Comments on: Grasping the Central Thesis of New Testament Hope or How We Specialize in Asking the Wrong Questions http://www.ntwrightproject.com/2008/10/16/grasping-the-thesis-of-new-testament-hope-or-how-we-specialize-in-asking-the-wrong-questions/ A Collaborative Study on the Work of Tom Wright Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:12:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Nat King Cole http://www.ntwrightproject.com/2008/10/16/grasping-the-thesis-of-new-testament-hope-or-how-we-specialize-in-asking-the-wrong-questions/#comment-19 Nat King Cole Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:44:51 +0000 http://www.ntwrightproject.com/?p=115#comment-19 Keas, I enjoyed your blog on asking the wrong questions, I especially like the last quote, it helps explain our need to focus on the central theme, which is God’s Ultimate purpose and promise to the world. I completely agree that we are accustom to asking the wrong questions when it comes to difficult problems in life ,but ,we also constantly ask the wrong questions when addressing our daily life, which we assume to be the easier questions, with easy answers. We rush right through them without thinking about what is really happening, we forget the plot or basis of what is ultimately the purpose. But as for the after-death questions, do we really need answers to those questions, or are they there to just sit there and speculate?( I am referring to the question you proposed, “How will we humans contribute to that renewal of creation and to the fresh projects that the creator God will launch in his new world?”) The bible leaves us open ended when it comes to the after death, there is so much to question. However, God has provided a basic understanding of what is to come, but how much of the unknown is really important to the way we live our lives now? Don’t get me wrong here, this is the basis of our hope in Jesus coming back and eternal life, principalities that are fundamental to the truth of who God is. We believe what is to come; we recognize the importance of eternal life and the need to bring salvation to his children. But how much of it should we continue to ponder on and what good does it do to ponder about the unknown? Should our focus be more on the present coming instead of what I will bring to the new kingdom? Do we need to be preparing for something? Or are we already prepared? When we are anticipating the future there is always action to be taken, just like when a hurricane is approaching the main land, everyone begins to prepare for it, knowing that if they don't take action now, there is no guarantee of survival. We are anticipating the coming of Christ, are we prepared? What does knowing more then what we already know have of value? What do we do with all this information? Does it help to reformat the way we think about life in the present? I guess what I am asking is what value does it bring to the present life when we ponder on the unknown future? Or am I just asking the wrong question? Keas, I enjoyed your blog on asking the wrong questions, I especially like the last quote, it helps explain our need to focus on the central theme, which is God’s Ultimate purpose and promise to the world. I completely agree that we are accustom to asking the wrong questions when it comes to difficult problems in life ,but ,we also constantly ask the wrong questions when addressing our daily life, which we assume to be the easier questions, with easy answers. We rush right through them without thinking about what is really happening, we forget the plot or basis of what is ultimately the purpose. But as for the after-death questions, do we really need answers to those questions, or are they there to just sit there and speculate?( I am referring to the question you proposed, “How will we humans contribute to that renewal of creation and to the fresh projects that the creator God will launch in his new world?”)

The bible leaves us open ended when it comes to the after death, there is so much to question. However, God has provided a basic understanding of what is to come, but how much of the unknown is really important to the way we live our lives now? Don’t get me wrong here, this is the basis of our hope in Jesus coming back and eternal life, principalities that are fundamental to the truth of who God is. We believe what is to come; we recognize the importance of eternal life and the need to bring salvation to his children. But how much of it should we continue to ponder on and what good does it do to ponder about the unknown? Should our focus be more on the present coming instead of what I will bring to the new kingdom? Do we need to be preparing for something? Or are we already prepared? When we are anticipating the future there is always action to be taken, just like when a hurricane is approaching the main land, everyone begins to prepare for it, knowing that if they don’t take action now, there is no guarantee of survival. We are anticipating the coming of Christ, are we prepared?

What does knowing more then what we already know have of value? What do we do with all this information? Does it help to reformat the way we think about life in the present? I guess what I am asking is what value does it bring to the present life when we ponder on the unknown future? Or am I just asking the wrong question?

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