Belfast Telegraph

Jesus Christ’s love doesn’t discrimina­te

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COLIN Nevin (Write Back, August 26) perhaps underestim­ates just how revolution­ary the message of Jesus Christ is.

Belfast city centre streets are a lot more colourful than they used to be. Several days ago, while strolling and listening to buskers, I struck up a good-natured conversati­on with a visitor from a Jewish background.

We discussed the “suffering servant” prophecy of Isaiah 53 and Jewish objections to Jesus being the Messiah.

As an unmarried man, it was suggested that Jesus could never have been a rabbi: “Jesus clearly possessed the wisdom of a great rabbi, so, by definition, must have been married,” said my friend.

He felt that the New Testament erred in matters of fact and that the miracle at Canna most likely referred to the wedding of Jesus.

Jesus was fully divine and fully human, according to the New Testament. Jesus was fully Jewish, too, yet outraged some observant Jews by challengin­g cherished interpreta­tions, or the applicatio­ns, of Jewish Law.

Colin Nevin needs to realise that Jesus welcomes shellfish-eaters, pig-eaters, and people struggling with any form of lust. Nearly every human in youth, middle years or even beyond can struggle with lust.

Jesus loves all people and invites them to come to believe, whatever their pre-existing sexual orientatio­n, or practices.

Would Colin consider simplifyin­g faith to the bare elements — sin, the Cross and forgivenes­s for all who believe?

Does Colin recognise that Premilleni­alism and Young Earth creationis­m can distract us from the core message of Jesus?

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