Friday, October 30, 2009

Logical Learning

I had talked to a number of friends and fellow bloggers in the last day and I am still in the midst of discovering what type of Christian I am….I’ve heard the terms mature, teenage, toddler and even baby Christians. And I can agree with that when you are describing a place where someone is in their development and knowledge of the Bible. In comparison to how much someone is educated in the word of God, I believe there are also different types of learning. There are people that read and acknowledge the word of God in the bible, just as they would with their studies in school…Then there are people who learn purely through the way they experience God physically (a more logical approach based on what has transpired in their lives.) Then there are those who learn both ways. Just as God loves all levels of Christian based on their knowledge I contend that the same is true based on how we learn.

I believe that I fall within the category of a logical Christian. And when I think about early Christianity I have to believe that the people who were to become Christians in the time of Christ were logical as well, what they saw and experienced is what they knew to be true.

A friend of mine sent me a message yesterday that puts the trials and tribulations that our Lord Jesus Christ experienced leading up to the end of His mortal life into perspective. I’d like you all to read it:

THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS

At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty.

At the time crucifixion was the "worst" form of execution used. Only the worst criminals condemned to die were to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus, unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion Jesus because He was to be nailed to the cross by His hands and feet.

Each nail was 6 to 8 inches long.

The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the wrist that the tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support himself so that He could breath.

Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support himself with His legs because of the pain so He was forced to alternate between arching His back and using His legs just to continue to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, and the courage.

Jesus endured this reality for over 3 hours.

Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes
before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He simply began pouring water from His wounds.

From common images depicting the scene, we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side. But do we realize there were other wounds that were actually made in His body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped and an even large nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But before the nails and the spear Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating was so horrific that His face was torn and His beard ripped from His face. The crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp.

Most men would not have survived this torture.

And remember after 3 hours of enduring this brutal act. He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds.

The human adult body contains about 3.5 litres (just less than a gallon) of blood.


Jesus lost all 3.5 litres of His blood; He had three nails hammered into His arms and feet; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His chest.

All this without mentioning the humiliation, He was forced to pass angry crowds carrying His own cross for almost 2 kilometers (about a mile and a quarter), while the crowd spat in His face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight (66 pounds), the cross that he carried across is back was the cross-section where His hands were nailed).

Jesus had to endure this experience, so that you can have free access to God.

So that all our sins could be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception!
Don't ignore this situation. JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU! For you, who now read this message. Do not believe that He only died for others (those who go to church or for pastors, bishops, etc).

He died for you! It is easy to pass jokes or foolish photos around, but when it comes to God, sometimes you feel ashamed to forward to others because you are worried of what they may think about you.

Accept the reality, the truth that JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE
WORLD.

God has plans for you; No matter where you are in your faith or how you go about learning, just know that God Loves you so much that he gave is only begotten son….Could you imagine sending your son to an automatic death sentence for strangers.

Think of life today….do any of you know ANYONE who would endure that kind of punishment and terror just so someone else could be close to their Father in Heaven. Ashamedly, we live in a world that doesn’t care about their immortal souls…We all have to follow what others thinks is cool.

If you look logically at the story that you just read you have to believe that only God incarnate would have the conviction and compassion to forfeit His life for you.

3 comments:

  1. Another great post, Mike.

    Studying The Bible does not make someone a good person. There are many people well-versed in religious materials that do not lead their lives in God's image.

    Anyone can have God in their heart - whatever their race, religious affiliation, nationality, education, political inclination, etc. I believe God loves all. The important thing is for a person to let God into their life.

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  2. Hello, My hubby is in the woods this weekend for opening of deer season and I am always a little tense and fearful at bedtime when the house is so quiet, so was doing my daily bible study just now instead my usual morning time and just still was a little anxious about going on to bed but came in to see if Beverly had posted her Pink Saturday list and found your link. I am so glad I read it because now I have a more peaceful feeling and am going to bed. Thanks for sharing. Mollye

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  3. The Holy Spirit is working overtime,you are growing so fast.God speaks to us through the Bible, reading his word helps us grow in our christian walk and form a personal relationship with Him.I believe we also grow and learn from experiences with God,but first we must have knowledge of who God is,before we can always recognize those experiences (I believe that because I missed few)Our knowledge of the Bible is meaningless without accepting and loving Jesus christ with all our heart, with that love,the Christ like image will soon come ,beause the Holy Spirit is living inside us.This I believe with all my heart. Mike,I see that love growing in you.

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