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NASB | Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were [suddenly] opened [by God] and they [clearly] recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. |
Subject: ever neccessary/permissable to deceit? |
Bible Note: Edb, thank you for responding. Sometimes I hesitate “writing” because a lot of what ones says is in their body language and you and I MUST second guess too often. But, I do appreciate your insight, and input. If you will allow me another attempt to “explain” how we differ in our “viewpoint”, perhaps you realize how much we agree over how much you think we don’t agree. Same words too often mean different things to different people. For example, if you asked me to describe myself in a few words, and I said, “I’m gay, and I was born that way. It’s a characteristic I have allowed to manifest itself throughout my life.” Would you understand me to be the joyous, merry, happy, jubilant type guy that most people know me as, since early childhood? Or would you wrongly conclude that I was telling you I am homosexual? What I mean by “deceptive”, is obviously different from what others have written about it. I agree with much of what people have stated, but, because I realize the differences in our definitions, I also agree with all I have written. They see deception as sin. As sin, I refuse to use it. I see it as a means to accomplish the mission set before us. The same as depicted often in Scripture, whether or not others see the same matters not. “WE” (the body of Christ) have the mind of Christ. I don’t have it all. You don’t have all. Radioman2 doesn’t have it all, etc. etc. But WE - you, them, me AND everyone else in the body has the mind of Christ. What God wouldn’t do with some, is different with what He does do with others. Does He heal? Yes. Does He heal everybody, every time? No. So when you state, “However had the question been asked were there any Christians the answer could not have been no. Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” I have to say (and certainly not to begin an argument) I don’t very often “confess” to being a “Christian”. During the Lebanese civil war, when the Shiites, Sunnis and “Christians” were all fighting the other two, a Shiite girl asked a missionary friend if she was a Christian. My friend responded, Sweetie, you know I love Jesus. The youngster sighed in relief and said, “Phew. I heard someone say you were one of those Christians. You know, the ones that keep trying to kill us when we go to the market.” You wrote: “I know many people have done things believing the end justified the means however that is not what Jesus taught. Jesus said do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It reminded me of when Peter was imprisoned right after James was killed in Acts 12. Have you ever paid close attention to how this unfolded, and the consequences? James is dead. Peter knew he was next. People are praying for Peter’s release. God hears those prayers and sends an angel to help in the prison break. Peter was scheduled to die the following morning. He KNEW that by him walking out the gates, the guards would be killed in his place. But did Peter, who remembered what Jesus had said about Jesus giving His life for many say, “No. If I escape innocent men will have to die for what I am guilty of.” Jesus had died in Peter’s place on the cross. Wasn’t that sufficient? Must more people die in Peter’s place? Yes. At least two more would die in Peter’s place and God was the one who arranged the whole plan. God did know the guards would die, right? Do you think Peter calculated that someday, somewhere, someone is going to conclude that because God helped him escape, even at the expense of two other men’s lives, that the end result of Peter’s escape justified the end result of those poor soldiers lives and that is plain wrong? Even though that is exactly what happened … the guards, who had absolutely nothing to do with Peter’s escape, paid with their lives. And God was the one behind the escape plan. Now, we might differ on what the “terminology” is concerning the end result, but the facts remain the same – here and in many other places through out the Old and New Testaments, and into our history books, and into our very lives. So, I must state that often God sees to it that the means does justify the end. In answer to many prayers, Peter’s escape was justified and in the end two men, sons of their mother, father to their children, husbands to their wives died as the result. Thus, in answer to many prayers for God’s precious word, it is delivered. I don’t know any “smuggler” who WANTS to be questioned. Many walk nonchalantly past. One friend was afraid she couldn’t hold herself together. When the guard pointed at her to stop for a search, she kept her eyes straight ahead and kept walking. The stranger behind her stopped in her place. Seriously, Edb, I trust you to understand what I am saying. Either way, I will end with this on this topic. Deal? :) |