Yeah, that was deep, ok.
(Look down at your pinky finger .. now wiggle it .. now tell me how you did that ? Somehow a thought was transformed into physical reality..
By sheer "force of will" you made this thing happen. Similar to how the universe was created by a thought but different.)
so I have one verse or 2 they are a continual thought:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(By sheer "force of will" you made this thing happen.)
In the Beginning God "SAID", let there be light. Light/energy/source/Life.
That is just lovely that you made the connection .. and Christianity is about to get a whole lot more fun .. and make a whole lot more sense having made this distinction. Sometimes we need to listen to the Universe .. as God is trying to tell us something ..
and what when this coincidence - happens to be with Scripture .. Perhaps this is God screaming at you .. :) as in "What part of X did you not understand"
You will notice - and much to the chagrin of some - that my focus in scripture - w/r to salvation is primarily on Mark/Matt - which gives a works based salvation formulation ..not saying faith is not also a component .. but it is not "Faith Alone" and works are definitely a component .. assuming one knows what works means. I am a staunchly anti Sola Fide .. despite being raised on a steady and heaping diet of Lutheranism :)
Consider Matt 7:12 and Matt 7:21 nice coincidence that the number is the mirror of the other. The latter begs the question "what is the Will of the Father" .. the former answers that question in one sentence.
Rabbi Hillel - 100BC to 10 AD - Teacher of Jesus - in answering a challenge to sum up the whole Torah in one sentence answers.
Don't do to others what you hate - the rest is all commentary - now go and learn.
Jesus Matt 7:12 Do unto others (aka The Golden Rule)
"This Sums up the Law and the Prophets" --- what ? Do you need more emphasis to get your attention ? .. something bigger than "Summing up the entire Law ..and all the Prophets" ... do tell me what this could possibly be - and what one would need to to get one's attention if this is not enough ?
Would you like to now argue that this is NOT - the will of the Father ? .. (I am not talking you specifically of course) .. You would be surprised how many do ... desperately running to Paul or Some author engaging in Pious Fraud/Psudepigrapha .. writing under Paul's name in 150 BC .. or the OT .. or some other part of scripture .. desperately trying to avoid the Sermon in which this statement is made.
So what does Matt 7:21 say ?
"not all who call lord lord get through the pearly gates" - "Only the one who does the will of my Father who art in Heaven" .. while I am sloughing it out down here with you smoes. :) once again affirming a Trinity distinction.
To Filioque or not to Filioque .. The Son doeth proceed from the Father .. out of the Godhead.
The Filioque Clause
What does James 2 say - "If you obey the Royal Law - you are doing right"
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right .....
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Hmmm this is starting to get repetitive .. perhaps I should pay attention now..
But wait .. what about beloved Brother Paul .. who always argues with James.. Well .. Well .. What do we have here ? .. In a rare bout of agreement .. Galatians 5:
14 The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.
Are you hearing the universe calling yet ? .. wait .. let us not restrict ourselves to the Bible .. what about the rest of the Universe - Hammurabi's Law code - claimed to be handed down by God, Leviticus, Buddha, Confucius, and even Muhammad .. all stressed this rule. The US Declaration of Independence .. Founded on this round via the "Social Contract" - and the founding principles therein ..
Unfortunately - much of Christianity does not stress this rule .. mentioned here an there in passing .. but not the deep deep implications that underlie this simple truth.
Christianity made simple :)
What is the ultimate "Will" of God?
What was the purpose for creating anything?
The ultimate will of God is to follow the Golden Rule - if you want the simple answer - at least with respect to Humans on Earth .. Perhaps he has a different purpose for some his other experiments on other planets .. other vacation destinations .. advancing on our way perhaps towards higher Truths. Perhaps if you do right during your time here .. you open up new levels - or win special items like the the occasional glimpse of your past life .. while still maintaining the rule that you will not actually remember your past life while on vacation.
Two things which will cause your brain pain 1) intellectualizing living forever 2) what you just asked .. for similar reasons to 1).
God has always been .. existence has always been .. it can be no other way - existence is eternal.
I've had this nagging question for years..
Before God said, Let there be Light....and God saw the light that it was good.
What did God see before he saw the light?
God was dreaming of belly dancers and waves on the beach. In the beginning was the will - and from that will all the universe was manifested. You have the will of God ..and the Word of God .. and these are different things.
An alternate explanation might be that at one point - the universe was not aware of its own existence - and then one day - assumed a configuration whereby it gained knowledge of itself .. just like you and me .. but on a grander scale.
Then came the word - who proceeded from the Father - "The Logos" - the emissary between Man and God .. distinct from The Father .. as is the Holy Spirit who also proceeds from the father (and not the son as per Filioque)
The Logos is "the Word" The word of God made flesh .. The Logos spoke the word of God through the Holy Spirit that dwelt within him. Jesus is then distinct from and subordinate to the Father .. but united in Spirit. 3 distinct personages .. united in spirit.
