delivered us from the power of darkness, and <BR/>HAS translated us into The Kingdom of HIS Beloved Son:" <BR/>(Col 1:12-13) <BR/> <BR/>All Thanks And Praise Be To Our Father!<BR/> <BR/>And Paul testified of the time when The Messiah would <BR/>deliver up The Kingdom unto Our Father and GOD and <BR/>The Messiah would be submitted unto Our Father and <BR/>GOD once again. (1 Cor 15:22-28)<BR/> <BR/>"Then the END comes, when The Messiah shall have <BR/>delivered up The Kingdom to GOD, even The Father; <BR/>when The Messiah shall have put down all rule and all <BR/>authority and power. For The Messiah must reign(after <BR/>He was resurrected), till He has put all enemies under <BR/>His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is <BR/>death. For GOD has put all things under The Messiah's <BR/>feet. But when GOD said, all things are put under The <BR/>Messiah, it is manifest that HE(GOD) is excepted, <BR/>WHO did put all things under The Messiah. <BR/> <BR/>And when all things shall be subdued unto The Messiah, <BR/>then shall The Son also, Himself be subject unto GOD, <BR/>HE WHO put all things under Him, so that GOD may <BR/>be all in all." (1 Cor 15:22-28) <BR/> <BR/>“Then the END comes, when The Messiah shall have <BR/>delivered up The Kingdom to GOD, even The Father.”!<BR/>(1 Cor 15:22)<BR/> <BR/>Question is, “The END of what?”<BR/> <BR/>Paul testified, "In that GOD said, A New Covenant, <BR/>HE has made the first covenant old. Now that which <BR/>is decaying and waxing old is ready to vanish away”. <BR/>(Heb 8:13)<BR/> <BR/>That which was decaying and waxing old was the old,<BR/>earthly “covenant of laws”, and “The END” was the <BR/>destruction of the earthly, natural “kingdom” of Jerusalem! <BR/>The earthly “kingdom” would be no more!<BR/> <BR/>All Praise And Thanks Be Unto Our Father!<BR/> <BR/>So believers were, and are, exhorted to,<BR/> <BR/>"Set their affections on things above(Heaven), not things <BR/>of the earth"! (Col 3:2)<BR/> <BR/>Believers are exhorted to, “Be not of those whose god is <BR/>their belly, and whose glory is in their shame because <BR/>they mind earthly things.” (Phlp 3:19)<BR/> <BR/>Now why such exhortations?<BR/> <BR/>“Spiritually Reborn!” A believers “citizenship (Life) was, <BR/>and is, in Heaven"! (Phlp 3:20)<BR/> <BR/>And believers “had been translated into The Kingdom of <BR/>GOD’s Beloved Son”. (Col 1:13)<BR/> <BR/>They Had A Living, Lively Hope of Heaven!<BR/> <BR/>So “We do not look at the things which are seen, but at <BR/>the things which are not seen, for things seen are <BR/>temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. <BR/>We know that our body, the tent we live in here on earth,<BR/>will be destroyed. But when that happens, GOD will have<BR/>a house for us. It will not be a house made by human <BR/>hands; instead, it will be a home in Heaven that will last <BR/>forever. But for now we groan in this tent. We want GOD <BR/>to give us our Heavenly home, because it will clothe us <BR/>so we will not be naked. While we live in this body, we <BR/>have burdens, and we groan. We do not want to be <BR/>naked, but we want to be clothed with our Heavenly home. <BR/>Then this body that dies will be fully covered with Life. <BR/>This is what GOD made us for, and he has given us The <BR/>Spirit to be a guarantee for this New Life. So we always <BR/>have courage. We know that while we live in this body, <BR/>we are away from GOD. We live by what we believe, not <BR/>by what we can see. So I say that we have courage. We <BR/>really want to be away from this body and be at home <BR/>with Our Father for our only goal is to please HIM whether <BR/>we live here or there.” (2 Cor 4:18, 5:1-9) <BR/> <BR/>The Kingdom of GOD’s Beloved Son HAD Come and <BR/>believers were translated into The Kingdom! (Col 1:13)<BR/> <BR/>The END” of the old, earthly covenant was At Hand, for <BR/>it was “decaying, waxing old”, and would soon “vanish <BR/>away”! <BR/> <BR/>And it did! Thanks Be To Our Father!<BR/> <BR/>When Old Jerusalem was destroyed The END came. It <BR/>was then that The Messiah delivered up The Kingdom<BR/>unto Our Father and GOD! The Heavenly, Spiritual <BR/>Kingdom of GOD WAS, and always WILL BE!<BR/> <BR/>"THY Kingdom” HAD “Come"!