“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (NIV)
Hyperbole? Discuss.
Shit, I can’t see anything to type anything to type anym
Mark, do keep an eye out for further posts on this week’s sex (and Christianity) theme.
It seems pretty clear (to me, anyway) that Jesus is referring to *other men’s wives*, not to any old woman.
Certainly, ‘anyone who looks at *his own wife* lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart’ doesn’t make much sense.
I do want to discuss this verse with you Richard.
and let me say I would have liked to have made substatial comments on most of the verses you have blogged, yet often have not done so simply because I have been too knackered to do so, or involved in other issues. sometimes it is better to say nothing at all when you cant say what you want to say properly. And when you are talking about the scriptures… to make an arguement sometimes can require chapter…even book size comments!
I will be back on this one shortly…. hopefully before the night is through.
Likewise, Tim.
This verse is a mixture of ‘Hyperbole’ (If you insist on hair-splitting) and literal truth and reality.
Ie It may not be literally true that our Eye or hand is evil and offensive… yet the non-literalness of this portion does not render the existence of hell mere hyperbole.
There are many ‘stumbling blocks’ in the scriptures which God puts there to test ones character…. Some are intentional ‘ambiguities’ …which the reader may ‘choose’ between two or more interpretations… thus revealing his heart motives and how knowledgeable he is in the Lord. Strictly speaking he may be able to argue for his preferred interpretation (the one that suits his subjective bias)… yet still he may be utterly wrong… his lack of faith and objectivity being thereby exposed!
Tim, do you agree that this
is hyperbole? Do you agree that it’s not to be taken literally?
(I have no problem with the doctrine of hell as such. It’s the doctrine of hell as eternal conscious torment that is antithetical to the notion of a loving and just God.)
I guess I do. It is Retorical… Yet it conveys an essential truth… that is to be saved… ie for the Jew to eneter Christs Kingdom was not merely a gift via faith but required works… strict personal piety in accord with the Laws of Moses., and other conditions He himself demanded.
Christ teaches that what defiles us springs from within us…from ‘our hearts’ which is ‘retorical’ for our inner incorporeal being (Not our brains!) … from whence Our evil thoughts and actions eminate (Mat chapter 15)
Richard says…
“(I have no problem with the doctrine of hell as such. It’s the doctrine of hell as eternal conscious torment that is antithetical to the notion of a loving and just God.)”
Yet you dont have a problem with God sending Christ to die on the cross?
I am afraid you cant simply deny unpleasant realities because they dont sit well with *Your sentiments* Richard.
God is not defined by your feelings.
Your type of reasoning completely rejects God as simply illistrated by the Bible and Reality.
You are like the atheist who thinks that the existance of evil in the world contradicts the Idea of a Good God.
I am sad to say that neither eternal torment as a reward for sin or the existance of Evil in the world are incompatible with a good and loving God.
I dont like either of these realities yet reality is not subject to what I like. It is Objective.
Christ suffered a few hours of conscious torment on the cross. Not an eternity. And, in so doing, he paid the penalty for the sins of the entire world.
Tim, please disabuse yourself of the notion that I deny unpleasant unrealities because the idea of them doesn’t sit well with my sentiments. I deny the doctrine of hell as ECT because it is irrational. Not to mention, blasphemous and unbiblical!
Well, Tim, intellectual honesty is the best policy, and intellectual honesty mandates that I tell you that the problem of evil does, indeed, mean that God cannot be simultaneously all-loving, all-knowing and all-powerful. I studied all the apologists’ theodicies. All fail. (Where does it say in the Bible that God is omnipotent, anyway?)
Tim, this post was supposed to be about calendar girls.
Re Calander Girls in this Dispensation of Gods grace…
As Christs Death on the Cross set us *free from the Law*, and because Pauls Gospel to us gentiles is a completely different program from Christs kingdom ministry we are not under this injuction of Christ whatsoever. It was to Jews under the Law awaiting the Promised Kingdom of David… Nothing to do with us!
Hence…. http://blog.eternalvigilance.me/2012/06/there-is-a-god/
I put up these sorts of Blogposts to explode the common myth that many lost souls have that Christianity demands its faithful to embrace a prudish world view… and so they want nothing to do with it.
They think they must become phonies, pretend to hate Rock music etc…
My testimony is Christianity Demands no such Facade.
http://blog.eternalvigilance.me/2012/06/jimi-vs-jesus/
Ah, Tim! Now we get to the bottom of why you’re a Dispensationalist!! 😉
Almost didn’t recognise you, dressed in the pink pony suit.
Richard says…
“I tell you that the problem of evil does, indeed, mean that God cannot be simultaneously all-loving, all-knowing and all-powerful. I studied all the apologists’ theodicies. All fail.”
All Fail you say Richard?
Does the explaination given in the Bible itself fail?
That is 100% right Richard.
If you are saying that the Gospel of grace appeals to *my bents*…You better believe it!
What is amazing is that God offered such an amazing unconditional gift!
I make no pretensious claim to be so virtuous as to be able to live under the Law of Moses.
(Nobody could! The Law was written to expose our sin nature and need of Christ. Even the Jews needed the system of sacrifices to cover their transgressions… Moses himself was not deemed righteous enough to enter the promised land!)
I am one of the Hapless sinful and rebellious wretches for whom Christ died.
By God’s love, grace, and mercy I have been given redemption simply because I know I need it and have had the audacity to ask for it.
This is such a wonderful Liberty… and The God of scripture is such a wonderfully forgiving God of grace that I happily dedicate my whole life to his service and to propagating *the Good News!*
May my last breath be praising The Lord.
My God is Wonderful!
He is the Perfect Being to be emulated.
I pity those lost souls who don’t know him… who misunderstand him… who think he’s a monster!
They are Blind indeed.
“Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved” Romans 10vs13.
The Christian Walk is completely different to the Jewish religion.
Theirs was a Nationalistic/ legalistic system. Ours is an individulalist spiritual relationship.
Paul likens us unto the Relationship Abraham had with God… *before circumcision*… before the Law of Moses… The scripture says Abraham *believed God*… and it was counted unto him for righteousness…. Gen 15vs 6, (Read Romans 4)
Pauls writings are absolutely filled with explainations that we are free from the law. The whole book of Galatians was written to correct christians whom were fallen back under the Law Pauls gospel is called the gospel of the *uncurcumcision* and is to be distinguished from the gospel preached by peter Gal2vs7 .
If you dont understand this essential difference between Jewish Law and The gospel of Gods grace… you are absolutely blind to what Christianity under our Apostle Paul is all about. Sadly The Church of Today is in utter confusion, mixing Old testament Law with christ Kingdom gospel… and bastardizing St Pauls Gospel of grace… all together.
That is why so many christians are persecuting legalists and not tollerant Libertaians.
What explanation(s) are you referring to, Tim?
Richard, I am putting together a reply.
And it is multi faceted.
Cool!
http://blog.eternalvigilance.me/2012/06/how-can-a-good-god-exist-when-there-is-so-much-evil-in-the-world-part1/