Excellent point!!!!
Trudi Gretsinger said this:
"The young always have the same problem.......How to rebel and conform at the same time......... They have solved this by defying their parents and copying one another....."
Saturday, November 4, 2017
Appearances or Truth?
1 Thessalonians 5:22
"22 Abstain from all appearance of evil."
Actually the word "appearance" was added to the KJB. It says in the original language to "abstain from evil." If we walked around being worried about everything that might appear evil, but is not, we would be in a constant state of agitation.
I once received a bottle of sparkling cider from a friend, because she was worried that anyone who walked into her house would think it was wine and she didn't want it even in her house. It was given to her, but it ended up with me.
I care not what kind of bottle enters my home, as long as what is in it is honoring to God. We can take these things so far that we would be all bound up in false guilt over every little thing that someone else might like to "assume" or "create a lie" from.
The word appearance was added to the Bible, not in the original copies, creating a false guilt in many over something that is not even true. It was the practice of legalists and Pharisees to add to what God said just to make sure everyone didn't step over the line. There is no need to do this, we can tell the truth and allow the heart of others to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
We need to be very careful not to make judgments on things we only "suspect" about someone based on a few seconds of observation.
There are lots of people out there who love to make a mountain out of a mole hill, passing their lies on as fact while harming reputations and relationships without the whole story. They may not even pass on their false knowledge to others but they will treat with disdain and demeaning the one they have judged.
If you have a bottle in your house that happens to look like a wine bottle, I would think nothing of it. It might be wine vinegar for cooking, or sparkling cider as mine was. It is not my business to judge what kind of bottles you use or what's in them.
Those who look for things to criticize, usually have much they are hiding in their own lives, perhaps they are guilty about their own self righteousness.
1 Corinthians 4:4-6 "…4 My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the proper time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. 6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.…"
It is one thing to judge righteously that which is sin, when we know all the facts, it is quite another to observe something or someone deciding the truth, without the facts and without speaking to the one we observe. So many people decided what they wish to believe about someone and pass that to others.
Let's humble ourselves, learn to ask loving questions to discern truth and then proceed from there as led by the Holy.
"22 Abstain from all appearance of evil."
Actually the word "appearance" was added to the KJB. It says in the original language to "abstain from evil." If we walked around being worried about everything that might appear evil, but is not, we would be in a constant state of agitation.
I once received a bottle of sparkling cider from a friend, because she was worried that anyone who walked into her house would think it was wine and she didn't want it even in her house. It was given to her, but it ended up with me.
I care not what kind of bottle enters my home, as long as what is in it is honoring to God. We can take these things so far that we would be all bound up in false guilt over every little thing that someone else might like to "assume" or "create a lie" from.
The word appearance was added to the Bible, not in the original copies, creating a false guilt in many over something that is not even true. It was the practice of legalists and Pharisees to add to what God said just to make sure everyone didn't step over the line. There is no need to do this, we can tell the truth and allow the heart of others to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
We need to be very careful not to make judgments on things we only "suspect" about someone based on a few seconds of observation.
There are lots of people out there who love to make a mountain out of a mole hill, passing their lies on as fact while harming reputations and relationships without the whole story. They may not even pass on their false knowledge to others but they will treat with disdain and demeaning the one they have judged.
If you have a bottle in your house that happens to look like a wine bottle, I would think nothing of it. It might be wine vinegar for cooking, or sparkling cider as mine was. It is not my business to judge what kind of bottles you use or what's in them.
Those who look for things to criticize, usually have much they are hiding in their own lives, perhaps they are guilty about their own self righteousness.
1 Corinthians 4:4-6 "…4 My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the proper time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. 6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.…"
It is one thing to judge righteously that which is sin, when we know all the facts, it is quite another to observe something or someone deciding the truth, without the facts and without speaking to the one we observe. So many people decided what they wish to believe about someone and pass that to others.
