DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
<
form action=&amp
;amp;amp;quot;https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; method=&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;p
ost&
quot; target=&am
p;amp;amp;quot;_top&
amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;input type=&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;hidden&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; name=&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;cmd&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; value=&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot
;_s-xclick&a
mp;amp;quot;&amp
;amp;amp;gt; &am
p;amp;amp;lt;input type=&amp
;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;hidden&amp
;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; name=&amp
;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;hosted_button_id&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; val
ue=&
quot;DKL7ADEKRVUBL&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp
;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;input type=&amp
;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;image&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; src=&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;https://www.payp
alobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; border=&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;0&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; nam
e=&q
uot;submit&a
mp;amp;quot; alt=&am
p;amp;amp;amp;quot;PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!
&quo
t;&g
t; &
lt;img alt=&
amp;amp;quot;&am
p;amp;amp;quot; border=&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;0&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; src=&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;https://www.paypalobjects.com
/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; width=&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;1&a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; height=&amp
;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;1&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&am
p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &a
mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/form&
amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;
HTML https://3169.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Christian Theology
*****************************************************
#Post#: 3997--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: February 18, 2019, 8:48 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:16a . . Live in harmony with each other.
It isn't necessary to be in 100% agreement with others on
everything in order to comply with that command. But it is
necessary to practice courtesy, tolerance, and patience, i.e.
make every effort to avoid feuding, one-upmanship, and debating.
The opposite of harmony is dissonance, which can be defined as a
mingling of sounds that strike the ear harshly, e.g. sour notes.
For some people, every disagreement is an act of war to be won
at any cost. That's not harmony, that's hostility. It's far and
away better for Christians to be diplomatic than to be right all
the time.
"For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want
you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear
that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger,
factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder." (2Cor
12:19-20)
_[/font]
#Post#: 4035--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: February 20, 2019, 9:14 am
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:16b . . Don't be elitist, but willing to
associate with people below you.
I'd have to say that those instructions apply only in church
where it's understood by Spirit-led Christians that no one in
attendance is somehow better than another. (cf. Jas 2:1-4)
Church managers should be given a higher degree of respect than
pew warmers because they're in positions of authority; but all
in all, church is a congregation of redeemed sinners, and that
includes the managers; so we're all equals on that basis. Christ
had to undergo just as much suffering, indignity, and death to
redeem church managers as he did for everyone else so God forbid
that the hierarchy should exhibit a holier-than-thou attitude;
viz: a superiority complex. (cf. Matt 23:2-7)
_[/font]
#Post#: 4083--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: February 22, 2019, 8:29 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:16c . . Don't be wise in your own conceit.
Webster's defines "conceit" as excessive self-appreciation of
one's own worth or virtue. In other words we're talking about
hubris; which often indicates a loss of contact with reality and
an overestimation of one's own competence, accomplishments or
capabilities.
Conceit is uncivil, untrainable, and intolerable. It truly
believes nobody beneath its dignity could possibly have anything
to tell that it doesn't already know; and if it doesn't already
know, then that's because the information possessed by those
beneath its dignity isn't worth knowing.
Those kinds of people will interrupt you right in the middle of
your sentence and begin talking about their own perspective as
if your voice is nowhere to be heard in the whole room. You know
why they do that? Because they sincerely believe that nothing
you are in the midst of saying is nearly as important as what
they have to say. In other words: you, and your thoughts, are
superfluous.
Conceited folk are generally very picky about their influences
too; in other words, even if somebody is a Spirit-gifted Bible
teacher, but are neither published, accredited, or properly
educated, then forget it. That Spirit-gifted somebody is eo ipso
undeserving of conceit's intellectual attention right out of the
box.
Conceit is not only stuck on itself; but very critical of others
too. I've seen it to happen time and again that when a
Spirit-gifted Bible teacher comes across with a personality like
Elijah's or John the Baptist's that conceit summarily brushes
them off as "unloving" no matter even if they speak as the very
voice of God. In other words; conceit disdains to be taught;
rather, conceit seeks to be accommodated.
I think most people in church are aware that conceit is
unacceptable.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven." (Matt 5:3)
Conceit is a psychological disorder, so people can't just turn
it off at will. But unless something radical is done to correct
their conceit; people will have to face the sum of all fears.
"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like
children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt
18:3)
_[/font]
#Post#: 4111--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: February 24, 2019, 7:15 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:17a . . Never reciprocate evil with evil to
anyone.
