{"id":22186,"date":"2023-11-16T08:28:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T14:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligent-torvalds.74-208-171-134.plesk.page\/?p=22186"},"modified":"2024-04-09T11:43:51","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T16:43:51","slug":"who-am-i-part-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/?p=22186","title":{"rendered":"Who Am I? Part 15"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a continuation of my consideration of \u201c5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith<\/a>\u201d by Kristi Burke. Her first Bible passage was \u201cRomans 9…the starting point of my deconstruction journey.\u201d1<\/sup><\/a> Though she began with verse 16, I started at the beginning of the chapter to gain some context<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What shall we say then? <\/i>Paul continued. Is there injustice with God?<\/i>2<\/sup><\/a> <\/i>He asked rhetorically in direct response to God’s preference for Jacob over Esau even before they were born or had done anything good or bad<\/a><\/i>.3<\/sup><\/a> But I think one could apply his rhetorical question to his contention that not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel<\/i>4<\/sup><\/a> as well (Romans 9:14b, 15 NET): <\/span><\/p>\n

Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he says to Moses<\/a>: \u201cI will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion\u201d [Table<\/a>]<\/em>. <\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to a note (29<\/a>) in the NET Paul quoted<\/a> from Exodus 33:19. At the very moment when people may have thought that in the law they had the ultimate knowledge of good and evil<\/a>, at the very moment some people were authorized to judge others by that law, God freed Himself from human judgments based on law (Exodus 33:19 NET [Table<\/a>]).<\/span><\/p>\n

And the Lord said, \u201cI will make all my goodness pass before your face, and I will proclaim the Lord by name before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious; I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ms. Burke said:5<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

I was an evangelist. So, I believed in going out to my communities and spreading the word and trying to win as many souls as possible, because I looked around and there were people going to hell and I didn’t want that to happen.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

And when I was seventeen-years-old I was introduced to the concept of Calvinism<\/a>. And when I was introduced to this I said, “No way. There is no way that god created people just to go to hell.”<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She was offended by a concept called \u201cnon-election,\u201d to those who would be the \u201cnon-elect.\u201d John Piper<\/a> was quoted in an interview in \u201cDo the Non-Elect Have a Chance to Repent?<\/a>\u201d on desiringGod<\/a> online:<\/span><\/p>\n

The first truth is, from all eternity God has chosen from among the entire fallen, sinful humanity a people for himself \u2014 but not everyone. Thus, this selection is owing to no merit at all in those chosen people. God pursues their salvation not only by effectively achieving the atonement for their sin through Christ, but also by sovereignly overcoming all their rebellion and bringing them to saving faith.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And Daniel R. Hyde<\/a> wrote in \u201cWhat Does Predestination Mean for the Non-Elect?<\/a>\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n

A simple reading of Scripture shows that not only are some chosen to salvation in God\u2019s eternal purpose, but some are not. Those Scripture passages that teach God\u2019s election of a particular people unto salvation also teach God\u2019s non-election of others.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ms. Burke continued:<\/span><\/p>\n

And then I read Romans 9.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As confirmation that Paul wrote \u201cthat god created people just to go to hell,\u201d she quoted Romans 9:16-24 (NIV):<\/span><\/p>\n

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God\u2019s mercy<\/a> [Table<\/a>]<\/em>. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: \u201cI raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.\u201d Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One of you will say to me: \u201cThen why<\/a> does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?\u201d [Table<\/a>]<\/em> But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? \u201cShall what is formed say to the one who formed it, \u2018Why did you make me like this?\u2019\u201d Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath\u2014prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory\u2014even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ms. Burke presented a \u201cBefore\u201d and \u201cAfter\u201d account of her encounter with Romans 9:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Before<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

After<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Up until the point that I read and studied and chewed on the words in Romans 9, I believed in a god who created all people, gave them free will and that he wanted all people to be saved but he couldn’t violate their free will to save them. And that it was the most loving thing he could do to give people freedom. And within that freedom they could either choose him and go to heaven or they could reject him and go to hell. And that would be entirely their choice.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nIt says starting in verse 16, “It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy,” meaning: there is nothing about you that can come to God and choose. God has to choose you.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

