PP, I think you make an excellent point here. (and by the way, it is clear to me that we are not talking Scriptural issues, only issues of opinion). Thanks for posting it. It's definately something to mull over.
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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle ! ! ! !
Two men met on the street one day. Within minutes they discovered they both lived in the same neighborhood and Jesus had healed them both of blindness. One said, "It's great that Jesus takes spit and dirt to make mud, which somehow heals the eyes after being washed!"
"Mud?" the other man asked. "Jesus doesn't need mud to heal. He just speaks and blind eyes are opened."
"I think you're mistaken", insisted the first man. "He always uses mud."
"You're the one who's mistaken. He didn't use mud on me and I can see just fine, thank you."
What began as a great discovery soon became a great argument. This squabble continued to escalate until the first man finally said, "If Jesus didn't use mud to open your eyes, then I can't and won't fellowship with you. Mud for healing is one of my personal convictions and you are denying its necessity."
The man turned and walked away briskly. Soon he gathered a few of his neighbors together in his home. They were men and women who had been healed of blindness by Jesus' mud. They denied anyone who was "healed" by other means because any other kind of "healing" was questionable and temporary at best. This group became known as Mudites.
Meanwhile, another group formed in the same neighborhood. It was made up of people who's eyes were opened by Jesus' words alone. They encouraged their neighbors who were healed in this way to join their group and firmly reject the notion that mud was necessary for healing. They became known as Anti-Mudites.
Though they both multiplied in number, these two groups continued their rivalry for several decades; in fact the contention took over the whole neighborhood. They each shed many tears, spent many dollars, and exhausted themselves in the attempts of convincing their ignorant subordinates of their insufficiencies. This conflict continued to consume the neighborhood, while the rest of the city groped in blindness, knowing nothing at all about Jesus.
This is the danger.
Taking an isolated event and making it a codified doctrine.
PP, I think you make an excellent point here. (and by the way, it is clear to me that we are not talking Scriptural issues, only issues of opinion). Thanks for posting it. It's definately something to mull over.
Indeed
__________________ Mrs. LPW
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Taking an isolated event (like veils in an epistle to just one assembly and no corroborating words anywhere else?) and making it a codified doctrine??
The issue would not be with the doing or not doing of something it would be in the isolation and disfellowship of those of an other opinion than yours.
Two men met on the street one day. Within minutes they discovered they both lived in the same neighborhood and Jesus had healed them both of blindness. One said, "It's great that Jesus takes spit and dirt to make mud, which somehow heals the eyes after being washed!"
"Mud?" the other man asked. "Jesus doesn't need mud to heal. He just speaks and blind eyes are opened."
"I think you're mistaken", insisted the first man. "He always uses mud."
"You're the one who's mistaken. He didn't use mud on me and I can see just fine, thank you."
What began as a great discovery soon became a great argument. This squabble continued to escalate until the first man finally said, "If Jesus didn't use mud to open your eyes, then I can't and won't fellowship with you. Mud for healing is one of my personal convictions and you are denying its necessity."
The man turned and walked away briskly. Soon he gathered a few of his neighbors together in his home. They were men and women who had been healed of blindness by Jesus' mud. They denied anyone who was "healed" by other means because any other kind of "healing" was questionable and temporary at best. This group became known as Mudites.
Meanwhile, another group formed in the same neighborhood. It was made up of people who's eyes were opened by Jesus' words alone. They encouraged their neighbors who were healed in this way to join their group and firmly reject the notion that mud was necessary for healing. They became known as Anti-Mudites.
Though they both multiplied in number, these two groups continued their rivalry for several decades; in fact the contention took over the whole neighborhood. They each shed many tears, spent many dollars, and exhausted themselves in the attempts of convincing their ignorant subordinates of their insufficiencies. This conflict continued to consume the neighborhood, while the rest of the city groped in blindness, knowing nothing at all about Jesus.
There has been argument about what the mud is or is not, but I think the point of this story is the last line. There is so much dissention among the "believers" that there is very little unity. I remember being a new Christian (teenager) and being told that my yarn bracelets would send me to Hell. Thank God for an assistant Pastor that didn't judge me, but loved me and let me come to his house and eat oreos and drink pepsi during a Bible Study. I Thank God for people in the Church who loved me with my short hair and clothes that stunk like cigarettes (my family was not saved), I thank God that people loved me even though I had to wear mini skirts to church because those were the only skirts that I owned.
Judgemental people never brought me closer to God, only the ones that showed that real love of Christ. And with all of the dissention its a wonder any new believers stick around to see Jesus, because I am afraid that alot of us do a very poor job in reflecting His Love.
Just a Thought.
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Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
"You will be hated for my sake-Just remember that it should be for MY sake and not YOURS-
Do NOT act in such a way as to be offensive, and then blame it on me"
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