If my understanding of Grace causes me to alienate myself from Christ's Church, chances are that my understanding is faulty and flawed. Christ does not egg us on in our hurt and jadedness towards His bride, but causes us to fall madly in love with her, just as He is.
Yes, in discovering the message of God's grace you may have also discovered the glaring faults of the "institutional church", but you must not relate to her in that regard. She is the beloved of God.
Yes, correct what needs correcting, but do not abandon that which Christ loves! We must never behave in the manner of a schoolyard bully towards her. Has she treated you that way in the past? Perhaps, but you're above such behavior. Love her and set her free.
What am I getting at here?
The more I come to love Christ, the more I love His wife. I see her shortcomings, and love her all the more. I see her mistakes, and it makes her all the more beautiful. When we nag and criticize, she redoubles her efforts and hardens her heart. But when we live with her in the context of a love relationship, we are empowered to speak to her and watch her be transformed by love.
Away with our head hunting and mudslinging campaigns! Let's show the Church her true beauty in Christ!LaDeanna Poland - Yes, and the more grace we share with Christ's 'bride to be', the more they will see and desire the goodness of God's love for them also!!!
Andrew Richardson - This is beautiful Jeff! And indeed you are correct. A heart that is established in Grace does not seek to reject others or alienate itself from the Church because of her shortcomings or even some beliefs that many hold to dearly. But rather a heart established in Grace is a heart flooded with love, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, the first of which is love. And this is the heart of God. Love this man, really love this!!
check out http://tiny.cc/howie399 and/or https://sites.google.com/site/jaredrobertswebsites/
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Jared Roberts aka howie aka howie399
Spoke directly to me. The Lord has put me in a church that is so religious it has made me want to vomit in the past, but has recently made me want to love her out of this stoney heart she is in So, I really needed to hear this message because it's all confirmation to me. It's like "WOW" how did you know what I needed to hear? This is God in action. Correction? His bride better know how much you love her before trying to bring correction!
ReplyDeletewow Simon! that's awesome! many blessings to you! I think Jeff Turner might be coming out with a book soon, you might want to check that out and/or Jeff's facebook page! :)
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you Simon!!!
In Christ love,
Jared Roberts aka howie aka howie399
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