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...I guess everyone's expectations of themselves may vary...As for me, however...I have very high expectations. I'm not saying that I will ever be free from thoughts and feelings...but that I will recognize them immediately, and question whether they are sinful or righteous, and do what I have to, to change them immediately...repent...in the Spirit of Christ...and as far as behaviors..I do expect to be able to make the right choices from now on that will be right in the sight of God, through the power and the authority that I have in Christ Jesus! I know that I am able to do this because of what I have just been through...a life changing test for me...and in it, I made the hardest decision of my life to overcome my flesh, and accept God's will for me instead...thank God for tests!...because it showed me that I CAN be an overcomer, if I seek the heart of God. The more tests that come my way, the stronger I will become...I will count it all joy!...Love
See, in John's letter, it would seem you are a young one, and not a child anymore. I think he spoke to us in our various stages of Spiritual growth, and this as a sermon would go.
...I guess everyone's expectations of themselves may vary...As for me, however...I have very high expectations. I'm not saying that I will ever be free from thoughts and feelings...but that I will recognize them immediately, and question whether they are sinful or righteous, and do what I have to, to change them immediately...repent...in the Spirit of Christ...and as far as behaviors..I do expect to be able to make the right choices from now on that will be right in the sight of God, through the power and the authority that I have in Christ Jesus!
I would never suggest it isn't possible, Verna . . . Jesus did it . . . I said it wasn't a reasonable expectation for the majority of humankind. I simply cannot believe that the Jesus I meet in meditation could EVER be so selective and exclusive . . . . your feelings may differ. The sense of love and acceptance and oneness is so complete . . . it is simply unthinkable to ME. I trust the love of Jesus I meet in meditation.
See, in John's letter, it would seem you are a young one, and not a child anymore. I think he spoke to us in our various stages of Spiritual growth, and this as a sermon would go.
I would never suggest it isn't possible, Verna . . . Jesus did it . . . I said it wasn't a reasonable expectation for the majority of humankind. I simply cannot believe that the Jesus I meet in meditation could EVER be so selective and exclusive . . . . your feelings may differ. The sense of love and acceptance and oneness is so complete . . . it is simply unthinkable to ME. I trust the love of Jesus I meet in meditation.
...and I respect your feelings Mystic..thank you for respecting mine...truly...love
In my years walking with the Lord, it seems those that are most vehement in bashing fellow Christians with the law are the ones that are having the most struggle with sin themselves. Its as if preaching hellfire and brimstone will purge ones own self of sin.
Reminds me of when I was on a youth trip years ago. The guest speaker had a harsh message like this. When we stopped at a service station and we all piled out to get snacks, etc, I remember the youth speaker, when seeing some "naughty" magazines at the stand, start saying out loud "Sin, Wickedness!" in a loud voice. My first thought was "you have a real struggle with porn, don't you." I was just a young college student going along as a chaperone/counselor and I was too young and shy to ask him directly.
The Christians that I know that have come out of real battles with habitual sin, ie, reformed alcoholics, drug abusers, sexual sins, etc, are some of the most loving and grace filled people I know. When one has been forgiven much, they are prone to preach a message of love and forgiveness and have an attitude of "but by the grace of God, there go I...."
No Christian likes sin. Yes, the flesh is weak and is at constant battle with the Spirit, but those bought by the Lord and claimed as His will want to do what is right. I believe this is what the verses in 1 John are referring to. I believe that Jesus sees us that are bought by his blood as sanctified, as purified. The definition I was taught of being justified.... Just as if I had never sinned.
The way I have overcome habitual sins is not to preach hard against sin, but to see my sin washed away by the blood of Jesus. His love, his continual, constant, unyielding, unconditional love is what draws me to live and love a life more holy. This kind of hard condemnatiorial preaching just makes me want to give up.
I am glad that the gospel is a message of mercy and grace, of love and acceptance, of forgiveness and healing, of cleansing and restoration. The father of the prodigal did not condemn his son, did not force him to an act of penance or condemnation. Instead, while the son was still a long way off, he ran to him and celebrated that his son was home.
