I agree with what you are saying. Great insight! The quicker we recover from our sin, the more effective we are in and for Christ.

Thanks.

I appreciate you sharing from the heart.

I think it is God’s will that we recover quickly when we stumble in sin, and not wallow in the experience of guilt and condemnation. “When he stumbles, he will not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand” (Psalm 37:24).

What happens when we don’t make a quick recovery is that we are useless to God to love the people around us. We become preoccupied with how we’ve failed (as though that should come as a surprise!). Sometimes I think our excessive grief is caused by pride. Or, we feel we have to prove something, and a stumble shatters our sense of self-worth.

When we share that “cup of cool water” with someone, it doesn’t really matter if we have just had a second piece of pie, or just looked a little too long at a lady’s calf. God doesn’t love us less if we have stumbled. The person who thirsts doesn’t care if we have just stumbled. God is concerned that we are a channel of his love and care.

Stumbling in sin often means we don’t have our eyes fixed on living in the moment, loving God and his children. If we wallow in our sin, guilt, and condemnation, then we are effectively side-lined from being able to love.

Since “sinless perfection” is a practical impossibility (although the Wesleyans do have a legitimate means of explaining otherwise), we shouldn’t be surprised and paralyzed when we stumble. We need to make a quick recovery.

There are many Scripture truths whose effect is to make this quick recovery possible.

Thanks again.

Thank you for your assessment of the “gift of mercy”. If this is the case, I give God all the glory for it is His gift and His Spirit and nothing of my own doing. It is Christ in me…

I agree with your explanation of forgiveness; however, I must expound on it a little. Yes, we have power to forgive, and we are commanded to forgive. But if we don’t forgive, I think it hurts us more than them. I am reminded of the parable of the unmerciful servant.

Matthew 18:21-35 (New International Version): The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23″Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26″The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28″But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29″His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30″But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32″Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35″This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

We are commanded to forgive because we are commanded to love. If we don’t forgive, we have forgotten Christ’s work and love on the cross for our own sins and redemption. Remember, before our salvation, we were enemies of God. Who are we to not forgive others when we were enemies of the cross and only became adopted sons because our Savior laid down His life for us?

Forgive us our debts… “As” we forgive our debtors…

Yes, through the blood of Christ, He nailed the written code—the law on the cross, if we walk in His Spirit of love and His Word, we have no condemnation. However, our battle is with the flesh, our carnality. If we walk in the Spirit, then there is no condemnation. If we slip and walk in our flesh or carnal mind, then we must repent and return to His blessed forgiveness and love and return to walking in the Spirit.

Here are some scriptures:

Romans 8:1 (New King James Version)
Free from Indwelling Sin
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

1 Timothy 3:6 (New King James Version)
6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

1 John 1:8-10(New International Version)
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Psalm 103:12 (New King James Version)
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

I wrote in an earlier post, “Just when you think you have victory, you find your self doing something outside of the moral constructs of Christianity (like overeating), and must repent, and forget those behaviors that are behind you, and press forward to the high calling of Christ.”

What I meant was that I return to Christ’s loving forgiveness when I fall into carnal ways; therefore, I can forget those things and put them behind me and press on into the high calling of Christ and His Spirit and love. As far as the east is from the west, my sin is wiped out. I have no condemnation when I walk in Christ and His love. When I fall into my unrenewed thinking or into my flesh or carnality or my own ways again which is sin, then I must repent and return to the Spirit of Christ. I must examine myself and my motives to represent Christ and not my self. It is Christ who gets all the praise for forgiving me and returning me to His love—His cross.

Thank you for your insight. God forbid that I fall into sin-condemnation-worthlessness-sin cycle. I know it does happen and am glad when I remember the Word which renews my mind to the cross and His forgiveness. He restores my soul.

It sounds to me like you have “the gift of mercy.” When someone pleads for mercy, they are asking that they not receive the just penalty for their actions. They may deserve to die, but the judge withholds the penalty. The gift of mercy? You don’t insist on anyone receiving the just penalty for their sin. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

Jesus told the disciples, “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:21) God has given us the authority to forgive sins. I could only wish that we had the *heart* to forgive sins as well. Jesus lived and died to forgive sins. We seem to live to bind people’s sins to their souls.

In union with the Father, Jesus forgave those who were crucifying him. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The Roman soldiers and the rest—they hadn’t repented. But Jesus acted on his heart of forgiveness. Same with Stephen in Acts. “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Sandi, you are blessed to have been given both the authority (exousia) and the heart to forgive sin and error. And you willingly extend that mercy and forgiveness both to “sinners,” and to those who would not forgive sin and error.

