7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, meaning king of peace, 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies:
You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek. 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:
The Lord has sworn And will not relent, You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek), 22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the peoples, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
Why does anyone think this sort of thing is beneficial to Christianity? Christ did not send us to thrust a pamplet into someone's hand. We are called by our example to demonstrate the love of God
Why does anyone think this sort of thing is beneficial to Christianity? Christ did not send us to thrust a pamplet into someone's hand. We are called by our example to demonstrate the love of God
Mr.Chick can stick his kindergartin cartoons up his ass.
He'll have to do it in Heaven now. Mr. Chick has gone to his Eternal Home.
I went to Sunday school briefly in my youth. It was the most repulsive and morbid system of guilt inducing mmythological propganda imaginable.
I was beat over the head constantly how Jesus died for my sins and that I should feel guilty about it. I wouldn't even be born yet for close to 2,000 thousand years. Yet I was somehow guilty...
Interesting perspective. I felt pretty much the same way; I wondered why *I* was being indicted for a "sin" *I* hadn't committed...
....Until something clicked, the light-bulb went off, and I fully understood the context. I believe I was about age 21.
As to "mythical," the word is defined either as:
1) "Allegorical" 2) "False or fictitious" an "over-exaggeration" 3) "Traditional historical story which explaining a natural or social phenomenon."
The Bible has been proven to cite actual and factual historical people, places, events, AND date accurately -- WITH corroborative evidence and eyewitnesses.
IF one dismisses the Bible as a source of "history," you may as well dismiss most or ALL sources of "history" for the last 2000 or more years.
Oddly, one could make the case that there is MORE corroborative, true Biblical evidence of events presented and preserved...than by our contemporary Media (which indeed report lies and "myth.")
I like the bird on the bench's reaction to the kid's practice-preaching (which mirrors gramps.)
That's a doll. All of those dolls look psychotic. Or maybe the artist wasn't good at drawing toys. What boy (or girl) would have toys like that? Well, unless their parents hated them.
Why does anyone think this sort of thing is beneficial to Christianity? Christ did not send us to thrust a pamplet into someone's hand. We are called by our example to demonstrate the love of God
Why can't we do both?
Amen.
I would submit that ANY way The Word of God and Gospel message can somehow find its way to someone is a beneficial thing. After all, wouldn't you try and save someone who is not aware that they are about to walk off the edge of a cliff?
I was beat over the head constantly how Jesus died for my sins and that I should feel guilty about it. I wouldn't even be born yet for close to 2,000 thousand years. Yet I was somehow guilty...
Interesting perspective. I felt pretty much the same way; I wondered why *I* was being indicted for a "sin" *I* hadn't committed...
....Until something clicked, the light-bulb went off, and I fully understood the context. I believe I was about age 21.
You should have stayed with it instead of letting the superstition obsessed bastards wear you down.
You should have stayed with it instead of letting the superstition obsessed bastards wear you down.
How can one be "worn down" by The Truth?
You know Robert -- it's often taken many a Believer several years to sort through obstructions, barriers, half-truths, and propaganda to finally reveal The Truth. Our biggest obstruction to truths are often our own obstinate ego.
It's similar to a young person sorting out whether it's the Dems or Republicans who actually represent freedom, America's best interests, or the US Constitution. Many people have discovered late in life that they'd been deceived by the Democrat Party and Leftist Media -- especially in recent years.
Back to our discussion -- it's been the Deniers and Detractors of historically proven corroborated scriptural facts and testimony who have been "worn down"...by a steady torrent of lies and ignorance; The victims, their faith and logic held captive and removed via "Stockholm Syndrome" re-programming.
This technique of gaslighting Bible truths, of actual history and of people with un-developed faith is very similar to that used by Democrats/Marxists on HS or college-age kids. The Leftist Media brainwashes them or the uninitiated in much the same manner.
We both know those agenda-driven institutions frame, manipulate, and falsify the data in order to take full advantage of their prey -- a Captive Audience. Many never recover.
Many of the weak-minded and indifferent to the truth are never able to shake their indoctrination, whether political or in the realm of faith. Only the strong, the informed, or those committed to The Truth break free. Better late than never.
Many of the weak-minded and indifferent to the truth are never able to shake their indoctrination, whether political or in the realm of faith.
Really? So explain how Jesus was born. Hint: according to Christian doctrine, he was not born of the flesh like all others. While you are at it ... he died in the flesh, crucified on a cross. Explain why God required this unnatural occurrence to convince you to abandon reason of and about the world around yourself.
Only the strong, the informed, or those committed to The Truth break free. Better late than never.
Hint: according to Christian doctrine, he was not born of the flesh like all others. While you are at it ... he died in the flesh, crucified on a cross.
Uh, yes, Jesus WAS born "of the flesh." He was a Man. God in the flesh. And THAT is exactly what the Bible teaches.
Only the strong, the informed, or those committed to The Truth break free. Better late than never.
So...you only believe only in the "reality" of something your physical senses can see, touch, hear, etc? NOTHING beyond?
Wouldn't that necessarily discount the existence of God or a Creator?
