@Theo202,
There are people out there, myself excluded, who seem to believe that "justice" is about either vengeance or taking what's ours. The woke left crowd is the primary example, but a fair amount of Jews and Muslims.
Justice is not about payback. It is about looking beyond the stereotypes, and knowing the person. Old Man Zeke might scream at kids on a daily basis, and seem grumpy all the time. He might have also survived the Holocaust and privately donate huge sums to help the needy. Justice would not be spitting on his tomb and calling him a horrible person. Justice would be having a huge group of children that he helped set the record straight, and recognizing that he suffered plenty in this life and if he wants to be grumpy that's up to him.
Pilate said, "Why? What evil has he done?" Neither did Herod find anything wrong with him. Yet the crowd continued to tell why he should be crucified. I suppose they even threw the word justice in there, even though it was one of the most unjust things that ever happened. "This man claimed to be a Messiah, and we're pissed about it, so he should die."
Quote:The crap that Jesus endorsed, you mean? Paul shat all over the law and paid for it with his life.
As opposed to Jesus who you say supposedly followed the law (if that isn't altering the text far worse than anything Paul supposedly did...) and also died? What's the distinction?
Quote:But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
Acts 23:6
Including only one verse, divorced from context is to commit heresy.
Quote:History and Etymology for heresy
Middle English heresie, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed (with assimilation to the suffix -ie -y entry 2) from Late Latin haeresis, heresis "school (of philosophy or theology), sect, belief contrary to church dogma," borrowed from Greek haíresis "act of taking, choice, course of action or thought, system of principles, sect, faction," from haireîn "to take, grasp, (middle voice) obtain, choose, prefer" (of obscure origin)
To pick and choose.
Very well, I shall give context to these passages.
Quote:1Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrina and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
2At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
4But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”
5“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
7As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
12When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13More than forty of them were involved in this plot. 14They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
16But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot,c he went into the barracks and told Paul. 17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
18So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”
20He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him. 21Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”
22So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
23Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.d 24Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”
Governor Felix talks to Paul, and agrees to hear his case. Paul says he returned to Jerusalem to give offerings, and they don't have any charges against him (unless his thoughts on the resurrection are a crime). Felix listens to him awhile, and delays the trial. Festus hears his defense. The Jews bring up false charges against him that he can't prove. Festus wants to please the Jews.
Quote:8Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”
10Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Agrippa hears his case, while he waits to be sent to Caesar. Festus tells Agrippa that he too found nothing about him worthy of death. Once again, the people actually lying and bringing up false charges are the Jews. Festus doesn't even know what he's charged with. Paul proceeds to tell Agrippa how he was a Jew, and then Damascus happened. That he repented and tried to do deeds worthy of God. And that the Jews accuse him. Festus calls him insane. King Agrippa also finds nothing worthy of punishment. You say that he lied, and was punished for it. But on the contrary, I have found none of the people he talked to catch him in a lie or deem him worthy of punishment. They say what caused him not to be released was that he appealed to Caesar. He gets sent to Rome by ship, but Paul warns them that the trip will probably cost them their cargo (and maybe their lives). A three hour tour... The ship wrecks, some of the people want to kill the prisoners, but the guard spares Paul. He arrives in Italy. He talks to them, none of them have heard any serious charges against him, converts some and scolds some others. And he lived in a rented house for two years. Show me the part where he got caught lying and sentenced to death. Because that was the rest of Acts!
Quote:"my lie" Romans 3:7
You literally took two words out of context.
Quote:1What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very wordsa of God.
3What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? 4Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written:
“So that You may be proved right when You speak
and victorious when You judge.”
5But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms. 6Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world? 7However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?
Paul is not saying he is a liar. Paul is saying that next to God's truth everyone is a liar. His "lie" is the words that he says, which still cannot measure up to God's perfection.
You are a liar.
