Blessed are you, Christ, for you awaken me to life. Each day holds the promise of new birth.
Latest Blog: December 29, 2008
If Another Member of the Church Sins Against You
How are we as Christians supposed to deal with sins and offense in the Church?
Jesus said to his disciples, “If another member of the Church sins against you….”
The way of Jesus is to seek reconciliation rather than separation, of seeking to regain a brother or sister. For Jesus came for that purpose: to reconcile us to God and to one another.
The Church is made up of human beings bringing all our histories and burdens, everything we have done and left undone, everything done to us, or not done for us, to our common life. We start from a place of brokenness, living in the darkness, enmeshed in a web of sin, attracted by the healing power of Christ.
Jesus provides us with four steps in resolving problems between Christians, which leaves space for grace and the movement of God’s Spirit, because the goal is reconciliation, not separation or self-justification.
Step 1.
“Go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.” No one is backed into a public corner. There is no risk of public humiliation, no need to become defensive in order to save face. There is room to speak and to listen, to hear one another, to consider and discern, and there is room to clarify the situation and respond to what is learned.
Step 2.
“If you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you . . .” These are to be members of the fellowship, known for their gifts of impartial listening and careful discernment. The witnesses may be the ones who can hear and name the difficult truths that neither party could. These listening sisters and brothers are representatives of the Church’s concern for both parties, and the desire to remain whole as the Body of Christ.
Step 3
If the offender still refuses to participate, “Tell it to the Church.” The community gathers to pray and discern with the offended and offender. Both have the opportunity to tell their stories. Both can be held accountable for their actions and claims, as appropriate to the situation at hand. Both can be helped along the path toward reconciliation. This is the authority of the Church: a community living in the forgiving spirit of Jesus.
Step 4
If even the community cannot call the offender back from the brink, then the unrepentant sinner has taken a stand outside of the fellowship – alienating him or herself from the Body of Christ.
There are many reasons that might happen: inability to see the truth, refusal to admit the wrong done, resentment at being called to account, pride, stubbornness, fear, inability to accept forgiveness.
Just as Jesus never gave up on anyone, so the community is not to give up on the unrepentant sinner. We are not to abandon that person to the bonds of the past, but to loose those bonds: to continue to invite that person to repent and return to the life of forgiven-ness and forgive-ness, to the life of communion in the Body of Christ.
Practice Forgiveness and Reconciliation
The practice of forgiveness is the practice of holiness, bringing us and the community of believers closer to the will and love of Christ. It requires us to be open to grace, to be transformed by the Spirit of the Risen Christ, and to share Christ’s peace with others.
“Owe no one anything, except to love one another,” says Paul to the Romans, “for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Forgiveness is the foundation of our life together and our call to embody Christ for the world.
This is our challenge for the new year and for all our years to come: to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, our hearts, our very selves, to be persons and a community practicing and embodying forgiveness.
With love for you in Christ and God’s every blessing,
Hannah
Limits to Forgiveness: Where Do We Draw The Line?
Many of us, like Peter, say, “Okay, forgiveness is my duty as a Christian, right. But how much? How often? Under what circumstances?
Isn’t there a limit to forgiveness? Can’t we draw the line somewhere?”
Jesus answers Peter and us by saying in essence there are no limits to forgiveness. In some translations Jesus says, “Seventy times seven times seven.” This meant infinitely.
That must have been very hard for Peter to hear. He thought seven was on the generous side! But now he is confronted with infinite forgiveness. And so are we.
Once received, it cannot be kept, hoarded, made my own special gift. It is meant to be shared.
And here is where we—you and I and Peter—come up against the basic Gospel news, the basic Good News that is at the heart of Christianity: We are forgiven and loved by God no matter who we are and no matter what we have done. Peter himself was loved and forgiven in spite of his lack of courage and fear, in spite of the fact that he abandoned Jesus when Jesus needed him most, and in spite of himself. Peter seems to have forgotten that.
