“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s
indifference.” – Elie Wiesel
On Wednesday, I published some the words of
kindness and encouragement that readers have shown over the past ten months.
Below, please read the responses from the folks who do not appreciate my blog …
* * * *
its not a lie & if you were in a family
that had problems with self righteousness & puffed up in their own conceit
didnt you think maybe there day would come? you act as though they stone you to
death!! my grandmother left the church as did I, we both went back to church
& my grandmother with stood their prosecution..yes I agree within ones own
family generally speaking you do get persecuted much more severely! such was
the case with my grandmother, but she had unwavering faith in god till the day
she died, gods people are a persecuted people. without trials in life how on earth
do you make it to heaven? I as well live in a different state, kentucky to be
exact & I now wish I hadnt ever left.I was miss judged, treated bad..but
then again out of the church you dont have things much easier..Lifes tough no
matter where you are in this world & in some instances the things I see
many people endure is humbling to say the least & makes my own trials of
ones looking down on me pale in on Shunning
Susanne, I don't know where you are getting
all your knowledge, because you aren't old enough to know any this first hand!
and your parrents are a good source of info because they are not all that
bright, I know that! on Signs of the True
Believer
Where did you get this info. It seems like
it is less than accurate. Kinda like all your stories some truth some false
some lies. on The Calling of the
Prophets
You were not even born, how can you be so
wise? on Walter's Dream
You shouldn't speak for what other people
believe. Even though You were raised in the same church doesn't mean you know
what I believe. We were not raised "the same". You like to make
blanket statements about people you haven't talked to in 20 years. This is my
last post, the only reason I ever posted was to find out who Darren was, now I
know. I do wish Darren would have been more clear about who he was, If he is
interested in Oregon city then get should go there. He won't learn much about
them here. Oh I am sorry I forgot If it is online it must be true. on Guest Blogger: Darren
Russell
If you think you are causing confusion and
doubt in the church just remember,your not but.....who is the author of
confusion? your not alone in writing this,for your sake please be careful,for
your words you will be judged. on What Did He Die For?
Maybe when your done with the FOC you can
go after the Amish on What Did He Die For?
Oh is that like being a born again virgin?
Doesn't work that way on On The Mat
Better Get facts straight not stories but
facts. on The Rejected Preacher
JUDAS ISCARIOT THOUGHT HE WAS RIGHT ALSO on Seeking A Medical Opinion
Off topic??? that is why you cencored the
question??? I just know your type very well. what type you ask? The type of
person who blame the foc church members for there short comings. You never fit
in when you were a member because of your very loose morals. When people like
you leave you claim its for religon but in all reality its because your guilt
drove you out. you now try to justify your lifestyle by lashing out at the
church. Many examples are out there that prove my point one example you would
be quite familiar with is.... I will use some discretion with names, c s left
because of the state of the church like many others and shortly after leaving
cs cheated on his wife LS formerly LL and then left her after taking her out of
the foc church. If I'm not mistaken I belive you are family with CS.... if you
disagree with me that's fine but I knew you and people you messed around with
in the church and people that read this blog that are from the foc church need
very much to on Darren Russell: Why I
Choose Not To Use Physicians
Get ready for the attack! Suzanne and
Maggie attack like wild dogs when they are challenged. They like to dish it out
but they don't take it very well. Shumakers always think they are the smartest
person in the room. Take it all in stride, suzanne is hoping to gain fame and
fortune by writing a book about her former friends. She will probably delete
this comment because its "off topic" on Jerry Patton: Medicine
& Faith
Suzi, if you read the bible, women are not
to be teachers. Maggie you wear your religion as a publican. Leave these people
alone. No one is disecting your life, so stop doing theres. They know in their
heart they are right. Let them live their life and meet their maker on their
own. It also says in bible they will hate you without a cause. Sounds like all
of you... on Jerry Patton: Medicine
& Faith
Well I might not spell as good as most but
I can read. Wich is more than I can say for you (anon 905 pm). if you dont
think that people like suzzane and maggie are taking constant jabs at the foc than
you havn't read this whole blog! calling people outside the foc "True
Followers" is a direct shot at the foc. And what do you think suzi's point
is calling the foc a "sing along" or calling it "playing
church". come on you people are all full of bitterness and hate and try to
cover it up by puting the chapter and verse of a book of the bible in your
comments to try to look smart or something. to me you look like a bunch of self