If there exists just a single instance of supernatural event, a miracle, or metaphysical entities (Ghosts, Demons, ESP, Divining, etc), it blows up the entire "Physical Realm Only" theory.
Where is there any supportive objective evidence of the questions I placed in my earlier post? It is all dogma, superstition, gossip and hearsay.
"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty."
As long as the boy is ministering the word of Jesus, is he not a priest through Jesus' priesthood?
How could Jack Chick possibly disagree with me (until he found out I was a Catholic anyway)?
Peter said we are all part of a royal priesthood:
1 Peter 2 New King James Version (NKJV)
2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame. 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone, 8 and
A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
While you are at it ... he died in the flesh, crucified on a cross. Explain why God required this unnatural occurrence to convince you to abandon reason of and about the world around yourself.
Jesus came to die
#10) To destroy hostility between races
The suspicion, prejudice, and demeaning attitudes between Jews and non-Jews in Bible times were as serious as the racial, ethnic, and national hostilities today. Jesus died to create a whole new way for races to be reconciled: he has broken down the dividing wall of hostility making peace through the cross (Ephesians 2:14-16).
It is impossible to build lasting unity among races by saying that all religions can come together as equally valid. God sent his Son into the world as the only means of saving sinners and reconciling races. Only as the races find this reconciliation will they love and enjoy each other.
#9) To give marriage its deepest meaning
Gods design was never for marriages to be miserable, yet many are. Thats what sin does it makes us treat each other badly. Jesus died to change that. He knew that his suffering would make the deepest meaning of marriage plain. Thats why the Bible says, Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).
Gods design for marriage is for a husband to love his wife the way Christ loves his people, and for the wife to respond the way Christs people should. This kind of love is possible because Christ died for both husband and wife.
#8) To absorb the wrath of God
Gods law demanded, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might (Deuteronomy 6:5). But we have all loved other things more. This is what sin isdishonoring God by preferring other things over him, and acting on those preferences.
The seriousness of an insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted. Since our sin is against the Ruler of the Universe, the wages of [our] sin is death (Romans 6:23). Not to punish it would be unjust. So God sent his own Son, Jesus, to divert sins punishment from us to himself. God loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiationthe wrath-absorbing substitutefor our sins (1 John 4:10).
Then God publicly endorsed Christs accomplishment by raising him from the dead, proving the success of his suffering and death.
#7) So that we would escape the curse of the law
There was no escape from the curse of Gods law. It was just; we were guilty. There was only one way to be free: someone must pay the penalty. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).
The laws demands have been fulfilled by Christs perfect law-keeping, its penalty fully paid by his death. This is why the Bible teaches that getting right with God is not based on law-keeping: A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16). Our only hope is having the blood and righteousness of Christ credited to our account.
#6) To reconcile us to God
The reconciliation that needs to happen between man and God goes both ways. Gods first act in reconciling us to himself was to remove the obstacle that separated him from usthe guilt of our sin. He took the steps we could not take to remove his own judgment by sending Jesus to suffer in our place: While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son (Romans 5:10). Reconciliation from our side is simply to receive what God has already done, the way we receive an infinitely valuable gift.
#5) To show Gods love for sinners
The measure of Gods love is shown by the degree of his sacrifice in saving us from the penalty of our sins: he gave his only Son (John 3:16). When we add the horrific crucifixion that Christ endured, it becomes clear that the sacrifice the Father and the Son made to save us was indescribably great!
The measure of his love increases still more when we consider the degree of our unworthiness. God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it.
#4) To show Jesus own love for us
The death of Christ is also the supreme expression that he loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). It is my sin that cuts me off from God. All I can do is plead for mercy.
I see Christ suffering and dying to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). And I ask, am I among the many? And I hear the answer, Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus paid the highest price possible to give mepersonallythe greatest gift possible.
#3) To take away our condemnation
The great conclusion to the suffering and death of Christ is this: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). To be in Christ means to be in relationship to him by faith. Christ becomes our punishment (which we dont have to bear) and our worth before God (which we cannot earn).
The death of Christ secures freedom from condemnation for those who believe that Christ has served their death sentence. It is as sure that they cannot be condemned as it is sure that Christ died!
#2) To bring us to God
Gospel means good news, and it all ends in one thing: God himself. The gospel is the good news that at the cost of his Sons life, God has done everything necessary to captivate us with what will make us eternally and ever-increasingly happynamely, himself. Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).
#1) To give eternal life to all who believe on Him
Jesus made it plain that rejecting the eternal life he offered would result in the misery of eternity in hell: Whoever does not believe is condemned already....the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:18, 36).
But for those who trust Christ, the best is yet to come. No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). We will see the all-satisfying glory of God. This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).
For all these reasons and more, Christ suffered and died. Why would you not embrace him as your Savior from sin and judgment, and live with God eternally?
If you are moved to embrace Gods Son in this way, tell God in words like these:
Dear God, Im convinced that Jesus suffered and died for my sins. I gratefully trust in him now as my Lord and my precious Treasure and the only way Ill ever receive your forgiveness and your promise of eternal life. Amen.