----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 5:00 AM
Subject: [TruthTalk] God Hates
Blaspheming
john: What is it in my words above that give
rise to the notion that I am suggesting we be controlled by the emotions of
others?
jt: It's not your words per se
John, it's the situation. When people must tiptoe about and watch what
they say for fear of arousing anger in another - this is a phenomenon called
"control by anger"
If we apply the advise of I Co 13:4-7 ,
we are being controlled by the Spirit of God are we not?
jt: Not necessarily.
When we try to apply NT scripture like rules to fix a problem we mishandle the
Truth. Actually "the goal of the instruction of scripture is love from a
pure heart" .. so you see "a pure heart" is the first part of the goal and all
of these other issues are distractions along the way. We've all got
"stuff" and none of us has arrived just yet. Love covers.
The emotion of the others is of no concern to
those controlled by God. I am certain you agree with that so help me
out. Why do you think I am suggesting (in the above wording) you
be controlled by the emotions of other?
jt: God does not control people;
control is in the devil's court; God gives us the freedom to choose either to
be led by the Spirit of God or our old carnal, unrenewed mind. God has a
live, and let live policy so long as we understand that we will always reap
what we sow and we are ultimately responsible before Him for every
choice we make.
You and I (and Bill and Perry and ..........)
are family members because we serve the same Christ, then we do not have the
freedom to respond in the way we desire -- we are constrained by the
spirit of love in Christ. Correct???
jt: Yes .. I would say that
love should constrain or keep us from anger and offence because the anger of
man does not result in the "righteousness of God" ATST family
members should be free to be honest with each other.
If I didn't know better, I would say that you are
saying that 13:4-7 does not apply to those on TT.
jt: I gave up trying to
apply scriptures to other people years ago. Right now my focus is being
a "doer of God's Word" myself and my hope is that others will give me
freedom and the room to grow..
I am not saying you are angry. But
I am saying that quite often, the "way you are saying" (your words
above) could be more constrained. It seems that the best expense of
time, on this forum, is to form our responses with a view to persuasion or to
continue the learning circumstance. When we write only to
correct, when there is no obvious concern to change the thinking of the other
or to accept some of his/her thinking, then our discussion is of no
importance. I doubt that anyone on this list is here for the purpose of
correction. But if you are concerned that God work through
you to enlighten, I would think that the advise of I Co 13:4-7 is forced upon
you (and us all.)
jt: Love without truth is spiritual harlotry John; where
would be be if Martin Luther had not had a heart for truth. I believe he is
the one who wrote that "everytime the devil is challenged he begins to weep
and talk about love." I am not deluded enough to believe that Bill would take
correction from me personally or that I am even in a position to give him
correction since I don't know much about him personally; but I do feel free to
challenge this "perichoresis" thing publicly.
You are right on here. Accepting that
Bill is a brother, consider this: assume that Bill is still a "babe in
Christ" (sorry about that William)
jt: Sure John ... With so many
of you deferring to him and falling at his feet? I may have a lot
of issues but I'm not quite that thick. :) I will pray that the Holy
Spirit gives me sensitivity in the way I respond to everyone on TT
....