righteous bitter people who love to blame everyone else for the lives you led
that pushed you out of the church. on Jerry Patton: Medicine
& Faith
Wow!!! You win. You posted the dumbest
thing yet. good job moron. on We Are Going to Hell
Good job Zuzi on another massive
generalization of a church that you, obviously know alot less about than you
realize. I know all you shumakers think you know everthing but you have missef
again. Susanne, have you thought that your generalized views on the foc church
and there beliefs about the church are possibly off base and that you and the
other ex-followers believe these things because thats what was told to them by
there own family. You have said many times that there was no preacher when you
were there so obviously you were being told all this from your parents. Mabey
the reason you and all you ex-follower contacts acctually left is because of
what was being taught to them in there house, not what was being taught in
other peoples houses. Like I said befor, I know you think you know everything
about us because you "poll" other ex members, but your jaded view on
us is just that, jaded. How can you what other people believe in thete hearts
or ate being told at home. I know that on We Are Going to Hell
Ex-followers are great revisionist's. on C.C. Smith: Divorce
Looks like you've gotten bored with your own blog. this seams like your just looking for anorher angle to start an argument. b.t.w. some of the coments you have reposted were directed at other posters not you suzi. After reposting all of these coments I think it's painfully obvious that you were never just trying to "tell your storie", you just wanted a platform (soap box) to run your big mouth about the foc church. You spent only part of your life at the foc church, but like so many other ex-followers you will spend the rest of your life rehashing it. I don't get it. Give it a rest!
ReplyDelete*Seems, *Story. Spell check much?
DeleteSuzy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for expressing YOUR feelings. What a brave and healing thing to do! Everyone's journey is different and my memories are from the time until I was 9...then how I was treated after I left! I have both good and bad memories and they are mine...not anyone else's to judge for me! I think it is ridiculous that someone would get on here and berate you for your feelings and writings!! And anonymously on top of it all! If they have such a "BIG MOUTH" say it with their name printed and be proud of who they are and their opinions!! Instead they choose to stay hidden like a coward! I find that worthy of judgment! I believe the FOC is filled with wonderful people....I also believe there are sneaky people who put on quite a good "ACT"!! I know several members who go to doctors and use medications....also have affairs and talk to "worldy" people! Its totally fine with me...but be true and real! Do not judge us "outsiders" when you are doing the same thing!!! I hope that one day, church or no church, that we can all become united and find peace in each other! Acceptance is the first step!! Good luck Suzy, and Thank you!!
Janae
First off, you find that worthy of judgement? Who are you to put your self on the same level as god? Because that is exactly what you have done by saying that. Secondly suzzane is the one who made up this blog for people to respond to her "feelings" publicly. I think that she loves all the negative coments, it's just more substance for her blog. Also I don't think suzi is the only woman on here with a big mouth. I do agree on one thing your memories are YOURS, but unlike you I don't care about other peoples memories I can live my own life without people like suzi filling my head full of there "memories". Maybe janae should start her own blog , I"m sure you have tons of insite like suzzane from your 9 years you whent to church there.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, when you talk about memories, you do realize that there isn't really an accurate record left by Walter White so all we have are people's hear say, sure there were a few messages slipped out, but just think about it... Just why do you suppose Mr. White didn't want to preserve his messages for future generations? That sure would get rid of a lot of confusion of what the man actually said, and obviously they had the recording equipment in 1958, but why not? Could it be that Mr. White knew that he would be exposed for what he really was about? That people would find fault with much of his teaching? I guess we can only really speculate, but think about this, if I told you something that wasn't true what would you call me? Well I hope you would call me a liar! So why is Mr. White spared? I mean after all the world didn't obviously end in 1973 did it? And what about what happened at the 40 year mark? Oh I remember a few men that were sure that something was coming "Walter's 40 year dream is getting close" they would say, well that's come and gone, so what now? Brothers and sisters I hope you take the word into consideration, "Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams," declares the Lord, "and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit," declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:32. Now read it in whatever translation you would like but take it into consideration.
