God is faithful and His ways are mysterious. For not soon after my last blog entry, God allowed me to witness an incident that had to do with my questions and seeking for truth that was in reference to my last post on this blog.
I had a chance to witness a dialog between two people and I do not remember word for word and for the sake of privacy I will give pseudo names and keep it to the point.
The discussion is in regard to a sin. George is the one disputing this sin with John. George is a believer. John is the one “warning” George that he will face judgement if he continues in his sin. It is obvious that the Holy Spirit had convicted George of this truth…so George opens his heart to John and says truthfully that he loves Jesus and believes but…he struggles with this sin and when John talks this way (with condemnation), he feels like giving up and throwing in the towel on the whole thing about God (for God did not sound loving the way that John had put it). He cannot reconcile what is going on inside him (warring sin verses living righteously).
In a nutshell, John’s response was “All you have to do is stop”. (As if it was so easy for George). John went onto say how God will judge those sinners on the last day…and went on quoting scripture. John was speaking truth regarding how God will judge us on the last day and scriptures were all true…but something was amiss…and inside my soul, I was screaming, “Where is the compassion and mercy, John! This sinner was pouring out his heart to you even if he is a believer and he was struggling in his sin…!
Yet, John was telling George all he had to do is stop his sinning? After all, he was speaking truth and nothing was false…but something was missing and what was missing…mercy and love for his brother.
Didn’t John realize who he was before he had met Christ? Is he perfect that he does not struggle with sin even during his Christian walk? Wouldn’t he expect God to show mercy to him, if he did fall into sin and had a hard time fighting it…but wouldn’t God expect him to show mercy for others since He had shown mercy to him????
I do not know about you, but I know everyday I struggle with sin of some form…whether it is small or big…and I have to pray everyday for God to help me in certain areas.
I could not believe that John was teaching truth in such a heartless manner. He showed no compassion and mercy. We are representing our Lord and we need to remember that ALWAYS…God is LOVE and what does the bible teach us about love?
The Greatest of these is Love…(using David’s Stern’s version) Chapter 13
I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels; but if I lack love, I have become merely blaring brass or a cymbal clanging.
I may the gift of prophecy, I may fathom all mysteries, know all things, have all the faith-enough to move mountains; but if I lack love, I am nothing.
I may give away everything that I own, I may even hand over my body to be burned but if I lack love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not gloat over other people’s sins but takes delight in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes and always endures.
Love never ends; but prophecies will pass, tongues will cease, knowledge will pass. For our knowledge is partial and our prophecy partial; but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, argued like a child, now that I have become a man; I have finished with childish ways.
For now we see obscurely in a mirror, but then it will be face to face. Now I know partly: then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me.
But for now, three things last-trust, hope, love; and the greatest of these is love. Pursue Love!
Continuation....
I had a chance to witness a dialog between two people and I do not remember word for word and for the sake of privacy I will give pseudo names and keep it to the point.
The discussion is in regard to a sin. George is the one disputing this sin with John. George is a believer. John is the one “warning” George that he will face judgement if he continues in his sin. It is obvious that the Holy Spirit had convicted George of this truth…so George opens his heart to John and says truthfully that he loves Jesus and believes but…he struggles with this sin and when John talks this way (with condemnation), he feels like giving up and throwing in the towel on the whole thing about God (for God did not sound loving the way that John had put it). He cannot reconcile what is going on inside him (warring sin verses living righteously).
In a nutshell, John’s response was “All you have to do is stop”. (As if it was so easy for George). John went onto say how God will judge those sinners on the last day…and went on quoting scripture. John was speaking truth regarding how God will judge us on the last day and scriptures were all true…but something was amiss…and inside my soul, I was screaming, “Where is the compassion and mercy, John! This sinner was pouring out his heart to you even if he is a believer and he was struggling in his sin…!
Yet, John was telling George all he had to do is stop his sinning? After all, he was speaking truth and nothing was false…but something was missing and what was missing…mercy and love for his brother.
Didn’t John realize who he was before he had met Christ? Is he perfect that he does not struggle with sin even during his Christian walk? Wouldn’t he expect God to show mercy to him, if he did fall into sin and had a hard time fighting it…but wouldn’t God expect him to show mercy for others since He had shown mercy to him????
I do not know about you, but I know everyday I struggle with sin of some form…whether it is small or big…and I have to pray everyday for God to help me in certain areas.
I could not believe that John was teaching truth in such a heartless manner. He showed no compassion and mercy. We are representing our Lord and we need to remember that ALWAYS…God is LOVE and what does the bible teach us about love?
The Greatest of these is Love…(using David’s Stern’s version) Chapter 13
I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels; but if I lack love, I have become merely blaring brass or a cymbal clanging.
I may the gift of prophecy, I may fathom all mysteries, know all things, have all the faith-enough to move mountains; but if I lack love, I am nothing.
I may give away everything that I own, I may even hand over my body to be burned but if I lack love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not gloat over other people’s sins but takes delight in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes and always endures.
Love never ends; but prophecies will pass, tongues will cease, knowledge will pass. For our knowledge is partial and our prophecy partial; but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, argued like a child, now that I have become a man; I have finished with childish ways.
For now we see obscurely in a mirror, but then it will be face to face. Now I know partly: then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me.
But for now, three things last-trust, hope, love; and the greatest of these is love. Pursue Love!
Continuation....
