CHRISTIANITY

CHRISTIANITY                                                                                               6
    One Way vs The Way                                                                      6
    Jesus heals the blind man                                                               7
    God’s chosen people and The Promised Land                                8
Jesus speaks fo the Chosen People: The Parable of the Tenants      9
Paul Defines God’s Chosen People                                                    9
Hagar and Sarah                                                                                11
The Deicide Accusation                                                                      12
Christianity and Islam                                                                         12
The Crusades    
    Ann Coulter
Bring your swords  Luke 22:35-38                                                     13
Rebuilding of the Third Temple                                                           15
Christianity and the war - Lindsay Graham                                        15

CHRISTIANITY 

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Christians aren’t timid.  There is one way, and one way only, to salvation.  Jesus Christ.  You are a Christian or you are doomed.  Period.

That might be a sticking point with Jews and Muslims…

Oh sure, there are some who are not so hard line.  Like myself.  Then again, my Bible Study is held in the Public Library, not a church.   

One Way

"One way" in Christianity signifies the exclusive, singular path to salvation, reconciliation with God, and eternal life, centered solely on Jesus Christ. Based on John 14:6—"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"—it posits that Jesus is the unique savior, not one of many options.   ONE WAY and one way ONLY.

Key aspects of "One Way" in Christian theology include:

• Exclusivity: Jesus Christ is viewed as the only way to Heaven, not merely a way among many.
• Scriptural Foundation: Rooted in Jesus' own claims to be the "Way, Truth, and Life," this belief emphasizes that all things are made new through him.
• The "Narrow Gate": It emphasizes that there is only one path to salvation, often described as a narrow path or door that few find, contrasting with a broader, popular path.
• Salvation through Christ's Sacrifice: The belief maintains that Jesus' death and resurrection represent the only mechanism for forgiving human sin and providing eternal life. 

Therefore, "one way" refers to the conviction that Christianity is not just a path among many faiths, but the unique revelation of God and the only path to spiritual truth.

VS

The Way

In the Bible, "the Way" refers to the early Christian movement (before they were called Christians), representing a lifestyle, faith, and adherence to Jesus’ teachings. Rooted in the Old Testament's "way of the LORD," it signifies the path of salvation, truth, and obedience to God, often contrasting with the "hard way" or "easy way" of life. 

Biblical Meaning and Usage Examples

• The Early Church: In the Book of Acts, believers were known as followers of "the Way" (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 22:4, 24:22), indicating a distinct, active way of life.
• Jesus as "The Way": Jesus describes himself as "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), meaning he is the exclusive path to God.
• A New Path: Hebrews 10:19–20 refers to Jesus' sacrifice as the "new and living way" into God’s presence.
• The Path of Truth: 2 Peter 2:2 refers to Christianity as "the way of truth". 

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Synonyms and Related Concepts

• Path/Road: The way of the LORD (Old Testament context, Psalms 103:7).
• Lifestyle/Conduct: A manner of living or behavior (Acts 19:9, 23).
• Truth/Doctrine: The way of truth (2 Peter 2:2).
• Method/Course: A chosen path, such as "the narrow way" (Matthew 7:14). 

This sounds an awful lot like you can earn your salvation by “good works.”  Salvation by Love the Lord, your God and Love your neighbor as yourself.

Of course this is disputed, not by Jesus, but by Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God —  not by works, so that no one can boast.

Adherents insist the term One Way signifies both belief in Jesus and the practical, daily application of his teachings, often emphasizing a journey or exodus from worldly ways.

Jesus heals the blind man 

Beyond the miracle of “sight.” Jesus is opening this man’s eyes to the New Covenant through Jesus, replacing the Old Covenant of Moses and the Law that the priests represented.

John 9.  Jesus heals the blind man with mud made with spit. Let’s go beyond the miracle of restoring the man’s sensation of light.  Look at the lesson:

A man who “could not see FROM BIRTH” has his eyes opened by Jesus.  He is no longer blind to God.  He no longer needs the temple, the temple offerings, and most importantly HE NO LONGER NEEDS THE PRIESTS!!!

Judaism has been turned upside down. The “law” and the enforcers of the law - the priests - have been replaced by God indwelling in each of us by the Holy Spirit.  A thought so threatening to the priests and the religion they controlled - the people were buying this guy's message by the 5000’s! - that they had to kill him.  And they used the Romans to do it.

Can you not see some resentment of Jews when the Gentiles, of all people, render their religion as obsolete by following a rabble rouser who claimed to be God himself?

Jesus has ended the need for sacrifice - no more lambs, no more doves, no more slaughtered fattened calves.  NO MORE MONEY CHANGERS IN THE TEMPLE!!!

