|
Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| Greek (Western) |
|
 We focus on the being of God.
We like to imagine God as a 'super-sized' human being!
We look at the creation of man as being in the physical image of God.....
Genesis 1:26-7
|
|
|
 Whereas, as Matthew Henry explains, the image is in the spiritual.....
God’s image upon man consists in these three things:-1. In his nature and constitution, not those of his body (for God has not a body), but those of his soul. This honour indeed God has put upon the body of man, that the Word was made flesh, the Son of God was clothed with a body like ours and will shortly clothe ours with a glory like that of his. And this we may safely say, That he by whom God made the worlds, not only the great world, but man the little world, formed the human body, at the first, according to the platform he designed for himself in the fulness of time. But it is the soul, the great soul, of man, that does especially bear God’s image. The soul is a spirit, an intelligent immortal spirit, an influencing active spirit, herein resembling God, the Father of Spirits, and the soul of the world.
Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers) 1997.)
We seek to define God by the wonders of the physical world about us. Its form, its beauty, and the miraculous for which there is no other explanation. We rationalize God.
|
| Eastern (Hebrew) |
|
Hebrews focus on relationship with God.
Some bragged about their relationship with God.
Romans 2:17
|
|
|
 What God looks like, or even natural wonders are not the focus of Jewish thought. The Psalms major on relationship with God. As so many were written by King David, it explains why God considered David son of Jesse a man after my own heart;
The Psalms are all about relationship, in both good times and bad.....
Psalm 24:7-10, 118:22, 9:7-11
|
|
|
 And, in the New Testament too, we are to worship our spirit God in spirit and in truth.....
John 4:23-4
Selah.
|
| SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY |
|
 1. We need to take our focus off the natural and look to the spiritual.
2. God is not interested in great buildings and religious ceremonies. He is interested in you! He wants to build a deep personal relationship with you. It does not matter whether you are beautiful or ugly, talented or simple, of high position or low; God loves you and wants to know you better, so He can then share more of Himself with you.
3. The end time kingdom church, the bride for whom Jesus is returning is not a new denomination but is being built informally, on the basis of relationship, firstly with God and also with one another.
|
| Greek (Western) |
|
 We see faith as being intellectual. We express faith in creeds and doctrine, using support texts to support and prove our beliefs.
This speaks particularly of men, especially those with a theological interest or training, who primarily happen to be the ones in ministry and those of major influence in churches and denominations. Unfortunately creeds and doctrines differ, depending upon the supporting texts used and human interpretation of them. This gives rise to division in the church. These people concentrate on the Epistles, for the foundations of doctrine are found there.
Women, on the other hand, both in the natural and the spiritual, are much more relational. We will see shortly, that this is more akin to the Hebrew approach to faith. This helps explain why 2/3 of the church is women and that they are more ecumenical than men, for they look at things from a different perspective.
While theology, organisation and order have their place, they are currently given too much focus over and above a genuine relationship with Jesus.
|
| Eastern (Hebrew) |
|
 Hebrews see faith as relational and personal. They express faith in terms of their relationship with God rather than as a rationalisation.
There are two occasions recorded in the Gospels, interestingly both involving Gentiles, which Jesus used to show the Jews who had lost faith, what faith is all about. These are.....
Matthew 8:5-13
|
|
|
 Faith comes through relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, not by observance of the Law (or having 'correct' theology).
Galatians 3:10-14
|
|
|
 A TESTIMONY FROM DAVID
My faith has been built upon experiences where I have had to trust the Lord, not upon theological learning. The most memorable one for me, which has carried me through more recent difficult times, was when I went to Africa for 2 months on 50 cents a day! Had I thought about it rationally, I wouldn't have gone! I spent all but $2 of my $30 during the first week, then the Lord starting providing. I left Africa 7 weeks later 'centless' but having been provided for, for the time I was there. My faith was increased dramatically through this amazing experiential relationship with Jesus!
|
| SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY |
|
 1. We talk about being 'born again', about developing a personal relationship with Jesus, then argue about a pre, mid or post-trib rapture! No wonder so any quickly lose faith! We need a new emphasis on discipleship, a sharing of day to day life experience, to build up personal faith experiences in new believers.
2. The church needs to understand that relationship - with Jesus and each other - is more important than fine points of theology, about which there will always be disagreement.
3. Individually, we need to spend time with Jesus, being prepared to listen to Him, letting Him change our life, and be prepared to take risks, to step out in faith, as He guides us.
4. To understand that trust, not logic, is the true foundation of faith.
|
| <i>NEXT WEEK:</i> THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW continues.....
|
|
 ..... as we look at ULTIMATE TRUTH and TRUTH OVER TIME.
|
| A NOTE FROM DAVID
|
|
 I trust that once again, these new understandings are making you think about your ways of viewing God and your understanding of faith, as they are mine.
JUDEAN WILDERNESS
The Judean Wilderness occupies the area from the eastern slopes of the Judea Mountains down to the Great Rift Valley, and runs along the western shore of the Dead Sea.
Very little rain falls here, so there are very few plants or animals. Many deep wadis, formed by centuries of rain runoff, penetrate this wilderness. Because it borders fertile mountains ridges for more than fifty miles, villages like Bethlehem were able to support both shepherds and farmers. The shepherds lived on the desert’s fringes, while farmers worked the soil of the mountains.
Because the wilderness was so close to settled areas, it became a refuge for those who sought solitude or safety from the authorities. Here David hid from Saul (1 Sam. 24:1), and John the Baptist isolated himself from the religious practices of the day (Matt. 3). It was also here that the Essenes labored over their scrolls, and early Christians built monasteries, some of which still function today.
Source: http://www.followtherabbi.com
|
So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
Learn more about us at...
www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
|
A DAVID'S DOODLING
254. You cant truly live by faith until you have nothing else to live on.
David Tait
|
Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
Everything you ever wanted to know about....: http://www.wwj.org.nz/exex.php
Life's a Laugh: http://www.wwj.org.nz/lifelaugh.php
Links to other sites of interest: http://www.wwj.org.nz/links.php
Till Death do us Part!: http://www.wwj.org.nz/tddup.php
|
God is a spirit, as we see when He appeared to Elijah..... 
And.....