Restoration of our Relationships

Am I Presently Disqualified from all Participation, Service and Giving?

Ian Johnson December 10, 2024 0 Comments

The reasons I believe Scripture now bars me from nearly all church activities, service and giving until offenses two other believers hold against me are fully resolved–if that ever happens–and what I plan to do now.

Changed treatment of each other, choosing not to forgive, Confession and Repentance, Confession of Sin, Consequences, Desire to have our own way, Discipline or Correction, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, God is Love, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, His Friends, judgment, Love each other, patience, Repentance, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, Sin, The Bible, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity, Trusting sight over God's words, What is sin?

Both of the Debtors in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Ended up in Debtors’ Prison

Ian Johnson December 9, 2024 0 Comments

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.

A God who Speaks, choosing not to forgive, Consequences, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Parables, Restoration of our Relationships, Sin, Through Jesus, What is sin?

debt, debtors' prison, forgiveness, Jesus, parable, the unforgiving servant, tirrture, torturers, two debtors, unforgiveness, unforgiving servant

What Does the Lord’s Table have to do with this?

Ian Johnson December 9, 2024 0 Comments

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.

Consequences, Desire to have our own way, Discipline or Correction, Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, Heresy, judgment, Love each other, Personality cults, Quarrels, Restoration of our Relationships, self-serving worship, Sin, What is sin?

Communion, discerning the Lord's body, Eucharist, examine himself, felt connection, Lord's Supper, Lord's Table, properly recognize the Body, unworthily, unworthy manner

Leprosy–and members cutting each other off

Ian Johnson December 9, 2024 0 Comments

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.

choosing not to forgive, Death of Members, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God was never our enemy, Love each other, Quarrels, Reconciliation, refusal to repent, Refusing to hear, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, Sin, What is sin?

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Didn’t Jesus tell us how to handle offenses between believers?

Ian Johnson December 9, 2024 0 Comments

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?

church discipline, Church History, church practice, church proceduree, cut off, cutting off, excommunication, Galatians 6, Matthew 18, peace, reconcilliation, restoration

The Opposite of Love is Indifference

Ian Johnson December 9, 2024 0 Comments

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.

Changed treatment of each other, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God is Love, Love each other, patience, Repentance, Restoration of our Relationships, Ultimate reality, What is God's Word

attention, don't care, don't exist, hate, ignore, indifference, Love, not a real person, people as things, real person, things, worldly goods, worthiness, worthy

There are Two Things God Can’t Do!!!

Ian Johnson December 9, 2024 0 Comments

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.

Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Love each other, Quarrels, Restoration of our Relationships

bitterness, commandments, commands, forgive, forgiveness, free will, reconcile, reconciliation, things God cannot do, unforgivenss

The Blog Will Continue Under a New Name, Emphasizing that I’m an Incurable Fool!

Ian Johnson December 9, 2024 0 Comments

Full retraction of all previous blog content as the words of an ignorant fool. Declaration of a new purpose and an intention to now burn myself out following it.

Must Trust God to Enter, Reconciliation, Restoration of our Relationships, Truth and Falsehood, Victory

affirmation, burn out, dead, Death, folly, fool, impossibility of reconciliation, incurable fool, irreversible, Love, purpose, reconciliation, rejection

Where am I going next–and does it really matter?

Ian Johnson October 21, 2024 0 Comments

About the shortness of my time remaining, the failure of my life thus far, priorities, how Don Quixote, the Serenity Prayer and Ponce de Leon fit, love is always passionate, and passion always hurts, and proudly wearing the craters on my heart.

Complex unity, Emotions, God is light, God is Love, His Friends, Human Rationality, Love each other, Restoration of our Relationships, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom of the Heavens, To be in his image, To live in unity

bonding, distance, Don Quixote, emotional needs, failure, Fountain of Youth, in person, life, Love, pain, passion, physical contact, Ponce de Leon, pychological needs, unbonded

My Introduction to Love

Ian Johnson September 23, 2024 0 Comments

My lifelong struggle with love, exacerbated by autism, and how my attempts to show love have often been flawed. I realize authentic love comes from God and that I must rely on the Holy Spirit rather than my own wisdom to truly love others.

Emotions, God is Love, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, Human Rationality, Love each other, Must Trust God to Enter, Restoration of our Relationships, self-serving worship, Show us the Way of Truth, The Kingdom of the Heavens, To be in his image, To live in unity, Ultimate reality

all true love comes from God, all true love is poured out by the holy spitit, Love, true love

Am I Presently Disqualified from all Participation, Service and Giving?

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Both of the Debtors in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Ended up in Debtors’ Prison

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What Does the Lord’s Table have to do with this?

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Leprosy–and members cutting each other off

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Didn’t Jesus tell us how to handle offenses between believers?

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The Opposite of Love is Indifference

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There are Two Things God Can’t Do!!!

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The Blog Will Continue Under a New Name, Emphasizing that I’m an Incurable Fool!

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Where am I going next–and does it really matter?

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My Introduction to Love

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Restoration of our Relationships

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