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Priests?  No need.  You can pray directly to GOD through Jesus Christ.  No more need for the Pharisaic priests.  No one can fulfill the crazy law, so just leave the people alone.  LOVE each other, SUPPORT each other.  Our people have it tough enough without you pestering them and judging them for their humanity.   You (the priests) were supposed to be HELPING your people, instead you side with the Romans to line your own pocketbooks, fleece your own people by misusing the laws that were supposed to make life better.  

Priests, you had your chance.  You were chosen by God to be special, you were chosen by God TO SERVE.  You proved you weren’t special.  You were crooks.  

God just replaced you with PLAN B.  Jesus Christ.  

The gravy train is over.  

God’s chosen people  

We will shortly look at the Jew’s claim and then the Muslim’s claim to be God’s Chosen People.  

Did you know there is another group that claims to be God’s Chosen People?  The Christians.  By both JESUS and PAUL.

 NOTE:  The Chosen People.  THE INHERITORS.  OF THE PROMISED LAND.  

Like, we have a war going on right now.  A continuation of a conflict from 1948 when Israel was created as a Jewish homeland after World War II.  A land that didn’t include the West Bank.  Didn’t include Gaza.   WHAT ELSE DIDN’T IT INCLUDE THAT IS PART OF THE “PROMISED LAND?  Look at Genesis 18:15  On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt (dry riverbeds East AND WEST of the Nile) to the great river, the Euphrates (in present day Iraq).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWmPbfJCc57/?igsh=MXRyc3ZteHhiMG15Zw==

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Let’s start with Jesus:  The Parable of the Tenants

The Parable of the Tenants. Found in all 3 of the synoptic gospels.  Matthew 21, Mark 12, and Luke 20.  The kingdom of god - the chosen people - HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THE JEWS.  Read from Matthew:

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.  When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.  Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.  Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’  So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,”they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this,

and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.  Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.  They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

Paul Defines God’s Chosen People

In three passages Paul asserts the population of the “chosen people,” the inheritors of the “Promised Land” has changed.  

1.  Galatians 3:7-11  Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham,

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 the man of faith. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

Those who have faith are the true children of Abraham, regardless of physical lineage.  Relying on the "works of the law" brings a curse, because it requires doing everything in the law, which no one can do. Therefore Justification is not by Law: It is evident that no one is justified before God by the law.  The Just Shall Live by Faith: The text argues that righteousness is attained through faith, not by complying with legalistic works.  

Sorry Jews.  The believers in Christ are the Chosen People.  (The Baptized.) 

Hence, we have the pestering of the Jews by the Christians - PLEASE believe in  Jesus, we don’t want you going to hell!!!

2.  Galatians 3:16  The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Paul argues the singular wording in Genesis refers to CHRIST as the mediator of the covenant blessing, which is secured BY FAITH, NOT BY THE LAW.

Christians get the land from the Nile to the Euphrates!!!!!

3.  Romans 9:6-8  It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.  Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”  In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.

Romans 9:6-8 (NIV) explains that God's promise has not failed, despite many Israelites rejecting the Messiah. Paul clarifies that being a physical descendant of Abraham or Israel does not automatically make one a true child of God. Instead, it is the "children of the promise" (believers) who are counted as the true offspring.

(I can see why many Jews aren’t too fond of Paul…)

THE CONCLUSION: God’s Chosen people are not defined by ethnicity or lineage, it is defined by devotion to Jesus Christ.  

Hence, in regard to Israel.  Move over Bibi.  We just claimed Palestine/Israel/The Promised Land for the CHRISTIANS!  (Thanks Paul!)

Irony:  Paul was a Jew and remained a Jew theoughout his life.  

Then again, if it comes down to Jews or Muslims, Paul leaves no doubt who Christians are to ally with.  (Despite a feeble attempt to muddy the waters…)

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Hagar and Sarah  Galatians 4:21-31

Galatians 4:21-31  A VERY IMPORTANT ALLEGORY.  PAUL EXPLAINS THE SEPARATE PATHS OF ISAAC AND ISHMAEL.  The two sons of Abraham have been representative of the lineage, and hence the separate claims of Jews and Muslims as the “Chosen people.”   Is Paul saying the SAME argument also applies to Christians and Muslims because Christians are part of the Isaac lineage?  (This is referring to non-Jew Arab peoples obviously since Muhammad wouldn’t get his revelation until 550 years later.

Paul explains the two covenants – one from Hagar who represents Israel under bondage and her son Ishmael who mocked Isaac.  Hagar and Ishmael represent “Jerusalem under bondage – as slaves – because THEY WERE OF THE FLESH, NOT OF FAITH IN GOD.  The other covenant is represented by Sarah and her son Isaac.  Isaac was blessed by God because he was the product of FAITH IN GOD, NOT FAITH IN THE FLESH.  Sarah eventually wanted rid of Hagar and Ishmael because of Hagar’s ungraciousness, with Ishmael mocking Isaac as the final straw.  

