Re: [TruthTalk] Poetry, Literature, Imagination - Love of Language

[Debbie Sawczak]

It is very cautiously that I will attempt to respond, Judy. No, the idea is not that everything we do or think is of God. On the contrary, I have been saying that what issues from our selves per se is not to be taken as coming from God. We are given meaning, reality, goodness, understanding, newness from God in Christ. We can turn away and ignore, or we can trust and live in, him and his gifts. Even recognition of this is from the Holy Spirit, I believe. My security is not in what I am and do, but in what he is and does, which is given to me not as a legal fiction but truly. BUT the story is not finished yet, you see. God continues to act on me to create the person that I will ultimately become in him, and one day I will be resurrected incorruptible. When I am assured that my life is hidden with Christ in God, that is my confidence that this work of his has a reality no one (not even I) can destroy, and that it will be completed. I don't know how to assure you that this does not lead to irresponsibility, loose living, a cheap view of grace, flouting God's commands, etc. To me it plainly must be the opposite, but all I can do is hope that you can take this on trust. My tone may sometimes show me on TT to be an arrogant scoffer, and that wouldn't be totally false. I do still sin in thought, word, and deed.   Perhaps you misunderstood part of my recent little dialogue with JD. I think it's true that we receive much from God before we are even really aware of it, and only later it dawns on us that he was at work in us. But that doesn't mean it was me all along, or that everything I did all my life was right. It means that if I did any living of the truth before I knew it, that too is because of him.   As for the story thingy: there must be no separation between "religion" and the rest of life for those of us who are in Christ. From making a quilt to teaching one's son to swim, everything belongs to the story that God is making of our lives. That doesn't mean everything we do is right; it means that his plan and work are woven throughout, are overarching and take all of it in, that it all goes into the refinery, that it all matters to him, that we look for him in everything.   I feel I am expressing it rather inadequately, and going on any further probably won't help so I'll stop here. Please God bless my words.      Debbie         ----- Original Message ----- From: Judy Taylor To: TruthTalk@mail.innglory.org Cc: TruthTalk@mail.innglory.org Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2005 11:13 AM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Poetry, Literature, Imagination - Love of Language Debbie, I think what bothers me most about those of you who follow certain teachers and certain theologies.  (I'm not sure if you are fully included or if you just hang with them); is the total lack of spiritual discernment.  The idea that everything we do or think is of God and in Christ totally negates putting off the old man and putting on the new because "Hey, it's all in Christ now!!"  Please correct me if I am misunderstanding - because to me this is incredibly blind.  jt   On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 10:52:25 -0400 "Debbie Sawczak" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Ahhhh but has this aught to do with our lives being hid with Christ in God? Not much. Just everything!    If it doesn't, the gospel is hollow.   Debbie