“In This Corner, Hailing… From Parts Unknown…”

The clinch, in wrestling.

Wrapping him up, in boxing.

The scrum, in Rugby.

All paint the picture for the definition of the word… “conflict”.

I was researching the word “conflict” this week, as I work to build my newest book, “Before The Bible: What Then?” That’s the working title, it may, or may not change.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “conflict” – to be different, opposed, or contradictory: to fail to be in agreement or accord.

Online Etymology Dictionary – has as it’s word history – “conflict” a verb, to contend, fight, struggle.

And older yet, Strong’s Greek, from it’s bible usage – agon – a gathering; contest; struggle. The usage was in relation to an athletic contest.

agon – is the root word for English words such as “agony” and “agonize”. Properly a “struggle”. Biblically I think of the story where Jacob wrestles all night with the Lord. Found in Genesis 32:22-32

While I build this new book, addressing the topic of men not reading their bible, I felt a wrestling clinch coming on, a conflict of thought.

How can I tell someone else that they have to read their bible?

And the big question, “Why do I believe the Bible in the first place?”

As I move forward in my mental health, my physical health, and my spiritual health, as I learn new information I have to test this new information, against my old information, and against what I think I believe about whatever topic I’m working on.

I’m learning to be truthful with myself, and especially with my writing.

I’ve been reading the writings of Thomas Paine.

I didn’t realize he was against organized religion.

He called himself a Deist. He believed in One God, a Creator, but did not believe in any of the “christian fable” as he called it.

So I read his stuff. I can see where he is coming from. I even agree with him, up to a certain point.

He offered up that the whole of the bible is just made up, therefore you can’t use anything in the bible to try and explain the bible, you only need to look to Gods creation to see that there is a God.

I asked myself, “What other source of information is there that I could look at, that I haven’t before, that I could lean on in my thinking?”

There is a name that gets mentioned in the historical record, of a person who was a historian around the time of the early christian followers of Jesus.

His name was Tacitus. A Roman senator, orator, writer, and historian of the Roman Empire.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tacitus-Roman-historian

Tacitus wrote about the burning of Rome, in the time of Emperor Nero, and did mention Jesus by name.

“Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind.” https://reasonabletheology.org/jesus-outside-the-bible-1-tacitus/

I can’t help but make the comparison of my relationship with Jesus… to my experience of shooting pool.

I’ve been doing both for a long time now.

With my pool game, I just shoot, since I’ve been about 5 years old. But it wasn’t until very recently that I broke my game down to see what I thought I knew versus what I actually know.

Ever hear of a “ghost ball”?

Me neither.

I haven’t shot a serious game of pool in over twenty years, but when I did, I was above average for the bar scene, pool shootin’ crowd. I knew which guys to stay away from, the real shooters, but even then I was only running on instinct. Natural aptitude.

The first video I watched to get some new information introduced me to the “ghost ball”… and I knew right then I didn’t have a clue about the game of pool. Not really.

So that’s how I felt the other day when working on my new book.

Thomas Paine didn’t think the Creator interacted with His creation.

But for me that’s my biggest personal proof. I could relay all of my experiences… but then that places you in the position to have to make a choice… about me… would you believe me? Yes or No?

If we talk someday, or you read my upcoming book, you will get to read or hear me explain some of my personal experiences with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and a good one with the Holy Spirit… and then… there is my life. The life I am supposed to live as an example.

If you are half way around the world and read my stuff, am I being honest enough with you for you to get a true picture of yours truly, if you would meet me there would be no surprises??

I wrestled a little in high school, played some football, had a few boxing lessons, and grew up with 4 brothers… I know what a good struggle is.

I like how the Apostle Paul writes… in Galatians 1… “^11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ^12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. ^13 For you have heard of my previous way of life…”

I have men and resources in my life that I take my bible questions to… BUT… for the most part only for confirmation of something that I have been working through with my own bible… and sitting with The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit in a mental “clinch” “scrum” and “wrapped up” in it all.

Verse 12 really says it all though… “I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”

I don’t think there is any other way.