Theologian William Countryman (in his bookForgiven and Forgiving) says this about forgiveness:
Forgiveness involves a letting go—letting go our investment in the past so that we can turn toward the future; letting go our need to control the other; even letting go our sense of our own righteous-ness so that something new can happen in the world. Forgiveness builds the future. … Forgiveness, then, is always a daring and risky act. It might be impossible if we hadn’t discovered that it’s God’s way of inviting us into God’s own life. Forgiveness is the mind of God, the life of God. The gain of sharing in that life outweighs the risk because it brings us into God’s joy.
And, in fact, the literal meaning of the Greek word for forgiveness is letting go.
But why is it so hard? It is hard to accept God’s forgiveness of ourselves because that implies we need it. That we’ve done something wrong. It implies that fixing ourselves is not enough. A little tweaking here and there ought to do it, but it doesn’t. But the interesting thing about God’s forgiveness is that once we begin to accept it, we can acknowledge more easily our shortcomings, and give up and let go of our need to be perfect, which, as many of us know from years of experience, is very wearing! To experience forgiveness, true forgiveness, we experience the divine perspective—we experience how God sees us in love and compassion. And, gradually, we gain those eyes for others.
Why is it so hard to forgive others? I believe it is hard because many of us need to blame someone for all the things that go wrong in life, the little things and the cataclysmic things. We want to make these events someone else’s responsibility. I believe there is a very important principle at work here.
It is hard to forgive others because it is hard to let go of our grief and anger. But the problem with that kind of pain management is that it only hurts us in the end. Barbara Brown Taylor calls hanging on to grief, anger and resentment “arthritis of the spirit.”
This is not to say that grief and anger are not appropriate reactions when we are hurt. But it is to say that hanging on to them forever only hurts us.
Forgiveness is letting go. Letting go and falling into the arms of a loving God who loves us beyond measure, who looks at us with the eyes of compassion, who forgives us.
Is this love, this forgiveness, costly? You bet. God took on frail human flesh in Jesus and suffered all the pain humanity could heap upon him. Yet his last words were,“Father, forgive them.”
Let us accept that forgiveness. Allow it to transform our hearts. Allow it to let us know God’s joy. Allow it to change our minds and hearts. Allow it to help us see as God sees. And, one by one, change our world.
***
I welcome your comments on this and my previous blogs. Thank you.
If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5.17)
Welcome to Hannah’s Home on Xianz.Com
Lord,
Please help us to embrace
your transforming hopes for us
and for all your people.
Help us to see that even when
locked in great darkness and confusion,
with your love anything is possible.
Christ Our Redeemer
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who pours grace and peace into our lives!
I'm Hannah, a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ, from Palo Alto, California. I'm originally from Laguna Beach in Southern California, where my parents live, but I've been in the Bay Area for two years now. Thank you for dropping by to visit my profile.
I'm here on xianz.com to make friends from all over the world for sharing the good news, fellowship, advice, discussion and helping each other. More than anything else, I like to see people smile, to see joy come into their lives, and to share with them the good news of Jesus Christ.
I like meeting people who want to grow spiritually and exemplify Christ in their lives, who are not just consumer driven and selfish.
I like meeting people who know or want to know Jesus Christ, and want to connect with the reality of their faith -- or discover the depth of the spirituality and richness of Christ's power to heal and deliver.
I like meeting Christians who want to experience the reality of Christ's resurrection 24/7, not just during Sunday worship (assuming they connect there). I like meeting believers who are interested in deep worship.
I'd like to meet other young (and young at heart) people who have a zeal for Jesus Christ, who are humble and not just out for the glory buzz, but who are content to be in the background helping the poor, the widows, the orphans, the homeless, the disabled veterans, the unemployed, the people who can't fight for themselves.
I'd like to meet other Christ-centered, Spirit-led Christians who feel called by God to plant the Gospel, not just start an institution.
If you aren't a Christian but want to know more about Jesus Christ and how he can transform your life, please let share the good news of the Gospel with you.
