Post by comankind on May 3, 2011 12:38:18 GMT -5
I'm learning that the term 'preterist' appears to mean much more than just the belief that all of scripture has been fulfilled. That many other facets or theologies are often intertwined, including what appears to be a popular one of CC. Regardless - while I believe that all things have been fulfilled, here personally is my big picture view of what the Bible documents. Curious any alternate versions or feedback on mine. Thanks.
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A man chooses, out of ignorance, to rule himself in the quest for something better. Through this act, he unknowingly asks God to 'cut the cord.' God complies with the terms, and spiritually 'signs a contract' with the man.
(This is akin to a teenager coming of age and asking for freedom, even to the point of rebelling to get it. All teenagers go through this, and a loving parent, while disciplining them for the act, would patiently grasp the bigger picture and allow them to learn their lesson.)
This man eventually becomes a nation. God, out of justice, wants each man woman and child of that nation to have the opportunity to serve him that their first parent did, but contractually is bound to giving the parents...and their descendants...the 'alone time' they requested.
As a result, he gives this nation special rules, laws, and prophets to discipline them. He knows its not the same as just letting them live in faith naturally, as guiding them himself - but they need something to protect them from themselves. This nation believes they are God's only 'special people' - God allows and supports this, because its as close to them as they want him to get.
But they let this get to their heads, just like their parents. God knew this was coming, because human tendency and free will are a given. The nation as a whole begins to think so much of itself that it even abandons what God gave them as a protection. They are in over their heads, and God wants to lovingly release them from their contract...knowing that they've had enough time to 'find themselves.'
That first parent, and the nation that sprang from him, were really a son to God, part of his family. So he sends their brother to save them, and put things back like they were originally. This brother, the son of God, exposes them to things that are amazing from their viewpoint. Things that their first parent knew and understood, but was lost through the generations. Truly spiritual things.
These things would help them to learn that love and mercy take precedence over the more legal or militant approach to faith that they were accustomed to. That their original parents made a dumb mistake, but each member of this nation can have the chance to make that choice themselves now.
To help people grasp this 'release' - the Son goes through a series of symbolic and prophetic steps and rituals - things that will help the physical-minded understand what is happening from a spiritual plane. Miracles, riding a donkey, passover, sacrificial death, physical resurrection, and the destruction of Jerusalem are all examples.
The most difficult lesson for the nation to comprehend was giving up its self-declared badge as God's 'special people' The act of accepting the outside world into their fold was instead, from a spiritual perspective, the process of releasing those bound by contract back into the wild. They of course could not see this, because out of pretentiousness they expected their nation to expand and grow.
Those of the nation who died, those under contract from the first parent on down through the generations, were all being graciously held in wait for the lesson to be over. While others around them were evaluated individually according to their hearts - and thus moving on to their spiritual destination like it naturally was designed - this nation was 'sent to their room' at death for breaking the law they had asked to be under. From their perspective, the living were told that a new kingdom would be installed - a replacement for the old that they loved. (This was used as a tool to teach them, not intended as a description of a real government.) From God's perspective, it was simply a matter of freeing them from a 'contract' or more simply, an end to their lesson.
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So many of us believed that the simple decision of Adam or the rebellion of Satan created a wild series of events, including requiring God to completely re-engineer perfect flesh into sinful flesh, or more astoundingly forcing him to build an all-new heaven and earth to clean up the mess. I don't believe we're giving God enough credit, authority or control over the situation with that view.
We are little children with wild imaginations. This is exactly how I feel an all-knowing Father would teach us.
-------
A man chooses, out of ignorance, to rule himself in the quest for something better. Through this act, he unknowingly asks God to 'cut the cord.' God complies with the terms, and spiritually 'signs a contract' with the man.
(This is akin to a teenager coming of age and asking for freedom, even to the point of rebelling to get it. All teenagers go through this, and a loving parent, while disciplining them for the act, would patiently grasp the bigger picture and allow them to learn their lesson.)
This man eventually becomes a nation. God, out of justice, wants each man woman and child of that nation to have the opportunity to serve him that their first parent did, but contractually is bound to giving the parents...and their descendants...the 'alone time' they requested.
As a result, he gives this nation special rules, laws, and prophets to discipline them. He knows its not the same as just letting them live in faith naturally, as guiding them himself - but they need something to protect them from themselves. This nation believes they are God's only 'special people' - God allows and supports this, because its as close to them as they want him to get.
But they let this get to their heads, just like their parents. God knew this was coming, because human tendency and free will are a given. The nation as a whole begins to think so much of itself that it even abandons what God gave them as a protection. They are in over their heads, and God wants to lovingly release them from their contract...knowing that they've had enough time to 'find themselves.'
That first parent, and the nation that sprang from him, were really a son to God, part of his family. So he sends their brother to save them, and put things back like they were originally. This brother, the son of God, exposes them to things that are amazing from their viewpoint. Things that their first parent knew and understood, but was lost through the generations. Truly spiritual things.
These things would help them to learn that love and mercy take precedence over the more legal or militant approach to faith that they were accustomed to. That their original parents made a dumb mistake, but each member of this nation can have the chance to make that choice themselves now.
To help people grasp this 'release' - the Son goes through a series of symbolic and prophetic steps and rituals - things that will help the physical-minded understand what is happening from a spiritual plane. Miracles, riding a donkey, passover, sacrificial death, physical resurrection, and the destruction of Jerusalem are all examples.
The most difficult lesson for the nation to comprehend was giving up its self-declared badge as God's 'special people' The act of accepting the outside world into their fold was instead, from a spiritual perspective, the process of releasing those bound by contract back into the wild. They of course could not see this, because out of pretentiousness they expected their nation to expand and grow.
Those of the nation who died, those under contract from the first parent on down through the generations, were all being graciously held in wait for the lesson to be over. While others around them were evaluated individually according to their hearts - and thus moving on to their spiritual destination like it naturally was designed - this nation was 'sent to their room' at death for breaking the law they had asked to be under. From their perspective, the living were told that a new kingdom would be installed - a replacement for the old that they loved. (This was used as a tool to teach them, not intended as a description of a real government.) From God's perspective, it was simply a matter of freeing them from a 'contract' or more simply, an end to their lesson.
----
So many of us believed that the simple decision of Adam or the rebellion of Satan created a wild series of events, including requiring God to completely re-engineer perfect flesh into sinful flesh, or more astoundingly forcing him to build an all-new heaven and earth to clean up the mess. I don't believe we're giving God enough credit, authority or control over the situation with that view.
We are little children with wild imaginations. This is exactly how I feel an all-knowing Father would teach us.