[Ali Imran]

You're a doctrine person, now needing the likes of Rabbi Singer and Judaism in your corner. It seems that the say-so of other people carries a lot of weight with you. I don't blame you for having to rely heavily on the words of others in your arguments, given that you've no mystical relationship with God to speak of. Islam has no fatherly concept of God, and Allah is seen more as a remote judge who's not personally involved with mankind. Islam isn't about fellowship with God, but service, submission, and living obediently to God's laws.

The God of the Bible, on the other hand, offers mankind a personal relationship of great intimacy. For us doctrine alone isn't enough. Every doctrine of the NT centers in the Person of Jesus. Salvation requires a Savior, sanctification requires a Sanctifier, healing requires a Healer and so on. It's not enough to have the doctrine; the doctrine must bring us into relationship with the Person.

When one turns to God, put his faith in Jesus, and is born again, God will give him a new heart with new desires (Eze 36:25-27; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 4 :22-24). We know that corruption is progressive and irreversible. We know too that any attempt to redeem society without changing people is doomed to failure. So what's God plan for is people?

God won't patch up the 'old man.' He'll produce a new creation. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God" (2 Cor 5:17-18). Something new has happened that only God creates. Man can reform, man can improve, but only God can create. This is something God has to do for us and in us; we cannot do it ourselves.

The most profound resource that we've as Christians is a personal relationship with God where we enjoy His favor and love. Because of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, we have a totally new identity and perspective. As part of the process of being made alive or regenerated (Eph 2:4-5), we were given new, spiritual life, which enabled us to confess our sins and place our trust and hope in Jesus. This is what the Bible calls being "born again." The Spirit of God made us alive when we were spiritually dead in our sins and utterly helpless.

I'll be on sabbatical tomorrow, and will resume posting on my return home some two weeks later. As a parting shot, here's a verse to ponder over: "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). Sincere believers have obeyed the command and put the dependent promise to a successful test.
Will you?

When King David spoke about the Lord, did he mean Jesus or the Father? I ask because you believe the former is Lord and the latter is God, according to Paul.