A Call to Moral Excellence...Can AFFers Take the Challenge?
 

Here is a partial list of commands presented in the New Testament, however, how many AFFers (not excluding myself) are constantly violating these commands in the way we interact with each other and sugar coating it with the idea that we're just funnin with each other...is this our opportunity to be carnal-minded (and sometimes sinful) and hide it underneath smilies?

• Be imitators of God and live a life of love, clothing yourselves with compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility and patience (Col 3:12; Eph 5:1-2)
  
• Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts and let the word of Christ dwell in you (Col 3:15-16)
  
• Whatever is true, pure, noble right, lovely, or admirable, think about such things...be ready to do and devote yourselves to doing whatever is good (Phil 4:8-9; Titus 3:1,8)
  
• As often as you can, do good to all people, especially to believers. Let us not become weary in doing this, but continue to do good even when suffering. (Gal 6:9-10; 1 Pet. 4:16-19)
  
• You were called to be free, so use your freedom to serve, and submit to one another in love, and in so doing you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 5:13-14; gal 6:2; Eph. 5:21)
  
• Do not utter unwholesome words when talking to one another. Only use words helpful for the building up of others. (Eph 4:29; 1 Thes. 5:11)
  
• Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and let your conversation be full of grace. (Eph 5:19; Col. 4:6)

Is this just wishful thinking here on AFF? :IAM

Challenge.... that's a good word for what you're presenting here bro.

You got your rose colored glasses on this evening or what? :roseglasses


;) :)

Hey McFly... do you mean take the challenge or meet the challenge???

It's too much to ask for, right? I think I was sipping on some :koolaid

Pick your flavor... :icecream

Good thoughts; it has to start with the individual., a commitment to act responsibly, sincerely..and in honor of GOD., IS that too much to ask?
Apparently for some, it is.

Amen or oh, me?

Oh, me!

You are correct that these commandments remain in the book, and not in our hearts, but it isn't just on the internet. The anonymity, the unlikelihood of meeting those we interact with online, and the greatly reduced chance to receive a punch in the nose all tend to bring out in people anything between friskiness and orneriness. And it isn't just on this forum. This forum is tame compared to non-religious forums.

In some ways, this forum serves as a safety valve for people, allowing them to say to virtual strangers things they'd never say in person. It doesn't feel like we've said it - we've only typed it!

More than half the battle lies not in the writing, but in the reading. Words and phrases written and intended in one frame of mind are interpreted by the reader through the lens of the frame of mind they are in at the time they read it. We can't see each others faces to tell whether we have mis-spoken or brought up a painful topic. We can't make those mid-sentence course corrections. We simply blast away obliviously.

There is no easy solution. You can see the great extent to which smilies are provided in an effort to convey extra meaning.

There is, however, an easy answer.

If you are thin-skinned and easily offended:

A) Stop reading stuff here.
B) Cancel your internet service.
C) Take an axe to your computer.

If you are veritibly consumed with concern about the folly, idle words, carnality, and other anti-Christian behavior here, you can:use the online behavior of individuals to determine who is not following these commandments, and presume that such behavior only hints at the shallowness of their salvation so you can:

A) Feel smug and a vast sense of superiority, knowing that you aren't one of those weak Christians.
B) Compose a list of people to pray for.
C) Sleuth their true identities so you can write letters of concern to their pastor and family.
D) Get over it. It's very rare that people's lives are meaningfully influenced on the internet.

I hope we all will be christians at all times.

And there it is a nutshell...just be Christian.

Your post reminds me of what one elderly pastor from the COOLJC wrote...

The youth were preparing to travel to the Youth Congress, and on the bulletin board was the flyer with details of services and such. The youth president had added a list of dos and don'ts...what not to wear and where not to go dominated the list.

With a black marker, Bishop wrote, "Just be saved!!"

That's about it, Mother A...if we can just act and speak as such as is becoming Saints of the Most High...what an impact we would have on those in our realm of influence.

OP Carl,

You have expressed a very well-thought out post here and therein lies consious and unconscious truths. You have covered the rank sinner all the way through the self-righteous Pharisee.:sshhh

Respectfullly,
Rhonda

I meant to toss in here, that people have difficulty living their real lives in fulfillment of all these same commandments. They are not always easy, and are easily misunderstood by others in today's secular culture.

People feel like there is less risk, less harm done, or the infraction is less real, if it takes place in cyperspace.

I would venture that there are some fairly long term Christians that aren't even aware of all of them.

And the fact that I didn't type my complete thought in fulness quite frankly demonstrates my point handily.

Very good thoughts, OPC! Thanks!

Lets take Jesus words all the way.

Be ye therefore PERFECT even as the Father in Heaven is perfect. Matt. 5:48

We dont have the option which commands to obey. Whatever Jesus or the Apostles said we MUST OBEY.

This is certainly the weakness of Christianity. The delusion we need not be perfect.

Would Jesus rebuke his people if their works are not perfect?

2: Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Rev. 3:2

He absolutely would!

If his commands are not KEPT do not expect to enter Heaven.

14: Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. 22:14

Oh I'm prefect I keep all of the commandments.I'm way better than yall.

What does this mean Scott? It APPEARS you are mocking the scriptures.

No I'm not mocking the scriptures ,this was an attempt at bad humor so please forgive me.

Well what did you mean? If one were keeping all the commands of Jesus he would simply say "I am an unworthy servant".

7: But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
8: And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9: Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10: So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Luke 17:7-10

So Jesus EXPECTS his disciples to do all he has commanded without getting puffed up about it.

Not trying to offend but I am trying to promote the truth. :IAM

Micheal The Disciple I hear you as I said I was posting TIC which was in bad taste.
Yes I do believe we should be walking in completion.

A delusion? So it is possible to be perfect and sinless (if one could do away with original sin that is)?

It just shows how much HARDER it is to follow the versus in the original post than it is to start complaining about standards. And make no mistake, that is what is being alluded to here.

The whole Bible is full of teaching that shows we MUST live without sin if we expect to enter the Kingdom. The delusions of men say we need not cease from sin.

Are these the words of Jesus or of men?

Be ye therefore PERFECT even as the Father in Heaven is perfect. Matt. 5:48

And whose words are these?

2: Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Rev. 3:2

What do you mean by standards? If you mean no beards, no trimming hair, ect...you could not be more wrong. I am promoting living the commands of the Lord.

THE STANDARD is be perfect EVEN AS THE FATHER IS PERFECT. That is true Christianity.

The problem is that our own righteousness is as filthy rags. If it were truly possible to live completely sin free and perfect, Jesus would not have needed to even appear on the scene.
Also, I am in no way advocating that because it is impossible to be 100% sin free, that it is "ok" to sin. It is something that one needs to constantly strive for, but it can never be reached. The whole goal is to get as close as possible.

By the way, I see in your profile that you work with the mentally handicapped? I do not know exactly what capacity your doing it but, you my friend are truly doing the Lords work. I see mentally retarded children and young adults and it just amazes me how "happy" they are! I wish I could be that innocent sometimes.....

The NT standard is sinless perfection. It is pretty hard to argue against that.

You are discounting the power of the Holy Ghost.

Hi RW,

When I say WE are to be perfect I am speaking to Spirit filled Christians. That is the difference. WE have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us. So this is NOT self righteousness. WE are NEW CREATIONS.

Yes I have been working as whats called a Resident Training Specialist for almost 5 years now. It is the most rewarding work I have ever done. Some of them are indeed happy yet some are very sad. The Lord has blessed that I have been able to not only have meaningful relationships with some of them but also to bear witness of his name to many staff there.