That is a really tough command to follow; for example: when
someone makes a demeaning comment about us, the urge to bounce
back with a retort in kind is very difficult to resist
_[/font]
#Post#: 4148--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: February 26, 2019, 8:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:17b . . Respect what is right in the sight of
all men.
The koiné Greek word for "right" is a bit ambiguous. It can
mean: honorable, decent, sensible, mature, conforming to social
norms of decency and propriety, beautiful, virtuous, honest,
having worth, fitting, and/or appropriate. Those are all good
qualities and should be practiced not only inside church, but
outside church too.
_[/font]
#Post#: 4187--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: February 27, 2019, 3:55 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:18 . . If possible, so far as it in your
power, be at peace with all men.
Assertive, defensive, demanding, fault-finding, imperious,
judgmental, confrontational, argumentative, bossy, spirited,
hard-nosed, implacable, moody, thin skinned, vindictive,
abrasive, spiteful people are not allowed in heaven. Why?
Because heaven is a place of peace (Matt 5:9, Rom 14:17).
Disagreeable people who fight at the drop of a hat simply don't
fit in heaven and besides, not only would they be a fish out of
water; but it wouldn't be fair to the others to let difficult
people in to heaven where they would surely turn it into the
same kind of hellish world to live in that they've made the
Earth.
Christians should not be difficult. Of all people, they should
be the easiest to get along with.
_[/font]
#Post#: 4217--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: February 28, 2019, 10:07 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:19 . . Never take your own revenge, beloved,
but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written: Vengeance
is mine, I will repay; testifies The Lord.
The focus is upon one's "own" revenge; in other words: if the
matter can't be settled legally; let it go rather than take it
upon yourself to be prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner,
i.e. a vigilante. Those who seek justice outside the justice
system are no less criminals than the people they seek to
punish.
_[/font]
#Post#: 4227--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: March 1, 2019, 10:02 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:20 . . If your personal enemy is hungry, feed
him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you
will heap burning coals upon his head.
Way back when the television show SURVIVOR was in its second or
third season, two of the women fell out of sorts and one vowed
that even if the other were lying in the street near death from
thirst, she'd walk right past and not give her so much as a drop
of water.
Bad form. Christians have to remain civil and not permit
detestable people to dictate the way we treat our fellow men. It
is far better for Christ's followers to exemplify humanitarian
principles than satisfy a grudge. I'll admit it's galling to
have to be courteous with people that mistreat us; but what can
I say? It's Christ's wishes.
"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are
not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only
your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even
pagans do that?" (Matt 5:46-47)
_[/font]
#Post#: 4242--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: March 2, 2019, 8:47 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 12:21 . . Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.
In other words: fighting fire with fire is not always the wisest
course of action for Christians to follow.
Compliance with that particular command requires some self
control on our part because human nature's impulses usually
steer us into the wrong course of action when coping with evil.
_[/font]
#Post#: 4256--------------------------------------------------
Re: Christ's Ways
By: Olde Tymer Date: March 3, 2019, 8:53 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
.
[font=arial]Rom 13:1-5 . . Everyone must submit himself to the
governing authorities, for there is no authority except that
which God has established. The authorities that exist have been
established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the
authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and
those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
. . . For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for
those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one
in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For
he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's
servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not
only because of possible punishment but also because of
conscience.
There are Christians out there sincerely believing that all
capital punishment is wrong; and how can they be faulted when of
late Pope Francis himself has been saying it's wrong. But
according to the passage above, and the one below, capital
punishment is divine.
"And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I
will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man,
too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed;
for in the image of God has God made man." (Gen 9:4-6)
Murder deserves the death penalty not so much because it's
morally wrong, but because it disparages the image of God. In
other words: murder is an act of blaspheme.
Rom 13:1-5 is a fair warning to Christians that should they
break the law; to expect neither favoritism nor immunity. So
then, if you can't do the time, then don't do the crime.
Christians that commit capital crimes should expect their heads
to roll just like any other capital criminal's head; and that
goes for lesser crimes too, e.g. J-walking, illegal U-turns,
feeding parking meters, drifting through stop signs without
coming to a complete halt, exceeding the speed limit, unsafe
lane changes, road rage, disturbing the peace, littering,
trespassing, shoplifting, civil disobedience, animal abuse, etc.
God has given governments the right to play God; any Christian
who opposes government's right to play God, is playing the
Devil. God forbid! Christians ought not to be scofflaws; no,
they really ought to be the most law-abiding citizens on Earth.
_[/font]
*****************************************************
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page