(I tried to post your full reply with this but the thing said it was too long. So this reply is to your entire post, not only the little paragraph above. Just wanted to give reference to what post I am replying to.)
LOL Wow. Awesome.
Okay. You have made MANY requests from me, to approach your "challenge" though I witness you, I never did use the word "challenge". I can tell from this lengthy post which you have written to (the way you twist any words I give you, I have none to reason with). Anyway, I can tell from your post which you have written to "upset my apple cart" the message of the whole is quite clear. And (I hate to say this because arguing this SAME point with you page after page on this thread is growing QUITE weary) here is the message I perceived (I'm sure it will be wrong to you, though, since everything is. Even the original parable of the professor and student appeared wrong to you.)
What I got from your message is that somehow I was implying you were a non-believer or unwittingly, somehow, "not saved" or "denied" the Spirit; also that I am advocating Christ purposefully "denies" people knowledge of Salvation and that I feel I should do the same because of my prideful self-righteousness, and that I was purposefully attacking you to simply win an argument and not properly showing you your err.
Well.... I guess part of me woud LOVE to print out your post and prepare a 2 week, analytical, verse quoting reply that I have no idea HOW I would post it, for surely I can easily seeing it becoming ten pages or longer. Perhaps if you truly want to make a friendship with me (which I would be interested in, you intrigue me, because you are stubborn and vehement, two powerful traits that the characters in the Bible often possessed) I would perhaps, over the next month, prepare a statement like that for you and we could continue THAT argument in hopes of reaching a conclusion PERSONALLY.
The other part of me (and I'm praying to the Spirit to give me this answer which I am now typing) is showing me a path of humility, which is in the Bible verse I so many times used in my "catch phrase theology" LOL sorry.
"Answer NOT a fool according to his folly."
What I mean by this is that you draw a line in the sand and dare to me to cross it. No matter what I come back with, you will have several posts like the previous (in which I as WELL got lost on your message of salvation in all your different directions and multiple ideas.) Not that there was anything I did not UNDERSTAND but rather that the MESSAGE, and meaning, and thought was rarely inconsistent and I kept getting "lost" because you had MANY different addresses, sometimes in the same paragraph.
I also realize that by saying the "above" paragraph your rhetoric will be, "because you can't, because you improvise where you are foolish, etc. etc." Quite the contrary: from your knowledge, I trust that you have "read" and full well "know" that parable which you asked me to cite (which I will in a next post because my browser is on this page and I cannot remember EXACTLY what you were referring to as I write here.) Sadly, it DOES look like I'll have to print off your post simply to keep track of it all. I'm not saying that's a bad thing (cuz that's the next thing you will cry against me.)
Again, like I said, I too am stubborn so if you really want to PRIVATELY continue this I feel it could be beneficial for us both.
Now: back to my reply on THIS forum. No, I do NOT think you are an unbeliever or "unsaved". I believe I wrote that in my post but I will write it here as well. I believe that the Spirit has DELIBERATELY made you to view this parable (though you cry it is not, so I guess I'd better call it a "story" then; perhaps a "faith based" story, for you seem EXTREMELY politically correct; AND ANALYTICAL!) in the light which you view it. And yes, analysis is a good thing! But... wow! Oh well, it's fine. At least you have a keen intellect!
I believe the Spirit may be doing this for SEVERAL reasons but I sadly cannot give you the EXACT reason because that is between you and the Spirit. It may be to teach you a different view point. May be to draw you to the Scriptures more. I know this whole experience has done that for me and it is wondeful, praise the Lord! Perhaps even, maybe the Spirit has caused you to feel the way you do about the story and me to express myself because perhaps we are to meet for some reason we cannot comprehend. Not sure. But I know NOTHING is coincidence. Or perhaps simply our argument will be a witness to the glory of God (remember you were asking how the story gave glory to God?) as people watch two Christians ARGUING and (I guess) sort of fighting with each other and at the same time BOTH of them are complimenting one another. They will know we are Christians by our love, right? Here we are, arguing over parables, whether or not this IS a parable, and both of us at the same time are still complimenting each other for the traits we see as strength or desirable, whatever politically correct form my King's English fails to come up with at the moment.
No, I think you very much are endowed with the Holy Spirit and yes, I can SEE that as evidenced in your writing. And no, I do NOT consider myself more righteous to you; I personally think that I have probably commited worse sins in my life than you, but again, I am afraid you will think I am trying to "one up" you, even as a sinner (which I am not trying to do; simply trying to make a statement of humility.)
Yes, I think the Spirit has DENIED or blocked the meaning form you in this story and that, when I tried to call you out on it, you dug in deeper, and I think the Spirit is responsible for that as well. Because I believe the Spirit of God is working through both of us in this argument simply because of this (please put aside your thoughts for a moment and consider this, this will blow your mind <meaning everyone>)
We're sitting here, NOW arguing over HOW TO ARGUE about the true meaning behind an ARGUMENT (the story of the professor and the student). You ask, how does this story bring glory to God? Sir, you do not have to SAY the name of God to bring glory to Him. Otherwise the creation would include billboards stating: Like what you see? GOD made this!
No, the majesty of the creation shows forth his glory. The glory in the story is given to God because it is another version of that argument with the pharisees (this is the only time I will bring that up, seeing as how you REFUSE to accept the connection.)
And I DID say that the knowledge was hidden. The knowledge of the Kingdom of God. What is the Knowledge of the Kingdom of God? The fact that it does INDEED exist! Which is what the professor was questioning!
And yes, it is the meaning which is hidden; the Bible is the best selling book of history. So yes, it is hidden in plain sight. And I NEVER said otherwise. Please go back and read my post again for I will NOT post it here for that would "answering a fool according to his folly" (or answering you in the trap you have set; it will not vindicate anything because you ask me NOT to teach you but so that you may catch me in my words. And NO: I did not just call you a fool. I was quoting a Bible vers and you happened to be in the way. Don't feel bad: I'm a fool more times than not as well.)
And no, I do NOT say and did not say that Christ and we should stop people from going to heaven. These are all silly things for you to say because even while you are taking little sentences here and there, pasting them into your reply, ANYONE can go back and read what I read and understand it. And it does not hold to what you wrote about me.
So, no, I will not answer you according to your "folly" (or, according to your "game", your "rules", your let's post what each other has said and then diessect it and twist it to try and destroy each other.) Let's let our yea's be yea's and are nay's be nay's. Let the Spirit speak through you with humility and love instead of pride and challenge. This perhaps is the very reason you DO NOT see the glory of God in the story. Because all you see is two people arguing and no one saying the Name of God. Perhaps God is trying to show you that you are TOO argumentative! Think about it.
Because lots of Jesus parables did not include the Name of God. But they were still about God. Just like Christ, ANY Crhistian can make an illustrating story based on faith and knowledge (called a parable) to teach and that story is Godly if it holds up against Scripture (the Word of God). This one does. But this is what you do not see.
And yes, I do genuinely love you and hope that we both come unto the Kingdom of God, unscathed so that we can laugh about "Hey, remember that first time we argued on that forum?" Then we can ask God which one of us was right.
Betcha He says you both were right AND you both were wrong. Peace and Grace be unto you, brother.
If you want that ten page plus paper, let me know.