Mulling over George Pope to Steve Asher 07 Oct 2005

SA>  GP> Jesus did not follow his own way, but the one of his Father, the
SA>  GP> Creator.

SA> I take it from this that you do acknowledge Jesus as being the
SA> Son of God? Do you acknowledge that Jesus died for your sins,
SA> in accordance with his Father's will?

 GP> Of course not!  I was baptized a Mennonite, but have since studied
 GP> enough to learn the truths behyind Christianity!

And what truths would those be, in your view?

SA>  GP> So why did God give the Mosaic laws and at that time say they were
SA>  GP> NOT too difficult to keep in their entirety?

SA> Where did God say that?

 GP> In Deuteronomy, somewhere near the end, in Moses' last
 GP> discourse/addressing Israel.

I had a quick butcher's last night, & I didn't see anything 
that implied that.

SA> If they were not too difficult to keep in their entirety, why did
SA> God institute a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) for the very purpose
SA> of making atonement for sins which [Jews] committed against God?

 GP> Because, even though they CAN be kept in their entirety, God makes
 GP> concession to human nature that they WON'T necessarily be so.

Oh, and do you know of anyone who has kept them in their entirety,
apart from Jesus Christ?

 GP> And Yom Kippur is just the rite for atonement -- it's stated
 GP> through the prophets that as many times as a man(not just Jews)
 GP> turn towards Jerusalem and contritely seek forgiveness, God will
 GP> forgive.

SA>  GP> And that to keep them is an ETERNAL covenant?

SA> That would be fine, for those who keep them. I only know of One who
SA> kept the Law. All the rest of us have fallen short.

 GP> The Law includes the ability to seek atonement, and it also
 GP> includes God's mercy in judging favorably. (cf. Jesus' parable of
 GP> the shrewd manager) 

On what basis can someone seek atonement, in your view?

Cheers, Steve..

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