My life has been changed radically since experiencing the love of God, the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. We are all sinners who need to be saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ who gave his life for us on Calvary's cross.
The amazing grace of the Messiah, Jesus Christ; the extravagant love of God our Father; and the intimate fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.
God be with you; grace and peace be with you; Christ's blessings on you!
Hannah
My Oath to You My Friends
When you are sad … I will dry your tears. When you are scared … I will comfort your fears. When you are worried … I will give you hope. When you are confused … I will help you cope. And when you are lost … And can't see the light, I shall be your beacon … Shining ever so bright. This is my oath. I pledge till the end. Why you may ask? Because you are my friend.
What Friends Mean to Me
In one of my favorite moments in all of his letters, the Apostle Paul writes to his friends in the congregation at Philippi: "I thank my God every time I remember you." It seems fitting and proper to me to give thanks to God for the gift of other human beings in our lives. As I look back, I give thanks for you and others who have guided, directed, encouraged, and supported me in my walk of faith. I give thanks to God for xianz.com, a wonderful online community of believers whose warm welcome and powerful witness to the Gospel serve as a reminder of what is possible in the name of Jesus Christ. I give thanks to God every time I remember each of you.
Blessings for You
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds of the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ. And may the Blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you both now and forever.
God shall supply all you need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Philippians 4.19,20
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Philippians 4.23
Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Ephesians 6.24
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Sprit, be with you all.
2 Corinthians 13.14
The Lord bless you, and keep you: The Lord make his face shine you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6.24-26
Now, may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5.23
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15.13
My Purpose in Life
+ To KNOW CHRIST through God's Word
+ To GROW IN CHRIST through faith, love, worship and prayer
+ To SERVE CHRIST and to glorify Him through all that I do
in His name
+To SHARE CHRIST with others and to help them experience His love and grace
What I Believe
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
The third day he rose again from the dead:
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
I believe in the Holy Spirit:
I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
The forgiveness of sins:
The resurrection of the body:
And the life everlasting. Amen.
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
These historic creeds, dating back to the early days of the church and recited by Christians for many centuries, are not intended to supplant the Holy Bible, but rather to summarize and affirm the essentials of biblical faith.
In the essentials, unity;
in non-essentials, liberty; and
in all things, charity.
Prayers
2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be yours in abundance
through the knowledge of
God and Jesus our Lord.
Heavenly Father,
The more we study & learn the Bible & in prayer take it to heart,
The closer we are to you as life becomes an amazing work of art.
We start to see things differently almost as if through a new set of eyes,
& each day is a fresh canvas that we paint,
filled with inspiration from the Heavenly skies.
Worldly things of yesterday that we strived for, suddenly we don’t care for anymore,
As we feed our soul from the new life you gave us, & we begin to explore.
It’s almost like being a child again & truly seeing everything for the first time,
& we are spirited with innocence & wonder to Heavens rhythm & rhyme.
As our knowledge grows & our mind, heart & soul matures in our walk,
We begin to shape a new character & Jesus can be heard in our voice when we talk.
Love, Grace & Peace comes upon us as we no longer feel the way we did in the past,
& we accept everything as a new lesson & experience,
whilst in your Glory we do bask.
Life becomes abundant through your world which is beyond the physical realm,
Because of the insight that is learnt letting you take control & putting Jesus at the helm.
I pray that my knowledge constantly grows and new insight fills my days,
Through your Love, may Grace & Peace be upon me, as I open my eyes, look to you & pray.
Come, Lord Jesus
Come, Lord Jesus Help my heart and spirit to be thankful for all the abundant gifts of this life, beginning with the very breath I am breathing now. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come, Lord Jesus Open my heart and spirit to the endless possibilities around me, to the dawning of a new day in my life, to the opportunity for new beginnings this day. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come, Lord Jesus Renew your life giving spirit of love in me, that I might be an instrument of that love to all in my life. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come, Lord Jesus Still my restless heart and spirit, fill me with your peace that I might be calm to face the challenges that await me this and every day. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come, Lord Jesus Help me to know and love my neighbor as myself, to know and love the stranger as myself, to see your face, Jesus, in the face of all whom I meet and greet and speak with and see about me. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come, Lord Jesus For into your hands I commend my heart and spirit, all that is in and of me. Teach me that I may be your servant in all that I do, that I may do it willingly in your name, that I may make straight your path and your way. Come, Lord Jesus.