Let's humble ourselves, learn to ask loving questions to discern truth and then proceed from there as led by the Holy.
Reading to Discover Truth
As believers we should be reading the Bible to learn how to obey and know Christ, rather than treating it like "good literature", to be enjoyed.
Culturally Constrained
"Culturally Constrained", meaning we are bound up in the investment we have in the approval of others.
Our fear of being alone or being mocked is so great that we choose to remain silent to avoid the terrible feelings of rejection.
I have the answer to this dilemma, yep, it is really quite easy.
Here it is, love God with all your heart, your soul and your mind, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Yep, the two greatest commandments.
If we love God above everyone and everything else, we are freed to tell His truth and accept whatever rejection comes from that.
The reason for so much scripture twisting in our culture is so that those who have family and friends who despise truth, will remain happy with us.
The freest day of our lives is when we no longer care if others like or love us, because Christ in us is all Who matters. We love others because He loves us, but we love them in a way that helps them to see Him, rather than loving them the worlds way that leads them to destruction, we love God's way, hoping to snatch them from the fires of hell.
Our fear of being alone or being mocked is so great that we choose to remain silent to avoid the terrible feelings of rejection.
I have the answer to this dilemma, yep, it is really quite easy.
Here it is, love God with all your heart, your soul and your mind, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Yep, the two greatest commandments.
If we love God above everyone and everything else, we are freed to tell His truth and accept whatever rejection comes from that.
The reason for so much scripture twisting in our culture is so that those who have family and friends who despise truth, will remain happy with us.
The freest day of our lives is when we no longer care if others like or love us, because Christ in us is all Who matters. We love others because He loves us, but we love them in a way that helps them to see Him, rather than loving them the worlds way that leads them to destruction, we love God's way, hoping to snatch them from the fires of hell.
Does God Wink His Eye?
John 3:35-36
"35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”"
To see how God views sin and wickedness, read the book of Amos, even though He doesn't do things exactly the same way, He never allows sin to go unpunished.
It is because of His great love that He spanks nations, the harder the hearts and resistance the bigger the spanking.
How hard should our spanking be in America?
60 millions babies have been murdered in the past 45 years.
Pornography according to Wikipedia: Each year
Adult video $500 million to $1.8 billion
Internet $1 billion
Magazines $1 billion
Pay-per-view $128 million
Cellphones $47 million
These two evils, abortion and pornography are only two of the many thousands of evil activities that dominate America. There are almost too many to count. There is little respect for God or His principles in the United States, but even worse this same mentality exists in the church that resides here.
Does anyone really think that God just overlooks these things?
Proverbs 8:13
"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil . . ."
1 Thessalonians 5:22
(22) Abstain from every form of evil.
Proverbs 8:13
(13) The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
1 John 5:3
3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
Proverbs 9:10
10 " The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. "
James 3:17
17 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."
John 3:35-36
"35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”"
"35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”"
To see how God views sin and wickedness, read the book of Amos, even though He doesn't do things exactly the same way, He never allows sin to go unpunished.
It is because of His great love that He spanks nations, the harder the hearts and resistance the bigger the spanking.
How hard should our spanking be in America?
60 millions babies have been murdered in the past 45 years.
Pornography according to Wikipedia: Each year
Adult video $500 million to $1.8 billion
Internet $1 billion
Magazines $1 billion
Pay-per-view $128 million
Cellphones $47 million
These two evils, abortion and pornography are only two of the many thousands of evil activities that dominate America. There are almost too many to count. There is little respect for God or His principles in the United States, but even worse this same mentality exists in the church that resides here.
Does anyone really think that God just overlooks these things?
Proverbs 8:13
"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil . . ."
1 Thessalonians 5:22
(22) Abstain from every form of evil.
Proverbs 8:13
(13) The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
1 John 5:3
3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
Proverbs 9:10
10 " The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. "
James 3:17
17 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."
John 3:35-36
"35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”"
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