DeleteAnonymous June 24, 2012 9:21 AM First of all Suzanne's writing are great, I can't figure out why you are so hostile. Why do you resort to name calling and belittling other people. And claiming they are passing judgement when you are doing the exact same thing. I am neither a follower or ex-follower, though I am friends of many. I may not agree with some of the things I have heard but it will be up to God to pass judgement. Since I'm posting I also want to give my opinion on doctors. And believe it or not, physicians are put here by our God. If you chose not to go to one, that is your choice but when you take it upon yourself to let the children of God die when they could be saved by the men and women that the Lord blessed to receive the knowledge and education to provide healing, that is so wrong. There are Christian doctors that say with out the help of the Lord it could not be done. You don't have to belong the foc to know that children have died or crippled because of someones ignorance. I have lost friends that went foc because of not getting the medical attention they need. It makes me sad. And I still can't believe the way you call people Big Mouths or know what the feeling or thinking. In Jesus name I pray for all. God's Blessings.
DeleteNo one recorded what Christ said either but I believe Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John's recall of the life of Christ. Don't you? Or do you have doubt because there is no audio recordings? Seems like a silly argument to me. With the tech of today Walter could have skyped his teaching or even tweeted about Christ, but I highly doubt that would have happened either. I don't think not utilizing modern tech makes you a false prophet
ReplyDeleteBut doesn't falsely prophesying make you a false prophet? Saying yes this will probably happen but if it doesn't believe me still? Yes we do have a record of what Christ taught, every good teacher leaves a record, for his flock!
DeleteOfcourse you would side step the issue that I was trying to address, he put the idea of the "fullness of the Gentiles" in all of your minds ceased to baptize people because he said that Jesus told him to do so, and when the world did not end guess who wasn't alive to further pervert your minds away from Jesus?
DeleteWhat 40 year dream are you talking about. I went to church for 38 years and I have never heard of this!!
ReplyDeleteThis 40 year dream was a widely known thing, I am surprised that you didn't hear of it, they basically believed that 40 years after his death they were going to receive a preacher or some grand thing would happen, it was almost as of they had the idea that they were the only Isrealites wandering for years and that God would reward them for staying true to that building.
DeleteYes, that is correct! My uncle told me 2 years ago that it was the 40th year and a preacher would come forward, but still no one has! I hope for their sake someone will!!
DeleteIt is not true, just opinion in a very small few,
DeleteI agree. As far as I konw, the forty year thing was completely made up. It's really not worth talking about unless you want to discuss why someone would fabricate and put hope into such a story, rather than the gospel message itself.
DeleteWow.....is it a requirement to be illiterate and incoherent to comment?
