I had a dream last night, and in it I was struck by the thought that to believe you have a contract with God you most likely believe yourself his equal in some way.
Why would you need a contract with God if he loves us?
edit: Perhaps I should clarify that I'm referring to a group of people who view God's love as some kind of business deal, a singling out from the rest of humanity for special treatment.
PS I also don't think it's the same God that I percieve.
Are you speaking about the Abrahamic covenant? If so, that was specifically for the Jews and was designed to demonstrate to them that they needed a savior. There were so many laws to follow, it was impossible for anybody to perfectly keep the law, showing them that they, as humans, were not capable of saving themselves. And that's where the blood sacrifices came in. An animal substitute that took on their sin and whose blood was spilt in recompense. Those animal sacrifices set the stage for Jesus, the ultimate and final blood sacrifice to come.
If you are speaking about the grace covenant, that is essentially one way. From God's perspective. Our belief is required, but once we believe, even if we 'mess up,' and sin (which we will) God does not cancel His part of the bargain. Ephesians 4:30 assures us that we (believers in Christ) have been 'sealed for the day of redemption.' Hopefully I understood your meaning.
You understood much better than I wrote it :)
I've clarified my post a bit already.
I should also point out that my relationship with God and Jesus is one of personal discovery, rather than taken from a book. I do read the Bible, but I have trouble understanding most of it to be honest.
I look into my heart and work with what I find there. It eventually led me to Jesus and then to God. I'm a rare species, a gnostic christian.
Oh dear! Paul warned the early church regularly about the gnostics. I'm not sure you're using the term in the same way he did.
If you have trouble understanding it (which is not uncommon) I would suggest sticking with the New Testament for now. It's all about God's grace and Jesus and though the Old Testament lays the groundwork for Jesus, for me, the NT is where it is at. Particularly if you have limited time, knowledge or trouble understanding.
As for the gospels themselves, they are all purported to lean toward a specific group except for John. John is for everyone, so maybe concentrate your efforts there. (Matthew for Jews, Luke for Greeks and Mark for Romans. John for all.)
I use the term in the sense of personal knowledge of Jesus (as opposed to secret teachings).
There were many gnostic groups I believe.
Something I picked up from the Bible early on was Jesus saying that God dwells in our hearts, seek him there. That's all I really needed to know.
Organised religion is an exercise in power and control, it has no place in my world.
“Abraham covenant…specifically for the Jews.” No, there were no Jews at that time. Jews were from the tribe of Judah, who wasn’t born yet, and after the kingdom of Israel split from the kingdom of Judah after King Solomon. Gal. 3:6-7 says, “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Know then that they who are of faith, these are sons of Abraham." The promises were spoken to Abraham and his Seed, Christ, and if we are in Christ, we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (vv. 16, 29).
But it isn't one way, because our belief is required. God gave us free will and won't override it. So it truly is something required of us.
Free will yes but, the thing is, Satan uses this to get people to use their free will to break our convent with God. Do as Though wilt, comes to mind. Just because you have the free will to murder, rape, lie, cheat and steal, does not mean you are doing anything to uphold your convent with God in doing so in fact, you are turning your back on God. We are all sinners even if we try not to be, you have the free will to sin or to try not to sin. eh.
My point was that our part in the covenant is to use our free will to believe in and follow God.
God offers us His covenant out of His love for us. It sets Him apart from all false Gods.
From my understanding, we all have covenant with God now, through Jesus. Blood of Jesus(last blood sacrifice). This is why, for instance, certain religions that go directly against God have rituals that include, cutting your hand and bleeding your blood out with oaths to your new uh, "god/demon..moosefiarydragon" AND why human sacrifice is their thing still. They are having you break your blood oath and forming a new contract entering new covenant. Certain things a person does in life reinforces your covenant like, marriage and faithfulness to that marriage, baptism and so on, truly believing in Jesus.
Very close. You will be in His company. Devil can't touch you.
Does God not ask anything of us? Also, why think contracts are only between those of equal status?
It implies that both sides have something the other needs.
Why would God 'need' anything from us, other than our love? I don't look upon God as a business partner, with something to be gained by honouring our 'contract'.
I just love God as he loves me, and accept everything as a lesson opportunity to improve my outlook on life. The more I do that, the closer I feel to God. The more grateful I am, the easier life seems.
For me, everything else is downstream of that.
God both created and rules creation with Law and Order.
He is not some amorphous emotional love blob that just “uses the force”.
He is Judge.
Therefore, in order to survive His Presence, we MUST have legal standing with Him.
Stop being Scripturaly illiterate. If you don’t understand covenant, you haven’t studied His Word. If you don’t study His Word you don’t really love Him. Sorry.
Show me a single written word 'literally' written by God and not a human intermediary with their own bias and interpretation and I'll read it.
'Legal' standing? I think there is a reason I don't rely on scripture or the word of man. I looked for God and he found me. If that represents a covenant (legal or otherwise) then I honour it without needing to worry.
I'm actually confused where you got this from, because I certainly didn't write it.
Hopefully you will take note that I am telling no-one what to think or believe or do. I cannot say the same for you.
The Torah/Pentateuch states plainly several times that God dictated every word to Moses. Messiah reiterates that not one jot or tittle will pass away from that Torah until Heaven and Earth pass away.
You either accept this or reject this.
God is not created in your image/your amorphous undefined box.
I'm well aware of that, but then on the other hand I wouldn't presume to ever put restrictions on my idea of God because I recognise that it is beyond me, as I believe it is for anyone else.
If you believe that God can be put into a 'rigidly defined box' then we are assuredly on different paths, and I'm fine with that. My beliefs do not rely on anyone else to confirm or deny them, other than what Jesus teaches me.
The way is narrow, but when you live in God's love it is a highway laid out before you. At least, that is my experience. YMMV.
A covenant. A promise. God loves us, and He is promising our salvation in exchange for us trying to uphold His law.
Wrong - that was the first covenant - and man specifically Israel demonstrated over and over they they could not keep their part of the covenant.
So a New Covenant was required, an unconditional covenant, of which Jesus is the mediator and we do NOTHING! Why because if we had to then we too would fail, just as Israel did.
Spelling edit
I stand corrected. God even tried expanding the first covenant in the OT to some of the other kingdoms but they failed too, so 2nd covenant was necessary as you said
What nations do you think he extended it to please? There were always 'strangers' with Israel but they lived with them as part of their community.
I recall reading in the OT (been about two years since I read thru it cover to cover) that occasionally God would get frustrated with the Jews and essentially said he would expand to anyone who would keep his commandments.
To be fair I'm not a Chapter and verse guy but I distinctly recall reading this and imo it set the stage for Jesus because even those other nations/people would eventually fail and God needed some way to bring them into the fold as it were. So I lack sauce but I could provide it given enough time.
However I think it's still fair to say God wants us to follow His laws even WITH Jesus; we don't really get to do "nothing," and God still wants us trying our best to obey
Yes that is right but John 3:16 'whosoever believes ...' and when we stumble in seeking to follow in His ways He has provided the solution.
1 John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.