Following the rules

LovebirdsFlying said:

Sometimes I feel like being a Christian means I have a set of rules to follow while the unsaved do as they please. I can't "get even" in any way, or even get angry, because I have to be "better" than that.

So this guy on the interstate is probably not worried about pleasing God, or anybody besides himself. He can speed, weave in and out of lanes without using his turn signal, and flip people off while he's doing it.

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1CORINTHIANS.5:9-13 = Immorality Must Be Judged
9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

MATTHEW.22:21 = And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

ROMANS.13:1-7 = Submit to Government
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
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Let US Law judge US citizens, including non-Christians. God will judge His people/Church on earth and after earth. Why fret over unbelievers.?

"To each, his/her own".
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EPHESIANS.4:26-27 = 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

Anger in the heart is often involuntary and from the devil = from Adam's Original Sin(ROMANS.5:12). Outbursts of anger/wrath, cursing/insults, assaults or murder is voluntary and from the sinner/evildoer/law-breaker.
....... It is OK to be angry in the former but unforgivable to intentionally commit the latter without valid justification, eg self-defense. The blood of Jesus cleanses the former = saved from hell.

LovebirdsFlying said:

Again, all very good advice. Thank you for the edification. I'm home now. Work to be done, and then it's soon back to the old routine.

I've always wondered what people are thinking when they behave in such ways. What are they trying to accomplish?

What I'm thinking now is that the anger wasn't necessarily out of place. He was putting lives in danger, including mine and my family's, and innocent people's, besides his own. But the revenge fantasies that started playing in my head--ideas of what I'd like to do about it--now, that was sinful.

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Yep, that's it!

LovebirdsFlying said:

Again, all very good advice. Thank you for the edification. I'm home now. Work to be done, and then it's soon back to the old routine.

I've always wondered what people are thinking when they behave in such ways. What are they trying to accomplish?

What I'm thinking now is that the anger wasn't necessarily out of place. He was putting lives in danger, including mine and my family's, and innocent people's, besides his own. But the revenge fantasies that started playing in my head--ideas of what I'd like to do about it--now, that was sinful.

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The anger is normal. It's what you do with it that can get you in trouble. As for the revenge fantasies, rebuke them. I don't think you're responsible for thoughts unless you act on them or entertain them.

LovebirdsFlying said:

I know my thinking is messed up. Please show me where.

Sometimes I feel like being a Christian means I have a set of rules to follow while the unsaved do as they please. I can't "get even" in any way, or even get angry, because I have to be "better" than that.

So this guy on the interstate is probably not worried about pleasing God, or anybody besides himself. He can speed, weave in and out of lanes without using his turn signal, and flip people off while he's doing it. No, I don't want that kind of "freedom," but it kind of irks me that if I even so much as say he's a jerk, anger is a sin, and I'm the one who's doing wrong.

Please make this make sense?

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I look at it more this way,
People who go about their day being as you described as an example are what God uses to measure the grace I have developed in Him. When I have anger bubbling up and the desire to think of such a one with a very negative thought, it shows me more about myself then them. I see where I have not yet attained the peace that passes understanding......so it's the time where I pause, submit to God and try it again, asking Him for His grace. I stop, pray for them and ask God to bless them.

bad drivers upset me since becoming a parent as don't want any kids hurt

after seeing a teen speed on our street, I went to her house and asked her to be careful as there's lots of kids around (she said ok)

anger might be good if it fuels someone to take action in a positive way
for example, if someone gets angry their clothes no longer fit, it might make them decide "this is enough, going to lose wt"

LovebirdsFlying said:

Sometimes I feel like being a Christian means I have a set of rules to follow while the unsaved do as they please.

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Christians are punished here in this life because they receive rewards in the next life. The unsaved receive punishment when they die. Hebrews 12 "7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons."

God is not a cosmic kill-joy. His commands and precepts come out of Love for His saved children who should return His Love by trust and obedience.

Exodus 20:6
but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

John 14:15
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:21, 23
He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”...
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will ABIDE (dwell) in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.