Forgiving one another - Kingdom kind

General Christian Theology
Sudsy
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Re: Forgiving one another - Kingdom kind

Post by Sudsy »

Bootstrap wrote: I think using all of these tools is important. For instance, if you only preach forgiveness but not confrontation, group intervention, discipline, limit setting, and restoration, you can empower abusive and controlling people or those who build themselves up using self-righteous condemnation of others. If the things in the list are out of balance or practiced only randomly, you will not have Christian maturity in a fellowship.
I agree that we need good teaching and practise in these areas. I also believe there is another dimension, a most important one, that also needs good teaching and practise. This is sometimes ignored or glossed over by those who approach orthopraxy from more of a self discipline, intellectual base. This is our need to be controlled by the Holy Spirit to be capable of self-control. One characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. That doesn't mean that self alone is able to control oneself. We have a role in this to pursue a close relationship with God through the means spelled out in scriptures but we also must allow the Spirit of God to control us, control the way we think. Romans 8:1-15 is a good text about how we are to allow the Spirit to control our minds. If we want to avoid controlling others we need The Helper who lives within us to be allowed to control our minds. Jesus said He is the vine and we are the branches. Without Him living through us in the power of the Holy Spirit we will fail.

I haven't studied Cloud and Townsend teachings (but I will check some out) and I will be looking for this key dimension in what they say about the Holy Spirit. I think the church today sometimes sees the Holy Spirit's work in us to be more feelings oriented than empowerment to obey and produce fruit.
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Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
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Bootstrap
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Re: Forgiving one another - Kingdom kind

Post by Bootstrap »

lesterb wrote:I heard a sermon once where the minister said that in 95% of cases, if the "victim" would just lay aside his grievances, everything would be fine. He said that in most cases the offender was entirely innocent of any intent to offend, and it was actually the offended person's problem.
Worse, people are sometimes "playing the victim", a passive-aggressive game where being offended is a source of power and virtue.

Another reason that the Body of Christ needs to discern together. Real victims do need to be protected. Some "victims" are actually slanderers and manipulators rather than victims.
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Is it biblical? Is it Christlike? Is it loving? Is it true? How can I find out?
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