Well I can say that there are a lot of Christianities out there that are unreal, man.
It's also unreal when I see people driving alone in their car with a mask on.
Yet that's the thing, and I'm pretty sure we disagree here (and can do so without being disagreeable). I don't think any human chooses to be saved.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
(John 15:16 KJV)
And yes, I've encountered the excuse that Jesus was only speaking to his disciples right then and there and to no one else, but within a broader context I don't find that credible. The beginning of that passage gives the scope to whom it applies.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
(John 15:2 KJV)
Now if we have been chosen to be disciples, though, I can see where at times we might make a choice that interferes with the "bringing forth fruit" that the Father would desire. I know my life has been impaired by the lack of faith expressed in the life of a brother of the faith, as others have suffered when I flubbed the faith.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
(Luke 17:5 KJV)
I laugh in amusement, not in ridicule, because, my friend, that is so WAYYY
not the biggest translation error. The most evil is 2 Tim 3:16, because the mistranslation is purposeful. Now it's difficult at times when encountering new people, because we don't truly know the extent of each other's education. I've been using the Greek text of the New Testament for nearly 50 years. And I'm not trying to diminish your education when pointing out that the initial Greek texts didn't have Capitalization, because there were no "lower case letters." These developed starting around the 800's, and I'm sure you know they're called "minuscule." To that end, all capitalization can be construed as a translation error.
en.wikipedia.org
(It's worth the read.)
We're even pretty good at dating manuscripts based upon the typography - the way the letters are written.
Now with regards to John 1:1 phrase one reads -
εν αρχη ην ο λογος
While I just read this text directly, it's meaning would be expressed in English as -
The Pattern was suffused throughout the cosmic protoplasm.
Unfortunately, no, I don't have the days it would take to guide you (or most anyone for that matter) through the process as to why I read John 1:1a this way. And to be honest, I have not found any other believer out there who ascribes to the same Doctrine of Christology as I do. (Maybe I'll write a book.)
Well I would encourage you to dig a bit deeper into this matter. What you've presented is based upon Greek grammar (not "lexicon"). And I am curious why you stipulate that "Ho is the differential". Isn't it merely the definite article?
You might like this paper on Differential Argument Marking that considers exceptions to the nominative – accusative case system. I mention this since the last phrase in John 1:1 (
θεος ην ο λογος) contains no word in the accusative case - both are in the nominative case.
Please feel free to either start a new thread or move our conversation into a PM if it strays too far off the OP. (Ploughboy can get irritated at times.)
Rhema
Oh, and of course allow for the holidays etc. when I just don't have the time to post.