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Thanks for your helpful comments Kevin. The idea is that I would like a 3rd or new new testament to sort out some of the mess we are in. It could be before or after the 2nd resurection. Of course God will decide, not Dan Brown.
  The Jews did not like the new Testament but they have got used to it.
  Have a happy and Anglican Christmas Kevin and all posters

What mess(es) in particular do you think God’s revelations in the Bible are insufficient for?

Dannii, Many messes available, but just as an example—wars. The OT has many wars despite “Thou shall not kill ” being presest in many 10 commandments. The NT does not have wars but it does have Armageddon. Do you believe Christians should be looking forward to Armageddon, especially in the light of the promised land for the chosen faithful. ?  South Korean Christians seem to be eager for Armageddon if their shelling of North Korea is taken seriously. Are South Korean Christians literalists?

Doug, firstly the commandment is “Do not murder”, NOT “Do not kill”. The law at many times commands executions, as well as wars. It is the individual unjustified killings that are considered murder and forbidden.

Secondly, the Israelites were to be a political nation. The Torah is in effect their constitution - It explains the basis of their existence, gives rules that its people are to live by, as well as a direction for the nation to take as a whole. Part of that direction was to expel the Canaanite people from the promised land, so that both the Israelites could receive what God promised to Abraham, as well as fulfilling the curses Noah gave to Canaan long before.

The NT Church however is not a political entity. Jesus said his kingdom wasn’t of this world, and there are many statements about how we are to respect the political authorities we are under. The Bible supports the separation of church and state! And when that’s been confused before, such as in Calvin’s Geneva, the results have not been good, because the church should not have political power.

As to Armageddon, that is one of the final battles when Jesus comes again, and has nothing to do with any current conflicts.

So I don’t really see what mess there is in regard to war…

Can there be a seperation of church and state when God rules over both of them?

I think that there is a definite difference in “God ruling over a state” and ‘God allowing a state to exist’. Here in NSW, surely God cannot be blamed for what our incredibly bad state govt does. However, in His providence, we are allowed to experience such a bad government as part of OUR ‘democratic’ system. Maybe, God has been punishing the people of NSW through this really inept/incompetent mob ?

Go figure - but please don’t give God the blame - the voters of NSW ( well about half of them )  are responsible for returning Labor to office ( again ) in 2007. Anyway, just 90 more sleeps for voters to not get angry - but to get even ;)

Dannii, My Bible search engine came up   for “Thou shalt not kill”  in Kings James & American Std Version mentioned in Deut 5:17 Mark 10:19 and Romans 13:19 and in numerous other verses.

Well that just shows why checking multiple modern translations is always worthwhile. We of course know much more than the translators of those Bibles did.

Here’s a good summary of what the command means, and why it doesn’t mean simply “don’t kill”:
http://goddidntsaythat.com/2010/11/24/the-ten-commandments-dont-forbid-killing/

(The English “murder” is not quite perfect either, but it’s much closer than “kill”.)

South Korean Christians seem to be eager for Armageddon if their shelling of North Korea is taken seriously. Are South Korean Christians literalists?

Pretty sure it’s the other way around.  I.e. that the North Koreans have been shelling South Korean targets and that the North Koreans are the literalists.  If anything, I remember numerous stories of South Korean Christians going out of their way to abet North Korean escape from their despot regime.

Muslim diversity? What diversity?

Muslims are all directed by the false prophet Mohammed, and are either fully devoted to carrying out his aim to take over the world by force, or they are,alternatively, passive followers who dont, or will not,  publicly disagree with those people who do follow out his aim to take over the world by force. That’s the only diversity I see here.

Islam is the problem behind all the friction in the Middle East, not to mention the Israelis who are not that much better.

Both sides will not accept the Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ,  but go on blindly following their ritual traditions, without God’s blessing.

A pox on both houses, God says.

This is disturbing :

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/men-charded-over-sharia-law-lashing/story-e6freuy9-1226097246751

Men charged over ‘Sharia law’ lashing

Rosemarie Lentini From:The Daily Telegraph July 19, 2011 2:30PM

A MUSLIM who allegedly broke into the house of an Islam convert and whipped him 40 times for drinking alcohol has “complete and utter disregard for the laws of this state”, police say.

Tolga Cifci, 20, is one of three men accused of attacking the 31-year-old victim at his Silverwaterunit on Sunday, Burwood Local Court was told.

The victim who converted to Islam recently was allegedly whipped up to forty times for going out for alcoholic drinks with friends.

The man awoke in the middle of the night to find that four men had broken into his bedroom.

As three men held the victim down on the bed, the fourth man is alleged to have lashed him 40 times with a cable. Police arrested Cifci at his home in Auburn last night and he was charged with aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence.

Police opposed bail and said Cifci put his religious rules above the laws of NSW.

Cifci’s barrister Ertunc Ozen said his client did not have a criminal history and offered strict conditions which were “one step short of jail”.

“Leaving all the emotion out of this, leaving the obvious controversy out of this and the Sharia law to one side, every offence if proven shows a disregard for the law,” Mr Ozen told the court.

