The Great Reset

Motar

Council Member
Jun 18, 2013
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God’s love in Christ is so compelling it changed the evangelist John from a “son of thunder” (Mark 3:17, Luke 9:54) to “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23, 19:26, 22:7, 21:20).

Likewise, the love of God in Christ transformed Nicodemus from a curious religious ruler to a devoted and dedicated disciple.

“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.‘ Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’ ‘How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. ’Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’ ‘How can this be?” Nicodemus asked (John 3:1-9, NIV).

“Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why didn’t you bring him in?’ ‘No one ever spoke the way this man does,‘ the guards replied. ’You mean he has deceived you also?‘ the Pharisees retorted. ‘Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.’ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ‘Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?“ (John 7:45-51).

“Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus, brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there” (John 19:38-42).

The Great Reset has taken place. The patriarchs and prophets looked forward, while the apostles and saints look back to the moment when Jesus declared, “It is finished”, and God’s ❤️ reset human history and human lives forever (John 3:16).

When was your Great Reset?
 

Dexter Sinister

Unspecified Specialist
Oct 1, 2004
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Regina, SK
1973, initially due to an excellent tv series called The Ascent of Man. More particularly, it was the reaction of some of my fellow students to a certain episode that did it, the one where Jacob Bronowski wades into the pond at Auschwitz and talks about how people behave when they believe they have absolute knowledge, with no test in reality. Before that I'd never been particularly interested in religious matters, it was just a sort of background noise in my life and I didn't pay it much attention, but that program was a real consciousness raiser. It's what started me down the path of investigation and analysis of religion that ultimately led me to the atheist position. I was greatly assisted by Richard Dawkins' writings, which made it perfectly clear that there's a much better explanation for the observed complexity and diversity of life than the religiously based argument from design, and Bertrand Russell's philosophical musings. Took me a few years and a lot of effort, it's hard to abandon lessons learned at your mother's knee, so to speak, but I eventually came to realize that I just did not and could not believe what I'd been taught about religion, it didn't make logical sense, failed to answer too many questions it should have had answers for, and was inconsistent with too much else I was learning at the time. Haven't seen anything since that would change my mind.

Probably the opposite of the sort of reset you had in mind...
 
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Motar

Council Member
Jun 18, 2013
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1973, initially due to an excellent tv series called The Ascent of Man. More particularly, it was the reaction of some of my fellow students to a certain episode that did it, the one where Jacob Bronowski wades into the pond at Auschwitz and talks about how people behave when they believe they have absolute knowledge, with no test in reality. Before that I'd never been particularly interested in religious matters, it was just a sort of background noise in my life and I didn't pay it much attention, but that program was a real consciousness raiser. It's what started me down the path of investigation and analysis of religion that ultimately led me to the atheist position. I was greatly assisted by Richard Dawkins' writings, which made it perfectly clear that there's a much better explanation for the observed complexity and diversity of life than the religiously based argument from design, and Bertrand Russell's philosophical musings. Took me a few years and a lot of effort, it's hard to abandon lessons learned at your mother's knee, so to speak, but I eventually came to realize that I just did not and could not believe what I'd been taught about religion, it didn't make logical sense, failed to answer too many questions it should have had answers for, and was inconsistent with too much else I was learning at the time. Haven't seen anything since that would change my mind.

Probably the opposite of the sort of reset you had in mind...
You are my favorite CCF theologian, DS.
 

Motar

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Jun 18, 2013
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So what is this new Great Reset we've been hearing about lately? Who's behind it? Whom does it benefit?
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
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Thanks for weighing in, TB. I appreciate you.
I have no problem with your belief, Motar. For you.

I like the way you present it. You appear to focus on the text. I encourage you to continue that, and when you look to scholars of the bible, do so with a sceptical eye. Remember that they have their own agendae and biases, conscious and unconscious, that may color their interpretations or explanations.
 
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Motar

Council Member
Jun 18, 2013
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I have no problem with your belief, Motar. For you.

I like the way you present it. You appear to focus on the text. I encourage you to continue that, and when you look to scholars of the bible, do so with a sceptical eye. Remember that they have their own agendae and biases, conscious and unconscious, that may color their interpretations or explanations.
Thanks, TB. I suppose that we are all importers of pre-suppositions. How is your personal Great Reset going?
 

Motar

Council Member
Jun 18, 2013
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God’s love in Christ is so compelling it changed the evangelist John from a “son of thunder” (Mark 3:17, Luke 9:54) to “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23, 19:26, 22:7, 21:20).

Likewise, the love of God in Christ transformed Nicodemus from a curious religious ruler to a devoted and dedicated disciple.

“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.‘ Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’ ‘How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. ’Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’ ‘How can this be?” Nicodemus asked (John 3:1-9, NIV).

“Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why didn’t you bring him in?’ ‘No one ever spoke the way this man does,‘ the guards replied. ’You mean he has deceived you also?‘ the Pharisees retorted. ‘Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.’ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ‘Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?“ (John 7:45-51).

“Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus, brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there” (John 19:38-42).

The Great Reset has taken place. The patriarchs and prophets looked forward, while the apostles and saints look back to the moment when Jesus declared, “It is finished”, and God’s ❤️ reset human history and human lives forever (John 3:16).

When was your Great Reset?
 

Motar

Council Member
Jun 18, 2013
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My great reset began to about 35 years ago. I moved away from my home and country due to an offer of employment. The Lord relocated Abram in a similar way: “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you’“(Genesis 12:1).

A coworker friend invited me to his Christian community. I started reading the Bible and as I did, my worldview began to change. Puzzling life questions were answered and peace began to prevail in my life. The three years I studied the Bible in this setting laid the foundation for what happened next.
 

Dexter Sinister

Unspecified Specialist
Oct 1, 2004
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You are my favorite CCF theologian, DS.
Well thanks, but I wish I knew what a CCF theologian is. The only meanings I know for that CCF acronym can't possibly apply here. Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, cross correlation function, Combined Cadet Force, cold cathode fluorescent...
 

Motar

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Jun 18, 2013
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Well thanks, but I wish I knew what a CCF theologian is. The only meanings I know for that CCF acronym can't possibly apply here. Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, cross correlation function, Combined Cadet Force, cold cathode fluorescent...
Canadian Content Forums ☺️
 

Dexter Sinister

Unspecified Specialist
Oct 1, 2004
10,168
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Regina, SK
Ah yes, should have thought of that one--duh--but usually it's just abbreviated as CC. Dunno that I'd dignify what I do by calling me a theologian though, I'm just an interested layman who's trying to understand things.
 
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Motar

Council Member
Jun 18, 2013
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My great reset began about 35 years ago. I moved away from my home and country due to an offer of employment. The Lord relocated Abram in a similar way: “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you’“(Genesis 12:1).

A coworker friend invited me to his Christian community. I started reading the Bible and as I did, my worldview began to change. Puzzling life questions were answered and peace began to prevail in my life. The three years I studied the Bible in this setting laid the foundation for what happened next.
Like Nicodemus, I did something next that was bold and out of character for me (John 19:38-39). I drove alone in the dark to a place I had never been and spent the weekend with people I previously did not know. The “New Image” theme of this Christian retreat appealed to me.

The final assembly that weekend affected my Great Reset. Until then, I had never heard the whole of Scripture presented so masterfully and meaningfully. It was just what I needed to hear. It was at that event that I personally identified with Christ and embraced His provision for my new and eternal life.

When was your Great Reset?