I was reminded of this passage when you discussed humble correction: “Sisters and brothers, if one of you is caught in any sin, the more spiritual among you should correct the offender in a spirit of gentleness—remembering that you may be tempted yourselves.” (Gal 6:1 INT)

You wrote: “Just when you think you have victory, you find your self doing something outside of the moral constructs of Christianity (like overeating), and must repent and forget those behaviors that are behind you, and press forward to the high calling of Christ.”

I found something very helpful when dealing with besetting sin. In Romans, Paul over and over tells us that we are no longer under the law, that we no longer measure ourselves by the law.

We experience feelings of guilt and condemnation when we measure ourselves against the written code. Paul had several key things to say about the written code.

1) The “Law brings wrath.” (Romans 4:15a)

2) “Where there is no law there is no transgression.” (Romans 4:15b)

3) “Sin is not taken into account when there is no law.” (Romans 5:13b)

4) “Apart from the law, sin is dead.” (Romans 7:8b)
You wrote: “we are wretched, and who can deliver us from this body of death…only our blessed Christ, and we must give him “All” the glory (Romans 7:24-25). How does God deliver us from this body of sin and death? He delivers us by canceling our relationship with the Law.

Why is God’s wrath appeased? Because the “Law brings wrath,” and God nailed the written code to the cross.

How does God deliver us from transgression? By removing the Law from our lives. “Where there is no law there is no transgression.”

Why doesn’t God take our sin into account anymore? Because “sin is not taken into account when there is no law.”

Why are we dead to sin? Because “apart from the law, sin is dead.”

The forgiveness of sins and the cancellation of the Law (the written code) are intimately connected. In Colossians Paul writes: “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” (2:13-14)

This helped me to break the cycle of sin-condemnation-worthlessness-sin-condemnation-worthlessness-sin-condemnation-worthlessness in my life.

Take care.

I had time to look at your website reference on Mother Teresa. I don’t know this website to know if I can give it complete credit.

Here is another website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa

I humbly stand corrected. I see that in any venture which public notoriety takes a person (even Jesus Christ); there always will be controversy and criticism. It seems that Mother Teresa had her share. And gee, she is human, subject to much error.

I still must say I can not question her heart; I leave that to Almighty God, just as I can not question or judge her critics. Only God knows the heart, and I leave all final judgment to Him.

Yes, we can discern the Spirit of Truth verses the spirit of error with His Spirit and His Word. But judgment, I leave to God. I thank God that He does not judge me for my sins or errors, and that His love on the cross wipes away as far as the east is from the west all my shortcomings and sins. What love!!! What an unspeakable gift!!! And this gift is not just for me, but for all those who seek Him in a repentant, humbled way. I was not present to hear the words or heart of Mother Teresa on her death bed. But God knows…

I like to look at the thief on the cross. He didn’t walk a walk of Christ. He didn’t get water baptized. He didn’t take communion. He didn’t speak in tongues or have supernatural gifts or healings. He didn’t study the Word or have a biblical or Torah education. He didn’t preach the Word to correct or save others. He didn’t convert anyone. He just recognized as he was receiving his punishment for his crime that Jesus was the pure and holy Messiah, the Christ, the Savior, and God. For this, he was rewarded passage into the heavenly kingdom—paradise with Jesus by his side. Wow!

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways!”…says Almighty God…

How beautiful!!!!!!

Bravo, I couldn’t have said it better! I am in total agreement with you! My point exactly!
Exclamation, exclamation, exclamation!!!!!! I absolutely love the scriptures that you utilized to get your point across.

Love is the “core and key” and basis for everything there is about Christ. It is our firm foundation. God is love! We as human beings are so lacking when it comes to love. Even when we are Christians, we want to “bite and devour” one another with our thinking and ideations as if we are so smart. That is why on my first post I wrote that so many wars have been fought and will still occur because we miss the point totally that we are to walk in love and lay down our life for love. Isn’t that what Christ did? And look at the impact that it made.

I agree that we should “contend for the faith”, but we must contend “always” with the spirit of love and humiliation because “where is boasting, it is in Christ” not in anything we think or say or do or possess. All glory goes to our Father God, our Savior, and His Holy Spirit which is love.

I have learned as I mature in Christ that I must love and forgive all people even murderers, child molesters, rapist, and worse. I use to think they all deserve to die! Then, I started seeing my own mote in my eye. Who am I to condemn or judge anyone? I am not God! I don’t know the path that these criminals have walked to get to the place that they could be so vile and evil. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that what they did can be dismissed and unpunished. No, they must stand accountable to their crime.

To get to my point, I will give the example that when I struggle with my eating because my family loved to eat and many of them are obese (which I am not obese, but constantly battle wrong eating), and I find it difficult to buffet my own body, how can I judge someone who grew up in a home that saw that alcoholism is a family value or child abuse was the norm or both parents smoked or worse; how difficult it must be for them to release those behaviors! Yes, only with the love of Christ and His work on the cross and His Spirit of love can we be free of such behaviors and thinking.

