QueerAmericaBlog

IMAG-INATION The Doctrine of Biblical Self-Love

Glenn — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:40:00 -0500

IMAG-INATION The Doctrine of Biblical Self-Love. Miles J. Stanford

Introduction

Believers today are being challenged and exhorted to develop a better self-image, and to exercise more self-love. It is our intent to present both the unscriptural, and the scriptural aspects of this important facet of the Christian life.

If I have anything prominently before me except the Lord Jesus, that thing, however good it is, becomes a screen for something of myself, and where there is any self- consideration, the region of spirituality is lost. It may be an amiable thing, but because it is of man and not of God, it is not spirituality. --J. B. Stoney

Fall Of The Fall

There is a growing number of Christians for whom the fall has fallen. To the degree that the believer weakens his concept of the fall, he weakens his Christian life and service. Error concerning the fall results in error concerning the two Adams; and error concerning the two Adams results in error concerning one’s spiritual growth and outreach.

Totality Of The Fall

Scripture leaves no doubt as to the totality of the fall. It was utter, and irrevocable. God made it very clear to Adam that if and when he should sin, he would surely die. And the day that Adam disobeyed God’s single stipulation, he died spiritually--he died unto God. And all the race of mankind died unto God in Adam that day.

"For as in Adam all die" (1 Cor. 15:22). As a result, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." "Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation" (Heb. 9:27; Rom. 5:18). "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:10, 23).

Without question Adam was originally created in the image of God. "And God said, Let us create man in our image, after our likeness...."So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him" (Gen. 1:26, 27).

But when Adam died to God, his God-like image perished with him. "And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh" (Gen. 6:3). "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). "Among whom also we all had our manner of life in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others" (Eph. 2:3). "For to be carnally (fleshly) minded is death....Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither, indeed, can be. So, then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:6–8).

The extent of the apprehension of the depth and utter ruin of the first Adam nature caused by the fall, determines the extent to which the new life in Christ can be brought to full growth in the believer; for just so far as man clings to one supposed "good thing" in him, so for the power of the Cross is nullified in his life, and so far the growth of the new life is constricted in him.

Freedom from the dominion of sin is the message of the Cross, but it can only be realized in experience up to the extent of the believer’s recognition of the fall, and a consequent offcasting of the fallen life of the first Adam at the place called Calvary.

Anomaly

Those who slight the fall refer consistently to the image of fallen Adam as "marred," or "blurred," or "in need of restoration." They dare not consider Adam’s image a total ruin because they are seeking its restoration, its reformation. For them it is back to the unfallen Adam, via Christ!

There is a strange anomaly at the core of the Reformation realm. On the one hand they go to the extreme of teaching that the fall was not beyond recovery of the original; while on the other hand they go so far as to insist that man is so dead in sin that it is impossible for him to believe--"total depravity."

These Calvinists insist that the Spirit must first regenerate the dead-unto-God individual, thereby giving him life in order that he may believe unto life. This the Covenant theologians refer to as "monergistic regeneration: the faith which receives Christ for justification is itself the free gift of a sovereign God, bestowed by spiritual regeneration in the act of effectual calling." --J.I. Packer

"Faith Cometh By Hearing"

The Scriptures present the reverse of this theory. "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43). First believe, then receive. John writes, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life" (5:24). First hear, then believe, then receive. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live" (John 5:25). As a result of hearing, the dead are given life.

James, Peter, and John all clearly testify to the fact that life is entered into by believing, by faith. James: "Of his own will begot he us with the word of truth (1:18). Peter, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God" (1 Pet. 1:23). John: "But these are written, that ye might have life through his name" (20:31).

God commanded Israel to choose life. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live" (Deut. 30:19). Concerning this plea to choose life, Dr. L.S. Chafer wrote:

God having designed that man as creature ...

"Words are worse than Sticks and Stones". - alye

Glenn — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:56:00 -0400

symbols, media & self...