The Magnificat My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant From this day all generations shall call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation. He has shown the strength of His arm, He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has come to the help of His servant Israel for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever. Amen.
Think of the words of the Magnificat. This is how we can respond and this is what God can accomplish through us, with our acquiescence, our participation.
Pray for Peace / Act for Peace
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
(Matthew 5.9)
Jesus said to his disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." (John 14.27)
God will speak peace to his people, to those who turn to him in their hearts. (Psalm 85.8; 1 Samuel 12.20)
God has called us to live in peace. (1 Corinthians 7.17)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to peace. (Colossians 3.15)
Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace —
where there is hatred, let me sow love —
where there is injury, let me sow pardon —
where there is doubt, let me sow faith —
where there is despair, let me sow hope —
where there is darkness, let me sow light and where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
Lord, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled
as to console —
to be understood as to understand —
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
/ a prayer from St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) /
Bibles and Bible Study Tools
Look Higher.Net (More than 100 online versions) Better Bibles Blog Bible Resources New Revised Standard Version (& RSV) The Message (paraphrase) New American Standard (& ASV) New King James Version (& KJV) New Living Translation Holman Christian Standard Bible Good New Bible (aka Today's English Version) Complete Jewish Bible (new)
Here’s a face that should be familiar to you.
He’s the Xianz Guy!
Thank you, Xianz Guy, for bringing us Xianz.Com, a social networking Web site for Christians.
I often reference the word faith, yet faith for me tends to take on a new meaning every day. The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary defines faith as “trust in or reliance on God.” One of the most common definitions of faith heard today is “believing in things that are unseen and yet to come our way.”
Faith can also be defined as believing in something that is uncertain or having an expectation that “something will occur.” Richard J. Foster, in his book Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, describes faith as “a little like putting your car into gear” and then you cannot move forward or backward.
Also, when we explore the word faith, or we hear the word faith in the context of church we can often ask, Who do we have faith in, or what do we have faith in?
I believe St. Paul’s concept of faith is something that is manifested in love, based on a trust in God. When we speak of trust, Foster suggests, “Trust precedes faith.” Sometimes when we are unable to move from certain situations or circumstances in our lives, Foster describes this as “putting our spiritual lives in neutral.” He describes trust as “confidence in the character of God … I do not understand what God is doing or even where God is, but I know that he is out to do me good.” This is trust.
I believe the scripture suggests faith involves total dependence, total trust in God. This is easier said than done. Often it is easier to say that our faith in God is secure when things seem to going OK in our lives.
It is when life presents obstacles that our faith is challenged and sometimes lost. There will be times where life will present hard and difficult situations for us to understand. This can include sickness, death, and disasters.
This time in our lives can be compared to voids or empty spaces. We may feel like we are alone. We may question why God would allow such a situation to occur in our life. We may even ask, “Where is God in the midst of this void?” As we discussed faith at a recent Bible study, a member of the group said, “Faith is an opportunity for God to fill an empty space in our lives.”
Often our empty spaces, our times of voids in our lives are filled with doubt, worry, frustration and concern. However, there is hope. Through Christ, we are able to face life’s voids with a sense of assurance and trust in knowing that Jesus can and will be with us and give us strength.
Recently, a friend told me that she believed, “Faith is not a noun, faith is a verb.” Faith is an action. I believe faith can move and change things. I believe faith can transform lives, families, friends and situations. What I am saying is that I do believe faith as a verb can and will transform.
