Pages 52-53 … God’s Justice
As far as me “believing in a justice system” is concerned, I believe in the same one believed in by your own Lord & Savior — and that system was (and still is) built on forgiving “seventy times seven” (see Matthew 18:22 + Luke 6:36-37 et al) and openly “Loving our enemies” (see Matthew 5:40-48 et al). Every other man-made (and Pharisee supported) system of “justice” that we humans have ever developed has completely failed (not surprisingly) … Indeed, this is one of the reasons that Jesus came to reform the Law by altering &/or amending it – because it wasn’t working; just like it still doesn’t work (see Hebrews 8:8-13) …
On the other hand, if you were ever to express the courage to actually give Jesus’ Way of “radical-yet-consequent Kindness” a try (like I have for the past eleven+ years of my own life), then you too would see the error in your dogma – and then you too would know the Bliss that comes from living in Jesus’ “Kingdom of Heaven”; the sense of pure Joy that comes from living a life steeped in Compassion instead of condemnation, with Decency instead of denigration, and of real Justice instead of false judgment.
You then state that “God has a justice system that gives penalties for sin” (paraphrased) … Well, as I have pointed out to you over & over & over again, it is only your version of God that does so, not the all-Loving Father of Jesus Christ in the Gospels …
Indeed, Jesus knew quite well how corruptly unjust all Old Testament punishments were, which is why he came back to reform those very laws – a now firmly-established fact that I have pointed out to you over & over & over again; both in this thread (see pages 26-31 previously) and in many other conversations we have shared beforehand … Jesus knew full well that such harsh & unbending punishments had nothing at all to do with the gentle Will of his Father – that they did not at all reflect His perfectly unconditional & fully limitless LOVE … And this is why Jesus challenged these laws – almost all 613 of them – all throughout his ministry … And this is why Jesus very clearly stated (among other places, in Matthew 22:37-40) that we were now to approach Justice very differently …
I wonder, my Friend – HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE THIS?!?!
Or, better stated: WHY do you refuse to do so?
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first Commandment. And a second Commandment is just like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself … On these two Commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:37-40)
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