When someone forgives to make themselves feel better but not to reconcile a relationship it is superficial and of little value. Since forgiveness is cheap these days, without required confession, no one really values it.
Forgiveness in our culture is nothing more than words to elevate self, without any sense of a reconciled relationship, it has no value for spiritual growth or deeper relationships.
Its sort of like cheap grace, in which people think they will gain heaven by speaking words, but have no desire to be changed by Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:"
A reconciled relationship is based on one party confessing sin and the other forgiving them. Without both elements words just fall to the ground without anyone changing anything.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
The WAY We Think
The WAY one thinks will determines their response to every situation.
If someone is invited to a meal by someone whom they do not like, the guest will be critical of the food, the table settings, the decorations and everything else that goes on in the gathering. That person will be seen as all bad and completely inept.
Those who are born again believers ought to move past their prejudice toward someone to maintain a stance of respect and objectivity in spite of their feelings.
Someone who cannot validate in any way the one for whom they have contempt, is walking in pride obeying their feelings rather than rational evaluation. They often act as though they are enjoying their evil feelings of superiority. This person is to be avoided, they bring only chaos to any relationship.
Those who treat others badly, whether covertly or openly, are demonstrating deep contempt merely because they desire to appear superior.
When we know what we were before we became born again and what we would still be without Christ, we could never treat someone else disrespectfully or contemptuously simply to elevate self.
And, yes, I do question the salvation of those who have not changed in all their years as a Christian. When we become born again the fruit becomes evident to all who want to admit the change in us.
There are those in our lives who do not want to admit that we have changed, because they have not changed. Remaining exactly the same after 40 years of church attendance is a very big clue that the one who does not change was never born again. There are many of these in the church today. A further clue is that when challenged on scripture to obey God, these people become angry and vengeful.
Those who question themselves saying, "I wonder if I am a selfish fleshly person", are likely not that, because a narcissist would never question themselves, they would refuse to look at themselves in truth.
Those who question themselves in a desire to grow spiritually are the ones who WILL grow, they WILL progress because the Lord loves to give us what we want when it aligns with His principles.
James 1:4-6 "…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
May those who walk in pride repent and may those who seek the Lord be blessed with great wisdom as they obey what they know from the Word.
If someone is invited to a meal by someone whom they do not like, the guest will be critical of the food, the table settings, the decorations and everything else that goes on in the gathering. That person will be seen as all bad and completely inept.
Those who are born again believers ought to move past their prejudice toward someone to maintain a stance of respect and objectivity in spite of their feelings.
Someone who cannot validate in any way the one for whom they have contempt, is walking in pride obeying their feelings rather than rational evaluation. They often act as though they are enjoying their evil feelings of superiority. This person is to be avoided, they bring only chaos to any relationship.
Those who treat others badly, whether covertly or openly, are demonstrating deep contempt merely because they desire to appear superior.
When we know what we were before we became born again and what we would still be without Christ, we could never treat someone else disrespectfully or contemptuously simply to elevate self.
And, yes, I do question the salvation of those who have not changed in all their years as a Christian. When we become born again the fruit becomes evident to all who want to admit the change in us.
There are those in our lives who do not want to admit that we have changed, because they have not changed. Remaining exactly the same after 40 years of church attendance is a very big clue that the one who does not change was never born again. There are many of these in the church today. A further clue is that when challenged on scripture to obey God, these people become angry and vengeful.
Those who question themselves saying, "I wonder if I am a selfish fleshly person", are likely not that, because a narcissist would never question themselves, they would refuse to look at themselves in truth.
Those who question themselves in a desire to grow spiritually are the ones who WILL grow, they WILL progress because the Lord loves to give us what we want when it aligns with His principles.
James 1:4-6 "…4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
May those who walk in pride repent and may those who seek the Lord be blessed with great wisdom as they obey what they know from the Word.
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