tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post6513657160538144194..comments2024-03-29T04:31:15.219-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: The shape of glory. . .Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-57902632047771227602018-02-14T09:25:09.854-06:002018-02-14T09:25:09.854-06:00Dear Pastor Peters: I used the single statement to...Dear Pastor Peters: I used the single statement to avoid copying the entire paragraph, and the one following, which describe Peter's "attitude." The fact is that this attitude changed on Pentecost. I have hope and faith that my attitude is also different from what it would be, if the Holy Spirit did not dwell in me, as He does in every baptized Christian.<br />No, I am not perfect, far from it, but I long to hear the confirmation of our Lord's consoling, glorious Gospel of what He has done for us to make us different, rather than the constant repetition of how bad we are. About the latter I have no doubt, but I and I think every believer needs to hear that we are right about the Gospel.<br />Peace and Joy!<br />George A. Marquart<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-76193404192634042892018-02-13T12:52:38.510-06:002018-02-13T12:52:38.510-06:00IN ATTITUDE, George, in attitude -- who would not ...IN ATTITUDE, George, in attitude -- who would not prefer the mountain top to the cross, the glory of shining light to the glory of suffering that provides forgiveness, a life in the clouds above trouble and trial over a life in which we too take up our cross and follow Him... George, you read too much into a simple statement about how Peter would have rather stayed on high than descend to the future Jesus predicted in betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, death, and resurrection.Pastor Petershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-53415822118332482412018-02-13T10:48:10.280-06:002018-02-13T10:48:10.280-06:00“St. Peter is no different than you or me.” That ...“St. Peter is no different than you or me.” That is not true. Making a statement like that shows that the writer has a fundamental misunderstanding of the Gospel.<br />Remember what our Lord said, Matthew 11:11, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Our Lord is saying that there is a difference between the people of the Old Covenant and the New. There are two major differences:<br />1. The people of the New Covenant have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Those of the Old do not. John 14: 16, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, because He abides with you, and He will be in you.” Among other things, the indwelling Spirit affects our sanctification, something our Confessions clearly assert. St. Peter made his comment about the Transfiguration before he had received the Holy Spirit. Therefore, he “was” different from you and me at the time. St. Peter received the Holy Spirit on the day our Lord rose from the dead, John 20: 22, “When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’.” From then on St. Peter was “no different than you and me”, but just for 50 days. On Pentecost he received the special powers that only the 11 and St. Paul received, as our Lord said, Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This power was unique in the history of the world, making Peter and all the Apostles, once more, different than you and me. In testimony thereto, it is only the names of the 12 Apostles that are written on the foundation of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:15).<br /><br />2. The Old Covenant was a two-sided one, in which both sides undertook obligations. The New Covenant is one-sided, just like the covenant God made with Abraham long before Sinai. Jeremiah 31:33-34, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” The Old Covenant came to an end when the New Covenant was born on the day our Lord rose from the dead. <br />Peace and Joy!<br />George A. MarquartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-40007145844008083662018-02-12T13:09:18.557-06:002018-02-12T13:09:18.557-06:00Among Christians, non-Roman Catholics, it shows a ...Among Christians, non-Roman Catholics, it shows a slight increase among some generations and a bit more among others but not a wholesale reversal of past habits.<br /> <a href="http://getintopca.com" rel="nofollow">getintopc</a>Julian Williamshttp://getintopca.com/noreply@blogger.com