ReplyDeleteDear anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWow, such bitterness and hatred! I never once put myself on the same level as god? Obviously you cannot read, probably due to your 10th grade education! It's people like you are what makes the world see FOC as bad. I never once said that the FOC was bad, my family goes there and I still speak with some of them and I think they are wonderful people and would trust them with my life. I do however find that you are a coward!!! You are so self righteous, yet you hide under "Anonymous"! For such a person of knowledge of the FOC, it seems odd that you would be scared to show your identity! At least my family in the church would stand proud of their beliefs and use their own names! Like I said, I have my OWN experiences good and bad.....never did I say I knew it all! I have chosen to stop the game "telephone" and wait until a real preacher comes forth. Walter has been gone over 40 years...the only preaching you are all receiving is what your mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents remember. That is NOT what Uncle Walter wanted Im sure! You say that you dont care what others are doing, yet you have responded to this blog several times and obviously read it! Maybe you are questioning your own beliefs????? And trust me, I do have a big mouth and thank god its filled with knowledge, love and respect....unlike the hatred, loathing, and uneducated filth that has come out of your mouth! My god is a loving god, who teaches me to love and respect thy neighbor, what bible have you been reading out of lately??? And as far as the ex-members rehashing it all...that would probably because we were excommunicated the day we left and lost all of our entire families and friends! Why?? Because we dont worship in your building?? I believe everything the FOC believes for the most part and I can not see my family because I dont walk into the OCFOC building on sundays? How ignorant is that? I read the bible, I dont drink, dont smoke, dont do drugs, Im married to a wonderful man, I have 3 great kids.....hmmm I do go to doctors, oh wait so do most of you now!! So please tell me in your wise knowledge what I have done to loose my entire family??? I would never turn my back on my family for choosing not to enter a building of worship! Maybe before opening your BIG mouth you need to realize that we are hurting...missing our loved ones, and friends. Unlike you we are not judging, we are the ones being judged!!! You obviously do not read the bible! I will pray for you that you can find peace in your heart, and someday accept that the people who have left are just as good as you! You are no better! I will pray that love fills your heart as you are obviously filled with misery!!
Janae Lee.....NOT ANONYMOUS!!!!
Janae Lee, What a great reply, I replied to but not with such force and conviction. God's Blessings to you and I pray for all of you that have been kept from your families because you aren't entering what they consider to be the right building.
DeleteYou call that conviction. That was the most hate filled rant on this entire blog! Talk about judgemental and self righteous. For someone to rant like that and then call someone else judgemental is a joke! It obvoiusly hit home being called a big mouth. I bet your husbands skirt looks good on him. I quote "I find that worthy of judgement".... Your not worth comenting to again. Anyone who holds them self so high that they belive they know what God should judge has a lot of issues that can't be worked out here. Tell your husband good luck with you and your mouth.
DeleteWow...obviously you are a very insecure man! Im sure your wife is scared to death of you and has to ask permission to use the restroom! You are a pig and a coward!! Still anonymous I see....not surprised though! Usually people like you, have to hide behind fences, because they have no guts to make a stand in plain view!!
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day, you will walk alone. You will have to face your judgment. Not from me, or anyone else on this blog, but a higher power. I feel sorry for you! I will pray for you that it turns out well.
Of course you would respond in a manner as you did. You answered no questions of mine. You ranted about my big mouth instead of coming back at me with facts or knowledge. Thats typical of a small minded man though. Someone who claims to be the "better" of all people, but has no evidence or knowledge to back it up! I feel sorry for you because you are so small minded you are missing out on a whole world full of kindness and love!! Thats your problem!! I hope you have a wonderful life and feel free to rant to all of the FOC about this.....they probably all think your an idiot too!!!
Janae
Oh and P.S.......my husband looks amazing in his skirt!!!
Nice use of the word "idiot" and saying that you'll pray for someone in the same post. Just curious how many times have you been maried?
ReplyDeleteJMO - it seems like there are a lot of people who are afraid and I guess I would be too. To think that what you have believed in your whole life is not what you were told. It is sad though, as a non foc, I think this blog actually makes some things clearer and I actually feel kinder thoughts then I once did for those in the foc
ReplyDeleteWhen you read this blog, you can feel the tremendous pain and anguish associated with these topics from so many of you. The pain of losing everything you knew as normal when you left the church or the pain of not being able to share family gatherings all together because some are "in" and some are "out" of the church. It is sad that so much emphasis is on the church building instead of on the Bible itself. I pray for all the followers still in the church for God's blessings and wisdom and for all the ones who have left, for courage and strength to go forward and trust in God. Name calling does nothing but make you less than what God wants....I think this is actually therapeutic for some of you to be able to vent and let some steam off.
