There are no Biases, for the Addicted and Afflicted
(read parable)
(Proverbs 8:3, Proverbs 8:2, Proverbs 30:15, James 4:2, James 4:3, Ezekiel 16:34, Philippians 3:2, Ecclesiastes 6:4, Philippians 3:4, Proverbs 8:6,Colossians 2:21-23,Isaiah 59:3, James 1:21, Job 8:5-6, Proverbs 6:23,Job 4:5-6,Ephesians 6:12, Job 9:28-29,Job 7:13, Philippians 2:3-4, Ephesians 6:7-8, Ecclesiastes 11:10, Ecclesiastes 4, Ephesians 4:1, Nehemiah 9:28-31, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, Proverbs 14:15, Ephesians 5:15-16, Philippians 1:10, Ecclesiastes 10:10, Ecclesiastes 11:4, Ecclesiastes 4:6, Colossians 2:18, Isaiah 59:9, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Hebrews 13:7, Job 8:10, Job 41:8, Matthew 5:3, Ecclesiastes 9:8, Song of Solomon 2:11)
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: She Takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet.
The leech has two daughters-- Give and Give!
You lust and do not have. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. You are the opposite of the other women in your harlotry, because no one solicited you to be a harlot. In that you gave payment but no payment was given you, therefore you are opposite. "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
Though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in flesh, I more so: Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using- according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?
(I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent. If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain? When I say, "My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaints,")
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but of lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also the interests of others. With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men, Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from you flesh. I therefore a prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.
Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And Look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter -
"But after they had rest, They again did evil before You, Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, 'Which if a man does, he shall live by them. ' And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear'. Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen;
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful. But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which you received from us. The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
"Approve the things that are excellent", that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for the light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Will they not teach you and tell you, and utter words from their heart?
Remember the battle- Never do it again!
Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Let your garments always be white, and Let you head lack no oil.
For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.
Selah!
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: She Takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet.
The leech has two daughters-- Give and Give!
You lust and do not have. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. You are the opposite of the other women in your harlotry, because no one solicited you to be a harlot. In that you gave payment but no payment was given you, therefore you are opposite. "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
Though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in flesh, I more so: Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using- according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?
(I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent. If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain? When I say, "My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaints,")
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but of lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also the interests of others. With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men, Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from you flesh. I therefore a prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.
Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And Look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter -
"But after they had rest, They again did evil before You, Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, 'Which if a man does, he shall live by them. ' And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear'. Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen;
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful. But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which you received from us. The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
"Approve the things that are excellent", that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righteousness overtake us; We look for the light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Will they not teach you and tell you, and utter words from their heart?
Remember the battle- Never do it again!
Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Let your garments always be white, and Let you head lack no oil.
For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.
Selah!
References and external links
- Patterson, Steven, and Marvin Meyer. "The Gospel of Thomas Collection - Translations and Resources." The Gospel of Thomas Collection - Translations and Resources. Gnostic Society Library Nag Hamadi, n.d. Web. 18 July 2016. <http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html>. Selection from Robert J. Miller, ed., The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version. (Polebridge Press, 1992, 1994)
- "BibleGateway." Thomas Nelson, 1982. Web. 18 July 2016. <https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=goliath&qs_version=NKJV>.
Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. 06/03/2014