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Post by sarah on Feb 6, 2007 16:52:34 GMT -8
10/05:
Ok so I was feeling discouraged today and was hoping for a pick-me-up. I will probably have to look elsewhere! Paul's writing drips with frustration and a liberal dose of sarcasm as well.
That said the part about fathers really speaks to me for two reasons. The first is that I so wish we had more in the faith and it seems like what was true then is still true today. I have been blessed by some incredible mentors in my life and I thank God for them. The second thought is how confident you would have to be to tell someone to imitate you. Not something I would be comfortable encouraging.
The first part of 1 Corinthians is always hard for me to push through. Paul's emotion is so raw and I must admit I prefer the tone of the later parts of the book. That said, I don't want to just pick and choose scripture, it is all applicable in some way at some time.
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Post by Josh on Feb 6, 2007 17:13:06 GMT -8
10/05:
Yep, tough chapter.
Can you imagine the day when God will reveal every secret thing hidden in darkness and all the intentions of our hearts? (v. 5) Ouch... and just because we have Christ's righteousness doesn't mean we will escape the exposing of all our secrets.
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Post by michelle on Feb 6, 2007 17:13:50 GMT -8
10/05:
No, it will not be fun revealing all of our secrets, but can you imagine receiving praise from God (verse 6). I think my heart skipped a beat when I read this. Even when we have to reveal the darknesses of our heart we will receive praise for the goodness in it. I will have to remember this verse if I ever start to have doubts about God's character.
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Post by sarah on Feb 6, 2007 17:16:01 GMT -8
10/05:
Good point Michelle. It makes me want to pull the trigger on the secret things in my heart and discover and reveal them sooner rather than later, both the good and the bad.
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Post by Josh on Feb 6, 2007 17:16:26 GMT -8
10/05:
Wow, that's powerful, Sarah (and Michelle). Whatever not exposed by the light, will be? Right? So, yeah, getting it out in the open now is far better. (Of course I'm not saying broadcast all your sins to everyone, but confess them to trustworthy friends)
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Post by michelle on Feb 6, 2007 17:17:43 GMT -8
10/05:
How you know when too much pride is one of your sins... When it seems like not being a Christian would be less painful that sharing your sins. Crap, now I have something staring me in the face for me to work on. This is going to be a tough one.
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Post by Josh on Feb 6, 2007 17:18:09 GMT -8
10/05:
What you've said here sheds a lot of light on the Chapter 5 discussion, I think: a lot of the time the Church doesn't even need to 'excommunicate' someone who is unrepentant-- they do it themselves quite effectively, sad to say. There is much fear in revealing our true identities.
Fear has to do with punishment..., however, there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
(see John 4:18)
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Post by michelle on Feb 6, 2007 17:19:21 GMT -8
10/05:
So are there guidelines about what sins you should confess to others? Do you just confess sins against them? Or sins that you need help with? Because if we were going to confess all of our sins to each other, would we ever stop talking??
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Post by sarah on Feb 6, 2007 17:20:01 GMT -8
10/05:
I know the standard I have set in my life is no secrets. I have found through experience that the more I keep hidden the more sin has an increasing hold over my life. The more reluctant I am to share something the greater the indicator to me that it is a real issue for me.
Confession brings me freedom because it allows me to be known by others in the areas I consider most ugly and sinful. It is one thing for me to experience being loved through my strengths, another through my sins. I don't broadcast my sins to everyone, but there are selected people in my life that I hold myself to a higher level of transparency with. That said, I belive I have to give an honest answer if someone asks. Even if it paints me in a bad light. My ultimate goal is transparency in all situations.
As to who you should confess to, I think that it is good to keep it gender specific in terms of issues of purity, but all else is open to all. Confession to others I believe is not about forgiveness, Christ, covers that part. It is about healing and growing and becoming closer to what God has created us to be. Maturity is in submitting. AKA accountability, which I think is a misused and misunderstood term in the church. No one can hold me accountable for anything unless I have submitted to them to do so.
That said, feel free to call me on my crap and ask awkward questions at will!
James 5:16 Galatians 6: 1-5
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Post by Josh on Feb 6, 2007 17:21:05 GMT -8
10/05:
I think Sarah really highlights the beneficial reasons why God would have us confess to others in many situations and not just to him.
I just want to say that some get caught in a paranoia about specifically naming in confession every sin they might possibility commit. I would say it is enough to regularly ask the Holy Spirit to reveal sin in our life that needs to be confessed- let Him do the work. If something is nagging at you, or feels like a block between you and the Lord, then that needs to be dealt with. Also, I think David or one of the Psalmists just asks God to cover his 'secret sins' (ones he might not even be aware of). I think a good model is the Lord's Prayer, which would be efficacious to pray every day, really.
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