Getting to the Meat of the Issue

I was reading in Hebrews this morning and came across some verses in chapter 6, that many people including myself have read and heard many times, but as I read them today they challenged me in a brand new way. That is maybe one of the coolest things about the Bible, is you can read the same passage ten thousand times and still gain new insights from it. In Hebrews chapter 6:1-3, The writer of Hebrews continues a thought from the end of Chapter 5. He has just told them that they ought to be mature and teaching, ready for solid food, but instead they still need milk. He urges them and us to move past the elementary principles and lists: > WATER BAPTISM
> LAYING ON OF HANDS >RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD >JUDGEMENT OF THE DEAD. If you look at the issues that separate the different denominations, most of them come from beliefs on these issues. This raises the question to me, What are the weightier matters? What is it that we are to be progressing toward? I believe that the answer is our relationship with Christ. In the same way that Jesus criticized the pharisees for obeying the letter of the law but having their hearts far from him, we can make it all about believing the right things about our favorite pet issue, and totally miss the point of why we do those things in the first place. I am in no way suggesting that it is not important what you believe about those issues. I encourage everyone to study the bible and see God's answer to them and live accordingly, To work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. And move on grow closer to God each day, and do not let the fact that someone else interprets the scriptures on these issues differently then you, stop you from showing the love of our God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which we can only show if we are living each day in a relationship with him.

What can I say?

I think that all of us have been in situations where we were talking with someone who was going through some tough times in their life, maybe it was a failed relationship, the loss of a loved, or a whole host of other things that can get someone down. For me when I find myself in these situations, I always struggle with what I should say. I feel a need to say something that will encourage them, or provide a solution, but how do you comfort someone when there is no clear solution, or how do you know what to say if it is something you have never dealt with. I think 2 Corinthians 1: 3-7 provides encouragement to me. It reveals to me the simple fact that in those times, and any other times really, it's not about me, or my experiences, or even my solutions. It is about the one whom I must turn to when I struggle. It is about God, and Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort by which we ourselves are comforted by God." You see all that we can really do is point them to Christ, and pray with them, helping them bear their burden to throne of God. It is encouraging to me that this is the answer for all troubles, there are not any troubles to big for this to be the solution.

Does God Hate Satan?

A friend of mine posed this question to me last week, and I thought it would make for interesting discussion. So there it is please post your thoughts. I will of course post my thoughts as well. So in one word, NO. While it is clear through the scriptures that there are differences between humans and angels. No where does it mention Jesus' death on the cross covering the sins of angels. So in case you are wanting to ask would Satan be able to return to heaven if he repented? I think the answer to that is no, I do not believe that the angels who having seen and been in the presense of God and fell, are able to repent, and be reconciled. However, back to the original question, I believe that there is sufficient evidence to state that God hates the sin, but not the sinner. So while Satan is in opposition to God I would still argue that God, loves Satan, but because he is a just God, there cannot be sin in heaven, so Satan can not reside in heaven, because there is no evidence of a means for reconcillation, for angels in the bible I conclude, that while Satan is permanently banned from heaven, that God does not hate him.

I will add scripture references later. Just wanted to get the thoughts on screen for now.

Please post your thoughts and opinions on this.