Dec 23, 2011 -- 7:15PM, journeying wrote:

and mine too. This seems to explain perhaps the root of the differences among Christians. He speaks for me pretty much.

I'm always intrigued by Christians who've never heard of the alternate translation of "Faith in Jesus Christ" in the NT as "Faith of Jesus Christ."  There's nothing normative (other than "Because I said so.") to require one reading of the textual variant over the other.  But then, reading Greek often eclipses the doctrinaire. 

" Tillich wisely says that we have largely destroyed the healing power of divine forgiveness by making it “because of” instead of “in spite of”!  Divine forgiveness is always in spite of our inadequacy–never because of our perfect realizations, repentance, or response."

This reminds me of my differentiation between liking and loving somebody.  You like somebody because of his good qualities.  You love somebody despite his faults.