I believe the message of Jesus offers the most complete and simple path to overcoming the struggles you experience in life. The church could play a significant role in helping people overcome. I think the struggle within the church is once you have been spiritually awakened or “saved” you are expected to behave in a specific manner. Unfortunately I have seen many times the violation of Jesus’ words “judge not”. I have been guilty of as much myself. The problem I see is that the church can be very accepting of the “sinner” and all their faults but once they are saved it is time to straighten up and fly right. So if someone asks for prayer the fifth time to overcome the gambling problem they are struggling with we no longer offer love, acceptance, and forgiveness but rather judgment and harsh words. I believe the church loses many wonderful people because of such attitudes. Jesus said we are to forgive 70 times 7. So if we take him literally then our minimum is 490 times. I personally believe there is no limit.
If we were to offer people love, acceptance, and forgiveness it would help them overcome their struggles in this life. When has criticism and judgment ever made you feel as if you could overcome? Our judgment is only a way of making ourselves feel superior to others. What other reason could there possible be for judgment? If, however, we continue to point them in the direction of connecting with God they will be able to rise above their problems.
I can hear some of you saying “but if we do not tell them what they are doing is wrong how will they know?” I say if they are able to feel that connection and commune with their creator they will not need to be told because they will rise above their worldly ego or flesh and act in accordance with the love God offers them so freely. Rules do not change people’s hearts. Love does.
Was that too mushy for a Texan?
Right on, Deryl. When the man asked how many times can we be forgiven? Seven? And His answer was no, seventy times seven, meaning not literally, but whatever number you can think of, multiply that as many times as need be.
Grace, mercy and love, just as Christ shows each of us – so must we be an example and not a judge of others. “Blessed is he who will follow the Lord – he will not stand in the path of the sinner, he will not sit in the seat of the scoffer, for the law of the lord is his delight”.
By: Tonia on December 18, 2009
at 3:09 am
“The church could play a significant role in helping people overcome”.
That’s true, but first someones got to help THEM to see that what they’re practicing is “religion” just like the pharisee’s in Jesus’ day.
“but if we do not tell them what they are doing is wrong how will they know?”
Hmmm, perhaps the pain and destroyed lives caused by broken homes, and all the different living nightmares of abuse might be enough for them to know something is wrong?
We should be asking ourselves (the church) the same question, and the answer is…
We’ll know something is wrong by the coldness of our hearts and the ineffectiveness of our prayers, and the absence of the Holy Spirit in our church’s services…
By: altonwoods on December 18, 2009
at 3:10 am