fredlott63

God appeals to intellect while satan appeals to emotion

The scriptural reference for this lesson is found in Matthew 16:13 - 17 and 21 - 23, In these verses Jesus is addressing who is motivating Peter to speak. We will do a verse by verse study.

Verse 13

Our knowledge of God and the supernatural is based on traditions of men and hearsay. We have been taught by the unlearned. We need to ask, “who is God to us”? If you don’t have a personal relationship with God, you don’t have a relationship with Him at all.

Verse 14

The traditions of men make the word of God have no results in your life If you obey God’s word, the quality of your life improves. Hearsay is not reliable, people either leave something out or add something untrue.

Verse 15

We should read the word of God, and let the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts. If your relationship with Christ isn’t personal, you don’t have one at all.

Verse 16

Peter was looking for Jesus before they met. He saw the miracles and heard the teachings. He is the only man in history beside Jesus to walk on water. When he thought about it, the only conclusion he could reach was Jesus is who he says He is and the scriptures are correct. God appeals to intellect.

Verse 17

Jesus emphasizes that nobody helped Peter reach this conclusion. God revealed this to him. God appeals to intellect.

Verse 21

Jesus is telling His disciples what will happen in the future. Things happened just like Jesus said they would. In Deuteronomy 18:21 & 22, the criteria for a prophet is accuracy. If he says something will happen, it does happen. If he says something will happen and it doesn’t happen, that is a sign that God didn’t send him.

Verse 22

Peter loves Jesus. He wants everyone to know Jesus like he does. He doesn’t want people to reject someone that only helped people. Peter says what he says because he feels what he feels. Satan is appealing to Peter’s emotions.

Verse 23

Jesus says nothing to Peter, even though the words are coming from Peter‘s mouth. The motivation for the words came from satan. He will use the bible to steal, kill, and destroy. God appeals to intellect, satan appeals to emotion.

PeterS

All religion is based on irrationalism so any belief in the supernatural, god or Satan, would be illogical. There is no premise on God or Satan that isn't based on a fallacy or is anecdotal. You can't say something appeals to your intellect when all arguments are fallacies.

PeterS

A point to make Fred--the rejection of Jesus isn't as a person but as a god. Thomas Jefferson thought Jesus the greatest teacher of moral values that ever existed. But he also thought Jesus a man and not a god. I mention this because in Verse 22 you say: "He doesn’t want people to reject someone that only helped people" The rejection isn't as a person but a deity. And one other point--if something is revealed to you then you've used no intellect to arrive at any conclusion--this is because it was revealed, not arrived at through any intellectual (thinking) manor, remember.

I've debated religion any number of times with theists and each time the hangup comes because they think that a belief in the supernatural is a rational decision. It isn't, it's one that is reached because you can come up with no other explanation, that you are willing to believe, for being. Why, because you refuse to think rationally (with intellect) about the subject of the supernatural. Many Christians use Love as the very definition of god. Well nothing is more entangled in our emotions then love which pretty much disproves your premise right there--enough that we don't need to examine it any further...

fredlott63

The hardest person to teach is one who thinks he knows already.Let'see where your beliefs take you.

PeterS

What are you trying to teach Fred--the truth or a lie? There is no rational path to the supernatural. You can only reach it through irrationalism. Believe that or don't. We will see where that takes you...

fredlott63

God's word is a shield, but a shield is useless if it is on the ground when the arrow is fired. God's word has protected me my entire life.

Morgan

God if anything appeals to the heart...and who, in your perception, do you think the holy trinity really is?

PeterS

Fred. The OP is that god appeals to intellect and that Satan emotion. I simply inserted the fact that both are philosophically irrational therefore both emotional. Now you are trying to tell me that gods word is a shield that has protected you all your life??? What did you need protection from Fred--the truth?

fredlott63

Everybody deceived.