A Theory: This represents the Jews mocking and rejecting Jesus, and hence, the discontinuation of the old covenant (of Mt. Sinai) and the beginning of the NEW covenant under Jesus Christ. 

Discussion: Ishmael represents the JEWS rejecting Jesus?  Doesn’t Ishmael represent the lineage of today’s Arab peoples? (See below)  Paul appears to be equating the Jerusalem that crucified Christ with the cursed slave descendants of Hagar.  The New Jerusalem under Christ gives you freedom.  You were slaves to Sadducees and Pharisees of the temple.  You now have freedom in Christ.  That is quite a statement.  

Sarah represents the NEW JERUSALEM.  The product of faith in God.  Spiritually speaking, Sarah is the mother of all Christians, of people who are not merely the product of human resources, but of the supernatural work of God in their hearts.  

Isaac of course is the representative of Israel. 

Galatians 4:30-31 “Get rid of the slave woman (Hagar) and her son (Ishmael), for the slave woman’s son will NEVER SHARE in the inheritance with the free woman’s son (Isaac).”  Therefore, we ARE NOT children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Note: Historically Islam promotes Ishmael as the good guy, the prophet, mentioned in the Quran but expounded in other teachings.   

Surah  (5:21) My people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you; and do not turn back for then you will turn about losers.  (This signifies Palestine which had been the homeland of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.)

Discussion: Can there be, will there ever be peace in Israel?  

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The Deicide Accusation

Let’s get to the Biggie:  The Jews killed Jesus.

Wikipedia:  Jewish deicide is the theological position and the antisemitic trope that as a people, the Jews are collectively responsible for the killing of Jesus, even through the successive generations following his death. The notion arose in early Christianity, and it features in the writings of Justin Martyr and Melito of Sardis as early as the 2nd century. The Biblical passage Matthew 27:24–25 has been seen as giving voice to the charge of Jewish deicide as well.  “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”  All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

Blame the Jews, not Pilate.  And many bought it.  The Eastern Orthodox Church made Pilate’s wife, Claudia Procula, a Saint.  They also believe Pilate converted to Christianity and became a missionary along with his wife.  The Ethiopian Orthodox Church went further and made Pilate himself a Saint.  

The accusation that the Jews were Christ-killers fed Christian antisemitism and spurred on acts of violence against Jews such as pogroms, massacres of Jews during the Crusades, expulsions of the Jews from England, France, Spain, Portugal and other places, and torture during the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions.

In the catechism that was produced by the Council of Trent in the mid-16th century, the Catholic Church rejected the deicide charge and taught the belief that the collectivity of sinful humanity was responsible for the death of Jesus, with Christians having a special responsibility themselves.  In the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), the Catholic Church under Pope Paul VI issued the declaration Nostra aetate that repudiated the idea of a collective, multigenerational Jewish guilt for the crucifixion of Jesus. It declared that the accusation could not be made "against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today."

Christianity and Islam 

They don’t get along.  Islam, as we shall see, places high importance on Jesus.  They merely reject the death and resurrection of Christ.  That sort of tosses out the whole basis for the religion of Christianity.  

Islamophobia, a term coined in 1918, is much older, and it has deep roots in Christianity. The Christian narrative of Islam as an inherently heretical and violent religion dates to the eighth century, when John of Damascus, an Arab Christian monk, discussed the Islamic rejection of Jesus’ crucifixion in his treatise The Fount of Knowledge. In what is perhaps the first Christian apologetic refutation of Islam, John attacks Muhammad and the Quran as immoral. He refers to Islam as the “Ishmaelite heresy” and dismisses its teachings as “ridiculous.” John’s writings were translated into Latin and significantly shaped the Western church’s perspective on Islam.

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The Crusades  

In 1099, the First Crusade culminated in the establishment of the Kingdom of Jerusalem; nearly all Jewish and Muslim residents were massacred. (The Crusades were mainly directed toward the Muslim population, but the Jews were often caught up in the slaughter, especially in the 1st Crusade.)  Most of the subsequent crusades were unsuccessful, and some were outright disasters. Christian-Muslim relations in this period were largely defined by the narrative of the Holy War. For Christians, these campaigns were repeated attempts to recover the Holy Land. For Muslims, they were defensive wars against would-be colonizers. However, these military conflicts also had unexpected outcomes. The crusaders encountered superior Muslim medicine, astronomy, mathematics, architecture, and philosophy. Witnessing the accomplishments of Islamic civilization, many may have realized that Christian propaganda about Islam was untruthful.

Ann Coulter  

A news station reported her saying this comment on the post 9/11 attacks.  “We attack the Arab countires, convert them to Christianity.  Those who don’t we kill.”   Which is not entirely accurate.

