LEST ANY FAIL

• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

On Thu, 10 Sep 1998 15:54:27 EDT Fretwell@AOL.com writes:

>The word "fail" comes from the thought of falling short of a desired 
>trait, or failing to lay hold of a provision which has been made
available for 
>us.

Are you insinuating that local standards should have scriptural weight? 
I'm not sure I understand your point here.

>>From reading the two verses prior to verse 15, we get the impression 
>that we are in this effort together, and that we should watch for the 
>Spiritual welfare of each one in the group-- not just our own welfare.  

I don't know anyone here who would disagree with that...

>Listen to them:

>Hebrews 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which 
>is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 
>
>Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which 
>no man shall see the Lord: 
>
>The picture, as I see it, is that when we allow disharmony among 
>members, 

Define "disharmony".  Would you consider someone who did not follow a
local standard (say, they "refuse" to shave their beard off)
disharmonious?

>or get careless about our own dedication to God and His purposes 
>(holiness), we open the gates for Spiritual weakness and diseases 
>to make inroads into the Christian Community.

And it is such strong statements as these that cause the localized belief
that anyone who does not "toe the line" to every local standard is
somehow rebellious, backslidden or defying God.  

That is simply not true.

>A friend of mine, many years ago, told me that the best thing he could 
>do for me was to be strictly obedient to God himself.  

What about his Pastor?

>It DOES matter to the group whether we walk in an upright manner or 
>not.
>
>It DOES matter whether we walk in harmony or not.

But it DOESN'T make sense to place ONE person's personal convictions
(which are tailored for THAT person, reflecting THAT person's weaknesses
and strengths) and trying to blanketly apply them to other people for
which they would prove all but useless for anything other than locally
appearing holy.

Jerry Welch

www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2810/

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]