EU-TOPICA

/Before I forget, congrats to son Stephen, whose "Literary Workshop" post, "100 .Books to Read Before You Die," is getting up to 1500 hits per weekend.-  Not exactly viral, but for a post that would mainly appeal to academically-orinted bibliophiles, this seems more significant than a Justin Bieber tweet.

"And now for something completely not the same...."

"What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness,"--(albeit in a rather lackluster and lackadasical fashion i.e. a "lifestyle")--has not attained it. Why not?"

"Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works."

" 'See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that causes them to fall;
but he who trusts in Him will never be put to shame."

"For there is now no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all..."

"But I ask, did they not hear?  Moses says: 'I will make you envious by those who are not a nation...' "

"And Isaiah boldly says, 'I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.' "

These would be exceedingly strange things to our ears; whether as Jews, even those steeped in the OT Scriptures; or as Gentiles; were it not that we bring so many false assumptions and old stereotypes to the fore, before we even give any real consideration to the "how odd of God" irreducible complexities of what Paul is saying here in Romans 9--writing to a very sophisticated center of society.

I know folks who see the word "God" or "Christ" and immediately stop reading.  Unless of course someone is using these words as a curse.  Then it is not only acceptable but highly desirable. Now if that's not odd, I don't know what is.  But it is another indicator of Their Power, not merely as concepts but as words which are more powerful than most to get attention.  Which brings attention to their high significance to those who would abjure Christ--supposedly. Methinks the Unbeliever Doth Depend Too Much on Protestations!"

Like unto the atheists, who are obsessed by God so much that they define their philosophy on God's terms--and very Scripturally so.

"O Deity it!"  Packs a punch, doesn't it?

More later I hope on the subject of those who, like me, did not pursue God but opposed Him to the teeth--yes, and according to tradition, mostly.