Comment by Jim Rose on 7th mo. 31, 2011 at 2:25pm

Stuart,

 

An interesting approach.  But I am more comfortable with the view that people change. In particular my understanding of the Divine evolves, and the recorded history is a history of an evolving understanding of the Light.

Comment by James C Schultz on 8th mo. 2, 2011 at 10:21am

 

It helps me to think of our relationship with God as changing as our ability to act unselfishly has increased through the years.  In the beginning our ancestors had to focus on survival.  God had to deal with them where they were at.  In Hebrews Paul writes at Heb 3:3  For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses--as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

Heb 3:4  (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)
Heb 3:5  Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,
Heb 3:6  but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

And John writes in Chapter 15 at verse 15: "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. "

I believe this shows us how our relationship with God has changed.  Because that relationship has changed God treats us differently just as we treat our employees differently than we do our friends and it's our ability to be friends that has changed.  In Genesis Adam and Eve were not God's friends.  Eve didn't tell Him what the Serpent said.  She only thought of herself and Adam did the same.  That's not the basis of friendship.  What Jesus did as a man forms the basis of friendship and we get the benefit of that just as we got the penalty of Adam and Eve's selfishness  (1 Corinthians 15:49 just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven). and

Rom 5:16  And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 

May God continue to change the two of us.

2Co 3:18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Comment by Nick Block on 8th mo. 15, 2011 at 3:56pm

Two stories in Matthew 15, about which Barbara Lundblad says 'Jesus was converted that day to a larger vision of the common wealth of God." and the first few verses of Isaiah 56, of which Fred Gaiser says is the "only case in the Old Testament where one divine word of scripture outright abrogates another..." (overturning Levitical and Deuteronomical limitations on priesthood and worship) --not to mention where the scriptures say that "God repented of..." strongly suggests to me that God changes, that different situations require openness to redirections, and that we need to sit pretty loose to what we've been told or what we've determined is to always be the case.   In the Old and New Testament readings - the situation is similar - the establishment like things the way they are (i.e. Pharisees grumbling over Jesus' apparent disregard for ceremonial purity and the disciples -and Jesus not wanting to deal with the alien) on one hand and the Ezra/Nehemiah priestly caste restoring a code of exclusivity based on their holiness code.  In both instances - God changes the ground rules and embraces inclusivity and grace.  I love it.   And, if Jesus can change, maybe I can too.

Can their be a surprising new word that opens us to new an ever re-newing creation?

Nick 

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