She was correct that Romans 9:16 called her initial belief that people had the \u201cfreedom\u201d to \u201ceither choose [Jesus] and go to heaven or they could reject him and go to hell\u201d into serious question. But consider this: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Romans 9:16 (NET)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Romans 11:32 (NET)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nFor God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

I consider this Paul’s couplet on God’s mercy in Romans 9-11. Granted, the Greek word translated shows mercy <\/i>(NIV: mercy<\/i>) was \u1f10\u03bb\u03b5\u1ff6\u03bd\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2<\/a>, a participle of the verb \u1f10\u03bb\u03b5\u03ad\u03c9<\/a> in the genitive case<\/a>. And he may show mercy <\/i>(NIV: he may have mercy<\/i>) was the verb \u1f10\u03bb\u03b5\u1f75\u03c3\u1fc3<\/a> another form of the verb \u1f10\u03bb\u03b5\u03ad\u03c9<\/a>. It was translated may show <\/i>or may have mercy <\/i>because it is in the subjunctive mood<\/a>.6<\/sup><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances. It is oftentimes used in conditional statements (i.e. ‘If…then…’ clauses) or in purpose clauses. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Greek word translated so that <\/i>was \u1f35\u03bd\u03b1<\/a>, making he may show mercy to them all <\/i>(NIV: he may have mercy on them all<\/i>) \u201ca purpose or result clause.\u201d The definition of the subjunctive mood continued:7<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

However if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words, he <\/i>shows mercy to them all <\/i>(NIV: he <\/i>has mercy on them all<\/i>). The most common limit placed on all <\/i>here is to assume that Paul meant only those who believe<\/i>:<\/span><\/p>\n

For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to…all who believe<\/em>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Before her encounter with Romans 9 Ms. Burke might have limited all <\/i>further still, to all who believe of their own free will<\/i>:<\/span><\/p>\n

For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to…all who believe of their own free will<\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Part of the beauty of this verse is that the Greek words translated all <\/i>are \u03c4\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2<\/a> \u03c0\u1f71\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2<\/a> in the first clause as well as in the second. So, if we limit all <\/i>in the second clause, we should place the same limit on the first clause:<\/span><\/p>\n

For God has consigned all people who believe of their own free will<\/em> to disobedience so that he may show mercy to…all who believe of their own free will<\/em>. <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That sounds odd, but it points to what Ms. Burke might have wanted it to say. And please don’t think I’m picking on her. Before my encounter with Romans 9 (among other passages) I wanted, even expected, this verse to say:<\/span><\/p>\n

For God has consigned all people who do not <\/b>believe of their own free will<\/em> to disobedience so that he may show mercy to…all who believe of their own free will<\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And this is precisely what this verse does not say. So, I want to repeat some of the previous verses while bearing in mind that God shows mercy to all (Romans 9:16-18 NIV).<\/span><\/p>\n

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God\u2019s mercy<\/a> [Table<\/a>]<\/em>. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: \u201cI raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.\u201d Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ms. Burke responded:8<\/sup><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

It says in verse 18: “Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” When Christians talk about, you have a hardened heart against God, the Bible says that God’s the one that hardened it.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Actually, Paul wrote that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart for a very specific purpose<\/a> at a specific time: that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth<\/i>. Nothing about that statement implies that God is responsible for every hardened heart. People are quite capable of hardening their hearts all on their own. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus described God’s understanding of marriage to some Pharisees who questioned Him about divorce (Matthew 19:6-8 NET): <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.\u201d They said to him, \u201cWhy then did Moses<\/a> command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her<\/a>?\u201d Jesus said to them, \u201cMoses<\/a> permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way\u201d [Table<\/a>]<\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a>Though God hardened Pharaoh’s heart for a specific purpose at a specific time, it’s always important to remember that God shows mercy to all as well. Paul continued (Romans 9:19-22 NIV):<\/span><\/p>\n

