For example...the above SEEMS to say
"I see clearly inside myself and those who have issues with me is because I am shining God's light. They are concerned and disturbed because they don't have God or His freedom. So that is why they attack me"
It's a false assumption that shows pride.
I know God's peace and His love. I even understand what Peter says most days.
However, I am offended that he would condemn in his heart all who don't agree with him as those who dont know God.
This I find wrong and needs to be addressed because it causes strife and conflict.
Ariel - I welcome people to disagree. Amen. I also would like the why and the foundations
of it. What I have been faced with is just spiritual confrontation, and the desire I should just
submit and believe.
Now as this is just a position of conviction, it carries no weight.
I then get told I have no authority, sense, standing, I am a heretic, troll, liar, slanderer etc.
Even I do not know God, or love, or the bible, or anything.
Now would anyone who knew the Lord behave like this? Is this the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Is this how Paul, the apostles or Jesus behaved?
So it gets nowhere, because much of the verses and theology are interpretation bias, and
building framework that dictates the result. It is one way of looking at scripture, but I can
use a different framework and get different results, so the assumption, the framework dictate
the answer.
It is why I withdraw to one basic idea. What is the objective of salvation? From this everything
else comes. If it is a free pass exercise, so once in never out, then behaviour, who you are is
irrelevant, it is just knowing Christ and believing at some point is enough.
If the objective is to become like Christ, then failure to reach this is everything.
Jesus said something profound. They hated Him because they hated the Father, and they will
hate us no matter what. And some have expressed what I would call real hatred, to say some
commit the worst sin in church history, legalism or works salvation. And where ever discussion
starts, they have to put their point of simplified focused view in case some might be deceived.
There is no compromise in their eyes, lol, but ofcourse we must compromise, because that
is Gods way? No.
Now we all have to decide why we are on this walk and where we expect to get to.
I know each step is easy, the final destination seems impossible, but Jesus is our guide.
And these wolves want to be accepted as brothers and sisters, though they disown people all
the time.
So it has always been so, and will also be until He returns.