Burnishing Bigotry - 3rd edition

Daniel #193: Then you go on to state that, ―Jesus told his own brothers that they only
had one appointment, and that was with his Father once they perished (I don't remember the
specific Scripture). In other words, in their current spiritual state it was basically irrelevant what
they did.‖
I found this claim to be most intriguing, Dan, if for no other reason than I also could not
find the specific Scripture you seemed to be referencing. It is possible that you are referring to
John 14:2-3 here, a passage which reads – ―In my Father‘s house there are many dwelling places.
If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there
you may be also.‖
Of course, whether or not this is the passage you mean, the truths for our discussion
remain the same, namely – A) that Jesus never once told his disciples that their only appointment
was with his heavenly Father after their deaths, and B) that Jesus never once even alluded to
your claim that what his disciples did or didn‘t do (or how they chose to live or not live) was
―basically irrelevant‖. Indeed though this was the belief of many of the disciples themselves (see
Mark 9:33-34), Jesus made it repeatedly clear throughout the Gospels that the exact opposite was
actually the case – namely, that it was the disciples‘ hopes for glory in the afterlife that were
irrelevant; that what counted was what they did or didn‘t decide to do for the downtrodden in the
time they each had before they died (see Mark 8:34 & Mark 10:45). And indeed again, if we look
to the parables of Jesus sprinkled throughout the Gospels, the primary message common to them
all is that we – like the disciples – are to actively & courageously emulate Jesus‟ life of
humble selfless service if we hope to reap the rewards of bliss & peace he promises in
his Here&Now ―Kingdom of Heaven‖ (see Matthew 16:24 & Luke 17:20-21)!
―Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not
understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on
the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately
receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or
persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately stumbles. As for what was sown
among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke
the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word
and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in
another thirty‖ ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:18-23 … see also Mark 4:14-20)
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