A
depiction of penitence and sorrow for sin
Today,
reply is on the sacred process provided for members within the church
to edify and encourage one another to realize the workings of sin
within ones own life. Because the operations of sin appear through
the flesh and multiple life events that appear natural and normal
(e.g., appetite, sensation, emotion/mind), sinners often approve sin
as the expression of their true self, not something alien, contrary
to their divine nature, or something to be condemned. One of the
most important benefits the church provides to a developing believer,
therefore, is communication, feedback and input that will expose sin,
and encourage its recognition, resistance against sin, and a full rejection of sin. Correctly understood, the church is not
intended to exist as a gathering place for entertainment and
recreation, a center to address problems of poverty and social
welfare, or a venue housing a collection of support groups for
meeting life challenges (e.g., addiction, indebtedness, mental health
issues, single parenting, nourishing healthy sexual development). As
with those who belong to the consecrated body, what those outside of
the membership regard as coldness, hostility, indifference, judging
others, and unfriendliness should be discerned instead as the
expression of divine love appearing as discipline, correction, wrath
against sin, and the workings of divinity that establish the new
creation of Jesus Christ. A fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers”
public forum on Religion and Spirituality who uses the ID “Anonymous”
(no profile was shared) posted the following:
Why
do Christians self-righteously condemn, attack & kick weaker &
newer Christians down, when they sin, rather than building them up?
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: For consider him that endured such contradiction of
sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye
have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto
children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor
faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure
chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he
whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us,
and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for
a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for
our profit, that we might be partakers of his
holiness.(Hebrews 12: 6-10, King James Version, KJV)
THE
DOUBLE DAGGER: Judgment Against The Canaanites (08/01/2018); Be Not
Unequally Yoked (04/16/2018); Divine Law Is Demanding (04/10/2018);
Etiquette Within The Church? (03/16/2018); Duties of a Christian?
(03/13/2018); Caution! Work In Progress (10/19/2017); Divine Wrath
Against Sin? (10/17/2017); Temporal and Eternal Judgment (02/15/2017)
“Anonymous”,
here are some points to consider that are being shared within the
church of Jesus Christ among sinners who have voluntarily chosen to
become Christian believers:
1.
Just as the existence and origin of divine fullness (we say, the sum
and totality of divine substance; the Godhead; the Father, the Son,
the Holy Spirit) is a mystery that can not be explained on the basis
of things carnal, material, mechanical or social, sin continues to be
an enigma that has no origin or substance from divinity, yet, may
have dominion over the consciousness and self-will of created beings
and living creatures. Sin has is no material or tangible thing that
exists, yet, sin has direction, effect, and presence.
2.
Sin is irrational (i.e., does not operate according to carnal
reason, intelligence, knowledge, or logic). Sin promotes
nonexistence, is self-destructive, and works to re-restore the
conditions of chaos, flux, and the confusion that were in place
before the founding of heaven and earth. Sin opposes the continued
existence of divine law, the Lawgiver, and all divine order
throughout the universe.
3.
Sinners and many of those who become developing believers are at
first blind (i.e., can not see that sin opposes their own existence
and is contrary to their own true nature as created beings and
vessels of sacred life essence (we also say, breath; spirit;
word) from the makeup of GOD). All developing believers must be
given experience and instruction regarding things that are natural
before they correctly begin to experience things that are spiritual.
New believers must be given practical experience and practice of
discernment that includes censure, chastisement, correction, and
rebuke before they may be confirmed as believers, and correctly
recognize and respond to sin in ways that indicate maturity (i.e.,
acceptance of accountability, balance, commitment, completeness,
consistency, growth, sobriety, stability).
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended. (For example, not only must new believers be shown
their own errors in attitude, behavior or conduct and their
transgressions of divine law, they must be helped to discover,
realize, and come to sorrow for their own sins before they are truly
Christlike, fully bear the image of GOD, and are useful as those who
have received salvation.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be
useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
Washington,
DC
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