Understanding

“To show proper reverence to God, we must be quiet and somber.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment
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They say, “To show proper reverence to God, we must be quiet and somber.” Is it true? No.

There will certainly be times to be quiet before God, but the Bible says we are to “rejoice in the Lord always.”

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 The Greek word translated as “rejoice,” chairó, means to rejoice, be glad, be cheerful.* We are to rejoice “always;” the Greek word, pantote, means, at all times. That would include when we’re in church. And yes, we’re to rejoice even in the face of suffering and persecution.

The Hebrew word translated as praise, from which we get hallelujah, means to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify:—(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light).”**–even dance and spin around! No straight faces and sitting still!

*https://biblehub.com/greek/5463.htm

**https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1984/kjv/wlc/0-1/

They say, “Jesus told parables to help people understand better.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment

No.

The opposite was true. Jesus put his teachings into parables so that the people would not understand—to fulfill prophecy.

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

Matthew 13:10-15

They say, “If we understood God, he wouldn’t be God.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment

God IS.  Nothing we do or don’t do determines God’s being or character. The Bible is choc-full of admonitions to “Get wisdom, get understanding, though it cost you everything you have.”(Proverbs 4:7)  The Good News is a revelation–a revealing of God, not a hiding. The point at which people get confused is they think that any understanding of God must come from their own brains’ reckoning (they also forget that God created our brains) rather than from the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

They say, “Words aren’t really necessary for preaching the gospel.”

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment

It is said, “Preach the gospel always; if necessary use words.” 

St. Francis undoubtedly meant that you have to live the gospel, which is very true though his lifestyle was so radical that even in his homeland with its “Christian” worldview, it wouldn’t have been hard to notice something was different.  However, Francis was no Trappist (a monk who takes a vow of silence) and had plenty to say or we wouldn’t have so many of his quotes!

Today (amazingly) words are always necessary in proclaiming the gospel.  I’ve met very nice and helpful Hindus and Buddhists.  I’ve known Muslims who believe in being very moral and hospitable.  So, unless you tell people why you do what you do (and don’t) they won’t necessarily know that you serve Jesus and how they can serve him too.  Words alone aren’t enough and can quickly lead to hypocrisy.

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Parables

/ Joan C. Thomson / Leave a comment

It is said,“Jesus taught in parables to make his teachings easier to understand.”

No, Jesus specifically said that he taught in parables so that the people would NOT understand (Matthew 13:10,11) in fulfilment of a specific prophecy ((Matthew 13:13).  Even his disciples had to ask him what he meant by the parables.  Later one exclaimed, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.”(John 16:29)

Jesus’ meanings were hidden to the Jewish people with the exception of the few (relatively) who followed him. (Matthew 13:10,11)