<BR/> <BR/>"And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned <BR/>with goodly stones and gifts, The Messiah said, As for <BR/>these things which you behold, the days will come, in <BR/>which there shall not be left one stone upon another, <BR/>that shall not be thrown down. And they asked Him, <BR/>saying, Master, but when shall these things be? And <BR/>what sign will there be when these things shall come <BR/>to pass? <BR/> <BR/>And He said, Take heed that you are not deceived: for <BR/>many shall come in My name, saying, I am messiah; <BR/>and the time draws near: do not go after them. But <BR/>when you shall hear of wars and commotions, be not <BR/>terrified: for these things must first come to pass, but <BR/>The End is not by and by. Then said He unto them, <BR/>Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against <BR/>kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers <BR/>places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights <BR/>and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before <BR/>all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute <BR/>you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, <BR/>being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. <BR/>And they shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it there-<BR/>fore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you will <BR/>answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all <BR/>your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. <BR/>And you shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, <BR/>and kinsfolk's, and friends; and some of you shall they <BR/>cause to be put to death. And you shall be hated of all <BR/>men for my name's sake. But there SHALL NOT A HAIR <BR/>OF YOUR HEAD PERISH. In your patience possess your <BR/>souls.<BR/> <BR/>And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, <BR/>then know that the desolation thereof is at hand. Then let <BR/>them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them <BR/>which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that <BR/>are in the countries enter there. For these be the days of <BR/>vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.<BR/> <BR/>But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give <BR/>suck, in those days! For there shall be great distress in the <BR/>land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the <BR/>edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all <BR/>nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the heathen, <BR/>until the times of the heathens are fulfilled. And there shall be <BR/>signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon <BR/>the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the<BR/>waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking <BR/>after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers <BR/>of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of <BR/>man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when <BR/>these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up <BR/>YOUR heads, for YOUR redemption draws near. <BR/> <BR/>And He spoke a parable to them; Behold the fig tree, and all <BR/>the trees; when they now shoot forth, you see and know of <BR/>your own selves that summer is now close at hand. So like-<BR/>wise YOU, when YOU see these things come to pass, YOU <BR/>know that The Kingdom of GOD(Heaven) is close at hand. <BR/>Truly I say unto YOU, THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS <BR/>AWAY, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED."(Luke 21:5-33) <BR/> <BR/>And The Messiah testified, "Truly I say unto YOU, that this <BR/>generation shall not pass, till ALL these things be done."<BR/>(Mark 13:30) "Truly I say unto YOU, This generation shall <BR/>not pass, till ALL these things be fulfilled."(Matt 24:34) <BR/>(The word "YOU" in the above testimonies referred to those <BR/>whom The Messiah was speaking to at that time, not two <BR/>thousand, or more, years after!)<BR/> <BR/>Simply, with the destruction of the earthly, natural Jerusalem,<BR/>that "which waxed old" DID "vanish away"! (Heb 8:13)<BR/> <BR/>The Kingdom no longer had a physical presence, in a precise <BR/>location on the earth, The Kingdom of GOD was now fully of <BR/>The Spirit, Heavenly. The END of the Old, earthly kingdom <BR/>WAS! "THY Kingdom" HAD "Come" indeed and Truth, and <BR/>believers were, and are, translated into The Kingdom of Our <BR/>GOD and Father! A Living Hope of Heaven!<BR/> <BR/>And so it is believers were and are exhorted to “love not the <BR/>world, neither things that are in the world, for all that is in <BR/>the world, the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the <BR/>pride of life is not of Our Father, but is of the world”!<BR/> <BR/>Believers knew that their “citizenship” was now in Heaven, <BR/>and that “whosoever would be a friend of this world was the <BR/>enemy of The Only True GOD”! (Phlp 3:20, James 4:4) And <BR/>The Messiah testified that “the works of the world were evil”<BR/>(John 7:7) And John testified, “the WHOLE world is under <BR/>the control of the evil one”! (1John 5:19) And Paul?