Glenn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 05:44:00 -0400

symbols, media & self...

wikileaks/video of Civilians killed in Baghdad/Collateral Murder part1 &2

Glenn — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:13:00 -0400

wikileaks/video of Civilians killed in Baghdad/Collateral Murder part1 & 2

wikileaks/video of Civilians killed in Baghdad/Collateral Murder part 2

A Tangent About Ambitions

Glenn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:13:00 -0400

A Tangent About Ambitions

What Would It Be Like To Meet Yourself?

Glenn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 01:58:00 -0400

What Would It Be Like To Meet Yourself?

WTF Do I look like?? The Looking Glass Self/Mirror Stage and 50 Subscribers!

Glenn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 01:40:00 -0400

WTF Do I look like?? The Looking Glass Self/Mirror Stage and 50 Subscribers!

Noam Chomsky - The Political system in the USA.

Glenn — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:40:00 -0400

Noam Chomsky - The Political system in the USA.

Pentagon Sees a Threat From Online Muckrakers

Glenn — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:06:00 -0400

By Stephane Strom

NY. Times

To the list of the enemies threatening the security of the United States, the Pentagon has added WikiLeaks.org, a tiny online source of information and documents that governments and corporations around the world would prefer to keep secret.

The Pentagon assessed the danger WikiLeaks.org posed to the Army in a report marked “unauthorized disclosure subject to criminal sanctions.” It concluded that “WikiLeaks.org represents a potential force protection, counterintelligence, OPSEC and INFOSEC threat to the U.S. Army” — or, in plain English, a threat to Army operations and information.

WikiLeaks, true to its mission to publish materials that expose secrets of all kinds, published the 2008 Pentagon report about itself on Monday.

Lt. Col. Lee Packnett, an Army spokesman, confirmed that the report was real. Julian Assange, the editor of WikiLeaks, said the concerns the report raised were hypothetical.

Walter Cronkite - Dies July 17,2009 "Glad to stand at the right hand of satan"

Glenn — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:36:00 -0400

Walter Cronkite - Walter Cronkite - Once The Most Trusted Man In America - Who Sold Out To The Elites NWO Agenda -

The Real Motive Behind 'Dept Of Global Anti-Semitism' By Rev. Ted Pike

Glenn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 03:07:00 -0400

The Real Motive Behind 'Dept Of Global Anti-Semitism' By Rev. Ted Pike

- Excerpt from Rense.com

On October 16, 2004 President Bush signed into law the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act. It establishes a special department within the U.S. State Department to monitor global anti-Semitism, reporting annually to Congress.

This is more "Hate Crimes" legislation, orchestrated by the international Jewish religious, educational, and fraternal organization, B'nai B'rith, and its Anti-Defamation League. The new "Department of Global Anti-Semitism" is designed to make critics of Israel not only into "anti-Semites" but ultimately into "domestic terrorists."

But first, what is anti-Semitism? Simple: It is the racist belief that Jews, because of heredity, are evil, greedy, corrupting, subversive, degenerate, etc. Hitler believed this. So do the KKK and certain "Christian identity" and white supremacist groups.

Such dehumanization of Jews is evil, un-Christian, un-American.

On the other hand, if the actions of individual Jews, Jewish institutions, Jewish religious or secular leaders, or the nation Israel have been evil, then vehement criticism is not anti-Semitic. It is courageous and laudable. Certainly, the Biblical prophets, including Christ, engaged in vitriolic criticism of the sinful nation Israel and its false leaders. No one considers them anti-Semitic.

TWISTED DEFINITIONS OF "ANTI-SEMITISM"

However, in its "Report on Global Anti-Semitism" and "Global Anti-Semitism Report," the U.S. State Department ignores the above perspectives. Here is a list of beliefs or activities the U.S. government now considers anti-Semitic: ...

Rumour of the century (wiping Israel off the map)

Glenn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:30:00 -0400

GEORGE GALLOWAY ON (wiping Israel off the map)

Glenn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:15:00 -0400

Ahmadinejad DID NOT threaten to "wipe Israel off the map."

