Hi there,
So there are two directions this thread is going to take: one, is that you can believe what you want; two, you can distinguish what you believe from the world. The first point, pertains to the idea that I am not asking you to be something you are not: you are a man and I understand what it is to be a man - I am not asking you to become a fish. Neither does Evolution ask you to be a fish. There is speculation that we came from the water, but fundamentally you don't have to go back to being a fish, to be a man.
The second of my two points: is what Jesus said. Fundamentally, Jesus never said "before you become man, become an ape". What Jesus said is "I will make you fishers of men", that is, you will save men from trying to be fishes, when they are not. Is it an equivocation to say that Jesus could make us tree loggers of apes? The point is that it never needs to get that far: Jesus saving us from being tempted to be like fish, saves us from being tempted to be like apes. Is being a fish somehow better than being an ape? That's not the point! The point is that it never needs to get that far. The same logic, that compares a man with a fish, is the same logic that compares a man with an ape - for those that can see the difference: they can be saved.
What you have overlooked is that a progression of attribution, does not save from God. Our sins are fish sins, our sins are monkey sins, you need to repent of either or anything like them. This is the calling of the Holy Spirit to men, to put behind them futile thinking and serve the Living God. God calls us to this. He did not create fish, thinking men would be tempted to be fish; create apes, thinking men would be tempted to be apes. Surely you see that there is no mystery in this, that no matter how many times you hide behind other forms of life, as much as you sin, you still need to repent. And what are you going to find? That all your sins are Man's sins.
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has seized you but that which is common to Man
You have much that is right, there is much to be said, for waiting for the truth to emerge (whether in a machine or biologically, or wherever else Evolution may be held out for) but the idea that you burn the bridge back to the Man you used to be is not just a sin, but a great sin. You should be lamenting that you have been snared by the Devil, on what your true identity is as a Child of God. What are all your transitions going to be, if you have no faith for God, in them? I don't want to confuse you: I am not saying "go back to the fishiness of your Evolution" or "stay with the apeness of you Evolution" but look rationally at the evidence: when does the caterpillar become the butterfly without the cocoon? When does the chameleon changes its colour without the background being changed? This is a pattern throughout all Creation! If Jesus had required Evolution at the hands of all Creation, we would all have been given cocoons, we would have been able to change our colour at will.
No, Creation is a response to the Love of God, He cannot be despised without retribution. If you continue in your sin, you will suffer for it. Perhaps if you endure a curse for long enough, you will change your mind - but I don't want that for you, No! I do not promise to pray for you: that is something you must do and at great length. I am simply here to remind you, that the ape is not afraid of the fish, there is no reason for you to be afraid of the ape. One day, you may look back and laugh and be free to learn from all Creation, the Holy Spirit will be there in that Day, to help you - just don't reject what you have at His Hand, you may regret it eternally!
So there are two directions this thread is going to take: one, is that you can believe what you want; two, you can distinguish what you believe from the world. The first point, pertains to the idea that I am not asking you to be something you are not: you are a man and I understand what it is to be a man - I am not asking you to become a fish. Neither does Evolution ask you to be a fish. There is speculation that we came from the water, but fundamentally you don't have to go back to being a fish, to be a man.
The second of my two points: is what Jesus said. Fundamentally, Jesus never said "before you become man, become an ape". What Jesus said is "I will make you fishers of men", that is, you will save men from trying to be fishes, when they are not. Is it an equivocation to say that Jesus could make us tree loggers of apes? The point is that it never needs to get that far: Jesus saving us from being tempted to be like fish, saves us from being tempted to be like apes. Is being a fish somehow better than being an ape? That's not the point! The point is that it never needs to get that far. The same logic, that compares a man with a fish, is the same logic that compares a man with an ape - for those that can see the difference: they can be saved.
What you have overlooked is that a progression of attribution, does not save from God. Our sins are fish sins, our sins are monkey sins, you need to repent of either or anything like them. This is the calling of the Holy Spirit to men, to put behind them futile thinking and serve the Living God. God calls us to this. He did not create fish, thinking men would be tempted to be fish; create apes, thinking men would be tempted to be apes. Surely you see that there is no mystery in this, that no matter how many times you hide behind other forms of life, as much as you sin, you still need to repent. And what are you going to find? That all your sins are Man's sins.
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has seized you but that which is common to Man
You have much that is right, there is much to be said, for waiting for the truth to emerge (whether in a machine or biologically, or wherever else Evolution may be held out for) but the idea that you burn the bridge back to the Man you used to be is not just a sin, but a great sin. You should be lamenting that you have been snared by the Devil, on what your true identity is as a Child of God. What are all your transitions going to be, if you have no faith for God, in them? I don't want to confuse you: I am not saying "go back to the fishiness of your Evolution" or "stay with the apeness of you Evolution" but look rationally at the evidence: when does the caterpillar become the butterfly without the cocoon? When does the chameleon changes its colour without the background being changed? This is a pattern throughout all Creation! If Jesus had required Evolution at the hands of all Creation, we would all have been given cocoons, we would have been able to change our colour at will.
No, Creation is a response to the Love of God, He cannot be despised without retribution. If you continue in your sin, you will suffer for it. Perhaps if you endure a curse for long enough, you will change your mind - but I don't want that for you, No! I do not promise to pray for you: that is something you must do and at great length. I am simply here to remind you, that the ape is not afraid of the fish, there is no reason for you to be afraid of the ape. One day, you may look back and laugh and be free to learn from all Creation, the Holy Spirit will be there in that Day, to help you - just don't reject what you have at His Hand, you may regret it eternally!
