God or Angels - the Law of Moses

I even fell for it. People use the clearing of the temple as a rationalization for violence. I mean if Jesus is violent then we have a great fake story in the Book of Revelation. However, the bible speaks clearly of Jesus in prophecy.

Therefore, either Jesus was violent and the bible lies or Jesus was not violent.

Since Jesus is the image of the Father and His representation, then God is not violent.

So, again, if Jesus represents the Father and the bible states Jesus was NOT violent - then what do we do with all the OT violence that is supposedly from God?

Acts 7 has some interesting thoughts. The Law of Moses came not from God but through angels. The violence of the OT is often because of Angels and not directly God.

Isaiah 53: 9.  And they made His grave with the wicked but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Acts 7: 35 "This Moses whom they rejected, saying, `Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush.

Exodus 3:2 2.  And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

To be like God? Or, to be fully human?

I was taught, as a young believer, I was to "become more like God". This ever sat well for me. I mean, that sounded like what the serpent stated in the Garden, "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.''

Now, wanting to “be like God” is not a bad thing, unless your God is also bad. However, if God is God, and you want to be God or a god, then one of you is off a bit.

I also had an issue as Adam and Eve would not have a point of reference in the meaning of "disobedience". Later, as they told the story to Cain and Able, both of these sons would have the reference of their parents mistake. However, for God to "punish" for just being "disobedient", then God just may be unjust. If it is for "blame shifting" and not taking responsibility then we have reasons for the consequences humanity suffered from our inability to take responsibility for our own actions. To blame someone else, who is the image of God, is to blame God and say He is not worthy to be our God.

It took me many years to come to terms that to believe I am to become more “god-like” or “like God” was a lie and that Jesus teaches us to be “more human”.

In addition, I was taught, the original sin was disobedience. I do not see that. I see Adam adding words to God’s warning and then blaming Eve, who then blames the serpent that God put in the garden. That is the sin. Blame shifting. Not taking responsibilities for our actions is “the sin”.

Where does grace fit in this? It fits by means of humility. If one is proud and demanding to be honored as a god-like being, God resists the proud and arrogant. If one is humble, God gives grace. The trick is, humility, is not easily manufactured, and usually comes through much pain and suffering. Much like the suffering Jesus endured, though most likely not a severe.

we learn empathy through feeling pain. We grow and learn to love others when we see ourselves as fellow humans on this planet instead of “god” and those that worship him or her.

If you take time to examine what you actually believe versus what you were taught – how much would stand?