Former location of "The Kingdom of the Heavens" blog, written by an incurable fool who is trying to become a holy fool!
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18 shows that an unresolved offense keeps both parties imprisoned, bound from service, though only the unforgiving one is tortured by their unforgiveness.
The analogy between classical leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) and the effect of unresolved bitterness between members of the Body of Christ. Both cause members of the body to lose sensation and be vulnerable to infection and death. “Cutting off” members only accelerates this.
Jesus and Paul both give details of procedures for handling offenses within the church. Those procedures look toward reconciliation and removal of barriers, rather than creation of barriers, except where excommunication is necessary.
A God who Speaks, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, In the Church, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, Quarrels, refusal to repent, Refusing to hear, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of our Relationships, Through others, Through the church, What is sin?
The opposite of love is indifference, not hate. Indifference is love that has grown cold. The modern pop psychology concept advocating “cutting off” people who have hurt us teaches the advisability of indifference. It is unscriptural if understood to dehumanize or dematerialize the person cut off, making them non-entities beyond hope of repentance.
The two things God cannot do are: 1) lie; and 2) force us to be reconciled to himself or to anyone else. Supporting scriptures are discussed briefly.
A root of bitterness is a grudge that spreads to uninvolved parties, planting contempt for the accused and hindering God’s grace. It leads to unforgiveness, rumor embellishment, and division among believers. To combat this, individuals should forgive offenses and avoid spreading resentment, while the church follows scripture-based conflict resolution without gossip.
Changed treatment of each other, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God is Love, God's purpose for us, In the Church, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, On speaking terms again, Quarrels, Reconciliation, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, To be his ambassadors, To live in unity
Una raíz de amargura es un rencor que, al difundirse, contamina al oyente y crea actitudes de desprecio hacia el ofensor. Los rumores empeoran y se propagan exponencialmente, dañando irreparablemente las relaciones. La única solución es perdonar y buscar la reconciliación, evitando siempre los chismes.
Changed treatment of each other, Confession and Repentance, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God is Love, God's purpose for us, In the Church, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, On speaking terms again, Quarrels, Reconciliation, Repentance, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, To be his ambassadors, To be in his image, To live in unity
El texto explica que Dios no puede perdonarnos los rencores entre nosotros, ya que solo nosotros somos los dueños de esos sentimientos y debemos decidir perdonar. Jesús enseña que si no perdonamos a otros, Dios no nos perdonará. Dios valora la reconciliación y nos llama a vivir en el perdón.
Changed treatment of each other, Consequences, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God is Love, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, His Friends, In the Church, judgment, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, patience, Reconciliation, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, Sin, To be his ambassadors, To live in unity
Guardando rencor, no solo uno se daña a sí mismo, sino que ambas partes quedan atrapadas en una prisión emocional hasta que se libere el rencor. Jesús enseña que debemos perdonar infinitamente y sin contabilizar las ofensas, mostrando compasión y misericordia hacia los demás, como Dios lo hace con nosotros. Originalmente publicado en inglés el 11 de julio de 2024.
Consequences, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God is light, In the Church, judgment, Meaning of Unity, On speaking terms again, Quarrels, Reconciliation, refusal to repent, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Sin, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom of the Heavens, To be his ambassadors, To live in unity, Unity, What is sin?
Many times it seems to me that people have decided to treat me as non-existent. How should I love them?
Background Information, Changed treatment of each other, Confession of Sin, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God is Love, His Friends, In the Church, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, Personal Background, Repentance, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Through others, To be his ambassadors, To bear fruit, To live in unity