Of what value is a saint that has carnally ascended into a form of godliness that prevents them from presenting the 'good news' of grace to the lost world around them?
"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." (Romans 12:3)
Grace is received but once, and the Holy Spirit has sealed it within us. Its manifestation is seen in the form of faith, and both grace and faith are a gift from God. We could no more believe in Jesus than we could create ourselves. And grace is not found by asking for it, but by living in it, for He lives within us. It is indeed sought after, but only in the person and power of Jesus. We know this because He ascended from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father.
We will not become ministers of reconciliation to the world around us if our faith is first determined by Christian dogmatism. The redemption of mankind was established by grace; not by doctrinal beliefs, for that is the nature of the Old Covenant. God redeemed the world to Himself through Jesus' sacrifice, and by that same sacrifice we are to shine our light before others, thus making disciples of Christ.
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)
There are many laws and convictions we can cling to, but freedom in Christ doesn't hold these over the heads of others. It allows for the work of the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent in order to guide us into all truth. Where we find ourselves assured of a particular doctrinal belief, it may well be an area of fear and of weak faith. The wind of the Spirit can not proclaim the power of the cross where tight-fisted doctrinal laws are suffocating it. Our redemption from sin, our freedom in Christ came by the Spirit of Love that communicated nothing less than the solid evidence of the unseen power that broke us free from the bondage of this world and the lies it tells. Therefore, let us become the same ambassador of Love that we so richly received ourselves, and not follow the ideals of the religious masses. We do not judge the outside world and there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus; and in the same breath, we don't even judge ourselves! (1 Corinthians 4:1-5)
Do we not enjoy our freedom in Christ? Has He not dealt with us patiently? Surely, we have yet to reach perfection ourselves! I'm certain others are suffering to find this kind of Love. We have not been called to become a society of believers that stick so close together that we become a damned up tributary, rather than a flowing river of living water, available for the world to drink from.
PJR
"We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build them up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one
another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Romans 15:1-7)
This admonition is not limited to our lives within the church, by the way.
Grace is received but once, and the Holy Spirit has sealed it within us. Its manifestation is seen in the form of faith, and both grace and faith are a gift from God. We could no more believe in Jesus than we could create ourselves. And grace is not found by asking for it, but by living in it, for He lives within us. It is indeed sought after, but only in the person and power of Jesus. We know this because He ascended from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father.
We will not become ministers of reconciliation to the world around us if our faith is first determined by Christian dogmatism. The redemption of mankind was established by grace; not by doctrinal beliefs, for that is the nature of the Old Covenant. God redeemed the world to Himself through Jesus' sacrifice, and by that same sacrifice we are to shine our light before others, thus making disciples of Christ.
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)
There are many laws and convictions we can cling to, but freedom in Christ doesn't hold these over the heads of others. It allows for the work of the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent in order to guide us into all truth. Where we find ourselves assured of a particular doctrinal belief, it may well be an area of fear and of weak faith. The wind of the Spirit can not proclaim the power of the cross where tight-fisted doctrinal laws are suffocating it. Our redemption from sin, our freedom in Christ came by the Spirit of Love that communicated nothing less than the solid evidence of the unseen power that broke us free from the bondage of this world and the lies it tells. Therefore, let us become the same ambassador of Love that we so richly received ourselves, and not follow the ideals of the religious masses. We do not judge the outside world and there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus; and in the same breath, we don't even judge ourselves! (1 Corinthians 4:1-5)
Do we not enjoy our freedom in Christ? Has He not dealt with us patiently? Surely, we have yet to reach perfection ourselves! I'm certain others are suffering to find this kind of Love. We have not been called to become a society of believers that stick so close together that we become a damned up tributary, rather than a flowing river of living water, available for the world to drink from.
PJR
"We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build them up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one
another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Romans 15:1-7)
This admonition is not limited to our lives within the church, by the way.
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