Contradiction?

CONTRADICTION?

Ro 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." 1Cor 4:20 "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."

WHAT GIVES? Does Paul know what he's talking about, or not? Let's see what Jesus says!

Mat 22:31 "...have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God...?" Mk 4:24 "And (Jesus) said unto them, Take heed (pay attention, or listen!) what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you (as you study ["ask/seek/knock"], so you shall learn [you will receive, be given, & it will be opened unto you]), : and unto you that hear shall more be given (listening "opens" ears!)." Mat 11:15 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (USE them!)." Jesus said this over & over & over again.

Then what does Paul mean by the Kingdom not being in word, but power? Let's look at a few paradoxical statements.

From Paul: 1Cor 1:21 "...it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (notice: God doesn't save unbelievers!)."

From Jesus: Jn 5:25 "Verily, verily (Jesus says this for emphasis; so how come we never "hear" this statement?), I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live (some won't listen even then!)."

Is Jesus saying that dead people can hear?! Yes! They can hear God, even though they're dead! But some won't listen. Here we have a clear view of just what God means by "hear", or "listen". We see that "hearing" is a willful act. It's an act of the will. It's a choice.

So when Paul says the kingdom is not of "words", he means the same as Jesus meant when He said in Mk 4:12 "That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." [those who are evil don't WANT their sins forgiven!]

And again in Mat 13:13-15 "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed [grown] gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest [to prevent them from] at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

God's Word is LAW ONLY where it is "received" (heard and OBEYED - or has "Juris-Diction"). And to these, His Word is Life!

Whereas man may not have had an active choice in Creation, (because man was made to choose with "free-will"), man MUST actively participate in RE-Creation (In Christ we Choose). Why? Because it was by the CHOICE of one {Adam} that all fell; and it is also by the CHOICE of One {Christ} "all" [who Choose-IN-Him] are Raised!

God's Word, His Enormous & Eternal Love-Power, even the Death & Resurrection of Christ are rendered powerless by man's refusal (negative choice) of them! THIS is contradiction! Man may contradict God! [by man's "SAY", God (then) has no "Juris-Diction" where his soul's-end is concerned; thus, as man Sows, he Reaps!]

But God wants us to know what we're refusing. God said "LIVE", and man IS. If man now contradicts God, man is NOT!

The "power" Paul is referring to is the Power of Love unto Life Eternal (WITH GOD).

God said "LIVE": it would have been a shame if man didn't HEAR God! But to HEAR "LIVE" and NOT OBEY (contradict) ... to say, "NO WAY"!?

This goes far beyond "words", here is THE Power of Life over Death! Prov 18:21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

But our "Amen!" (YES!) to God's Word of His Will for Life in us IS JESUS CHRIST. He alone is our Obedience; our Choice; our Eternity WITH GOD! We Agree-In-Christ WITH God to LIVE Forever, IN-HIS-WORD-OF-LOVE, Which (Whom) is LIFE to us!

Jesus Said: Matt 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

"Contra-DICT" means to "speak" ["dict"] "against" ["contra"]; "Juris-DICT-ion" means [where] the "law" ["juris"] "speaks" ["dict"].

Does God's Word-Will-Law Speak and have the Final "Say-So" in your life?; or are you CHOOSING [in your heart and with your tongue] to "contra-Dict" God's Choice for your End [WITH HIM-IN-CHRIST]?

You DO have a Choice to Make: God Died to Make that Possible FOR you! And, having Chosen God-IN-Christ... are you LIVING Him?, or is your life [preference] a continual Contra-Diction to His Will for you??

Think about it. It Begins AND Abides [Lk 9:23] with[in] Repentance!