Showing posts with label godly standards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label godly standards. Show all posts

Friday 14 October 2011

Set free from any form of mental torment or self-condemnation

James Mason
The words, “For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law” (Gal 3:21) should give every brother and sister in Christ tremendous comfort and set them free from any form of mental torment or self-condemnation since these words clearly show that not only Paul but God Himself knows not one of us will ever attain to the perfect standard of the law no matter how much we might desire to or how hard we try.

Both God and Christ know that any attempt we make to attain to
righteousness of holiness to make us worthy of eternal life by our own human self-effort is doomed to fail before we even start, thus the glory, the beauty, the wonder and splendour of God’s grace in Christ.
Helen Bliss We should NOT be trying to follow the Law, We should be following Jesus our savior, this is the way of salvation that leads to life. That is what his example is all about.

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2013 update:
 

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Thursday 20 August 2009

A good idea to halt all activity for one hour some day


"Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone,
stop every motor and halt all activity for one hour some day
just to give people a chance to ponder for a few minutes on what it is all about,
why they are living and what they really want."
- James Truslow Adams (1878-1949)

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

I realize that my welfare is not here on earth in this era.
Give My Lord that I during my life here
make the best of it and that I always will try to live according to your values and standards.
Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Een goed idee om alle activiteiten gedurende een uur op een dag stop te zetten
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2013 update:

The rich, as Voltaire said, require an abundan...
The rich, as Voltaire said, require an abundant supply of poor. (Photo credit: Renegade98)
 
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Tuesday 14 April 2009

Integrity of the fellowship

"The first happy community became distressed by heresies and by men who liked to have the pre-eminence over others. This resulted in schism and fragmentation. The apostles made every effort to rebuke and educate those in error, sometimes with success and sometimes not. We might ask what happened to those who refused to return to their former belief. Such persons had already broken the fellowship based on a common belief and, when the position became intolerable or entrenched, the apostles instructed the congregation in which it occurred to exclude the delinquent person from their company. This would apply particularly to the breaking of bread service which was one of the highest expressions of fellowship. In other words, whilst the brethren strove hard to recover those who had gone astray in a matter of the faith, they also had a responsibility for the integrity of the fellowship itself which they had to preserve when recovery of the wayward proved impossible. This was secured by excluding the heretic from their midst. Often, of course, the heretic would leave of his own accord.

These verses illustrate the action taken:

"He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine; receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 9, 10)

"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that have nothing to do with him." (Titus 3:10, N.I.V.)

However, as will be seen from the many verses quoted in this chapter, fellowship is not only a matter of common tenets of faith, it is also a common way of life. The word "doctrine" means
teaching, and teaching concerns what we believe and what we do.

The apostles' doctrine therefore concerned a common faith and the life in Christ. Godliness is part of fellowship.

Unfortunately, all of us sin from time to time. What happens to the disciple when he sins? Does he leave the fellowship of Christ?
Certainly, if he knowingly persists in his sin and remains unrepentant, his fellowship is deeply affected and severance occurs. In the mercy of God provision is made for the disciple to receive forgiveness by seeking it through the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:9, ­10)

There are, nevertheless, sins which, because they are grievous and bring the body of believers into disrepute, need more open treatment by the congregation. The elders should seek to restore the offender whilst also rejecting the sin which he has committed:

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2)

"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)

"Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." (1 Timothy 5:20)

Compassion and renewal in the right way are the twin components of this path of understanding and restoration. Tolerance of deeply offensive unChristian conduct would do neither the offender nor the congregation any good whatsoever; bitter and immediate rejection of the offending disciple would itself be unlike the patient and cleansing restorative work of the Lord himself. Wisdom in the Word of God, a deep desire to uphold the godly standards of the Lord Jesus Christ whilst keeping the fallen from destruction, and an awareness of our common frailty, are essential elements in this work of recovery."

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Brother Harry Tennant
Fellowship
The Christadelphians - What they Believe and Preach