Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
short and sad
I had a rough couple of months wrestling with a ministry dilemma. I was involved with a website that promoted women in ministry; the scriptural Truth of it, and God's plan for women.
Great website, but we had a disagreement about keeping a valuable resource on the site because the author penned a Gay study NT. Some of us wanted to keep the original resource on, the voting majority wanted ALL of the author's stuff off. I could have gone along with most of that: I wasn't a voting member and I felt the women's ministry took precedence. We were all, except 2 of the founders, trying to find a common ground that all would find agreeable.
The problem settled around how to handle the whole thing. Most of us wanted quietness and perhaps to answer individual questions on an individual basis. We also wanted to keep a place for gays to come, to feel safe. We think Jesus would have wanted it that way.
I've been chastised, my discussions and arguments have been called "dispicable,"; we were under a "beguiling spirit," etc. Not much short of accusations of working with the devil. I've been accused of "influencing" one of the founders.
Gays have been judged, from what I can surmise, as unredeemable. Somehow, I missed that at the Cross.
3 of us have resigned...one woman was one of the founders.
This all sickened me, but it pointed out to me why people run from the "love" of Christianity.
Great website, but we had a disagreement about keeping a valuable resource on the site because the author penned a Gay study NT. Some of us wanted to keep the original resource on, the voting majority wanted ALL of the author's stuff off. I could have gone along with most of that: I wasn't a voting member and I felt the women's ministry took precedence. We were all, except 2 of the founders, trying to find a common ground that all would find agreeable.
The problem settled around how to handle the whole thing. Most of us wanted quietness and perhaps to answer individual questions on an individual basis. We also wanted to keep a place for gays to come, to feel safe. We think Jesus would have wanted it that way.
I've been chastised, my discussions and arguments have been called "dispicable,"; we were under a "beguiling spirit," etc. Not much short of accusations of working with the devil. I've been accused of "influencing" one of the founders.
Gays have been judged, from what I can surmise, as unredeemable. Somehow, I missed that at the Cross.
3 of us have resigned...one woman was one of the founders.
This all sickened me, but it pointed out to me why people run from the "love" of Christianity.
Monday, October 15, 2007
On the forgiver and the forgiven
I enjoy reading this little booklet that our doctor's office carries; Daily Bread. It has these nice little devotionals for every day of the year. I'm blessed generally by what is said, and the scriptures that are noted.
One, though, had a little blurb at the bottom. It said something like, "Jesus came to forgive our sins, but we must accept that forgiveness."
So, I guess if we don't acknowledge Jesus' loving forgiveness, He takes it away. Does this really make sense to you? If I forgive you, YOU must accept my forgiveness for me to forgive? My act of forgiveness is entirely on you? Not me? So, if you don't accept my forgiveness, I never forgave you?
This is preposterous. If I forgive you, you may trot down the country lane all you want saying, "Nah! I DON'T accept your forgiveness, therefore you haven't forgiven me! "
No. If I forgive you, it's a done deal.
HE has forgiven you.
It's done.
One, though, had a little blurb at the bottom. It said something like, "Jesus came to forgive our sins, but we must accept that forgiveness."
So, I guess if we don't acknowledge Jesus' loving forgiveness, He takes it away. Does this really make sense to you? If I forgive you, YOU must accept my forgiveness for me to forgive? My act of forgiveness is entirely on you? Not me? So, if you don't accept my forgiveness, I never forgave you?
This is preposterous. If I forgive you, you may trot down the country lane all you want saying, "Nah! I DON'T accept your forgiveness, therefore you haven't forgiven me! "
No. If I forgive you, it's a done deal.
HE has forgiven you.
It's done.
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