Comments for Kingdom Theories http://kingdomtheories.wordpress.com Examining our presuppositions of life, power, and freedom. Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:48:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Core values? by Bill McLean http://kingdomtheories.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/core-values/#comment-5 Bill McLean Mon, 01 Oct 2007 07:00:23 +0000 http://kingdomtheories.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/core-values/#comment-5 In the story of the Rich Man, I think it is important to look deeply into the dilemma this man found himself in and ask what exactly this dilemma implies. It seems to me that there are two important questions to be answered in order to appreciate this lesson: First, why would Jesus ask this man to do give away everything he had? Second, why did this man find it so difficult to comply with this task? In my opinion, Jesus asked this man to give away all he had in order to determine whether his obedience to the commandments was due to external reasons or due to a genuine love of God. I think the reason this man felt himself unable to part with his wealth was due to his belief that happiness could only be found through material possessions. If that was the case, then even his "keeping of the commandments" could be counted among his "possessions," so to speak, something to boast about to others. He failed to understand that eternal life comes from a rebirth of spirit, a complete change of heart, something that cannot be lost and can never be destroyed, unlike material things. In this sense, it is not just the "rich" who have difficulty entering into the Kingdom of Heaven, but all of us who seek salvation through anything other than a direct and genuine relationship with the Source of our being. Conversely, if we first have an ongoing, unfaltering relationship with our Creator, then we can be rich, poor or anything in between and it won't matter because God is our only love and everything else we can pick up or put down without feeling any "need" for it. In the story of the Rich Man, I think it is important to look deeply into the dilemma this man found himself in and ask what exactly this dilemma implies. It seems to me that there are two important questions to be answered in order to appreciate this lesson:

First, why would Jesus ask this man to do give away everything he had?

Second, why did this man find it so difficult to comply with this task?

In my opinion, Jesus asked this man to give away all he had in order to determine whether his obedience to the commandments was due to external reasons or due to a genuine love of God.

I think the reason this man felt himself unable to part with his wealth was due to his belief that happiness could only be found through material possessions. If that was the case, then even his “keeping of the commandments” could be counted among his “possessions,” so to speak, something to boast about to others. He failed to understand that eternal life comes from a rebirth of spirit, a complete change of heart, something that cannot be lost and can never be destroyed, unlike material things.

In this sense, it is not just the “rich” who have difficulty entering into the Kingdom of Heaven, but all of us who seek salvation through anything other than a direct and genuine relationship with the Source of our being.

Conversely, if we first have an ongoing, unfaltering relationship with our Creator, then we can be rich, poor or anything in between and it won’t matter because God is our only love and everything else we can pick up or put down without feeling any “need” for it.

]]> Comment on Core values? by Noah Braymen http://kingdomtheories.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/core-values/#comment-3 Noah Braymen Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:36:20 +0000 http://kingdomtheories.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/core-values/#comment-3 Good thoughts! Any thoughts on a practical application of the passage? How do we sell all we own give to the poor and follow Jesus? What does this look like? Regarding tithing it seems that the actual greek word ἀποδεκατόω (according to the NAS Greek lexicon) can mean, "...to exact receive a tenth from anyone." Or in Hebrew a, "tenth of the produce of the earth consecrated and set apart for special purposes." In the New Testament we see that the Christian really should be willing to give all according to the Rich Young ruler episode, not to mention the concept of laying up treasures in heaven (Matt 6:19-20), the cheerful giver concept (1 Cor 9:6-14), and the parable of the good samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Not to mention imitating the example of Jesus (Phil 2:5-8), whatever is good (3 John 1:11), the Apostles (1 Thess 3:7-9), and the saints that have gone before us (Heb 13:7). Good stuff! Keep it comin' ;) In Christ, Noah Good thoughts! Any thoughts on a practical application of the passage? How do we sell all we own give to the poor and follow Jesus? What does this look like?

Regarding tithing it seems that the actual greek word ἀποδεκατόω (according to the NAS Greek lexicon) can mean, “…to exact receive a tenth from anyone.” Or in Hebrew a, “tenth of the produce of the earth consecrated and set apart for special purposes.” In the New Testament we see that the Christian really should be willing to give all according to the Rich Young ruler episode, not to mention the concept of laying up treasures in heaven (Matt 6:19-20), the cheerful giver concept (1 Cor 9:6-14), and the parable of the good samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Not to mention imitating the example of Jesus (Phil 2:5-8), whatever is good (3 John 1:11), the Apostles (1 Thess 3:7-9), and the saints that have gone before us (Heb 13:7).

Good stuff! Keep it comin’ ;)

In Christ,
Noah

]]> Comment on Core values? by manda http://kingdomtheories.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/core-values/#comment-2 manda Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:51:41 +0000 http://kingdomtheories.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/core-values/#comment-2 This post is an interesting thing for me to think about while I'm spending time in Africa in one of the poorer countries of the world. What I have seen that amazes me here is that people share EVERYTHING. You can walk into any house in this country (without even knocking) and ask to share a meal, and no matter how much or how little the family has, they will give you an equal part. Imagine the difference such a simple kindergarten moral such as SHARING would make in the states? With that being said, the idea of tithing is stressing to many American people who do not know how to share. Asking to give 10% is really not much, considering how much we spend on material things and how much we waste. One of the real passages that should be taken into consideration here is that of the woman who gives the only pennies she has (sorry I don't know what verses that is)! I encourage everyone to regard tithing as an opportunity to share what you have rather than something that has to be done. And let's get rid of words like rich and poor, because we are all rich in God's love! This post is an interesting thing for me to think about while I’m spending time in Africa in one of the poorer countries of the world. What I have seen that amazes me here is that people share EVERYTHING. You can walk into any house in this country (without even knocking) and ask to share a meal, and no matter how much or how little the family has, they will give you an equal part. Imagine the difference such a simple kindergarten moral such as SHARING would make in the states? With that being said, the idea of tithing is stressing to many American people who do not know how to share. Asking to give 10% is really not much, considering how much we spend on material things and how much we waste. One of the real passages that should be taken into consideration here is that of the woman who gives the only pennies she has (sorry I don’t know what verses that is)! I encourage everyone to regard tithing as an opportunity to share what you have rather than something that has to be done. And let’s get rid of words like rich and poor, because we are all rich in God’s love!

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