2.1.21 Teaching Not To Blaspheme

Q. In the context of angels being manipulated by God and doing God's will, the illustration came about someone being cast out to Satan to learn not to blaspheme. The purpose of that in the context of the New Testament where it is given is that individuals do it. The illustration you gave from the Old Testament was about Jacob's brothers. Their whole purpose behind their dealings with Joseph was that he would be destroyed, not that he should saved. My comment is that the example from the Old Testament is inadequate to explain what was meant in the New Testament.

 

A.Okay, I will have a difficult time repeating all of that so I will just answer your question. I think it is fully adequate because the devil's intent for us is not to save us. The devil intends to destroy us, however, to his own frustration, God uses his actions for God's own purposes.

 

Q. How could the devil teach someone not to blaspheme?

 

A. What happens is that someone is cut off from the community and placed back into the world out of the church, back under the authority of the evil one and there must suffer the consequences of his being cut off from the church. Hopefully, in so doing he will come to his senses and seek admission back into the Kingdom of Light.

 

Q. I couldn't help but comment that that's exactly the way I would explain it, only what I would mean is that he was sent back into the forces of evil within the world manifested in people and so on through their evil hearts, and that he would learn that there is nothing out there and he would be brought back into the ecclesia of God.

 

A. Right, that's wonderful comment and I think it illustrates something which I think should have been coming out in this presentation that these differences between us are not so very great. We all believe that God is supreme and He is the one who is in control and as far as I am concerned, some of these differences are pretty small, I so think it is an excellent comment. Other questions?