"Beyond Reproach" You can't vote!
No adult ever wants to hear these words. Unfortunately, they are spoken all too frequently across many nations. Most states in the U.S. have laws prohibiting inmates from voting while incarcerated for a felony offense or while they're on parole. Two states even deny the right to vote to felony offenders who have completed their sentences. Defenders of these laws say they are protecting us from voter fraud or that they are "preserving the purity of the ballot box" - whatever that means. They have decided that the past action of these people justifies their reproach. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reproach is an expression of rebuke or disapproval. Eight times in the New Testament we are told to be "above reproach" (four of these passages are speaking specifically about elders/deacons). What happens if someone is not "above reproach"? Do we refuse fellowship to protect ourselves from "believer fraud" or to "preserve the purity of the church" similar to those who want to keep ex-felons from voting? Do these passages justify allowing someone's past action to elicit our reproach; or, could these passages be pointing to something entirely different. something other than our past? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "When he [Paul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus." (Acts 9:26-27 - NIV) Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) was feared by many in the early church because for years he had imprisoned, tortured and even killed Christians. Although he was now converted to Christ, they were nonetheless afraid of him. They knew of his reputation and likely did not believe the truth of his conversion. Barnabas, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was able to move beyond what he had seen and believe in things as yet unseen (Heb 11:1 - KJV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Was Paul "above reproach"? Was he "good" or "without sin"? "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1st John 1:8 - NIV) Even Jesus said: "Why do you call me good? No one is good. except God alone." (Mark 10:18 - NIV) Paul didn't claim to be without sin or to be above reproach. However, he did claim to be a forgiven child of God. He had moved beyond his past. beyond reproach. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will." (Ephesians 1:3-5 - NIV) Paul had been adopted as God's son through Jesus Christ and therefore was now holy and blameless in God's sight. Are you beyond your past. beyond reproach? Yes! If you have received Him. "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13 - NIV) Will some still hold you in reproach or disapproval? Will some be afraid of you as they were of Paul and look to your past and not your future even though you're now a child of God? Unfortunately, yes. To those we can only pray that they will come to hear Jesus' words: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:1-2 - NIV) William Arthur Ward put it this way: Flatter me and I might not believe you. Criticize and I might not like you Ignore me and I might not forgive you Encourage me and I will not forget you. We encourage you to "not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2nd Corinthians 4:18 - NKJV) and be beyond reproach, walking forward as a forgiven child of God. Pastor RonU ".I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6 (KJV) O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] window live messenger: [EMAIL PROTECTED] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
