Monday 31 October 2016

Are Christians Forgetting?

Are Christians forgetting?
Are Christians forgetting
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
 that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn 
the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16,17

Are Christians forgetting 
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged,
 and with the measure you use, 
it will be measured to you.” 
Matthew 7:1,2.

Are Christians forgetting,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? 
Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. 
“Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
1 Corinthians 5:12,13 

Are Christians forgetting,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ 
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: 
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
Matthew 22:36-40

Are Christians forgetting
“You have heard that it was said, 
‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. 
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
 and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Matthew 5:43-45

Are Christians forgetting,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, 
it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 
it is not easily angered, 
it keeps no record of wrongs. 
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, 
always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: 
faith, hope and love. 
But the greatest of these is love.”  
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

Are Christians forgetting,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,
 for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 
Matthew 7:12.

Are Christians forgetting
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, 
that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; 
once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, 
to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, 
though they accuse you of doing wrong, 
they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 
1 Peter 2:9-12.

Are Christians forgetting
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; 
without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
Hebrews 12:14.
Jesus and his disciples never raised their fist in anger. They never demonstrated against anyone or the secular Roman government. They used their energies and resources to present the salvation message to all who would listen to them. They did so in love and it cost all but one of them their life. Yet within less than a hundred years the salvation message they proclaimed had reached out throughout the whole of the known world.
Question: When people see and hear you talk about God and Jesus, do they see the love of God? Francis of Assisi said,
“The deeds you do 
may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
Francis of Assisi
  Please think about it.

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