From reading through the postings I see the usual "Christian" responses to my question. I wonder how many 'Christians" actually realize that there is a central theme running through the entirety of the Bible, that links both the Old and New testaments together, a central theme that is repeated over and over and admonished once again at the end? All the popular religions speak of the "love" of God, yet this is not the theme I speak of.
The purpose of the Bible coincides with the purpose of man. One is inseparable from the other. so, to understand the one, the other must be understood as well.
So what is the purpose of man? That's the question everyone usually asks FIRST. Why? Because everyone wants to know why he or she was born, what is the purpose behind one's existence. Is it just so that we all can go through life striving to perfect ourselves according to the foundation laid down in the Bible? To what end? That we all go to heaven and sing praises to God for eternity? I sincerely hope not. All this time and trial wasted just so one can sing praises unto God forever? Seems like a LOT of ado and QUALIFICATION for something so trivial and mundane. Yet that is exactly what many religions claim.
I didn't buy into that theory. i set out to find out what God did / does. What is His purpose? I thought that if perhaps I could discover His purpose I could find out more about mine. Many told me it was improper for me to seek such answers and ask such questions; yet when I asked them why I never got a straight forward answer, just replies like "you'll go to hell" , "you're being disrespectful", if He wanted us to know such things He would tell us and He doesn't". Well, HE does say to PROVE all things. So, set out to find out why a God that doesn't reveal anything would say to "prove all things". I mean, HOW can one PROVE anything if nothing is not revealed?
That was a long time ago. Since then I have met others who have taken up this journey as well, seeking many of the same answers I did and more that I had not considered.
I am far from an "expert" but I can tell you that line MUST be upon line, precept upon precept, for the teachings of God to be revealed. If there is confusion or contradiction it is not
on God's part but on the part of he who is doing the interpreting.
Now, about that question; man always puts HIMSELF first. He wants to know who HE is that God should consider him. I wanted to know WHO God was that I should consider Him. So I began studying. I found out through God's Word and the insight of others dedicated to the Truth that God is in the business of creating. I found out that He has a plan for the universe that far transcends any imaginable by man. I found out that there is something that God in all His Glory and Power cannot create, something the must be formed within each individual. That something is Righteous Character. If Righteous Character could be formed through caveat rebellion would never have entered into Satan's mind; it would have been impossible for him to go against God, much less lead 1/3 of the angels astray with him.
This explained to me why man was created mortal, in a form that could die. God already had had to deal with Lucifer's rebellion, not to mention the rebellion of 1/3 of the angels, why would he create MORE immortal beings that could turn eternally against Him as well? He wouldn't. Yet he didn't want robots. What good is a robot that can't think/reason for itself?
How many of you have kids? How many of you would want to spend the entirety of your life playing the "why" game with them? Eventually one would scream "SHUT UP, I DON'T KNOW WHY" to which of course would come the question of "why".
So He created man with the ability to reason, the ability to make use of SELF WILL, a.k.a CHOICE. After all, who is the most HONORABLE and RELIABLE; one who has been FORCED to submit to a leader or one who CHOOSES to do so WILLINGLY? Obviously he who CHOOSES to do so, he's going to be unshakable in his loyalty. He who is FORCED will betray at the first opportunity.
(Now keep in mind that even though Satan rebelled against God he still retained the throne of the earth. He was / is still ruler and god of the earth)
So how does God create a beings who will be able to reclaim that throne, beings that will NOT rebel against Him under ANY circumstances? He has to let then make the choice to follow Him or not. How does he do that? He tests them, constantly. Hence the test of Adam in the garden of Eden. Had Adam NOT followed Eve (Satan) in eating of the "fruit" he would qualified to retake the throne of the earth from Satan. Why? The CHOICE was between following the word of Eve as opposed to the Commandment of God. Adam chose to follow Eve 's suggestion (as inspired by Satan). Hence they were cast out of the Garden and away from the (symbolic) tree of Life.
In making that decision what did Eve and Adam CHOOSE to do? Did they not CHOOSE to reject God's Law, evidenced by His commandment NOT "to eat of the tree...."? Are God's commandments not Law/ Sure they are. And what does God say about His Laws/ Commandments? If one is broken they ALL are broken? So in breaking the one commandment given by God to Adam and Eve did they not break them all? Sure they did.
So WHAT did they do in breaking the commandments? Did they not rebel against God's Law the same as Satan had?(and what does God teach that the Law is? The foundation of His government {Kingdom} ? ) Did they not rebel against God's throne (symbolic of His government) same as Satan had? Sure they did, so it was BLOCKED off from them.
At this point another supposition of traditional Christianity becomes clear.. but that is another topic and thread.
What is the Bible about? Its a guidebook to the creation of True Righteous Character, through which one may inherit the very Government of God and re-create it throughout the universe. It teaches the formula by which one may create Righteous Character within himself, and permit God to infuse that Character with the POWER of his own; thereby forming one who is worthy to inherit the reward of Governing with Christ and re establishing the universe according to God's vision not Satan's. In order to qualify for these positions one needs to LEARN about God's government and be proficient in it. This is the other purpose of the Bible; to TEACH the Government of God to His True followers.
I realize that this is condensed quite a bit but in the interest of not putting anyone to sleep, I felt it necessary to do so.
I am in a good mood right now though.
