We need to be angry about what deserves our anger and stop thinking that Christianity is about being nice to people. That just compromises the grace by which God has poured out his forgiveness. It makes a mockery of what Jesus has done.
Don't we realise that by trying to smooth over our wrongs and other people's small rebellions we become complicit in their activity? I'm not talking about every person here but the actions of fellow Christians, those who profess to be our brethren. We all have a duty for which we will have to answer on Judgement Day: we must not allow righteousness to be tainted and God's name to be blasphemed because of us. Of course, we will sin, it is inevitable until we reach maturity, so then, let us speed on towards maturity and love one another into making right choices.
All sin, no matter how small, disrespects our friends, ourselves and
God, not to mention the necessary victim that someone somewhere becomes as a result of our woeful activity. Let us truly turn to love and fight sin. Be strong and not weak. Be always loving with tenderness but firmness and may Christ's Church rise to overcome her enemies.Photo by itsjustlo of flickr.com
"but even there it is his "rod" and his "staff" that comfort, in other words the shepherd's discipline brought the sheep security."
ReplyDeleteBit like our children needing the security if the lines a parent draws disciplin wise.
; ) The TJ
A powerfully inspirational post. And you recently suggested you couldn't inspire! I think this post shows you already have that gift, so use it with the authority you displayed in this post.
ReplyDeleteI like your blog! I'll be back. It's hard to find good blogs by Christians. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteOf course, we will sin, it is inevitable until we reach maturity,
ReplyDeletesurely you don't mean that?
Anonymous
ReplyDeleteYou have started a good discussion in our office, it is a bit of a dodgy statement taken out of context.
Wesley did talk about a sinless perfection, and we have been saved from our sins not in our sins, which means we should be able to go the rest of our lives without sinning. But when Tschaka talks about maturity he is talking about walking in the Holy Spirit and if we are not living in the Spirit but in our flesh then we will sin.
I hope this makes sense.
"For the love of God is broader than the measure of man's mind;and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. But we make his love too narrow with false limits of our own, and we magnify his strictness with a zeal he will not own."
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful quote - that is really beautiful language and thought. Where is it from ?
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know that "holiness" teaching that was popular with Wesley and the Sally Army for a time has been put aside by most churches due to its inconsistencies with the rest of the gospel.
In what way is it inconsistent with the gospel?
ReplyDeleteVery necessary to be able to love and rebuke one another strongly. Funny though, although I totally hold to the validity of this as taught be the scriptures, I can't help but wince when I remember the last few times I've been rebuked sharply, and possibly more so when I think of the last few times I have had to rebuke someone strongly.
ReplyDeleteNot something I find easy, naturally speaking: I shy away from it. Yet I know it's needed.
There are a number of reasons why it is inconsistent with the good news.
ReplyDeleteThe main one in relation to your church is the seperation between flesh and spirit. There is really no clear cut lines between the two and to try to create one causes all sorts of problems and can lead people into a great deal of mental and spiritual anguish
I think Anonymous (it's polite to give a name really) you need to clarify your statement, which could well be true, in the light of Romans 8 and Galatians 6.
ReplyDelete