This is the love and acceptance we have in our Lord, even when we stray, rebel and sin. God's grace is beyond what we can rightly comprehend. But I will spend the rest of my life trying to grasp it for the beauty and majesty that it is.
This is the love and acceptance we have in our Lord, even when we stray, rebel and sin. God's grace is beyond what we can rightly comprehend. But I will spend the rest of my life trying to grasp it for the beauty and majesty that it is.
Great Post.
I concur. IMO those hung up on the law esp the OT version project much of their own weaknesses.
In the church I used to attend, there was an elder, now deceased, that stood up one day while someone was "prophesying" and he objected loudly and told the congregation, that man is prophesying his own sin. Needless to say, those bashing prophesies ceased forthwith.
He was a humble man that had a deep walk, not a superficial judgmental attitude as what is found mostly today.
It is ironic that the 2nd commandment of Jesus is the hardest to follow - love your neighbor as yourself which is the way the 1st one is achieved or demonstrated.
The hand that points the finger always has 3 pointing back, resembles a fist; I think this is what Jesus meant by not meting out judgment. An open hand goes a whole lot further.
I concur. IMO those hung up on the law esp the OT version project much of their own weaknesses.
In the church I used to attend, there was an elder, now deceased, that stood up one day while someone was "prophesying" and he objected loudly and told the congregation, that man is prophesying his own sin. Needless to say, those bashing prophesies ceased forthwith.
He was a humble man that had a deep walk, not a superficial judgmental attitude as what is found mostly today.
It is ironic that the 2nd commandment of Jesus is the hardest to follow - love your neighbor as yourself which is the way the 1st one is achieved or demonstrated.
The hand that points the finger always has 3 pointing back, resembles a fist; I think this is what Jesus meant by not meting out judgment. An open hand goes a whole lot further.
I love the story of the elder in your church. I thank the Lord that I had the opportunity to be in a church that was encouraging the new testament gift of prophecy, yet with the clear guidelines that the NT sets forth for prophecy. Here are two guidline verses from 1 Corinthians 12 that would have put the original guy who was prophesying in his proper place (seems like the elder did a good job though!):
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts,let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
I added the bold to highlight that the new testament gift of Prophecy is not in anyway in the light of the Old Testament office of the prophet. God has given us this gift to build up the church, to edify, to encourage.
When I was being mentored by a brother that moved strongly in the prophetic, I asked him, what if God shows me something that is negative (like the example in my previous post of the youth speaker and his porn problem, which in hindsight I believe a word of knowledge). He said you can speak a prophetic word, even on a harsh topic, in a way that encourages. For example:
"Thus saith the Lord: You are a reprobate involved in much wickedness and lustful activities, Cease or burn in eternal hell fire"
could by the love and mercy of the Lord be spoken like this:
"My brother, the Lord is showing me that He is calling you to knew paths of walking with him in purity, to a new found love and desire for his holiness. He desires to know you in a new and complete way, to come alone with him into a new relationship of love and power that you have not yet experienced."
If the guy is burdened by an addiction to porn, is this second example not going to pierce his heart, leading him to repentance? Is this not a message of encouragement and edification that causes one to repent instead of cower in fear and rejection?
Of course a word like this must be spoken first because the Lord birthed it, not because I made it up, but I thank God that I was mentored by brothers and sisters that understood this as the definition of New Testament gift of prophecy. We are under a new covenant in the New Testament, we have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit first to convict us, we have the word of God to teach us, we are as believers priests (meaning there is no mediator between God and man except Jesus) and don't require a prophet to speak for the Lord to us or on our behalf.
Our job as Christians in speaking prophetically is to encourage and edify what the Lord is already doing in the lives of fellow believers. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict, it is the job of the Lord God to clean his house. Let's leave that up to the one who can do a better job of it than we can.
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