As we continue to explore faith, I believe prayer is a part of faith. God will not answer our prayers exactly as we expect every time, however. There are many types of prayers and ways to pray. I believe that regardless of the form or varied ways to pray, the intent of prayer is “expecting something to occur”—whether it is an opportunity to be in silence with God, or praying a specific prayer for a person or situation in our lives. Prayer is based on an expectation that “something will happen.” This expectation, I believe, is an example of faith.
Finally, I believe prayer challenges each of us to be accountable for one another. So faith as verb, linked by prayer, is an opportunity to provide hope that a transformation can take place. Today, as we are faced with many opportunities to present faith in God, as way of hope, we can pray for those affected by hurricanes and other natural disasters. We can pray for countries at war. We can pray to eliminate poverty and homelessness. We can pray for many things based on our faith in God.
As we move forward together as a community of faith, we can continue with an assurance and trust that God is with us, and that God will never leave us. As we pray with and for each other, we can continue knowing that Jesus can and will give us hope and strength for all life’s situations. As the scripture tells us, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens you and strengthens me. I believe that--I really do.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ~ Philippians 4:13
It's hard to believe Christmas is here! When Christmas arrives, I am thankful and reminded that we need the manger as much as we need the cross. 'Tis the season. Make it joyful and blessed for ALL, especially those who are hurting, hopeless, homeless, starving, sick and infirm, and dying.
Recently, I read about a clergyman who in the 1960’s spoke to a friend who was an atheist of sorts. Actually, he believed in Marxist Communism. The clergyman asked him “Friend,how does your belief system deal with death?” The friend replied, “I have no problem with death. While I don’t like it, I know that my wife, children and myself will die some day. It’s just a matter of fact.” He said, “Where I have the deepest trouble isn’t with death, it’s with birth. I don’t understand its purpose. It has such glory and majesty. It almost makes me want to believe.”
We should believe. And we should rejoice in the manger as well as the cross. We need the manger as much as we need the cross because his birth reminds us of the unfathomable mystery of hope made anew through life.
We need the manger as much as we need the cross, because it reminds us that Jesus didn’t just come to die for us, he came to live for us, that we might have life and have it more abundantly.
We need the manger as much as we need the cross, because we need to know that God can take what is broken and despised and make it holy, pure and good; we need to know that the one who can turn a manger, straw and stable into a shrine can do the same thing in the very deepest, darkest, most forgotten parts of our lives and for the life of the world.
We need to know because relatively humane, stable structures that contribute to the well-being of others often tend to promise more than they can deliver. Their very nature becomes seductive and generates impossible expectations. In contrast, Jesus is the anchor for reliable hope, for dependable promises, for anticipations that are more than fulfilled.
Most of us know what it means to wander in darkness. Now we know the light of Christ and we thank God for the manager.
To know Christ,
To grow in Christ,
To serve Christ,
To share Christ,
Hannah
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. — Matthew 25:35
“Strive first for the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Strive first to do God's will,make that your first priority, and you'll find you do a lot less worrying and anxiety about food, or clothes, or money or people-pleasing.
If you think about it, God has been saying that over and over, in a million different ways, since he first created us.
"Keep all my commands, so that all might be well with you and your children..."
"Walk in all the ways that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days..."
"Know that the Lord your God ... is a faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands..."
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength..."
God instructs us that the best way to live life is to seek and to do his will above all else. In the person of Jesus, we are shown what it looks like when one listens to God, when one seeks his kingdom and his righteousness.
And what it looks like, more than anything else, is a life of profound love, compassion, charity and mercy. This is the life Jesus lives, and it's the life he very explicitly instructs us to live.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us not to get too attached to material things, to make God, not the pursuit of wealth, our top priority, and not to be anxious about whatever particular worldly things we generally get anxious about. He instructs us to be like the salt of the earth and to be the light of the world, to be faithful in spirit rather than the letter of the law, to pray to and be heard by God, rather than seen by people.
