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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
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 Have you ever wondered why Jesus was resurrected with a physical body? Surely, if the kingdom is purely spiritual, way up there in the sky, a spiritual body would have been better, to show us what our own heavenly body would be like?
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| Greek (Western) |
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 In the Greek, the concept of God being interested in both our bodies and spirit is rejected.
We see God being only interested in the spiritual. We spiritualize Biblical prophecy eg. Inventing Replacement Theory, replacing the literal return of the Jews to Israel. (This became an initial, formal reality in 1948!)
We downgrade the physical to being bad; to be shunned or hidden, while the spiritual is elevated to the extreme.
The concept of the Holy Spirit coming to dwell in our physical bodies is a very difficult one for us to accept. (Today my body is wracked with diarrhoea, due to something I ate yesterday! I certainly find it difficult to understand that the Holy Spirit would want to live there! I don't want to today either! Can you see how we think?)
Continuing with the toilet humour, David Pawson relates how that mentions of a Jewish blessing for going to the toilet amuses Christian audiences – because of the Greek mindset that God is not interested in the proper working of our bodily functions, but a Jewish audience would not react because Jews see no separation between physical and spiritual. (Please may I think like a Jew, as today I have spent lots of time in there!)
Earth is bad, heaven is amazing. Lord rapture us (another false teaching in the escapist way it is taught) there quick!
Greek minds do not accept revelation; only reason. The Greek mind asks “Why must I do it?”
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| Eastern (Hebrew) |
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 In Hebrew thought, the interrelation of physical and spiritual is regarded as being natural.
Jesus explained it first.....
Luke 17:20-1
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 After the resurrection, the Jewish believers, while surprised to see Jesus, expected and accepted a bodily resurrection, for the kingdom of God is to rule both the spiritual and the natural. How could Jesus rule on earth if He only had a spiritual body? Jesus was seen, touched and ate fish.....
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Hebrew reliance is on God and His Torah. The Hebrew mind asks “What must I do?”
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| SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY |
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1. We must banish escapist theologies from our theology and teaching.
2. We must choose to live godly lives now, not to wait until we die and go to heaven.
3. We must work out our free salvation through physical actions that cost us our life.
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| <i>NEXT WEEK:</i> THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW continues..... |
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 ..... looking at PREACHING AND TEACHING
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 Jesus wants all of us! Body, soul and spirit, mind, emotions and will! Following Jesus is a 'whole of life ' experience.
Are we prepared to make the sacrifice?
IMAGES AND ART: Jerusalem
Mount of Olives
Church of Mary Magdalene
This Russian Orthodox church was built in honor of the czar's mother in 1888 and the mosaic inside depicts the legend of Mary Magdalene presenting an egg to the Emperor Tiberius. The egg allegedly turned red when she handed it to him, symbolic of Jesus' blood. 28 nuns from all over the world live in the convent here today.
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
Learn more about us at...
www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
27. Our most dearly held beliefs often inhibit God’s further revelation to us.
David Tait
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Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
What We're All About: http://www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
PGIM! Weekly Encouragement Ezine : http://www.wwj.org.nz/wwword.php
Reports on past Ministry visits: http://www.wwj.org.nz/diary.php
Eagles Fly High!: http://www.wwj.org.nz/eagle.php
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