Ted Oplinger Posted March 12, 2006 Posted March 12, 2006 Hmmm...looks like I was on the right track... Quote: Here is the SELF TEST, not to be applied to others but to ourselves. 1 John 2:3 — And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. Love and commandment-keeping being so entwined that they become inseparable. An interesting concept that puts "commandment-keeping" on a whole diiferent level than mere obedience to a list of rules. A few verses to comtemplate and add to the discussion... James 2:14-18 Quote: 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." I John 3:15-24 Quote: 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. Notice here that Inspiration isn't putting obedience and works on a mere esoteric level. Rather, "showing faith by works", "loving one another", and "keep My commandments" are all linked up into looking after the needs and cares of our brothers and sisters - most particularly, those at disadvantage to society, or vulnerable to being taken advantage of, by those who hold to the attitudes and principles of this world. Tie into this Matthew 25 (all!) Jesus spoke here two huge lessons to His disciples, and I don't think He coupled them together by coincidence. The parable of the talents pointedly illustrates that Christ expects us to take advantage of every opportunity and resource to further His work. In the parable, the servants who did this put their talents at risk - put them on the worldly market, did business with them, and could conceivably lost them all - but came away each doubling what they were originally given to steward - except for the one too fearful of even his Lord to do anything. Even here, Christ said that talent should have been put at least in the bank, to be received back with interest... But the one thing that stands out clearly (to me, at least) is that while opportunities were to be taken advantage of...people aren't to be taken advantage of! Yet the world considers people just another resource...to be taken advantage of, if one wants to see success. Hmmm....cynical thought...how would that figure in with the success of programs, evangelism campaigns, and baptismal counts? Then Christ follows the talents with the goats and sheep. Take a good, long look at the list of people Christ says if something was done/not done to, it was the same as doing/not doing to Christ. They are the vulnerable, the disadvantaged, the disenfranchised, the outcast - some, even by their own free choice (like, very few actually wanted to go to prison back then - US prisons are like luxury hotels compared to what conditions existed in prisons then). Hmmm...reaching out to relieve those who find themselves in need...because of their own folly and foolishness? That does grate against our patience and natures. Then again, look at those whom Christ healed in His ministry...particularly two paralytics of note. It seems that demonstrating "good commandment-keeping" would involve putting one's faith to the test by reaching out to these kinds of people, meeting their needs, or giving them even a moment's respite during their journey through life. Even if it means risking being "taken in" by the recipient. Christ doesn't ask the goats if they are keeping a good Sabbath, honoring the inspiration of EGW, and eating vegetarian. Instead, He points to those they failed to aid and comfort. Their response? Goodness, Lord! Had we known that was You, we would have done all that! The root confession? If we knew it was part of the rules, we'd taken advantage of these people in need to make sure we get to heaven! Ouch! I know - a bit too cynical...but honestly, is that what drives our "love response"? Or is it driven by real agape love? If you're loving God and man, it's going to show from the motives and principles that drive the thoughts, actions, and words when confronted with the choice between apparent success of efforts, and reaching out to those who might just be left vulnerable, disadvantaged, disenfranchised, etc., by actions/inactions taken. The sheep don't recognize Christ in the people they serve, perhaps because they're serving from impulses drawn from the abiding Spirit of Christ, motivated by principles to love and serve where the need is? The goats don't recognize Christ because...they really don't love God nor man. Well, enough here to chew on. Quote "As iron sharpens iron, so also does one man sharpen another" - Proverbs 27:17 "The offense of the cross is that the cross is a confession of human frailty and sin and of inability to do any good thing. To take the cross of Christ means to depend solely on Him for everything, and this is the abasement of all human pride. Men love to fancy themselves independent. But let the cross be preached, let it be made known that in man dwells no good thing and that all must be received as a gift, and straightway someone is offended." Ellet J. Waggoner, The Glad Tidings "Courage is being scared to death - and saddling up anyway" - John Wayne "The person who pays an ounce of principle for a pound of popularity gets badly cheated" - Ronald Reagan
Clio Posted March 13, 2006 Posted March 13, 2006 Quote: Nicodema said: ? Sad that there is so much pain. *safe gentle hugs* Quote A heart where He alone has first place.
Clio Posted March 13, 2006 Posted March 13, 2006 Quote: Sid said: Quote: Clio said: And plead with Him to strike you down lest you cause Him more pain. Why would you want Him to strike you down? Because I am willing to yield my life. And the LAST thing I desire to do is cause Him pain. Thankfully, my offer was not accepted. He called me to live instead. Quote A heart where He alone has first place.
Clio Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 Quote: Nicodema said: Sid, I have never used that as an way to "take the blame or guilt off of" me. It is not the sort of expression that is offered up when one has it in the heart to escape responsibility. It is rather the kind of imprecation wrung from the heart when one sees one's vileness (sinfulness) and feels "undone". Job said, "Behold I am vile, I will say no more". Isaiah cried, "Woe is me, I am undone, for I am a man of unclean lips!" Both expressed essentially the same feeling of the heart, even if not in the same words. Listen, when I share these things, I'm not doing so as representative of any sort of theological position or postulate. These are heart things. I'm not trying to convince you of anything here, OK? Does that help? Exactly. Heart things. Cries of anguish. Anguish so deep at hurting Him more after all He has done for me. Anguish at clearly understanding the depths of my own vileness. Evil so deep that He turned His face from His Beloved Son, when He shouldered my sin and bore my penalty. How in the face of such love could I possibly live, knowing I might cause Him even MORE pain? It is a cry of anguish from a heart full of love too deep to be held there. Quote A heart where He alone has first place.
Nicodema Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 Quote: archierieus said: Most, if not all of us perhaps have divided hearts. We DO love God, but we also love our own way. We are being drawn, inexorably, to a decision... I would rather be aware that there is a division (and struggle) within myself between loving God and loving my own way, than be blind to that fact, with the result that I end up believing I'm serving God in doing something when I am, in fact, serving only myself. To see a plague spot in oneself is a cause for rejoicing. Were our condition beyond repair, we would probably never see it at all. You opined that "most, if not all of us perhaps have divided hearts." I submit that most, if not all of those with divided hearts are blissfully ignorant of the fact. Quote "After such knowledge, what forgiveness?" -- T.S. Eliot
David Koot Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 Quote: Nicodema said: To see a plague spot in oneself is a cause for rejoicing. Were our condition beyond repair, we would probably never see it at all. A very, very good point. Personally, my daily prayer and heartfelt desire, is to do nothing which would not be in harmony with God's will, and to have nothing between my soul and the Savior. I ask God to protect me from self-deception. Indeed, an unpardonable sin is one which is not recognized as sin by a person--s/he sees no need to repent. Quote
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