GOD IS GOD, NOT ME? — A SEQUEL

GOD IS GOD, NOT ME? is a post about humility. In that post I criticized people who don’t read the Bible and believe it, especially those who deny the existence of God. That upset someone who calls himself a Christian.

Sorry to say tom, as for humility… you don’t seem to exhibit any, much less the Humility given as a gift of God’s holy spirit.

Barabbas Me
November 8, 2022 at 9:06 am

Is Barabbas Me a Christian? I don’t know, and I don’t see any reason I have to issue a verdict. Is Barabbas Me humble? I don’t know, and I don’t see any reason I have to issue a verdict. Is Barabbas Me wrong in his doctrine? I think he is.

Why did I write GOD IS GOD, NOT ME? We cannot let those who want to suppress Christianity speak and act without opposition.

• Jesus commanded us to spread the Gospel to non-Christians.
• We have an obligation to instruct our children in Biblical doctrine.
• For the sake of our family, friends, neighbors, and countrymen, we must protect our right to practice our Christian beliefs.The Secularists in this country clearly want to push Christians out of the public square and into closets.

Romans 1:18-32 explains what happens when people cease to believe in the One True God. If we don’t want that for ourselves, our families, our friends, our neighbors, and our countrymen, we must speak out. Unfortunately, when we speak out, and we point to the Bible, and we ask people to read it and seriously consider the fact that the Bible is the Word, even some of those who call themselves Christians get upset and angry. Why? Depends upon the Christian.

How important is it for us to hear the Word of God? Why did Jesus use this refrain, “the one who has ears, let him hear”?

Consider why Jesus spoke in parables.

Matthew 13:10-17 New American Standard Bible



¹⁰ And the disciples came up and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. ¹² For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘You shall keep on listening, but shall not understand;
And you shall keep on looking, but shall not perceive;
¹⁵ For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their heart, and return,
And I would heal them.’

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Were the parables designed to conceal Jesus’ message? Jesus says that they were. Nevertheless, Jesus explained His parables to those who asked. So, how did the concealment work? When they did not understand, why didn’t people who saw Jesus performing miracles ask for an explanation? Why didn’t all the Pharisees, for example, do what Nicodemus did and ask Jesus questions with an honest desire to understand?

When Jesus quoted Isaiah 6:8-10, he quoted what the Book of Isaiah predicted. God did not keep the people from trying to understand. So, why didn’t the people want to understand with their hearts? The answer is pride.

We want to believe we can save ourselves. The Jews believed their works would save them. Some of the Pharisees made a public display of their supposed virtues. Others, like the Sadducees, did not even believe in life after death. So, their status in this life was all that mattered to them.

We have not much changed. Our pride still stands between us and God. When the Bible calls upon us to submit in humility to God, we don’t want to surrender. Therefore, when understanding the Bible requires us to study it with humility, we find ourselves as confused by the Bible as the scribes and Pharisees were by Jesus.

So, what about me? Am I too full of myself? Probably. However, the Bible is quite clear that salvation of God, not man.

Here is a good example.

John 6:44 New American Standard Bible

⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

I do not read the Bible carefully because Tom is wonderful. I am just fortunate that God has been good to me