Also on Feb. 20th, when it talks about the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, it says several times "deny yourselves." The note at the bottom of the page says deny yourself means "must fast." I wonder if these are the same words Jesus used when he told us to "deny yourself and take up your cross daily." It be interesting to know if they are the same Hebrew or greek. Maybe we are supposed to deny ourselves in a fasting-type of way in this world as Christians. Maybe we are not supposed to indulge in this world too much. I get frustrated when the world doesn't give me what I want, but then if I go to the other extreme, I'm like if this world is going to do it for me then lets just get on with it and go to Heaven. It's hard to be in the middle. We might want husbands or wives, houses, careers, wealth, etc in this world, but then we know how meaningless it is, but God doesn't just take us to heaven right away when we are baptized. We are left here to help others make it. Anyway I think there's some connection because if that is done on the day of Atonement and we are constantly saved and renewed while in Christ, then maybe we are sort of always having days of Atonement. I'm not sure, let me know your thoughts.
I hope everyone keeps going. Keep having discussions among yourselves. I think that will help you stay on pace.
2 comments:
hmm great thots... I like ur correlation of the OT with the NT, I think the bible is like a puzzle n everything fits together n r connected, n we just have to figure out how the fit n relate; there were lots of details from today's reading that correlated with Jesus' cruxifiction that was intriguing (for ex, the practice of not flogging someone beyond 40 lashes, not letting the body after cruxifiction/hung on a tree to hang overnite, etc. were still practiced during Jesus' time).
As for atonement, gosh if we were atoned for daily... that's a lot of mercy n grace from God, that's amazing.
Maybe we are left here after baptism to learn more about him in preparation of meeting him in heaven. Maybe, since the bible says that we get to participate in His Divine Nature, the body of Christ has a real active role in mirroring Christ to other members of the body and to the world through our continued fellowship and growth. Jesus did say that by our love for one another, the world would recognize Him. Maybe we do need to purposefully figure out how to represent God's mind and heart to other people through the transformation and renewal of our own minds and hearts as we forcefully rid ourselves of our old ignorant sinful nature. Perhaps.,,,
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