My Online Faith Journal

     I have been continuing on with my reading about how the Jewish faith and Christian faith relate to each other.  One of the issues that the author Athol Dickson talks about in his book that I mentioned in an earlier post is the paradox of grace verses works.  In other words, what is the purpose of the law.  Is following the law enough to save us?  While the Jewish tradition seems to have a concept called "returning" where a person turns from their sin and begins to walk in a new direction.  The christian issue also requires a turning.  It does appear to me that the Jewish tradition has a more optimistic view of human nature since the Jewish faith seems to believe that we start off in life neutral or good and seem to reject the idea of a sinful nature.      Dickson makes a good point that I have to remember that I have nothing that I have done or could do to give God anything.  Even our good deeds are like filthy rags to God.  Imagine, wrapping up some old rags and givin

    I've been reading over the last week, a book by Athol Dickson called "The Gospel According to Moses: What my Jewish friends taught me about Jesus."  In it, the author speaks about his time in what he calls Chever Torah, where he meets with Jewish people and a rabbi to discuss the Torah.  It sounds more like a discussion group where ideas can be discussed.  In this group, the author comes to understand the Bible and its background in new ways.  One thing that he mentioned that really struck me which I hadn't seen before was how many paradoxes are in the Bible.  I will mention some of the ones the author mentions and some that I thought about about.  I wonder if you see any others? 1. The Paradox of Fertility- so many of the promises of God start out with a woman who was barren.  Think about it, John the Baptist mother, Samuel's mother, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel.  Yet, from these wombs the promises of God come forth. What do you suppose God is telling us through