To make the choice Every Day, hour and moment - is the challenge of the freedom that He granted to us in Eden. We Chose to pursue our own Knowledge over the obedience that was necessary to live under His protection ( of us in our innocence). It matters not that our Choice was made negligently - it was made freely and the consequences followed inevitably. He loved us so much He gave us a single Way Out of the bind we had gotten ourselves into - but that still requires that we Choose Constantly to follow His Leadership. Just like “Ignorance of the Law is no excuse” the comsequences remain. He “Paid our Bail” but we are still “on the hook” for final judgement.
I’d like to add that, at final judgement, He has promised to Testify in Defense of His followers - which is as good as it gets when it comes to having a Defender! 🙏
Among adherants to the various religions ( and even Christian “denominations” ) there’s constant arguing about the “One Way” adnonition. Besides the obvious difference between following One Person and trying to follow all of the Rules of any particular doctrine I came up with an analogy that seemed to attract the interest of a group of sceptics, at a family gathering last year.
Sitting on the back porch of a country house in a “north woods” state one evening I drew attention to the yard light of a neighbors house maybe ¼ mile away. I said “You could think of it like this. You could make it from here to there without knowing im detail how you are going to take every step thru the forest.
If you tried to follow written instructions from someone who had hacked their own path - and who had made it to the base of that same light pole you might get there - but to some of Us it would seem, discouraging and pretty silly. But if each of us keep that light in view - and deal with obstacles as we meet them - any of you can most certainly make it “your own way.”
Not only that but we could all start out and without following each others foot steps - all meet there - and we can even call neighbors or leave instructions for late arrivals to Meet us under ( lets say Johns) yard light - and everyone who tries diligently can … meet us there so in a sense there Are as many possible Paths as there are night-hikers but even the most intractable cynic can See The Point that theres only one guiding light.
Parables ( analogies) were used a lot by Jesus to help people get over communication/ doctrinal “hang ups” and see the often very simple Truth of His Message.
To make the choice Every Day, hour and moment - is the challenge of the freedom that He granted to us in Eden. We Chose to pursue our own Knowledge over the obedience that was necessary to live under His protection ( of us in our innocence). It matters not that our Choice was made negligently - it was made freely and the consequences followed inevitably. He loved us so much He gave us a single Way Out of the bind we had gotten ourselves into - but that still requires that we Choose Constantly to follow His Leadership. Just like “Ignorance of the Law is no excuse” the comsequences remain. He “Paid our Bail” but we are still “on the hook” for final judgement.
I’d like to add that, at final judgement, He has promised to Testify in Defense of His followers - which is as good as it gets when it comes to having a Defender! 🙏
Among adherants to the various religions ( and even Christian “denominations” ) there’s constant arguing about the “One Way” adnonition. Besides the obvious difference between following One Person and trying to follow all of the Rules of any particular doctrine I came up with an analogy that seemed to attract the interest of a group of sceptics, at a family gathering last year.
Sitting on the back porch of a country house in a “north woods” state one evening I drew attention to the yard light of a neighbors house maybe ¼ mile away. I said “You could think of it like this. You could make it from here to there without knowing im detail how you are going to take every step thru the forest.
If you tried to follow written instructions from someone who had hacked their own path - and who had made it to the base of that same light pole you might get there - but to some of Us it would seem, discouraging and pretty silly. But if each of us keep that light in view - and deal with obstacles as we meet them - any of you can most certainly make it “your own way.”
Not only that but we could all start out and without following each others foot steps - all meet there - and we can even call neighbors or leave instructions for late arrivals to Meet us under ( lets say Johns) yard light - and everyone who tries diligently can … meet us there so in a sense there Are as many possible Paths as there are night-hikers but even the most intractable cynic can See The Point that theres only one guiding light.
Parables ( analogies) were used a lot by Jesus to help people get over communication/ doctrinal “hang ups” and see the often very simple Truth of His Message.
Hmmm...that is very insightful. Thank you for sharing that. I see your parallel.