And just when you think you have victory, you find your self doing something outside of the moral constructs of Christianity (like overeating), and must repent and forget those behaviors that are behind you, and press forward to the high calling of Christ. That is why we must forgive others and our selves, seventy times seven. We must die to ourselves daily which is a struggle and a constant battle! Truly, we are wretched, and who can deliver us from this body of death…only our blessed Christ, and we must give him “All” the glory (Romans 7:24-25). There is no boasting in humanity! None!

So where is contending in the faith? In Christ! In His love. In the love of the Father who He continually pointed to and gave glory to. He didn’t even point to himself. He pointed and gave glory to His Father. And so must we.

Where is correcting? After we take the mote out of our own eye, we must humble ourselves and submit to the cross and lovingly forgive others and help them see that there is love in this world, and it is only in Christ, who is ever present in us. Let us let His love correct us and others through His example and His loving Spirit. Let us humbly correct error in the church and in others through the Spirit of His love.

I like this song (which is still appropriate today) with a tweak on words:

What the world needs now
is Christ (love), sweet Christ (love)
it’s the only thing
that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now
is Christ (love), sweet Christ (love),
no not just for some
but for everyone.

Lord, we don’t need
another mountain,
there are mountains
and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans
and rivers enough to cross,
enough to last
’til the end of time.

Repeat Chorus

Lord, we don’t need
another meadow
there are cornfields
and wheat fields enough to grow
There are sunbeams
and moonbeams enough to shine
oh listen, lord,
if you want to know.

Repeat Chorus

No, not just for some,
oh, but just for everyone.”

Let us all Praise Him and give Him all the Glory for His self-sacrificing work and love on the cross!!!!!!!!!

Don’t worry about the spelling. It’s only a “handle.” Although it’s a very meaningful handle for me. (Revelation 2:17)

I wish people had more appreciation for the diversity of gifts and ministries in the Body of Christ. The main thing I’m thinking of now is how the gentleness and kindness of love moves people toward repentence and salvation.

If any writer of Greek Scripture was concerned about reaching people with the Gospel, it was Paul. Look what he wrote to Christians who judged and condemned people:

“Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentence?” (Rom. 2:4 NIV)

Kindness. Tolerance. Patience. These lead Christians (!) to repentence.

“Tolerance? How did that awful word get into the Bible?” No, God “tolerates” an awful lot from ALL of us, we who should know better, we who have the Scriptures and who know that Christ’s first commandment is to love.

Kindness, tolerance and patience leads WHO to repentence? Christians, Christians who condemn.

There’s a debate going on in another thread about what are called “sign gifts.” The so-called “sign gifts” were to confirm the gospel message the early Christians brought.

“Love” is also a confiring sign of the gospel message, taken from John’s gospel.

“All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (13:35) People will know that we are a true follower of Christ–disciples–if we LOVE one another.

If Christians are concerned about being a CREDIBLE witness so people will accept their testimony, then they will look to their love for other Christians, especially the ones they consider enemies.

“All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”

“A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (13:34)

Some people would twist this around, people who apparently prefer adversarial confrontations to the kindness, tolerance and patience. Paul talks about in Romans 2. Around here, people seem to argue that correction, rebuke, and “contending for the faith” are the epitome of love.

James warns us big time.

“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him, speaks against the law and judges it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you–who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:11-12)

No doubt people will quote Jude 3 in response, as though Jude 3 refute such an emphasis on love. “I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.”

What they don’t acknowledge is that this emphasis on love, Christ’s new commandment, IS THE CORE OF THAT FAITH we contend for! (forgive the “yelling” caps, but this is important)

When you contend for the faith, you are contending for all those gushy-goo, mealy-mouth COMMANDS OF GOD to love one another, to lay down your lives for one another, to serve one another with forgiveness, compassion, gentleness, kindness, tolerance, and love.

As though self-sacrifice, compassion, gentleness, kindness, tolerance, forgiveness and love — weren’t “manly.”

The Great Commission in Matthew 28 includes making disciples and “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (28:20) And that new commandment in particular, “Love one another.”

That faith delivered to the saints? Love is the core of that faith, love is at the core of what the “everything I have commanded you,” all that gushy-goo, mealy mouth talk of love, of holy kisses, forgiving one another, not judging one another–and all that other mush.

So Sandi, when I insist on the centrality of love, on learning to minister the new covenant of the Spirit, on NOT using the Scripture as a weapon to be used “on” other believers–

I AM contending for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints (Jude 2).

I have never said that “bringing correction” is wrong. Hardly–bringing correction is COMMANDED (see II Timothy 3:16).

And what I am writing now IS a word of correction for some here–a modification, an encouragement to give various Scripture passages more weight than they seem to give now.

We need to be open to letting the Scripture give us course adjustments when we are not on the proper heading.

