My Journal

Simon: I am a born again Christian, my sins are forgiven when I repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Now I do not steal, not even lie. Thanks be to God.

Preacher: Amen.

Simon: If only I hadn't done these since I was youth, I would be even better!!!

Preacher: Yes you would. But you still need Jesus to take away your sins.

Simon: Yeah, I know. I meant if I had not sin before I knew Jesus, Jesus would love me even better.

Preacher: That is not possible.

Simon: In what sense?

Preacher: That you have no sin before.

Simon: Sure I could. For example, if someone, or my parents had really seriously taught me not to lie, not even small lies, not to lust, not even small lust, minor things like these, I think I would have not done those.

Preacher: Still, that is not going to clear you of your sins.

Simon: What else am I missing?

Preacher: Adam's sin.

Simon: What does that have anything to do with me?

Preacher: Everything. Did you honor God since you were born? Did you obey God since you were born?

Simon: No, I didn't know God then. But how can I sin if I didn't even know God?

Preacher: Now that you are a christian, you will see that the Bible has stated that mankind has fallen into sin since Adam. That means when Adam sinned, God has forsaken Adam and his offsprings. It is only because of God's mercy that we, offsprings of Adam, still have hope. If you say you do not have sin because you are not Adam, it is only based on your own definition of sin, your own definition of righteousness.

Simon: I want to know the truth, I do not want the definition what anyone else told me, nor do I want the definition of my own. I believe in God's word the Bible. So this world, mankind, was already condemned, since Adam. I was condemned since Adam, not just since myself. Like a ship full of people, heading a huge iceberg, those who have noticed the iceberg need lifeboats, and most of those would like to warn others, those who hadn't a clue yet do not mean that they are free of the terror to come. And the children cannot be saved by blaming it on their parents who brought them onboard, fantasizing on the fact that if they hadn't been onboard is wishful but its not the truth, blaming on any causes which led them onboard would not deny the fact that they are "passengers" of that ship. What others called fate, we Christians called God's plan, just and merciful.

Preacher: So you can see now that ever since the ultimate grace of God is revealed, Jesus Christ, the harvest is plenty.

[@more@]

γυνή Means woman. Pronounced, Goo-Nay.

On Friday's Bible study, someone mentioned it was a highly respectful address. Wrong. It's just referring to any woman, of any age, virgin, married, or widowed. IT DOES NOT MEAN MADAM.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus used the word γυνή to show that no human not even his mother Mary could interfere the hand of God.

It is unfortunate that there are seminary teacher teaching students that this word means "Madam". I have also heard a pastor said "κεφαλή" as in husband is the HEAD of the wife means "source", in avoiding having to deal with the inability to explain that verse. κεφαλή does not mean source at all, just like γυνη does not mean the honorable madam. When our Lord used that sentence He was clear what He was saying, it was disrespectable in any cultures to address one's own mother in such common tone, but He is pointing that this is the business of God and that it cannot be equal to any man. God also never needs to consult with men.

Acts 17:12 clearly stated that honorable women are εὐσχήμων (Pronounced Yoo-skhay-mon) γυνή. Not just γυνή.

Honoring parents is a moral that cannot be lacking in any society. And Christians are not to be without any human moral. Honoring parents is even instructed by God. But if one don't see the difference between Christians honoring parents and non-christians honoring parents, then one needs to come to God for repentance. For one needs to know how to honor, give thanks, give glory to God first. Even if there are conflicts.

[@more@]