Thats a fairly solid wordly example. Thank you for posting that. Let's look at scripture as well. I suggest Romans 5-7. Basically, if you look at it from an objective view, you find that everything comes back to the glory of God.
My biblical reasoning is as follows - God made us in His image and thus we have some free will. If we choose to sin, God has foreknowledge of this, and as a result he will turn all results to His good and glory. Think about when a Christian sins. What happens? Redemption! GLORY TO GOD! We learn wisdom! GLORY TO GOD FOR THAT! We become and example for others! GLORY TO GOD FOR THAT!
When a non-Christian sins what happens? Theres a chance to find God! Thanks be to God for that! He tears that person down through guilt and shame! Amen to God for that! He adds to the testimony of a potential convert! Amen to that!
Remember God is timeless... He is outside our bounds. He knows all, see's all, and is all powerful. His will is done despite our sins, our plans, and our arrogance. Thats just one reason He is so amazing!
Praise be to God! Welcome to the family... on your way in the door please pick up a healthy stock pile of repentance as well as your dose of "being humble" and 2x's your alotment of AGAPHE LOVE :)
Agreed. The ACLJ is a good source for the protection of your rights to bear the Word. Remember also that the law is clear - You have the right to pray and express your religion as long as you are not forcing others to join or are outside reasonable disruption. Exercise this right! We are the salt of the Earth, the lamps to the feet of God... how else will those around us come to know our joy if we don't make it clear and apparent? For college level students, remember you have the right to equal and fair treatment as well. I suggest taking any upper level issues to an ONBUD or dean of a college. Professors can teach theory but they can't force you to accept what they have to say!
-Just a side note: ACLJ covered a case just the other day where a student got a failing grade because she refused to accept his policy that God could conceivably not exist. She got A's on every paper and every other test. In fact, people with lower grades passed because they choose to agree with him on the final test. The proffesor even told the class the only way to pass was to accept this argument! How perposterous!
That would be it SusQ. Thanks for the quick reply :)
As to Boaz character, I think, perhaps, your directing his love in the wrong direction. His love is for the Lord not for Ruth. The amazing thing about this story is it reflects exactly how we should be looking for our "balance mates" as I call them. It should be the sole act and will of God through the Holy Spirit. We aren't called to any level of emotional love. Remember when God told us to love one another he never said anything about being emotional about it. Eros, Nomos, ect. all those are words for love but what does it really mean? It means to trust and obey, to follow what is right in spite of what you desire, and for humbling giving of yourself... to sacrafice. By Jewish law Ruth was a woman ready to be redemed, in fact by many Jewish sects she would have been forced to remary. What we need to focus on in Ruth is the two absolutes that occur: 1) Faithfulness is rewarded - Ruth gets her blessing from God when she first chooses to follow the woman that had provided for her and second when she obeyed what that woman (Naiomi) instructed her to do. (2) Obeying the Lord (a.k.a. doing the right thing in this story) even when everyone else turns from it will also bring blessings - Boaz fulfilled the obligation to him by law when his friend would not. Thus he became the head of the line of David and thus of Christ.
Sometimes, we want to disect individual characters in the bible. Although I don't knock the practice, we also need to step back and see what the Holy Spirit is speaking to. This case, I dont think we can really speak much to the exact character of Ruth, Naomi, or Boaz appart from what the story says. (I know theres been tons of books with asumptions on the book of Ruth but how can we draw conclusions on such a small circumspect book?)
As a brother, I'm going to seriously challange you here. First off, Ill be honest, wheres the Love and Christ in this post? I see no scripture, no testimate to anything biblical, in fact Id say you tread on the boarder of herasy.
First off, so you know, the "10 commandments" is a post-crusifixtion term. They are properly called the "Ten Utterances" in the literal Hebrew translation. In them we are called to honor the day of rest. Now, before the advent of the Greeko-Roman calader there was no standard day. They cycled per every 7 periods according to their own calander. The advent of the standardized calander just allowed for a specific day to be picked. BUT THATS NOT IMPORANT. What is important is that God called us to rest IN HIM especially during one day a week. The resting in Him is whats important and not the actual day.
From here you make several statements that make me question how much you actually know about faith, biblical teaching, and truth.
