Former location of "The Kingdom of the Heavens" blog, written by an incurable fool who is trying to become a holy fool!
Links: This post read as a YouTube video. Full playlist for this series. The point to be made by this post is really quite simple: Jesus’ statement that the things we bind on earth will be bound in heaven and the things we set loose on earth will be loosed in heaven was made in a very specific context, namely,…
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Preliminary outline of two series dealing with mutual imprisonment by unforgiveness, God’s goal of reconciliation, and praying for those who don’t want my prayers using constructive, New Testament prayers.
A God who Speaks, Changed treatment of each other, choosing not to forgive, Confession and Repentance, Confession of Sin, Discipline or Correction, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God is Love, God Speaks to Us, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, His Friends, In prayer, In the Church, Leaving Our First Love, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, patience, Quarrels, Reconciliation, refusal to repent, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, The universal Church and local churches, To be his ambassadors, To bear fruit, To live in unity, What is sin?
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.
Eating and drinking the Lord’s Supper in an “unworthy way” in 1 Corinthians 11, in its full context, refers to partaking without a proper appreciation that those partaking with you are also members of the Body. It relates to the lack of a felt connection.
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.
Jesus is our only Shepherd, gives his life for the sheep, and has only one flock. He assigns us to where he wants, when he wants.
A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Desire to have our own way, Divisions in the Church, God Acts by Speaking, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, His Friends, His sheep, Through Jesus, Through others, Through the church, To bear fruit, To live in unity
Jesús es nuestro único Pastor, quien da su vida por las ovejas, y él guía un solo rebaño. Él asigna sus ovejas a los lugares que quiere, cuando quiere.
A God who Speaks, Desire to have our own way, Desire to have our own way, Divisions in the Church, God Acts by Speaking, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, His Friends, His sheep, In prayer, Through others, Through the church, To bear fruit, To live in unity, Trusting sight over God's words, Uncategorized, What is sin?