<BR/> <BR/>Paul testified, "WE WHICH ARE ALIVE and remain SHALL <BR/>BE CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet <BR/>The Messiah in the air: and so shall WE ever be with The <BR/>Messiah."(1Thes 4:17:18) and Paul testified, "I was <BR/>delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And GOD WILL <BR/>DELIVER ME FROM EVERY EVIL WORK, AND WILL <BR/>PRESERVE ME UNTO HIS Heavenly Kingdom: to WHOM <BR/>be Glory for ever and ever. Amen(Let it be so)”(2Tim4:17-18) <BR/> <BR/>I believe that Paul was alive and taken up "in the clouds to <BR/>meet The Messiah in the air" when the physical, earthly <BR/>Jerusalem was destroyed. At that time “The Messiah came <BR/>in the clouds". And at that time of “the END" of that old age, <BR/>The Messiah delivered up The Kingdom unto Our Father and <BR/>subjected Himself unto HIM once again. <BR/> <BR/>All Thanks And Praise Be To “Our Father”!<BR/> <BR/>The Messiah had testified, "Behold, I COME QUICKLY: hold <BR/>that fast which YOU have, that no man take YOUR crown."<BR/>(Rev 3:11) “Behold, I COME QUICKLY: blessed is he that <BR/>keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book."(Rev 22:7) <BR/>Behold, I COME QUICKLY, and My reward is with Me, to give <BR/>every man according as his work shall be."(Rev 22:12)<BR/> <BR/>And the apostle John testified, "He Who testifies concerning <BR/>these things said to me, "Surely I COME QUICKLY". Amen<BR/>(So be it). Even so, come Yahshua Messiah!"(Rev 22:20) <BR/> <BR/>And The Messiah DID Come Quickly!<BR/> <BR/>The Messiah came at "The END" of the old covenant when<BR/>the natural, earthly kingdom of Jerusalem was destroyed!<BR/> <BR/>And so it is today that The Faithful desire to be taken Home, <BR/>for their "place has been prepared for them"! Home! Home <BR/>at last! The Faithful await their final transformation, "caterpillar <BR/>to butterfly" indeed and Truth.<BR/> <BR/>The Faithful Have A Living Hope Of Heaven, and such a Hope<BR/>gives them the strength and courage to heed The Call of The<BR/>Only True GOD and "Come Out Of Her(this world and it's <BR/>religions), MY People"!<BR/> <BR/>Peace, in spite of the dis-eases(lies) that are of this wicked <BR/>world and it’s systems of religion, for “the WHOLE world is <BR/>under the control of the evil one” indeed and Truth…….. <BR/>franciscoelderchildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09827206019505093406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18173351.post-57377641014712262742008-06-27T09:16:00.000+01:002008-06-27T09:16:00.000+01:00I'm glad to hear that you're starting to engage wi...I'm glad to hear that you're starting to engage with Wright's work on a deeper level. For me, it quite literally saved my faith.<BR/><BR/>I've posted something on a particular theological/eschatological issue pertaining to Wright <A HREF="http://www.parablesofaprodigalworld.com/2008/06/is-nt-wright-panentheist.html" REL="nofollow">HERE</A>, if you or any of your readers might be interested.<BR/><BR/>Grace and Peace on your journey, brother.<BR/><BR/>Raffi Shahinian<BR/><A HREF="http://www.parablesofaprodigalworld.com" REL="nofollow">Parables of a Prodigal World</A>Raffi Shahinianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01981706290799593546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18173351.post-69592358812518525562008-06-26T20:07:00.000+01:002008-06-26T20:07:00.000+01:00I really need to get into NT Wright, this sounds f...I really need to get into NT Wright, this sounds fascinating indeed.<BR/><BR/>Can I borrow a couple of his books from you this summer?Tony Tantihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14619319927519736211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18173351.post-40887423131274252992008-06-26T17:41:00.000+01:002008-06-26T17:41:00.000+01:00Hebrews 1In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the fo...Hebrews 1<BR/>In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, <BR/>and the heavens are the work of your hands. <BR/>They will perish, but you remain; <BR/>they will all wear out like a garment. <BR/>You will roll them up like a robe; <BR/>like a garment they will be changed. <BR/><BR/>The heavens and earth will be rolled up and discarded, in the way that clothes are changed. <BR/><BR/>The old clothes that have perished are thrown away, and replaced with new clothes. <BR/><BR/>The old clothes are rolled up and thrown away. <BR/><BR/>Wright is very good on explaining this 'clothing' metaphor, which many people up to now have failed to understand.Steven Carrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11983601793874190779noreply@blogger.com