Here is an interesting challenge. It won’t cost you anything but a little time and effort….and hiding God’s Word is never an exercise in futility.
Of coarse learning them is just the FIRST step, then we need to OBEY them, but how can we obey them if we don’t know what they are?
$20,000 offered for listing 10 Commandments
Entrepreneur creates incentive to memorize God's laws
Isn't it an exercise in futility for those that are perishing? For most people displayed in the video who have no interest in Christ, memorizing the law and even doing the law will not benefit them anymore than it does practicing Jews. (Matt 10:15)Although I think this fellow's motives aren't suspect, I have to question the means that he uses. The "American dream" of getting rich quick or coming into sums of money, is anti-biblical and Jesus came to save us from the American dream. It seems to me that appealing to avarice, especially considering it might be the most prevalent American vice, is similar to going to Russia and offering a lifetime supply of Vodka to the first to memorize the commandments.
ReplyDeleteJust some of the many thoughts that this topic brings up for me. The rest are too lengthy and boring for most.
@Matt
ReplyDeleteYou bring up 2 good points. 1)Is knowing the Law an "exercise in futility" or does knowing the Law (and the realization that I have disobeyed God) become the first step toward repentance? [Rom 7:7-12]
2) Paul identifies that people proclaim truth from many different motives [Phil 1:17-18]. While we desire the purest motives, sometimes impure motives can accomplish God's purposes. As Joseph said, "what you intended for evil, God used for good"
1.)Christ is a stumbling block to those that are perishing (1 Cor 1:23) For those that learning the law is the first step toward repentance, learning the law is not futile but for those that are perishing it is foolishness and will only bring them further torment in judgment. But I do agree that for those that it becomes the first step in their repentance it is not futile.
ReplyDelete2.)Paul talks not about truth in general but the gospel in specific. The gospel being preached from improper motives is a good thing because the power is in the gospel and not in the presenter. But I did not question this gentleman's motives. I question the means that he uses. I'm sure that if people were flogging people while preaching the gospel to them Paul would not have been joyous that the gospel was being preached. I don't mean to equate these tactics with flogging but merely use that example to show that Paul is not accepting of all means of preaching the gospel only accepting that motives do not affect the power of the gospel. I am not saying that the Holy Spirit cannot take out someone's heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh despite fallible peoples bungling of preaching the word, but I am saying that it is still wrong to botch the means. For example, a Jewish temple may be preaching the law and rejecting Christ and while teaching on the story of Abraham a Jew may see the 3rd day resurrection themes and the Holy Spirit may regenerate him and cause him to trust in Christ but we as Christians would never condone the preaching of the law such as the Jews do. Thus I feel comfortable in questioning the method that is used here even though God may use it for good. God used pharaoh for good (demonstrating his power) but we would not say that pharaoh did a good thing. So I still think people should be critical of his pricking American's avarice nerve to try to spread the commandments is not the right way to do things.