One of you will say to me: \u201cThen why<\/a> does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?\u201d [Table<\/a>]<\/em> But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? \u201cShall what is formed say to the one who formed it, \u2018Why did you make me like this?\u2019\u201d Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath\u2014prepared for destruction?<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a>The Greek word translated prepared <\/i>here was \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u03c4\u03b9\u03c3\u03bc\u1f73\u03bd\u03b1<\/a>, a plural participle of the verb \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03af\u03b6\u03c9<\/a> in the middle voice. The definition of the middle voice<\/a> in Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions)<\/a> on ntgreek.org<\/a> online reads:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>The Greek middle voice shows the subject acting in his own interest or on his own behalf, or participating in the results of the verbal action. In overly simplistic terms, sometimes the middle form of the verb could be translated as “the performer of the action actually acting upon himself” (reflexive action).<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

For example: “I am washing myself.” “I” is the subject of the sentence (performing the action of the verb) and yet “I” am also receiving the action of the verb. This is said to be in the “Middle Voice”. Many instances in the Greek are not this obvious and cannot be translated this literally.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words, people prepare themselves for destruction<\/em> (\u1f00\u03c0\u1f7d\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd<\/a>, a form of \u1f00\u03c0\u03ce\u03bb\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1<\/a>). But Jesus came to seek and to save the lost<\/i>9<\/sup><\/a> (\u03c4\u1f78<\/a> \u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03c9\u03bb\u1f79\u03c2<\/a>) as a singular collective. <\/span>Ms. Burke responded:10<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

If He has decided He wants to create you just to destroy you, then He’s going to do that. That’s his right you don’t get to question that. And realizing this changed everything about my perspective of God. Realizing this made me see a god who did not desire people to be saved but instead creates people as puppets, does what he wants with them and then tells them, you’re not allowed to question it. That is just in direct contradiction to any kind of a loving, kind, father god that I was taught growing up in the church. I was fed one version of god who was a loving father but I’m learning about this completely different god who intentionally creates people to go to hell.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a>This sounds so ominous<\/a>, but remember Ms. Burke’s original description of \u201ca loving, kind, father god\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n

…god…created all people, gave them free will and…he wanted all people to be saved but he couldn’t violate their free will to save them. <\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, by definition her \u201cloving, kind, father god\u201d was powerless to accomplish his own will. She continued:<\/span><\/p>\n

