Additional comments, based on an interesting article about moral failure
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
responding to moral failure - begin with the Bible.
My friends, the first thing I'd have to admit to you is my own moral failure.
I don't deliberately go out and do things wrong, but on more than one occasion,
I've made the wrong choice, sometimes VERY wrong choices. If making wrong
choices makes me a hypocrite, then I, too, am a hypocrite.
All I can tell you is that when I become aware of a sin in my life, I repent
from it. I sure don't try to repeat a sin, but if I said I never repeated any
sins, that, too, would be a lie, for I've done that, too. I also do these
things:
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in
us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not
sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1
John 1:8-10, NIV).
Continuing on:
1 John 2
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if
anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus
Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not
only for ours but also for[1] the sins of the whole world.
3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who
says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth
is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God's love[2] is truly made
complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in
him must walk as Jesus did.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you
have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8
Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because
the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the
darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing
in him[3] to make him stumble. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the
darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going,
because the darkness has blinded him. (1 John 2:1-11, NIV).
So the answers are clear:
1. Love one another.
2. Forgive one another.
3. Keep a short account, confess our sins, turn away from them, seek help when
some particular sin keeps snagging us.
Jesus Christ is our advocate, not our adversary. When a brother or sister in
Christ is having problems, help them out, don't condemn them. Only those who
refuse to admit their failures or that anything at all is wrong are the ones to
watch out for... but pray for such people, too, that they may also become whole
once again.
I sure need Christ, each and every moment of every day.
=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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