Post by Lee on Sept 17, 2014 1:36:37 GMT
“Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see and see not: they have ears to hear and hear not, for they are a rebellious house.”
Before we knew the truth we thought we were living in a Christian community—a community substantially subject to the law of Christ—a community whose ways we could safely follow, and in whose wake we might hope to sail with the throng into blessedness hereafter. A knowledge of the truth has shewn us the opposite of all this. One of the principal difficulties some of us had to get over was the fact that the whole community should be wrong. We have got over it by the help of the overwhelming evidence of proof that it is so. It helps us to hold on to the conviction wrought by evidence to see that Ezekiel was so situated. He dwelt in the midst of a rebellious people. He was told so on the authority of God Himself. The Jews themselves were not aware of it. Perhaps Ezekiel was not aware of it to the full extent, The Jews thought themselves the accepted people of the Lord: so we are given to understand in many parts of the prophets. And, perhaps, Ezekiel, as a natural man, might have been disposed to entertain a similarly good opinion of them. But the Lord seeth not as man seeth. As man seeth, the Jews were obedient. They practised circumcision, observed the feasts and, in most external matters, were submissive to the law given them by Moses By the appearance of things they were the Lord’s people; but as God seeth, who looketh not on the outward appearance, they were rebellious. God required the heart. He required a sincere worship, a modest attitude and a merciful consideration of the poor. In these they were lacking. They drew nigh to him with their mouths, but their heart was far from him.—(Isaiah 29:13.)
. Vol. 14: The Christadelphian: Volume 14. 2001 (electronic ed.) (493–494). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.
Before we knew the truth we thought we were living in a Christian community—a community substantially subject to the law of Christ—a community whose ways we could safely follow, and in whose wake we might hope to sail with the throng into blessedness hereafter. A knowledge of the truth has shewn us the opposite of all this. One of the principal difficulties some of us had to get over was the fact that the whole community should be wrong. We have got over it by the help of the overwhelming evidence of proof that it is so. It helps us to hold on to the conviction wrought by evidence to see that Ezekiel was so situated. He dwelt in the midst of a rebellious people. He was told so on the authority of God Himself. The Jews themselves were not aware of it. Perhaps Ezekiel was not aware of it to the full extent, The Jews thought themselves the accepted people of the Lord: so we are given to understand in many parts of the prophets. And, perhaps, Ezekiel, as a natural man, might have been disposed to entertain a similarly good opinion of them. But the Lord seeth not as man seeth. As man seeth, the Jews were obedient. They practised circumcision, observed the feasts and, in most external matters, were submissive to the law given them by Moses By the appearance of things they were the Lord’s people; but as God seeth, who looketh not on the outward appearance, they were rebellious. God required the heart. He required a sincere worship, a modest attitude and a merciful consideration of the poor. In these they were lacking. They drew nigh to him with their mouths, but their heart was far from him.—(Isaiah 29:13.)
. Vol. 14: The Christadelphian: Volume 14. 2001 (electronic ed.) (493–494). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.