Storing up treasures- MT 6:19, 20

Post by **_Mort_Coyle** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:56 pm

Jesus was ahead of his time in his thinking about the structure of a society. Basically someone we call a genius.

Interesting. I'd like to understand your viewpoint better. Can you provide some of the texts or evidences that brought you to this conclusion?

However, when it comes to miracle performing, curing the sick, raising the dead, etc. well... extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and just because someone wrote about them in a book does not make those claims true.

This sparks two questions in my mind:

1) It seems that billions of people have considered the available evidence to be sufficient to accept the claims of Jesus. What would you consider to be acceptable evidence?

2) I agree with you that someone writing about Jesus in a book doesn't make their claims true, but it also doesn't necessarily make their claims false. It simply puts their claims out there in the public realm. How did you determine that the claims made in the New Testament about Jesus (the resurrection, for example) were false?

Post by **_Jim** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:34 am

atheist wrote:schoel,
There was also a lot of stuff that Gandhi said that I totally agree with. That in itself does not make Gandhi divine in my eyes.

I have a similar opinion of Jesus. The guy was a genius when it comes to the ethics of social justice but I posit that all claims of his divinity are later embellishments of the authors of New Testament.

Gandhi never preformed a miracle.
Gandhi never had eye witnesses to hundreds of miracles like Jesus either.

Jim

Post by **_Paidion** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:39 am

This thread started out with Jesus' teaching as to how we should not store up treasure on earth, but should store up treasure in heaven.

A lot has been said about how the true disciple should not store up treasure on earth. But can anyone suggest what it means to "store up treasure in heaven" and how one goes about it?

Post by **_TK** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:19 am

P-

i always assumed that a Christian stores up treasures in heaven by performing good works with pure motives. but i'm certainly not clear what the heavenly "treasure" is, other than possibly rewards of some kind. it certainly suggests that some people in heaven will be "richer" (in some respect) than others, just as (horrors!) is true on earth.

TK

Post by **_TK** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:51 am

One thing i forgot to add.. a while back someone asked me to read bruce wilkinson's " a life God rewards." while i was reading or listening (it may have been on tape), it kind of made me want to gag because he was suggesting that the REWARD should be our motivation for doing good works. however, as i looked closer at Jesus' teaching on the matter, it certainly seems that Jesus in fact does encourage us to seek rewards.

my initial difficulty with wilkinson's little book was that i always, at least in the back of my mind, thought that doing something IN ORDER TO seek a reward was an impure motive. this apparently is not the case, according to what Jesus taught.

TK

Post by **_Paidion** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:22 pm

C.S. Lewis's The Last Battle in The Narnian Chronicles gave me a fresh insight as to a possible meaning of "storing up treasure in heaven".

The people in the stable were somehow transported to "Aslan's Country".
The children from this world, rejoiced in the exquisite beauty of the country, and the fine food and wine available. But the dwarves who believed the things of Aslan to be a hoax, had convinced themselves that they were still in the stable. When they were offered the wonderful food of Aslan's country, they threw it away in disgust, believing it to be the rotting turnips of the stable. When they were offered the excellent wine, they thought it was the "filthy water" from the troughs for waste in the stable.

My thought is that we "store treasure in heaven" by learning of the things of God, practising compassion for others, and dwelling in the love, joy, and well-being which He offers us. In this way we develop according to His will, becoming conformed to the image of Christ. Thus we will be of such Godly character, that we will enjoy what we will experience in heaven. On the other hand, if we have not learned to enjoy such things here on earth, how shall we enjoy them in heaven? So, as I see it, it is not so much what we will be given in heaven (Shall we not be given all things?) that will be our treasure, but our propensity for enjoying what is there. By allowing ourselves to be continually changed by the enabling grace of God, changed into the likeness of our Lord Jesus, we will thus "store up treasure in heaven" by being of such a character as to enjoy what is there.

Post by **_TK** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:40 pm

Hmmm.. once again I am forced to think while reading the posts on these forums. excellent perspective Paidon. it makes sense, because i always wondered about the "riches" in heaven idea.. it seems they would be available to all who are there. how this will all be worked out is a mystery of sorts, but it's nice to think about now.

TK