Following these instructions is to seek the kingdom; it opens for us the way of peace and grace. Our values and priorities change. We become less temporal, less self-absorbed, and we care less about social standing, financial security and what others think of us. Instead, we focus more on being loving, compassionate, merciful and charitable to others -- especially those who are hurting, hopeless, helpless, hungry, homeless. When we care about and help those who Jesus calls the "least among us," it is as if we do this for Jesus himself. Think of that the next time you walk or drive past a homeless person or when your church asks for contributions of time and/or money to help the needy at home and abroad.
When we seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness the way Jesus teaches us to, we have every reason to believe we can become God-centered, God-driven, Kingdom people: People who want our ways to be like God's ways and our thoughts to be like God's thoughts, so that all may be well with us and with our children. People who love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength.
Note: This is a continuation or follow-up to my previous blog on forgiveness.
How are we as Christians supposed to deal with sins and offense in the Church? Jesus said to his disciples, “If another member of the Church sins against you….”
The way of Jesus is to seek reconciliation rather than separation, of seeking to regain a brother or sister. For Jesus came for that purpose: to reconcile us to God and to one another. The Church is made up of human beings bringing all our histories and burdens, everything we have done and left undone, everything done to us, or not done for us, to our common life.
We start from a place of brokenness, living in the darkness, enmeshed in a web of sin, attracted by the healing power of Christ.
Jesus provides us with four steps in resolving problems between Christians, which leaves space for grace and the movement of God’s Spirit, because the goal is reconciliation, not separation or self-justification.
Step 1.
“Go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.” No one is baced into a public corner. There is no risk of public humiliation, no need to become defensive in order to save face. There is room to speak and to listen, to hear one another, to consider and discern, and there is room to clarify the situation and respond to what is learned.
Step 2.
“If you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you . . .” These are to be members of the fellowship, known for their gifts of impartial listening and careful discernment. The witnesses may be the ones who can hear and name the difficult truths that neither party could. These listening sisters and brothers are representatives of the Church’s concern for both parties, and the desire to remain whole as the Body of Christ.
Step 3
If the offender still refuses to participate, “Tell it to the Church.” The community gathers to pray and discern with the offended and offender. Both have the opportunity to tell their stories. Both can be held accountable for their actions and claims, as appropriate to the situation at hand. Both can be helped along the path toward reconciliation. This is the authority of the Church: a community living in the forgiving spirit of Jesus.
Step 4
If even the community cannot call the offender back from the brink, then the unrepentant sinner has taken a stand outside of the fellowship – alienating him or herself from the Body of Christ.
There are many reasons that might happen: inability to see the truth, refusal to admit the wrong done, resentment at being called to account, pride, stubbornness, fear, inability to accept forgiveness.
Just as Jesus never gave up on anyone, so the community is not to give up on the unrepentant sinner -- not to abandon that person to the bonds of the past, but to loose those bonds: to continue to invite that person to repent and return to the life of forgiven-ness and forgive-ness, to the life of communion in the Body of Christ.
Practice Forgiveness and Reconciliation
The practice of forgiveness is the practice of holiness, bringing us and the community of believers closer to the will and love of Christ. It requires us to be open to grace, to be transformed by the Spirit of the Risen Christ, and to share Christ’s peace with others.
“Owe no one anything, except to love one another,” says Paul to the Romans, “for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. “
Peter came and said to Jesus. ‘Lord, if another member of the Church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” Seventy-seven times . . .
Forgiveness is the foundation of our life together and our call to embody Christ for the world. This is our challenge for the new year and for all our years to come: to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, our hearts, our very selves, to be persons and a community practicing and embodying forgiveness.
With love for you in Christ and God’s every blessing,
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Listings From Hannah { God, bless this new year and move us to peace } & Friends
Enjoy being you, because you are wonderful! Enjoy being you, because you are full of life! Enjoy being you, because you have so much to pour out to others. Enjoy being you, and enjoy My life that I have given you.
November 14, 2008
hi and welcome to xianz. I see you like a lot of music me too some artists you like i never herd of. I like classical too like Mozart,bach. Any other xian bands that you like?
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