Glenn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:54:00 -0400

chinese propaganda poster collection 中文宣傳海報

Glenn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:25:00 -0400

Early Chinese Propaganda

Glenn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:09:00 -0400

Obama - Poster Propaganda

Glenn — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:48:00 -0400

soviet propaganda posters 2

Glenn — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:16:00 -0400

Soviet Propaganda Posters

Glenn — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:42:00 -0400

Are You Brainwashed By TV? Are Drug Ads Misleading?

Glenn — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:18:00 -0400

Mind Control, Psychology of Brainwashing, Sex & Hypnosis

Glenn — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:05:00 -0400

Psychology vs. Psychiatry

Glenn — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:54:00 -0400

The Truth about Mental Health Disorders - Psychology

Glenn — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:41:00 -0400

International Economist Adrian Salbuchi- On The Current Global Economic Meltdown

Glenn — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:08:00 -0400

The Global Ponzi Scheme pt.1/2

Barack Obama CFR info

Glenn — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:28:00 -0400

The CFR controls American media

Glenn — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:37:00 -0400

The Obama Deception - Full Length Google Video - A MUST SEE!!!

Glenn — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:30:00 -0400

Military Industrial Complex

Glenn — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:39:00 -0400

Military Industrial Complex / IKE / JFK / Ron Paul

Glenn — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:09:00 -0400

Legislation Introduced to Curtail Patriot Act Abuse

Glenn — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:52:00 -0400

New Legislation Will Rein in Overbroad National Security Letter Power

-CommonDreams.com

WASHINGTON - March 30 - Congressmen Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced legislation today to narrow the overbroad subpoena power in the National Security Letter (NSL) provision of the Patriot Act. The bipartisan bill, National Security Letters Reform Act of 2009, aims to curb rampant abuse of that power by federal law enforcement following the expansion of the Patriot Act and was introduced with 17 cosponsors. NSLs are secret subpoenas used to demand personal customer records from Internet Service Providers, financial institutions and credit companies without prior court approval.

"To ensure that Americans' privacy and free speech rights are protected, there must be clear oversight and strict guidelines tied to the use of NSLs," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "Mr. Nadler and Mr. Flake should be applauded for taking this legislative step. Their bill will realign the current NSL authority with the Constitution. Congress must take this opportunity to rein in the power of the NSL."

NSLs were originally crafted to gain information about suspected terrorists but the Patriot Act expanded the statute to allow the subpoenas, which are issued in secrecy, do not require court review, and contain a gag order, to be used to obtain personal information about people who are simply deemed "relevant" to an investigation. After the statute's expansion, the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General released a series of reports over the last several years outlining systemic misuse and abuse of NSLs by FBI agents.

The ACLU is asking that Congress repeal the expanded NSL authorities that allow the FBI to demand information about innocent people who are not the targets of any investigation and reinstate prior standards limiting NSLs to information about terrorism suspects and other agents of foreign powers. In December of 2008, as a result of an ACLU lawsuit, the gag order provision was struck down as unconstitutional. The ACLU is now advocating that Congress legislate a constitutional alternative. The National Security Letters Reform Act of 2009 would make these necessary changes.

"By expanding the scope of the statute's power to collect information on innocent people, the Patriot Act failed to protect Americans' privacy," said Michelle Richardson, ACLU Legislative Counsel. "It has become painfully clear that unchecked Patriot Act power inevitably leads to abuse, and National Security Letters are no exception. Innocent Americans have been swept into investigations and recipients have been barred from speaking about it publicly. Representatives Nadler and Flake should be praised for the introduction of this bill and we urge swift action by Congress to assure its passage."

Earlier this month, the ACLU released a report entitled "Reclaiming Patriotism" that describes the widespread abuses that have occurred under the USA Patriot Act. The report, authored by policy counsel Michael German and Richardson, was delivered to congressional offices on Capitol Hill, as well as posted to the newly re-launched site www.reformthepatriotact.org in anticipation of the upcoming congressional ...