…the most loving thing he could do [is] to give people freedom. And within that freedom they could either choose him and go to heaven or they could reject him and go to hell. And that would be entirely their choice.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now she has chosen to \u201creject him and go to hell.\u201d So, again, by her own definition \u201ca loving, kind, father god\u201d must let her go her own way since he is powerless to do otherwise. Frankly, that is not<\/em> my experience of God, who tracked me down and drew me, sometimes kicking and screaming, to Himself: For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all<\/i>.11<\/sup><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Though Mr. Piper denied (\u201cbut not everyone,\u201d he wrote) that God shows mercy to all, he gave an admirable description of that mercy: <\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, this selection is owing to no merit at all in those chosen people. God pursues their salvation not only by effectively achieving the atonement for their sin through Christ, but also by sovereignly overcoming all their rebellion and bringing them to saving faith.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It becomes clear as one proceeds in Romans 9-11 that the so-called \u201cnon-elect\u201d here were Paul’s people<\/i>, [his] fellow countrymen, who are Israelites<\/i>12<\/sup><\/a> those of whom he wrote: I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit\u2014I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish<\/a> that I myself were accursed\u2014cut off from Christ\u2014for <\/i>[their] sake<\/i>13<\/sup><\/a> [Table<\/a>]. If he believed that they were \u201cintentionally\u201d created \u201cjust to go to hell,\u201d he was in a predicament very similar to Ms. Burke’s when she became an \u201cevangelist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I believed in going out to my communities and spreading the word and trying to win as many souls as possible, because I looked around and there were people going to hell and I didn’t want that to happen.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She did this (of her own free will?), despite believing in an impotent god: though \u201che wanted all people to be saved…he couldn’t violate their free will to save them.\u201d I’ll pick this up in another essay.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a note (33<\/a>) in the NET Paul quoted from Exodus 9:16 in Romans 9:17. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to the Septuagint follows.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Romans 9:17b (NET Parallel Greek)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Exodus 9:16 (Septuagint BLB) Table<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Exodus 9:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u1f45\u03c4\u03b9<\/a> \u03b5\u1f30\u03c2<\/a> \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78<\/a> \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c4\u03bf<\/a> \u1f10\u03be\u1f75\u03b3\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03b1<\/a> \u03c3\u03b5<\/a> \u1f45\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2<\/a><\/b> \u1f10\u03bd\u03b4\u03b5\u1f77\u03be\u03c9\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c3\u03bf\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03b4\u1f7b\u03bd\u03b1\u03bc\u03b9\u03bd<\/a><\/b> \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f45\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b5\u03bb\u1fc7 \u03c4\u1f78 \u1f44\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c0\u1f71\u03c3\u1fc3 \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03b3\u1fc7<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u03ba\u03b1\u1f76<\/a> \u1f15\u03bd\u03b5\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd<\/a> \u03c4\u03bf\u1f7b\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5<\/a> \u03b4\u03b9\u03b5\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u1f75\u03b8\u03b7\u03c2<\/a> \u1f35\u03bd\u03b1<\/a><\/b> \u1f10\u03bd\u03b4\u03b5\u1f77\u03be\u03c9\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c3\u03bf\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f30\u03c3\u03c7\u1f7b\u03bd<\/a><\/b> \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f45\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b5\u03bb\u1fc7 \u03c4\u1f78 \u1f44\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u1f71 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c0\u1f71\u03c3\u1fc3 \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03b3\u1fc7<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u03ba\u03b1\u1f76<\/a> \u1f15\u03bd\u03b5\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd<\/a> \u03c4\u03bf\u1f7b\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5<\/a> \u03b4\u03b9\u03b5\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u1f75\u03b8\u03b7\u03c2<\/a>, \u1f35\u03bd\u03b1<\/a><\/b> \u1f10\u03bd\u03b4\u03b5\u1f77\u03be\u03c9\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c3\u03bf\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f30\u03c3\u03c7\u1f7b\u03bd<\/a><\/b> \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f45\u03c0\u03c9\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b5\u03bb\u1fc7 \u03c4\u1f78 \u1f44\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u1f71 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c0\u1f71\u03c3\u1fc3 \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03b3\u1fc7<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Romans 9:17b (NET)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Exodus 9:16 (NETS)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Exodus 9:16 (English Elpenor)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nAnd for this reason you have been spared in order that I might display in you my power and in order that my name might be proclaimed in all the land.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nAnd for this purpose hast thou been preserved, that I might display in thee my strength, and that my name might be published in all the earth.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Who Am I? Part 16<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Who Am I? Part 17<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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1<\/sup><\/a> \u201c5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith<\/a>,\u201d by Kristi Burke<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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2<\/sup><\/a> Romans 9:14a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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3<\/sup><\/a> Romans 9:11a (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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4<\/sup><\/a> Romans 9:6b (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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5<\/sup><\/a> \u201c5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith<\/a>,\u201d by Kristi Burke<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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6<\/sup><\/a> From \u201cVerbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood<\/a>,\u201d Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions)<\/a> on ntgreek.org<\/a> online.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

7<\/sup><\/a> Ibid<\/i>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

8<\/sup><\/a> \u201c5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith<\/a>,\u201d by Kristi Burke<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

9<\/a> Luke 19:10b (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

10<\/sup><\/a> \u201c5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith<\/a>,\u201d by Kristi Burke<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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11<\/sup><\/a> Romans 11:32 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

12<\/sup><\/a> Romans 9:3b, 4a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

13<\/sup><\/a> Romans 9:1-3a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a continuation of my consideration of \u201c5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith\u201d by Kristi Burke. Her first Bible passage was \u201cRomans 9…the starting point of my deconstruction journey.\u201d1 Though she began with verse 16, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5355,5,15],"tags":[66,5763,5903,1694,5905,2300,1293,1294,544,1611,5902,5904,1281,1282],"class_list":["post-22186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-section-six","category-what-kind-of-carpenter-is-jesus","category-who-am-i","tag-exodus-3319","tag-luke-1910","tag-matthew-196-8","tag-romans-1132","tag-romans-91-3","tag-romans-911","tag-romans-914","tag-romans-914-15","tag-romans-916","tag-romans-916-18","tag-romans-916-24","tag-romans-919-22","tag-romans-93-4","tag-romans-96"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22186"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23387,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22186\/revisions\/23387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}