Restoration of our Relationships

Debts, debtors and paráptōmata in the Lord’s Prayer and Jesus’ associated saying on mercy towards others’ weaknesses–Matthew 6:12-15 and Mark 11:20-26

Ian Johnson August 12, 2021 2 Comments

In the Lord’s Prayer and the parallel teaching about mercy, Jesus tells us that we are to ask God to release us from the consequences or resulting debts of our sins as we release others from the debts we imagine they owe us. While praying, we are to show mercy upon the flaws (paráptōmata) that led them to sin, because the Father will show us mercy in the same measure.

Confession and Repentance, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Reconciliation, Repentance, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, To live in unity

by the same measure, debts, flaws, forgiveness, Jesus, Lord's Prayer, mercy, paráptōma, release, sins, unforgiveness

Repentance, Confession and the Textual Variant in James 5:16

Ian Johnson August 9, 2021 2 Comments

James 5:16 occurs in a context dealing with sick Christians and healing. In that context, it teaches that we are to agree with each other about the character flaws in our lives that lead to discrete sins, and pray for each other that these flaws–and the whole person–will be healed. This sensible reading is supported by the Byzantine New Testament text tradition, which is to be preferred for this verse.

A God who Speaks, Confession and Repentance, Confession of Sin, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, Is forgiveness of sins the focus of salvation?, Reconciliation, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity

Agree with Each Other, agreement, character flaws, Confess, confession, fault, faults, healing, James 5:16, prayer

Authority Figures in the Church — Elders

Ian Johnson November 21, 2020 4 Comments

The term term translated “elder” refers to the age and wisdom of persons functioning in this role in the Church. It often seems to be used interchangeably with “overseer” (or “bishop”), and the way a person legitimately functioning in this capacity is to be recognized (often called the “qualifications”) is the same as for an overseer. Like overseers, elders teach and lead by example, not by fiat.

A God who Speaks, Discipline or Correction, God Speaks to Us, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, Through others, Through the church, Uncategorized

authority, authority figures, authority in the Church, elder, elders, functions of elders, presbuteros

Mutual Submission is the Key

Ian Johnson November 8, 2020 2 Comments

Unity in the church arises, not from submission to a power structure, but from mutual submission to each other, seeking each other’s good above our own, in submission to Christ.

A God who Speaks, Desire to have our own way, God Speaks to Us, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Reconciliation, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity

Body, Body of Christ, counting each other more important than ourselves, Equal, equality, equality of members, humility, Love, mutual benefit, mutual submission, power, submission, submit

The “Heretick” in Titus 3

Ian Johnson August 6, 2020 3 Comments

Titus 3:10 instructs whenever a divisive person approaches ME and tries to start an argument, I am to warn them twice about their behavior and then excuse myself. Thereafter I should ignore them, until they repent of their argumentativeness. It is a simple instruction by which I can avoid being influenced by divisiveness. It is not an instruction to the Church or the State to burn heretics.

Authority Contests, Disputes about words, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Personality cults, Quarrels, Restoration of our Relationships

arguments, Church unity, disputes about words, divisive person, factions, gentle, gentleness, heretic, heretick, peace-loving, quarrels, submission, submit

Rejection of Unity Makes Us Vulnerable to Divisive Leaders and their False Teachings

Ian Johnson July 5, 2020 2 Comments

Our disunity also leaves us vulnerable to exploitation by false teachers and their distorted religious teachings, with which they seek to win a personal following for their own gratification or profit. proper recognition of the oneness of the Body, and of the importance of living in oneness, protects against divisive people.

Divisions in the Church, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Religious violence and persecution, Restoration of our Relationships, Wars as consequences

Church unity, division, divisiveness, false teachers, false teachings, greed, heretic, profit

God Provides for Our Needs through Our Unity

Ian Johnson July 3, 2020 3 Comments

God’s pattern shown in the Early Church was to provide for the needs of its members through its unity. In unity, we regard ourselves and everything we own as God’s, and give unselfishly to the needs of others, as he directs us. This gives the world a picture of God himself.

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Restoration of our Relationships, The universal Church and local churches, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity

Church History, Church together, Church unity, early Church, Generosity, Giving, Holy Spirit, Money, Provision, Spirit filed

Do We Want the Peace and Restoration of Unity and Mutual Forgiveness, or the “Torturers” of Mental Illness?

Ian Johnson June 28, 2020 7 Comments

Our peace, joy and effectiveness are dependent on our unity as shown by forgiveness and the resolution of offenses between us, God takes division and unforgiveness so seriously because it damages all parties to the offense and limits the Body of Christ. When we neglect this, we are given over to the tormentors–guilt, fear, anxiety and mental illness.

Church purpose versus church growth, Divisions in the Church, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Illness as a Consequence, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Purpose of the Church, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Sins versus sin, To live in unity, Uncategorized

anxiety, Body of Christ, Church, division, fear, forgive, forgiveness, guilt, mental illness, oneness, restoration, shame, torment, tormentors, torture, torturers, unforgiveness, unforgiving servant, Unity, Unity of believers

An old dream about dirges, Sunday school classes, and the expectation to hide problems

Ian Johnson April 30, 2020 4 Comments

How a dream about the word “dirge” led me to recognize two of the major problems of modern Western churches: our insistence on hiding problems to preserve our “witness” rather than dealing with them in the Spirit (hypocrisy) and our one-way, “fact”-intensive teaching style.

Discipline or Correction, Emotions, End of the Churched Society, God Speaks to Us, Heresy, Historical Background, Human Rationality, Illness as a Consequence, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Purpose of the Church, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, The place of visions, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity

actor, Christian education, Christian witness, Common Good, Common Problems, Death, Dirge, Emotions, empathy, Fear of Death, Grief, how to teach, hypocrisy, hypocrite, Negative emotions, One Body, positive sales atmosphere, Sales, Sunday school, sympathy, witness

Debts, debtors and paráptōmata in the Lord’s Prayer and Jesus’ associated saying on mercy towards others’ weaknesses–Matthew 6:12-15 and Mark 11:20-26

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Repentance, Confession and the Textual Variant in James 5:16

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Authority Figures in the Church — Elders

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Mutual Submission is the Key

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The “Heretick” in Titus 3

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Rejection of Unity Makes Us Vulnerable to Divisive Leaders and their False Teachings

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God Provides for Our Needs through Our Unity

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Do We Want the Peace and Restoration of Unity and Mutual Forgiveness, or the “Torturers” of Mental Illness?

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An old dream about dirges, Sunday school classes, and the expectation to hide problems

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Restoration of our Relationships

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