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As I have explained in the past, one of the reasons I am doing this blog is I am curious to see what kind of messages one might get from reading the bible. What might one learn as a take-away. Here is my quick summary of the good and bad from Hebrews.
I'm continuing my efforts to organize and categorize the items here. Hopefully this will be better than the last one, and I will continue to improve them as time goes on.
Good:
--Empathy--
5:2 Consider your own weakness when you see other's struggling with theirs
"He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness."
--Compassion--
10:34 Compassion is a good thing
"For you had compassion on those in prison..."
13:3 Be compassionate
"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body."
--Hospitality--
13:2 Show hospitality even to strangers
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
--Inspiration--
12:1 Use historical (and mythical) figures as inspiration to live good lives
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"
--Contentment--
13:5 Be content with what you have
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
Bad:
--Violence and Veangence--
1:13 God is violent
"And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?"
10:12-13 Jesus is vengeful and violent
"But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet."
--Suffering--
2:9-10 glorification of suffering
"But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering."
5:8 Obedience is the most important thing and suffering is good
"Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered."
--Obedience--
5:8 Obedience is the most important thing and suffering is good
"Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered."
13:17 Obey all church leaders
" Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls..."
--Justice--
5:9 Justice by proxy
"And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him"
--Apostasy--
6:6 Apostates are crucifying Jesus a second time
"[For it is impossible...] to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt."
--Love--
8:9 God does not love everyone
"...For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord."
--Faith--
11:1 When the bible says faith, it means blind faith
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
--Sexuality--
12:16 Sex is bad
"[see to it] that no one is sexually immoral..."
13:4 No sex before marriage, no 'sexual immorality'
"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."
The advice in verse 5:2 is really good. It is something that I am constantly reminding myself to do when dealing with certain close friends and family.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it seems like most bible books, the good is outweighed by the bad once again. I can't help but note how many Christians ignore 10:12-13---The idea that Jesus was 'all-good' just doesn't seem to pan out. It would appear that he is more like the rest of--human.
I agree completely with you about 5:2, in fact I think about that kind of thing when I get frustrated debating theists. I think "I used to make arguments this poor, I wasn't stupid just misguided"
DeleteAnd yeah, the good is definitely outweighed by the bad, not just in quantity but quality as well I would say. Of course there is the usual caveat that I am the one writing the list and it is easier for me see the negative, but I do try really hard to not skip any good items.