Sandi, I like the spirit of your posts more than mine, I must confess. Yours seem more directed to the heart, mine more to the mind. Yours feel more refreshing to me. Thanks.

Sorry I forgot the “n” in your last name earlier. It was an over sight on my part.

You may be correct in saying the examples about Mother Theresa; I don’t know. As I said, I don’t think she concerned herself over the intellectual Christian thought contortions. Her ministry focus was caring, giving, and loving the hurt, diseased, rejected and dying. She walked in love. If she made those statements, she “might” have made them out of error in wanting to not condemn or judge others. I can not question her heart; I leave that to almighty God.

I do agree that it is important to know the truth and to teach people in love when they are ready to receive it. I allow God to be God though, and He will judge the hearts since I am just a mere sinner saved by grace alone and not worthy to judge or condemn anyone for their beliefs or life experiences.

I have fallen short many times and am humble for my inabilities to walk worthy of my calling at all times, and anyone that can not admit this struggle is venturing on spiritual pride. Even Paul struggled with carnality and exclaimed, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)

As far as pulling out a scripture or two to base your whole premise on fighting for the kingdom, I might be a little cautious. Yes, there will be struggles and suffering when you are a Christian. Many of the struggles will be because you are walking in love. Since the world knows darkness and selfishness, love is not something that it understands. When you walk in love and have to forgive someone over and over again, or love someone that rudely cuts in front of you on the freeway, or love someone that offends you or talks badly about you, and countless examples of evil or darkness that come against you, then I would say it is not peaceful, but a struggle. It is a struggle to love and to allow Christ to be seen in you.

Yes, families will be against one another because it is difficult to walk in love when a family member is not a Christian. Sometimes it is difficult to walk in love even when a family member is a Christian and carnal. You expect more of them. But our walk with Christ is ever growing, and we will have to continue allowing the Word to transform our minds to have the mind of Christ, so we can walk in His love toward others.

We have to remember where we came from. We too were the enemies of Christ at one time. Only by His grace and love and dying on the cross for our wretched sins can we ever lift our faces up to see the face of God. We are guilty without our Savior.

I think this scripture says much: Luke 6:42 (The Message)

41-42 “It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

We always must check our motivation before we minister to others. We must always remember it is Christ that does the work, not our own knowledge or our own effort. We must empty ourselves of “ourselves” (which isn’t easy by the way) and allow Christ’s love to bring the sheep into the kingdom. After all, we all need His love and forgiveness.

I pray that you understand the spirit in which I convey this message…

Thank you so much for understanding the mood that I was trying to convey.

As I mature in life and Christ, I have found that I must kneel at the cross with humble adoration for my Savior who laid down His life for such a sinner as me. How can I ever judge or condemn any other person for their misbehavior or sin when without Christ’s grace and salvation, I would be destined to hell, guilty as charged? He is my eternal Savior saved by His grace alone and without any of my works or knowledge or doing.

This is what possesses me to want to love Him and to love others. When my Savior can love me so much to give His life, how can I not do what He commands? And He commands me to love. He commands me to forgive others…even my enemies which is very difficult to do. He commands me to be a servant. And He commands me to humble myself. I guess when one is “forgiven much, one loves much”. And I feel I have been forgiven much. Haven’t we all been forgiven much when we were enemies of the cross before we received our salvation?

We were so unclean and yet God loved us so much to save us from ourselves. How can we ever think that we know it all or know more than God to judge others for what they believe or what they do? Yes, we must witness with our love and sow God’s truth when the opportunity arises lovingly because we found the most precious love in this world—our Savior’s love and forgiveness for our wretched sins.

I would love to get to the place where I could be like Steven when his accusers and enemies of the cross were stoning him to death, he cried out to our Father God, “forgive them” as Christ did on the cross. That action was a seed sown in Paul’s heart (Saul at the time) as he stood there seeing this witness of Christ’s servant forgiving his killers. What an example of love. I find this utterly amazing!

Isn’t love the most powerful weapon there is in life? Isn’t God love? Didn’t Christ spend His life teaching others how to love? This is our commandment: love God and love others as yourself.

Yes, I do believe you need to teach others truth and to guide them and keep them from error when appropriate. But we must always remember that we too were enemies of the cross. And so we must be humble when we attempt to teach others and always go in the Spirit of Christ which was love.

Remember, Jesus was accused of being with sinners and heathen by the religious thinkers. Jesus told the most religious that they were white washed tombs because they stood in judgment of others rather than examining their own life. They were filled with spiritual pride and superiority. These poor souls were so blinded by their religious ideations that they didn’t know how to love. So sad!

This is why I say, if I think we fall to error, I would want to fall on the side of “love”. If I am walking in love to God and others as a humble servant, I may not fall on the side of error of filling my mind with knowledge and missing the mark by not loving and being as a Pharisee.