Your Greatest Need

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

To get this back on track... this is the paragraph that really troubles me. You make the assumption that just because this WANT is present, that it should be fed and appeased.

What ever happened to realizing that we are depraved and nothing good resides within us in of ourselves? What ever happened to realizing we are filth, unworthy, not able to ever have anything good within us without Jesus? This just sounds so self centered and like humanism.

No, you miss the point. The need we have for acceptance, but we seek it in all the wrong ways. It's only by understanding how we are accepted in Christ that we find wholeness and are able to be loving to others as He loves.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

It's only by understanding how we are accepted in Christ that we find wholeness and are able to be loving to others as He loves.

Now that is something to think about. If we cannot love others as they are, then we may not have the love of Christ in us?

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Cindy

I have to find another thread so I don't post something and have to give myself an infraction.

Feeling the SAME way.

[deacon blues]

The message of the cross (Gods grace) is offensive and is resisted for it's simplicity and the fact that it is a finished work. We have a hard time believing it is that simple. It's almost too good to be true.

[AreYouReady?]

Christ made it simple for us. Some just want to complicate things.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

And what were Christ's commandments? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, love your neighbor as yourself and a new commandment: love one another.

Those are conditions are they not? What if we DONT love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? What if we DONT love our neighbor as ourself?

Will UNCONDITIONAL LOVE still save us?

[Michael The Disciple]

The unconditional love doctrine is pure heresy.

Is this unconditional?

Luke 14:25-27

14:25 Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them, 14:26 “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple. 14:27 Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple.

Sounds like its conditioned on taking up the cross and following him.

Sounds like its conditioned on disregarding all others.

Believe me this is just the beginning.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

The message of the cross (Gods grace) is offensive and is resisted for it's simplicity and the fact that it is a finished work. We have a hard time believing it is that simple. It's almost too good to be true.

But thats only HALF the message of the cross. Jesus bore his cross. He finished his work. Now we must take up ours and die to ourselves.

I am not resisting Jesus finished work as our sacrifice. I resist the offer of salvation without taking up our cross. I resist the message of unconditional love because it is not Biblical.

[Dordrecht]

You guys make things complicated.

[Bro. Robbins]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Well, since you're so simple, it shouldn't be difficult to understand that we desire love and acceptance. That's common to every human in every culture in every era of history. Jesus likened our relationship to God, our heavenly Father, to our relationship with our earthly father in Luke 11. He said if we know how to be good to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask of Him?

First, the article isn't about heaping praise on people. Second, if it was, I don't see the problem. I think compliments, praise, kind words, celebrating someone's achievements are all perfectly fine and actually a very effective way to encourage someone and allow them sense that they have value, they are loved and they are appreciated. But the article is about how deep down we just want to be loved and we can never find pure, unadulterated love anywhere in anyone outside of Jesus.

And Jesus loves all of us, including our flesh. And He redeemed us, including our flesh. And I believe He cares about our insecurities and shame, our loneliness and need to be accepted. He's a good Father who cares about His children. And that's what makes His grace so beautiful. He adopted us, and He didn't have to. He chose us, and we had nothing to do with it.

Our greatest desire, or want may be acceptance and/or love... but you said it was our greatest NEED. Words are important... and I think you were very loose there with that one. Our greatest NEED is RIGHTEOUSNESS. All the love in the world wont' do you any good if you aren't RIGHTEOUS before God having been washed in the blood of Jesus.

There will be people that Jesus, the church, and others loved.... heaped praise upon... encouraged... that will still be in Hell... there are children there in hell today of parents that gave them tons of chances, bailed them from jail, forgave them over and over, prayed for them, interceded for them, told them they could make it and encouraged them... that the Holy Ghost pulled on the heartstrings of... that God even wrapped Himself in flesh to give Himself for... that God Himself desired they would never perish and he offered them love.... but they still went to Hell.

No, this is some dangerous stuff your touting here. If you called it our greatest DESIRE... I'd have no issue with you... none at all. But you said it's our GREATEST NEED... and friend... I don't need love as much as I need RIGHTEOUSNESS. I need to be saved more than I need someone giving me kuddos and encouragement. My greatest need has more to do with eternity than my self esteem and self concept.