ReplyDeleteJanae, honey...I m writting to you as someone who loves you. Please don't get messed-up with these peole. They breed hate and anger. I know you love some that are out there, but this one you are speaking to would like to take away your happiness because that is what most of them do. They lost or you could say gave their happiness away a long time ago. I know there are other places where you can talk about where you came from and how you feel, but this place (blog) is not the place to do that. I can imagine that after you read what that snake had in response to you, that it bothered you the rest of the day.... Just leave them alone and be at peace because that building and most that are in there will only take away you peace. Wash your hand, wipe you feet of that place. Be thankful with all your heart that your mom freed you of that place, when you were young.
ReplyDeleteI have been reading this blog so that I could have a better understanding of those who belong to the OC FOC. I mostly feel sorry for them to be without leadership for so long. Makes an outsider wonder how much of Walter's beliefs are still being practiced if every family just does what their moms and pops told them. Since none of us know if Walter was a "true prophet" or someone that had his own ideas of how or what God wanted for his people. It isn't our place to judge but Gods alone.
ReplyDeleteThe one comment I would like to make is that GOD IS LOVE. The FOC comments that I have read makes it seem like they forget that.
But a person has to wonder... Since they aren't allowed to marry outside of the church, um well how long until you are your own grandpa? Lol it's already to the point were most everyone is related in one way or another, I worked with one guy who told me he didn't have a choice he had to marry his cousin... Ewwww! I think it was just about as close as you can legally get, haha! Hold on a minute when the Elders told you guys to be good ole boys that didn't mean marry your 3rd cousin, HAHA!
DeleteI use to work with anon7:36 and he likes little boys
DeleteHaha that sounded like something a kisser would say!
DeleteYour a liar. not uncommon for this blog though.
ReplyDeleteWhat was untruthful about what I said?
DeleteNo one told you that he had no choice but to marry his cousin. If he did he lied to you. You might be able to convince people who read this that your telling the truth, but thats only because people love to believe lies about people who are different than them. The same people who believe that kind of an attack probably believe that mormons worship salamanders or all have 5 wifes. I would hope people don't believe that you like little boys either. To the "kisser" coment, if you think that is offencive your wrong. I acctualy love when people use that word. It alows me to get a good idea of how truly stupid you are. I believe the older you are when you use that word the more likely it is that you will ask me "would you like fries with that?" For future refrance I like onion rings.
ReplyDeleteWell aren't you clever! Bravo to the the follower who thinks they know everything, the man told me himself because he was related to all of the girls that he had to marry his cousin, how am I lying? Don't be the stereotypical follower that says you are such a liar but can't provide evidence as to what I lie about, which of my attacks have been incorrect? Whenever I attack you people I make sure I have my basis covered as far as what the bible says, but do you guys ever have a good rebuttal? No! You just change the subject slightly! Prove me wrong!
DeleteSince much of the above commotion revolves around Walter White's prophecy, I'd like to throw out a few questions that keep rising up in my mind.
ReplyDeleteThe predictions he made that didn't come to pass seem to be numerous, which raises the question of why so many people stuck by him for so long. Was this because these people truly believed, or because they hated to admit that they backed a loser? I don't mean this is an insult, just honest questioning in the presence of circumstantial evidence.
Also, did it ever occur to anyone that as a prophet, he might have or should have received instruction as to what should be done in the aftermath of his death, who should take his place, when and where these things would be proven, and so on? Apparently he left little in the way of physical evidence of his ministry, and possibly even less by way of guidance and edification for his congregation, but if he was all that he claimed to be and all that people believed him to be, would he not have provided some allowances and provisions for the people he was charged by the gospels to love and serve? Or is this period of chaos and confusion meant to be some sort of tribute to him and the vision he had not for the church, but for himself? He is gone now, but if he's in heaven should he not be embarrassed by the state in which he left his church, and if he's elsewhere, would he not be amused? Again, I mean no insult or disrespect, and the question of his current whereabouts is unanswerable by any human, but his actions beg the question of whether or not he believed his own prophecies, his own authority. That he believed in wielding that authority and the weight of those prophecies is apparent, but what did he know of his own integrity, his own true nature? Did he know himself to be a mystic sent from God whose steps are untraceable to the common man, or did he know himself to be a con man, and cover his tracks.