-You suggest we find someone who shares the same "major issues". If your called by the Holy Spirit into a marriage Id sure hope they share the same faith... otherwise the relationship is not blessed by God in the first place.
-You state that if you dont share the same major backing that you will be forced to "compromise" thus putting God second in your life. The truth is there is only ONE TRUTH. If your not walking in the Truth then Gods already second in your life. To suggest otherwise is to admit to dualism and thus to not obey "Commandment" #1.
-You suggest then that vast difference will force you to "win" someone over. Over to what? To Christ? To the truth? If they don't alreay have either then shame on you for disobeying the Lord's desire for you not to be evenly yoked. Second, read all the great relationships in the bible... the truth is that the two people are polar opposites. They have to be! God's design for marriage is that we COMPLETE each other meaning one fills in for the others defficency. Thats why woman has to submit to man, to be his gentler nature and thats why man has to be the spiritual leader and treat his wife like the church. Men and woman as well as individuals are granted different gifts so that we can bring harmony in our unison. Difference is better.
-"When you meet someone, before getting serious with them make sure you agree on the big stuff. For example, to keep Sabbath or not to keep Sabbath, Holidays, Salvation, etc. And don't get nit picky about the little stuff, the gray areas that stir up strife. Remember, we are called to peace."
If your not serious from the get go because the Spirit moves you to that, your already sinning. Second, if your partner doesnt want to keep the Sabbath, they arnt trusting and obeying God and thus arn't walking in faith. Again, that puts you in an unevenly yoked relationship - thus your disobeying Gods commandment for us.
Finally, your right were called to peace but were also called to rebuke and to edify each other. Becareful where you tred, brother, your steps are bordering bad territory.
tlrkat be careful there. Your treading away from scripture now. Remember God is four things: Omniscience Omnipotence Omnipresence Omnibenevolence. His will is always done. Providence always occures. God knows everything about you from the moment time began till the end. You assume that He would "wish" something for us but it not be done. That would be a confliction with the nature of God. I think where your comming from is this postmodern ideal of equality. Remember God clearly says repeatedly that He will devour sinners. His wrath pours out on them. In fact, not to frighten any of you, but the nature of God isnt all Love. In fact WRATH is a huge thing for God. He will judge EVERYONE and take retribution for EVERY SIN. He loves us all, but dont for a second think that He has a desire that isnt fulfilled.
Although I'd agree with the fact we are not to judge, do not forget we are also creatures of dirt. We all fall short of the glory of God and we all fail. That being said, thank God for Grace to overcome that. Now, to address you wishing you had "judged" the last two men... let me say this. Appeal to the Holy Spirit and to your Father. He will never lead you astray nor will he abandond you. Remember He has no plans for ill but only for your benifit. If God wants you to be with someone He will move you through the Holy Spirit and, this is important, MAKE IT OBVIOUS by making sure the man passes scriptural tests for marriage.
Your asking a worldly question. You cant transcend to a discussion of the Spirit through worldly means. If you have to ask this question, I fear you have never met a true man of God. I say this because if you had, you would know that any man or woman of Christ bears the fruit of the Spirit to which the will of our Father is made known to us. If you have the Spirit one can only assume you do two of the things God asks of us: Trust and Obay. Thus, if God moved the Holy Spirit to put two people together, nothing wordly would interfear with that... not race nor looks nor wealth.
Becareful to how you seek Boaz. Remember, no where in Ruth is LOVE a factor in the relationship. Boaz is first loyal to God and second to the commandments of the Lord. He honors his commitment to his family by being a redemeer of a widow by Jewish law. Love and passion come AFTER the honoring of this commitment. If you want a Boaz in your life, stop seeking "love" as Americans view it. Seek to honor God first and obay the Holy Spirit. It alone will provide for you a mate SHOULD the Lord see it fit. Remember what Paul said, sometimes the unmarried are better of for they can better focus on God alone.
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Just because someone proclaims Christ is their savior doesn't mean they are one of His sheep. One of the BIGGEST mistakes an unwitty Christian in the US can make is to assume that the new evangelical movement of the last 50 years is both truth and biblically based... Salvation does not come from a single prayer... That would be work based grace which is completly rejected by scripture. No, if you want to find a real mate to become one flesh with you must first obay the Holy Spirit and second test the man on biblical basis. Only then will you know the will of our God.
