David, I am not understanding how you can say
"sanctification is not a process", and yet that "holiness is a growth process"
and that a work has been begun in you which is not yet complete.
Since I don't really know your heart, I must give
the benefit of the doubt and accept that all your "sternness" is 100% out
of concern for my condition. I do appreciate this concern, but a little goes a
long way. I am lying under an avalanche of concern. It is not provoking me to
good works, it is just provoking me. Perhaps you could balance it with other
sorts of communication.
Where I get the idea of superiority is from your
insistence that you don't sin. Unless I ignore it, I have to do something
with this statement, and can only do so in view of the reality I am
familiar with--in this case, in the form of every other human being I have
met. (That's what we do in evaluating statements we hear from people.) If
your statement is false, then you are pretending to be superior. If it's
true, then it can hardly fail to be noticed that you must actually be
superior to everybody I know, in a quite astounding way. Incidentally, what
on earth do you mean by "Oh dear, I was afraid of that, I get the picture" in
your previous post?
Joking: yes of course there was joking, but I
believed the joking was not about what you thought.
Debbie
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] More wisdom from Dallas
Willard
>> When I said that perhaps you were indeed more righteous,
>> I meant it. You may well be far ahead of me on many matters
>> of behaviour.
>
> One hindrance to our communicating is this idea of comparing ourselves with
> one another. I do not do that, but you do. I have no thought of me being
> better than you, or farther ahead than you, or any such notions. For me,
> sanctification was not a process. I just walked in it according to the
> Spirit, and I think everyone can right away. I do not like the idea of
> holiness being a process whereby one finally stops sinning one day.
> Holiness is a growth process, but it begins with ceasing sin.
>
> Debbie wrote:
>> But you alternate between harshness and condescension
>> in the way you talk to other believers on TT, which you
>> do not seem to see.
>
> I would not characterize it this way. I recognize that I am firm and stern
> at times, but I believe it is appropriate for the situation. I always
> examine myself to see if I am pushing someone too far to the edge. I could
> at times be wrong on this and I realize it. However, characterizing me as
> harsh or condescending is not something I recognize as accurate. I see this
> coming when people project their own attitude that they would have if they
> would say the same things that I say.
>
> Debbie wrote:
>> I imagine there must still be an appreciable gap between
>> you and perfection, yet I don't hear any sorrow or longing
>> over that. But perhaps if I encountered you in person,
>> I would see and hear you differently.
>
> Perhaps I am as joyful in my reconciliation to the holiness of Christ as you
> are in your salvation. :-) I am very optimistic that he who has begun his
> good work in me will complete it.
>
> Peace be with you.
> David Miller.
>
>
> ----------
> "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
>
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