Lastly, some of his prophecies failed in his own lifetime, and any pastor I've known who believed in the message he conveyed and held himself accountable to God would have had a major meltdown. Mr. White seems to have carried on with business as usual. Does that not seem strange to anyone but me?
Sincerely,
ReplyDeletePandyce McCluer
(I forgot that my name won't come up on my postings)
You know sometimes we are a bit hasty in the things we say, and in looking back at previous comments, we should probably just try and humble ourselves and realize that we are all flawed before God, and we will all have to face him, now to partly answer your question, I do not anticipate that the followers even question weather he was true to what he said or if that is even relevant, I was told that this is where he left us, so this is where we need to be, so obvious emphasis on his athority and absolutely no question of weather it lines up with scripture or not, I just hope that they think in light of what the scripture teaches rather than an example of Walter,
DeleteMay the Lord Jesus Christ bless all of you that are his, and grant you peace!
The scriptures say that Christians should test and prove all things, and that includes preachers and prophets, up to and including Walter White.
ReplyDeleteIt also says that we love and serve a loving and merciful God. He told Adam was that if the man ate of the tree of life, he would die. Eve, in her innocence, was fooled by the serpent, ate the fruit and gave some to her husband, who also ate. So why didn't God just kill them and start over?
I think the answer lies in the fact that Eve was deceived through her naive desire to be like God, purely and simply, and that her husband, knowing that the sentence of death would result, decided in his purest heart that he would rather die with Eve than live without her, and that God's heart was moved by this tenderness amid what could have been to Him no less than a crime scene in which all human innocence was martyred forever. Love and forgiveness are the roses in the thorn bush. In that moment of pain and disillusionment, God saw the face of His Son who was destined to die for his bride, the church, in the suffering of His children, and therein lies the salvation of all.
Over and over the bible refers to God as the Rock of Salvation, the God Who Saves, My Shield and My Fortress, and so on. Yes, his anger is terrible, his punishment severe, but we are talking about a father here, THE Father of all. Discipline is for the beloved of the father, not for people that he doesn't care about.
So the answer for the FOC, at least in some measure, is to accept the present state of things and have faith that all will be resolved in good time. If they determine that White was a snake oil salesman who pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, then their lost innocence will be avenged in due time. If, on the other hand, they persist in following his teachings, he will either be proven true to his word or he will be exposed over the due course of time, and the fact that the congregation had good intentions will be validated one way or another. Remember that "Abraham was a friend of God, and this was counted to him as faith".
I don't envy the FOC congregation at all. They are looking at either the possibility that White was a charlatan, with the disappointment and disillusionment that must be accompany the acceptance of such a concept, or they must continue on in faith as they have been doing and wait for the final outcome of it, which may not be for long time, and in the interim they are under close scrutiny and some have gone to prison for their beliefs, and possibly more will, also.
The splitting of a church is often extreme, and this is what you are seeing in action now. People are leaving or staying, no middle ground. Not a lukewarm Christian in the bunch that I can tell, and that says a lot. These are believers. They have invested not only this life but also the next in what they believe is true. Such an investment is an act of faith, blind or otherwise, being as the basic rule of thumb in this material world is to never risk investing what you can't afford to lose, and the gospels say that in order to gain your life, you first must lose it. High stakes, any way you look at it.
May the peace of Christ be with you, too, Anonymous, and with all of those who witness this event and the fate of the FOC church and of these people.
