Thursday, December 29, 2005
Wise Men Look Beyond, Pt. 2
Obligation of the Shema, number five: On the uglier side, the church of world history came through some barbaric deeds of its own. Dr. Cohen asks Jews to try to get past the very unchristian atrocities which fuel the grudge of Jesus-haters through the ages. “Even a cursory reading of the New Testament will startle the Jewish reader into seeing that evil people were not true Christians, and did these things contrary to the plain teachings of Jesus.” Dr. Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries defends the Truth in Why I Believe by explaining, in fact, the Spanish Inquisition was in many cases a matter of the church persecuting the people who had indeed discovered the true Christian faith of the Bible. In contrast, the apostle Paul (whose letters comprise much of New Testament teaching) wrote, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” (Romans 10:1)
Six: Love God enough to accept the One Sent by Him. Realize that it isn’t a denial of the Jew’s heritage as it inevitably is for an atheist, say. For some, to accept Yeshua as the sin-bearer means an about face. For the Jew, it should be the expected fulfillment of the Promise. This isn’t to say the social consequences aren’t harsh and very real. Dr. Cohen simply begs for Shema to prevail. Should Messiah be found in Yeshua, the only God-blessed option is to invite Him in “to sup with us.”
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” ~Jesus; Revelation 3:20
Six: Love God enough to accept the One Sent by Him. Realize that it isn’t a denial of the Jew’s heritage as it inevitably is for an atheist, say. For some, to accept Yeshua as the sin-bearer means an about face. For the Jew, it should be the expected fulfillment of the Promise. This isn’t to say the social consequences aren’t harsh and very real. Dr. Cohen simply begs for Shema to prevail. Should Messiah be found in Yeshua, the only God-blessed option is to invite Him in “to sup with us.”
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” ~Jesus; Revelation 3:20