The actual quote: “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war.”

Here are 2 social media comments reacting to her words:  

1.  “I shared (agreed with) Anne's sentiments for the most part at the time, and still do today.”

2.  “The line on conversion wasn't good. That said...it can be treated as a commentary on the forceful evangelism inherent to Islam.  (comparing forced conversion of Christianity to other forced conversions in history.)

Which is true, looking at the wave of the Ummyads across Northern Africa in 661-750 A.D.  My question, did they notice the wave of Charlemagne across Europe?

Bring your swords…  

Let’s talk about one of the misunderstood and misused exchanges in the Bible.  This is from Luke 22:35-38    Jesus had sent his disciples out on a trial run.  Evangelize.  Preach the message of peace.  You don’t need to pack or take anything.  Live of the generosity of those who listen and believe.

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Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”  “Nothing,” they answered.

Well, things are about to change.  After this week the reception isn’t going to be so friendly…

He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.  It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That’s enough!” he replied.

What does THAT mean?  Jesus endorsing violence?  Jesus is saying “it’s gonna get tough out there.  What good are TWO swords???

Interpretation 1:  Obery Hendricks, Jr. writes:  Jesus was being sarcastic.  Sometimes we forget Jesus was fully human.  His merry band of misfits was quite the crew.  Jesus is telling them:  The end of my mission is near.  Our message is peace.  But it is going to be dangerous.  “Does anybody have a sword?”  Yeah, we got two of ‘em…   Jesus does an eyeroll.  “Oh yeah, that’s gonna be enough.”  His disciples just don’t get it.  He was kidding about the sword.  There weren’t enough swords in the world to protect this crew from what they were about to face.  

Interpretation 2:  Or did Jesus need a weapon on hand so the group Judas led to arrest Jesus would have justifiable cause for his arrest.  

“I told you they were dangerous.  Look, they have a sword.”

Peter does his part by lopping off the ear of a priest’s servant.  Jesus does his part by healing him.  Does this make sense?  A ragtag band of misfits vs 500 soldiers?  Peter is going to attack a slave boy and cuts off his ear and the soldiers are going to stand by and just watch it?  Peter would have been shredded on the spot.  Instead they not only didn’t react, in the end THEY LET HIM GO FREE!  As with ALL of the other 10.  Jesus was arrested for INSURRECTION, charged with a capital punishment crime.  These were his closest allies.  His top lieutenants.  And 500 soldiers and the cadre of priests who hated them LET THEM ALL GO FREE!!!

Interpretation 3:  Whew boy.  See?  Jesus told us:  Spread the word of peace.  Preach love.  But it’s going to be dangerous, so be heavily armed.  “That’s why we carry a sword.  Now we carry a gun.”

Really?  Maybe.   But really?

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In December 2015, following the San Bernardino shooting, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. urged students to carry concealed weapons, stating: "If more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in". 

Falwell, who noted he was carrying a .25-caliber handgun in his back pocket, later stated his comments were aimed at Islamist terrorists.  "That's the only thing I would clarify," Falwell said. "If I had to say what I said again, I'd say exactly the same thing, (just add the Islamic terrorist stipulation"   I wonder who Falwell considered “a terrorist?”

Pastor Greg Locke and the Rebuilding of the Third Temple on the site of the Dome of the Rock - after BLOWING IT UP!

(This is a transcript of the words of Pastor Locke from the link below)

…the Gaza strip which has now been cut off by Israel, and rightly so, they should have cut them off a long time ago.  Now I don’t care how insensitive you think I am to that, there are 6 doors in this church, you can walk out of any one of them any time you want to…

They’ve cut ‘em off, you know electricity, they’ve cut off their water, they should have.  Now listen, I’m not for hurting anyone that’s innocent.  But anybody that supports terrorism is not innocent.   You understand that?  (moderate applause)

Israel should make the Gaza strip a parking lot by this time next week.  Destroy the whold thing.  

What they outta do is evacuate up there on that hill and get a great big missile, and blow that wicked Dome of the Rock plum off of the spot where it is standing right now so we can get that third temple rebuilt and usher in the coming of Jesus!!!  (wild cheers!!!)

Did Jesus ever say: “Just kill them all.  They are terrorists!”  That’s what the Prince of Peace wants to return to:  Genocide?  Hear Pastor Locke:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVlk1lWiACl/

Christianity and the war. 

Lindsay Graham

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU-Ak1tgJvB/?igsh=MWxzbjU0cGhzZ3E3bA==

Did Jesus visit other planets?  Here is what the aliens have to say:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWkJb59BZP6/?igsh=cmFmeHFqb2k3YnR4

Continue to Christians, Jews, and Muslims - Judaism

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