Sin

I must handle anger better than the most religious people!

Ian Johnson May 13, 2025 0 Comments

I must live more righteously than the most religious people, the people who make a show of keeping all of the rules in their own strength. Jesus’ first example of this is that I must handle my anger better than the most religious people do, and better than the traditional interpretations of the Law of Moses prescribed. I am responsible not only for letting the Spirit control my anger, but for doing what I can, led by the Spirit, to avoid giving a brother or sister an occasion to develop a grudge against me. If I love my brother or sister, I will try to reconcile with them promptly when I know I have aroused their anger.

choosing not to forgive, God's purpose for us, Harboring anger and grudges, Restoration of our Relationships, To live in unity

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Why Reconcile Quickly–The Danger of Animosity, Bitterness, Murderous Contempt and Divine Judgment

Ian Johnson April 29, 2025 0 Comments

Jesus explains his command to go and be reconciled in the preceding two verses:, I dehumanize the objects of my anger in three steps : 1) holding onto ordinary anger long enough that, instead of me controlling it, it controls me; 2) telling myself or other people that the object of my bitterness is worthless to me, less human than I am, because of what they did; then 3) showing contempt that tears down another person’s humanity directly, by speech and action pointedly directed at them. Then, I am only a step away from murder.

choosing not to forgive, Forgive as we forgive, Love each other, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Sin, What is sin?

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I Can’t Control the Orbit of Saturn

Ian Johnson April 27, 2025 1 Comment

This is the report of a prayer time earlier this week in which the Holy Spirit interrogated me about how a passage in Colossians 1 that I was praying through applied to my life, as enlarged by some later meditation. God is able to take care of even of the people I worry about and other believers I’ve hurt, Reconciliation comes only from Him. Enough people have watched me tear myself apart this year with worry and self-condemnation that I knew I should make it public to reassure them that I’m still listening to God. It may also be helpful to other chronic codependent worriers who hear it.

Changed treatment of each other, choosing not to forgive, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, God is Love, God was never our enemy, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, God's sovereignty, Love each other, patience, Reconciliation, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of our Relationships, To live in unity, Victory, What is sin?

Christ, Christology, Colossians 1, Creator, cross, darkness, Death, doctrine, God's wisdom, God's sovereignty, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom, model prayer, my wisdom, prayer, qualified, reconcile, reconciliation, rescue, Trusting God, worry, worrying

Failure to reconcile an offense “quickly” — debtor’s prison awaits!

Ian Johnson April 24, 2025 0 Comments

When I have offended another believer, I must seek reconciliation quickly, before they have had time to form a final judgment against me and form a grudge. I must not procrastinate. Once a grudge forms, I will be imprisoned outside of their lives, unable to give or receive the things God wants to give us through each other, unless and until God intervenes to change their heart toward me.

choosing not to forgive, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Love each other, Restoration of our Relationships, What is sin?

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Notice of Open, Confessed and Uncorrectable Hypocrisy

Ian Johnson April 14, 2025 0 Comments

I will now, in my own heart, become a hypocrite because others in authority say I should. I must overlook the continued existence of a justified grudge another believer holds against me and return to ordinary service in the church. But I will not cover up my hypocrisy. I hereby declare my hypocrisy openly.

choosing not to forgive, Divisions in the Church, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Pride in accomplishments as our own, Quarrels, Repentance in community, What is sin?

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Commentaries Discussing the Command to Go and Be Reconciled

Ian Johnson March 3, 2025 2 Comments

In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus gives what appears to be a simple command, though one that is almost never obeyed: before I may offer worship to God before other people, I must see that any offenses which I am aware that others hold against me are being reconciled and have been reconciled at least to some degree. This post quotes and discusses commentaries on this passage and its subject.

Changed treatment of each other, choosing not to forgive, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Love each other, Repentance, Restoration of our Relationships, What is sin?

Albert Barnes, Charles Spurgeon, commentary, enmity, forgiveness, Giving, Grant Osborn, hate, importance of reconciliation, John Wesley, Love, Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew Henry, offended, offender, offense, priority, urgency of reconciliation, Worship

The Command to “Go” and “Be Reconciled” — Part 1, The “If”

Ian Johnson February 28, 2025 0 Comments

In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus gives what appears to be a simple command, though one that is almost never obeyed: before I may offer worship to God before other people, I must see that any offenses which I am aware that others hold against me are being reconciled and have been reconciled at least to some degree. This post covers Jesus’ extreme example of this—the need to interrupt even a Temple sacrifice ritual to go and be reconciled.

choosing not to forgive, Confession of Sin, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, Restoration of our Relationships, To live in unity, What is sin?

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I Receive Back More of What I Give — But Grace is Needed, it’s a Learning Process

Ian Johnson February 18, 2025 1 Comment

My human nature, people around me and even the world’s “experts” tell me that I should insist on my “rights,” hold grudges forever, cut people off, deny all mercy and all forgiveness, particularly when I have been hurt badly. But God’s wisdom tells me to show his grace, mercy and forgiveness, and to set people free. Jesus promised—and warned—that I will receive back even more of what I give, good or bad. But becoming like Jesus is a learning process I am still far from completing.

choosing not to forgive, Discipline or Correction, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God's purpose for us, Love each other, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, To live in unity, What is sin?

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To Find Mercy, Show Mercy; To Find Freedom, Set Others Free

Ian Johnson February 8, 2025 0 Comments

In just the same way that showing love toward those who hate me is acting like my Heavenly Father does, being supernatural. so being kind toward evil people and merciful toward all who need mercy is also showing God in my life. I cannot be free while judging other people worthy of bondage for their offenses against me. I will only find freedom by setting others free.

choosing not to forgive, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, God is Love, God's Existence and Nature, Restoration of our Relationships, self-serving worship, What is sin?

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The Apostle Paul approved of arbitration of disputes between Christians by other believers

Ian Johnson January 15, 2025 0 Comments

The theme of this installment is a question Paul asked the church in Corinth: 1 Corinthians 6:5 (WEB) While the process Jesus described in Matthew 18:15-20 (see previous series of installments) is the ideal procedure, the one most likely to produce reconciliation–which is the goal of all such procedures–the New Testament is not rigidly inflexible in demanding that only this…
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choosing not to forgive, Divisions in the Church, Forgive as we forgive, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God was never our enemy, Love each other, Must Trust God to Enter, Quarrels, Reconciliation, Refusing to hear, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, The Kingdom of the Heavens, Trusting sight over God's words, What is sin?

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I must handle anger better than the most religious people!

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Why Reconcile Quickly–The Danger of Animosity, Bitterness, Murderous Contempt and Divine Judgment

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I Can’t Control the Orbit of Saturn

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Failure to reconcile an offense “quickly” — debtor’s prison awaits!

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Notice of Open, Confessed and Uncorrectable Hypocrisy

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Commentaries Discussing the Command to Go and Be Reconciled

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The Command to “Go” and “Be Reconciled” — Part 1, The “If”

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I Receive Back More of What I Give — But Grace is Needed, it’s a Learning Process

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To Find Mercy, Show Mercy; To Find Freedom, Set Others Free

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The Apostle Paul approved of arbitration of disputes between Christians by other believers

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