Magistrate Tim Keady granted Cifci bail but imposed strict conditions, including a curfew and reporting daily to police.

Ah yes - such tolerance - yet some individuals believe it is mandatory for them to act like “lifestyle dictator” cult members more than being peacemakers ! ( Says a lot doesn’t it ? )

They really hate the alcoholic drinks eh.

This is not too far from where I live too… and one of my friends lives in that apartment complex!

A MAN charged over the whipping of a Muslim man as punishment for drinking alcohol has had his bail conditions changed in a Sydney court - because his parents don’t want him living with them….

This guy is 43 !!!!  What on earth is he doing still living under his parents’ roof ?

link

Hi all!  This time last year I drew attention to the booklet ‘30 days of prayer for the Muslim world’, encouraging Christians to pray for Moslems during their ‘holy’ month of Ramadan, which is from 1-30 August this year.  See website http://www.30-days.net/ 
 
You can order the booklet, or sign on for prayer emails.  I have just signed up for prayer emails - a less daunting step than trying to use a booklet for a whole month.

Up to day 11 of praying for the Muslim world.
 
I’m finding it quite challenging, particularly praying for people in countries where I know that Christians are persecuted.
   
Also, some of the language forms used by the authors of the prayer notes are unfamiliar.  But, that aside, the prayers generally seem Biblically based.

John Piper suggests we should pray for Muslims to realise the emptiness of their worship and seek a mediator, a redeemer.

How do the words of Jesus guide us in praying for Muslims during Ramadan (August 1–29)? One of the aims of fasting during Ramadan is that Muslims aim to bring greater focus to their worship of Allah.
A Question With Two Meanings

One of the questions that followers of Jesus often ask is, Are Muslims truly worshiping the same God we worship? That question can have two meanings. One focuses on the word “worship” and the other focuses on the phrase “same God.”

The second meaning of the question boils down to the definition of “same.” Some say that if you can list enough similar propositions about deities, then they are the same. They say, That is what “same” means. For example, “he is sovereign;” “he is all-wise;” “he is all-knowing;” “he is infinitely good;” “he is merciful;” “he is holy.”

If enough of these statements can be said truly of two deities, then they are the “same” deity. Which of course is true if that is the way one defines “same.”

The Focus Is on the Second Meaning

But it is far more personally important to answer clearly the second meaning of the question. “Do Muslims and Christians truly worship the one true God?” The focus is on worship, not sameness.

On this question, Jesus speaks repeatedly and unequivocally. First, he identifies himself:
He said he would die. “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him” (Mark 9:31).
He said he would die as a ransom for many. “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
He said he would rise from the dead. “And when [the Son of Man] is killed, after three days he will rise” (Mark 9:31).
He said he was the Messiah, the Son of God. “‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am’” (Mark 14:61–62).
He said he was God. “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am’” (John 8:58).
Traditional Muslims deny all of these truths about Jesus: that he died; that he ransomed sinners by his death; that he rose from the dead; that he is the Son of God; that he is God.

Seven Things About Those Who Deny Jesus
 
Jesus speaks clearly about people (of whatever religion) who deny him in this way. He says seven things about them:
1.They do not “know” the true God. “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (John 8:19; see also 7:28; 14:7).
2.They do not “honor” the true God. “Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him” (John 5:23).
3.They do not “love” the true God. “I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me” (John 5:42–43).
4.The true God is not their “Father.” “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here” (John 8:42; see also 2 John 1:9).
5.They do not “have” the true God. “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23).
6.They have not “heard” or “learned” from the true God. “Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me” (John 6:45).
7.They “reject” the true God. “The one who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16).

Jesus’ answer to the question is No. Neither Muslims nor anyone else truly worships the true God if they reject Jesus as he really is in the Gospels. Whatever we are doing, we are not worshiping the one we do not know, honor, love, and accept.

Suited to Be Loved

Therefore, Muslims in particular (along with Jewish people and others who reject Jesus as he offers himself in the Gospels) are especially suited to be loved by Christians. Jesus came into the world to awaken and save those who rejected him (Mark 2:17) — like we once did.

It seems to me, therefore, that the way Jesus calls us to pray during Ramadan is that God would reveal to Muslims the emptiness of their worship. Jesus says they are not connecting with the true God. This is tragic. And it is more tragic when they think they are. Awakening to this emptiness would be a precious awakening.

And, of course, Muslims are not the only ones who are not connecting with the true God in their outward acts of worship. Any person who rejects the Jesus of the Gospels, whatever their religion (including professing Christians), is worshiping “in vain” (Matthew 15:9).

Pray and Speak

So pray that all such people would realize this. Pray for a precious sense of emptiness for every non-worshiping worshiper (in churches, synagogues, and mosques). Pray that millions would sense profoundly the need for a Mediator, a Redeemer, a Messiah who “was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5).

And every chance you get, open your mouth and offer Christ crucified and risen. The prayers of millions of Christians may have made a way of faith that you never dreamed.

 
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/ramadan-praying-for-a-precious-sense-of-emptiness