Pandyce
I do not envy them either! Sometimes we forget just how grand of a sacrifice was made for us, I was speaking with a rather confused young man that had just left the church and he was mixed up about a few things he was telling me about how one of his uncles had treated him, his justification for himself was how would you know that God hasn't forgiven me? This is very basic stuff, but we have to realize there is the meat of the word and the milk of the word and some people that say they are Christian aren't even getting milk, I do not envy them in the sense that their younger members cannot identify what the forgiveness of sins is or remission if you are partial to the KJV, in the book of Hebrews it tells us that without blood there is no forgiveness, and how exactly does a person contact this blood? Through baptism for the forgiveness of sins, what a great thing our Lord has done for us gave his own blood so that we can be made whole, my only hope is that the remnant will hear this message, the people as few as they may be, but as we know even if just one soul is converted what a great thing this is!
DeleteThere actually isn't anyting in the scriptures about contacting, or needing to contact the blood. Jesus completed the work of salvation. It is finished. The only way for people to be accounted as rightous is believing in Jesus.
DeleteSo how does a person get forgiveness of sins since there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood?
DeleteLet me say it a different way. Yes, it was Jesus’ blood that was shed that purchased salvation for all who will believe. He came to give his life as ransom sinners. Jesus paid the debt we could not pay. The only way a person can connect with why He came, and what He came to do is by becoming like a little child. Little children are completely dependent on someone else to meet their needs. They must put their trust in someone other than themselves because they are helpless.
DeleteAgain, it’s only by faith.
I would have to agree with that, but wouldn't a person kind of gather that it is at least important to get into contact with his blood from what we can read in the bible (not taking away from the believing and having faith part) but like we see in the 6th chapter of John verse 56 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." could that maybe work the other way around? Not trying to change the scripture or something, but isn't it important to partake of the Lord's supper so that you can abide in the vine?
ReplyDeleteAlthough there are similarities between John 6:53 and the Lord’s Supper, Jesus is not here speaking about the Lord’s Supper specifically. We can know this because verse 35 spells it out; Jesus says coming to him will remove hunger and thirst. He is using physical things to teach us about spiritual realities, as he does many times in this Gospel. Coming to Jesus is what satisfies spiritually. Eating his flesh along with drinking his blood has the spiritual meaning of believing in Jesus. His physical body experienced death for the sins of mankind, and atonement for sins was made by His blood being shed. We can only be satisfied and justified when trust in what Jesus has done.
DeleteIt is not through our own actions that we are saved. We must accept that it is a true and complete work that Christ has done, and through this - through our faith - all has been accomplished for us.
ReplyDeleteThis is the information that seems to have been missing in Walter White's teachings. Yes, we should live within the law. Yes, we should be examples to others. Yes, we should do good works, because the gospels tell us that faith without works is dead. But are these things a key to the doors of heaven?
No.
We must accept on faith the claim of John 3:16 and stand on our belief that God will fill in all the blanks, make us each more like Himself, send to us the lessons and the teachers we need when and where we need them. If we can believe God's claim that "before I knitted you in the womb, I knew you", then why is it so hard for us to believe that He has prepared a place for us, cleared a way for us to get there? Inevitably, this is the hardest part of faith, since Christians are like Daniel in the lion's den - a slip in faith and we might be eaten, but having faith under such conditions is like being told not to think about naked people, and all of a sudden your mind is filled with images, all of them showing a LOT of skin.
This is why I feel so much compassion for the FOC. They have diligently striven to do what they were told, what was expected of them, what they believed was right, and some of them have been jailed for it - but wait, didn't Christ warn of persecution? Didn't the apostles themselves end up in jail? Does this make us criminals or saints? And all of this laid over the grief they must feel over the loss of a child that they undoubtedly loved, or they would never have tried to do the right thing for that child, as they saw fit in the eyes of God as told by a prophet who died decades ago.
"Their sins and mistakes are no worse than our own!" says the crowd. "Let Barabas go!"
Why? Because Christ said, "A new commandment I give unto you: that ye love your neighbor as yourself".
Peace be with you all.
Pandyce