cmp.2009.05.07.01
ed.2009.05.07.01
The Path of Favor
Humility > Understanding > Wisdom > Fear > Trust > Obedience > Knowledge
The Path of Favor
Subject
Philosophy,
Theology
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ponderous Ponderer
Subject
- Apologetics (6)
- Atheism (1)
- Biography (2)
- Creative Writing (3)
- Education (2)
- Epistemology (2)
- Family (5)
- Introduction (1)
- Israel (4)
- Logic (1)
- Messianic Judaism (1)
- Morality (1)
- Philosophy (7)
- Politics (4)
- Questions (1)
- Short Stories (5)
- Theology (8)
Search
Subscribe To And Follow this Blog
Posts
Comments
4 comments:
you forgot all the offshoots where it all goes wrong.
Wow, take 3. I am not to good at this commenting back part.
Thanks very much for your comment. :)
I think that in every place there is an opportunity to rebel against Truth.
Certainly, in each of those places, there are many different ways to rebell, (lots of room to fall off, small place to walk to continue on):
Pride instead of humility, boasting instead of pursuing undertanding, lawlessness instead of wisdom, vanity instead of fear, accusation instead of trust, willfulness instead of obedience, and pride instead of knowledge.
Though, I think the more important part is to understand what the first seven really mean:
Humility: The act of seeking, serving, recognizing that we are in fact flesh, often corrupted.
Understanding: To be aware of the nature, meaning and purpose.
Wisdom: The ability to distinguish between right and wrong.
Fear: the unpleasant anticipation or expectation of punishment, (a negative consequence).
Trust: Not simply belief, but a hopeful expectation that implies a willingness to wait patiently, and also dependence. To hope in a promise is meaningless if there person who has promised cannot be trusted.
Obedience:
Submission to a preceding command given by an authority, out of fear or trust, (perhaps both).
Knowledge:
Not an epistemilogical knowledge that is derived or inferred from given "truths", but a knowledge that implies a personal experience of, and even intimacy.
Obviously, the significance of this "Path" is not in the words that were chosen, but in their arrangement.
I will try to write something else at some point to explain why I stated the order of precedence the way I did. But, right now, I am a little overwhelmed with something else.
Though, I do contend that this order is valid in the context of "reason" as well as in Scripture, (Jewish or Christian). Quite frankly, I don't expect too many people to care, let alone ask for a defense. :P But I will, at some point.
Thanks again, but I really need to pass out now; this is especially true, since this is my third attempt to reply to your comment. Sigh.
Alrighty, then! Off to bed! I a hope, (there are often lots of little hairy distraction monsters lurking about in my pre-bed time cereal boxes. So, since I have no cereal at the moment, it shouldn't be a problem. :) HAH.
Moving along.
wouldn't lawlessness instead of wisdom also imply how to distinguish between right and wrong, if it is indeed an act to be lawless? Unless you mean that the inability to distinguish would make you lawless, but then it seems it would be more chance than anything. So then is chance the opposite of wisdom? Or can you have wisdom, and not be wise?
The Dreaming Said:
-------------------------
"wouldn't lawlessness instead of wisdom also imply how to distinguish between right and wrong, if it is indeed an act to be lawless?"
Elika's Response:
-------------------------
Okay, there is a rule for my blog, (which I just made up). You aren't allowed to be "deeper" than I am. ;) Its not good for my ego. :)
Could you break that down a little? I didn't really understand...
The Dreaming Said:
-----------------------
Unless you mean that the inability to distinguish would make you lawless, but then it seems it would be more chance than anything.
Elika's Response:
-----------------------
I was trying to imply that lawlessness is the rejection of wisdom which is the ability to distinguish what is right or wrong. Lawlessness simply disregards wisdom, (like picking and choosing).
I personally believe that everyone has access to determining what is right or wrong, regardless of their relationship with God. This seems to be internally consistent with Scripture as well, (though some traditions say otherwise).
The Dreaming Said:
----------------------
So then is chance the opposite of wisdom?
Elika's Response:
-----------------------
I am not convinced that "chance", "randomness", or "spontaneity" are actually real things. I think we often do not see all of the things that have caused other things, and consider it to be random. Perhaps with infinite awareness, we would realize that all things are caused.
The Dreaming Said:
----------------------
Or can you have wisdom, and not be wise?
Elika's Response:
----------------------
If a person, (such as me), claims that wisdom is given upon request, (which itself requires humility), then it would be really inconsistent of me to say that "I have no wisdom". It would be like saying that the wisdom that God has given me, is actually not wisdom. That's a scary thing to say. :)
So, what is the difference between having wisdom, and walking in wisdom?
If having wisdom means that you are able to judge between right or wrong, then walking in wisdom would seem to be actually making those judgments. There are those that refuse to distinguish an action as being right or wrong, (citing some belief that morality is relative). This is what I consider to be lawlessness: "without acknowledgment or possession of the law".
Obedience, would be to walk according to those judgments.
Rebellion would be to knowingly disregard those judgments.
Sorry, I think this was half response, and half "noodling", (verb: to think about) on my part.
Post a Comment