 |
| Open Theism Discussion Board > Public Forums > Tearing down walls > Saved!(?) | Forum Quick Jump
|
| 
BemaBound
Registered Member
Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 50
| Posted 7/12/2004 12:32 PM (GMT -6) |   | I agree with you - that people need to overlook some little "digs" that offend them - mainly because it's really offending their ego and pride.
There are those offenses that can and should be overlooked.
quote:
Prov 19:11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
On the other hand, offenses many times reveal hidden relational sins that should be explored - not ignored. Ignoring offenses can even be considered a form of hatred.
quote:
Lev 19:17-18
Do not hate your brother in your heart.
Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people,
but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
In this passage, it appears that:
Hating = seeking revenge/bearing a grudge (i.e. holding it in) and
Rebuking = loving your neighbor as yourself (i.e. caring about your brother who is in sin). Grant it, it's not solely about one's offense, it's about relationships and how they're possibly restored.
And Jesus commands us to deal with offenses - not just because He knew what "stuffers" we are (and sometimes we "stuff it" and think we're being spiritual; thinking that "not confronting equals showing Jesus' love"). But Jesus also wants us to deal with offenses for the sake of advancing His kingdom and keeping order in the Church:
quote:
Matt 18:15-18 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
If the strong Christian never gets offended because "he has no rights," then this passage in Matthew is either for weak Christians, or, if it's not for any Christians (since some people have been taught that Christians have no rights), then Jesus really didn't even need to say this - since it's not applicable. Are we thinking that Jesus really should have just said, "If your brother sins against you - let it go. Who do you think you are anyway - you who have no rights!"
The balance is: we are not to demand any rights - at least outside of God's leading. And yes - there are times when Jesus may put it on the heart of someone to actually demand a right - like a woman that lets her husband know that he either gets help for his alchoholism, or she will take the children and leave - since she believes that she has a right to protect herself and her children from physical and verbal abuse.
Using blanket statement like "Christians have no rights" could open the door for a kind of "doormat" lifestyle.
Michael | | Back to Top | | |
 |
Sahid
Megistered Rember
Date Joined Jun 2004
Total Posts : 2013
| Posted 7/12/2004 5:37 PM (GMT -6) | | Even the woman who has an abusive husband has more to be happy about than sad if she has accepted Christ. It will be hard and take time but with God's help she can live in the truth that she is loved and beautiful. The fully mature Christian (as if...) will never act like a victim in the sense of believing that they have been treated unfairly or things are hopelessly bad. The reality is that when they are baptized into Christ, they are treated fairly (with the inheritance that is due them), and they are in an amazingly good situation.
As to dealing with a brother's sin I still think we are not to be offended. We can show him that he has offended us, but we were'nt offended. No, it makes sense. He can do all sorts of bad things to us, but all they do is bring us more into the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. Things are good for us Christians; we're rich. Our Brother has overcome the world. We are royalty. We are to be a doormat to others, but we shouldn't have the attitude of a doormat. We should have the attitude of one who is living his dream.
When others are being hurt, we should help. We are to love both the offender and the offended. But we are also to rescue the offended. We are to protect them from the offense if possible, and we are to share with them our inheritance. We must tell them that they can be rich too, so rich that the offenses of this world, though real and painful, are nothing compared to the goodness of God.
Don't believe that you are a doormat; believe that things are so good for you that you can afford to be a doomat for a while. Honestly, I can smell what both sides are cookin', and you're both right.
Watch me fly. Freedom like wings and I will use them. Freedom like wings and I will spread them wide. - Stavesacre | | Back to Top | | |
|
Truth Aficionado
Registered Member
Date Joined Dec 2003
Total Posts : 1544
| Posted 7/14/2004 3:51 AM (GMT -6) | | quote:
Originally posted by Sahid
Even the woman who has an abusive husband has more to be happy about than sad if she has accepted Christ. It will be hard and take time but with God's help she can live in the truth that she is loved and beautiful. The fully mature Christian (as if...) will never act like a victim in the sense of believing that they have been treated unfairly or things are hopelessly bad. The reality is that when they are baptized into Christ, they are treated fairly (with the inheritance that is due them), and they are in an amazingly good situation.
As to dealing with a brother's sin I still think we are not to be offended. We can show him that he has offended us, but we were'nt offended. No, it makes sense. He can do all sorts of bad things to us, but all they do is bring us more into the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. Things are good for us Christians; we're rich. Our Brother has overcome the world. We are royalty. We are to be a doormat to others, but we shouldn't have the attitude of a doormat. We should have the attitude of one who is living his dream.
When others are being hurt, we should help. We are to love both the offender and the offended. But we are also to rescue the offended. We are to protect them from the offense if possible, and we are to share with them our inheritance. We must tell them that they can be rich too, so rich that the offenses of this world, though real and painful, are nothing compared to the goodness of God.
Don't believe that you are a doormat; believe that things are so good for you that you can afford to be a doomat for a while. Honestly, I can smell what both sides are cookin', and you're both right.
Hello Zach,
Your wisdom is amazing for any age but especially true for a 22 year old. I marvel at your writings here on this board, your parents should be proud of you as I’m sure our Lord  is well pleased.
Blessings,
Mark | | Back to Top | | |
|
PotOnWheel
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 9890
| Posted 7/14/2004 2:54 PM (GMT -6) | | quote:
Originally posted by Sahid
Thanks! That's really cool of you to say. Just be careful though. I tend to disappoint. I've made just about everyone on this forum erupt in righteous indignation or holy zeal or prayer for my eternal security, once or twice. The encouragement's awesome. Thank you.
That just makes you fit in. | | Back to Top | | |
|
Truth Aficionado
Registered Member
Date Joined Dec 2003
Total Posts : 1544
| Posted 7/15/2004 11:26 AM (GMT -6) | | quote:
Originally posted by PotOnWheel
quote:
Originally posted by Sahid
Thanks! That's really cool of you to say. Just be careful though. I tend to disappoint. I've made just about everyone on this forum erupt in righteous indignation or holy zeal or prayer for my eternal security, once or twice. The encouragement's awesome. Thank you.
That just makes you fit in.
Oh yes, I think it’s required for all club members to share similar markings on their backs.
 | | Back to Top | | |
|
Bobber
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2004
Total Posts : 199
| Posted 7/16/2004 5:38 AM (GMT -6) | | About being offended here's one way of looking at it that might help some. I heard a teaching some time ago about what the Bible actually taught about slavery in the Old Testament and found it quite interesting. Anyway in the New Testament it states that we are bought with a price the precious blood of Jesus and the Bible says that we are not our own. One way to overcome offense or any type of sin is daily to acknowledge that we are not our own. We can say to the devil,
"No Mr Devil if I had a mind of my own to do so I might entertain this sin or that but no I am not my own I am bought with a price the precious blood of Jesus! God owns me spirit, soul and body and what's owned by him is set free by him! I am the property of God!" Sometimes we might have a hard time forgiving someone because we almost think we have a right to...but no we don't have a place in our thought life for such strife...every bit of our thoughts are to belong to him.  | | Back to Top | | |
| 35 posts in this thread.
Viewing Page : 1 2 |
| Forum Information | Currently it is Monday, November 09, 2026 4:47 PM (GMT -6)
There are a total of 97,718 posts in 6,040 threads.
In the last 3 days there were 0 new threads and 0 reply posts. View Active Threads
|
Forum powered by dotNetBB v2.42EC SP3
dotNetBB © 2000-2026 |
|
|