Because there are so many passages that help us to know God does not like human sacrifice, we know he did not want this to happen. Abraham is a separate case and happened long before the written law was given.

I don’t understand where it says God accepted the sacrifice. I don’t think he did. He did, however honor Jephthah’s desire to honor what he had told God he would do. He clearly had a fear of God that Saul did not have. God used Jepthath do do his will in that particular time and place.

Saul constantly showed he had no fear of God. Over and over he does things such as taking over the priest’s role and offering the sacrifice himself. He also made a foolish vow to God to kill anyone who ate anything before the battle was won. His son Jonathan, who hadn’t heard the order, ate some honey. When Saul said he would have to be killed, Saul’s own men made clear they would not stand for it. Saul backed down. It is clear that his own desires were always the basis for what he did. Ironically, Jonathan loved God and was willing to step aside for David, if that was God’s will.

God’s grace is very apparent in both the Old Testament and the New. People have always been saved by faith through grace. Their actions showed their faith or lack thereof.

The New Testament warns us about making vows to God. It is arrogance to think we can always carry out such promises. It also shows a lower view of God. It is testing him in a way he does not like.

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9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2

We are most definitely saved by grace through faith. We cannot receive Salvation by works. But lets then look at the Scripture below — faith without works is dead, if we have faith in Christ as our Savior we want to serve HIM — For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? James 2:14

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2:17

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2:18

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? James 2:20

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? James 2:22

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
James 2:24

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26

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Go back to post 53 – There is no ‘challenge’ – I have stated at the end of post 53:

From my post #53 — “Ajones, you can make it simple, or you can rewrite what the Cross of Christ is. Those who are Born Again Believers are more than aware that Christ died on the cross for our sins, if we believe on Him we will be saved. Nothing we do can save us apart from repenting of our sins, and turning to Christ as our Savior.”

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I think we both want to live a life that glorifies God. What does that life look like? Is God glorified because so and so is such a good person. I do not think that is what the Bible teaches. I think the Bible teaches that God is glorified because He took away the sins of the World. He forgives sinners. (The angels rejoice when sinners repent not when good people say that God helped them accomplish wonderful things)

Just to challenge you. What does Jesus mean when He says (In four different places and as part of His last will and testament) “Take eat this is my body. Take drink this is my blood.” The simple, clear, and literal meaning are easy to grasp but the full theological weight of them must be believed by faith. For the most part people that insist that they glorify God by doing good things do not want to believe that God would give His body and blood for them in Holy communion. Yet those of us who have accepted that Jesus paid the full price for my sins on the cross and I can do nothing to earn it rejoice that God has made such a wonderful promise in providing me assurance of grace not based on my actions but what He has given.

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It’s important to study the Bible. No one has to go seminary to in order to study GOD’S Word, it should be the passion of every Believer -

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What would we do without your definitive explanations of the Bible?

No one should be allowed to graduate from seminary without an exchange with you.

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I take GOD at His Word. Something else which is important to me, is to take a passage of Scripture and NOT try and re-script it, as though I could do a better job than the LORD –

There are some passages of GOD’S Word which need to be defined, but not as many as man tries find to a ‘new’ definition.

Very often God’s Word is complicated by mans intentional or un-intentional means of re-defining a portion of Scripture which is clearly written. If we (AND I DO) believe that the Bible is inerrant inspired Word of God, we don’t need to re-write it.

The passages of Scripture which I gave in post 51, and then later re-posted against your answers in MY post 53 are an example of what I’m talking about.

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Roger — Well, you see, that’s where we disagree, right there. You are making the same mistake that a lot of people make, even serious Bible students. You’re treating the Bible as if it’s some kind of special book, that is, the Bible doesn’t communicate the way other books do. Specifically, in this case, you believe the Biblical authors do not speak efficiently.

I’m not sure if we disagree because I’m not sure what your argument is.

Many stories in the Bible do have information that is not directly relevant to the point. So do all well-told stories, because those details add richness and context to the story even without directly advancing the plot. That was not a criticism.

On the other hand though, the details in this case, which you said would be irrelevant if the point was that Jephthah killed his daughter in keeping his promise were not actually irrelevant at all .. which you seem to agree with in your later comments.

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I did not say that any of those verse were proof text of how to understand what the scripture means when it talks about glorifying God. I did try to explain that these text do not mean that when I try to be good God owes me something for my goodness. I imagine that you would agree with that. If you set out to glorify God are you going to talk about what you have done or what He has done? It seems to me giving God the glory would focus more on what He has done. His most glorious accomplishment was the salvation of man by His death on the cross. Paul goes so far as to say, 1 Cor 12:9 “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” and in 11:30 “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” When I acknowledge that I am a sinner and have failed to do what God requires of me and that my only hope is that God will be merciful to be for Christ sake that seems to me to allow Christ to get all the credit and all the glory. How would you try to glorify the Lord? What do you think these verses mean when the ask people to give glory to God?

Joshua 7:19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” (check verse 11 “Israel has sinned”)

John 9:24 they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”

Jer 13:15 Hear and give ear; be not proud,
for the Lord has spoken.
16 Give glory to the Lord your God
before he brings darkness,
before your feet stumble
on the twilight mountains,
and while you look for light
he turns it into gloom
and makes it deep darkness.
17 But if you will not listen,
my soul will weep in secret for your pride;

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YOU WRITE:.. “It is true that God glories in His children as they walk in the ways He has prepared for us. Yet what we do is never perfect and can not add to God’s glory

Ajones, I have never said that we can be perfect, that is a mistake on your part.

YOU WRITE:.. “All the verse that you quote about glory can be understood to glory in the cross. 1 Cor 10 do not say the Bart Simpson that we eat and drink of our own bounty but thank the Lord that because of the cross He has been merciful and given us daily bread. Rom 15 does not say that we should tell others that I am such a good person but rather tell them that God has been merciful to me a sinner. I didn’t deserve any of His blessings but it is His glory to be gracious even to me. 1 Cor. 6 is it my body my own achievement or is it God’s. What makes me valuable? The price God paid for me on the cross. Peter 4 1. Do we glorify God when the world admires our achievements or when it is causing us to suffer.

Ajones, you are confusing the Scripture and worse adding to what it says.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

The above verse has nothing to do with Bart Simpson, the verse clearly says “whatsoever ye do” YOU WRITE: — “do not say the Bart Simpson that we eat and drink of our own bounty but thank the Lord that because of the cross He has been merciful and given us daily bread.” —

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5

Ajones, the verse above doesn’t say this as you say it, nor have I…you are confusing the Scripture. “Rom 15 does not say that we should tell others that I am such a good person but rather tell them that God has been merciful to me a sinner. I didn’t deserve any of His blessings but it is His glory to be gracious even to me.”

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20

Ajones, here again you twist the verse above the meaning which is clear from GOD’S Word “is it my body my own achievement or is it God’s. What makes me valuable? The price God paid for me on the cross.”

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 1 Peter 4:16

Here again, you take the verse above and you reword it “Do we glorify God when the world admires our achievements or when it is causing us to suffer.

Ajones, you twist the Scriptures, rewording it as you go along.

YOU WRITE:.. “The theology of glory imagines that there is something that I can do that will impress God and then because He is impressed with me I will get good things from Him. The theology of the cross says that because Christ suffered on the cross the curse has been averted and God is free to shower mercy on me a sinner.

Ajones, you can make it simple, or you can rewrite what the Cross of Christ is. Those who are Born Again Believers are more than aware that Christ died on the cross for our sins, if we believe on Him we will be saved. Nothing we do can save us apart from repenting of our sins, and turning to Christ as our Savior.

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