Sloppy Agape and Grandiose Hageasmos

[deacon blues]

Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee..."

Christ's actions and words in this story are a perfect picture of God's great mercy. David said in Psalms 103:8 "The LORD [is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." He also says in Psalms 106:1 "O give thanks unto the LORD; for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever." He says again in Psalms 86:13 "For great [is] thy mercy toward me."

Our God is a God of great mercy. In seeing this humiliated, embarrassed, and patronized woman, Jesus could not but help to see the hypocrisy and duplicity of her accusers. She had been caught in the act. Many scholars believe she had been set up. Where was the man? The law was clear that he too should be brought to account. Maybe he was numbered with the scribes and Pharisees. Maybe he agreed to set up this woman so they could set Jesus up. Nevertheless Jesus exposed their phony sense of righteous indignation and they all left smitten by their own consciences.

We all would like to think we would react like Jesus. I'm sure many of us would. Many of us would have reacted to this woman much like the hypocrites unfortunately. Many of us would rise to expose her guilt and we would quote the Scriptures and we would feel justified in our stand for what is right. I know I have in times past with much remorse. But certainly to react to this woman as Jesus did would be labeled by many as "sloppy agape".

Is it really sloppy to err on the side of mercy? Is God sloppy in that He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy? Is it sloppy to trust that people, in spite of their flawed decisions and regretable failures, will respond better to love and forgiveness, mercy and grace as opposed to wrath, indignation and acrimony?

It would have been "sloppy agape" had Jesus only said "neither do I condemn thee." He finished the conversation by saying "Go and sin no more".

I will agree that there are those who only want to talk about the mercy of God. They take advantage of God's grace and pervert it to mean a license to do whatever they want. They truly practice a form of godliness, but there is no power because it is not rooted in a love for God, rather its rooted in a love for self, flesh, and the pleasures of the world. They forget the scripture also says in Psalms 89:14: "Justice and judgment [are] the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." God is holy. God is righteous. God is just. God is Judge. And He will with fiery vengeance pour out HIs wrath upon the earth and the wickedness of mankind. The scripture is very plain on this.

But could we also be guilty of "grandiose hageasmos" (hageasmos = Greek = holiness)? Is holiness purely right versus wrong, purity versus uncleanness, truth versus lies? Isn't it an act of holiness to give people a second chance? Multiple chances? Isn't that what our holy God does? Isn't it a holy thing to love someone and cover a multitude of sins? Isn't it godly to tell someone "Neither do I condemn you" and then say "go and sin no more".

"Grandiose" means "pompous, overblown, more elaborate than necessary". There is an agape that is defined incorrectly, for sure. But there is also a hageasmos that is equally mischaracterized. Somehow, someway we must walk the fine line of the balance between the two extremes. I know the concept of "balance" gets brushed off many times. But its biblical, its accurate and its right.

We see it in Jesus: He was full of grace AND truth. He whipped the money changers out of the Temple but He ate with publicans and sinners. He denounced sin but He loved sinners. He told the woman in John 8 "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."

We should never make people feel comfortable about sin, but we should always make people feel comforted that in spite of their sin, and in spite of the tragic consequences that follow as a result, they won't find condemnation and "grandiose hageasmos" thrown their way by those of us who are called to Christ's ministry of reconciliation.

Lets practice agape, the greatest of these and let's follow after hageasmos, without which no man shall see the Lord.

[Sam]

Good word, DB.

Now, if I can just become a better doer of the Word than just a hearer.

Thank you.

I can't help but think that Phil 4:5 fits in here somewhere.

[BreakingFree]

Excellent post. Thank you.

[revrandy]

Hey DB.. I was just thinking about this last week and the Lord dealt with me about it..

I visited with a man in the hospital and his wife... they at one time were attending a UC church... His wife wasn't UC any longer..

As I visited with them I could tell they loved each other very much and the Lord... We prayed together and as I left the Lord spoke to me...

He said.. before you judge them...Love them... and I was reminded of the story you wrote of in this Thread...

Those that were looking for the sinner judged her before they loved her...

Jesus...simply said to her...Where are thine Accusers?

He simply told her that he didn't condemn her... and to go and sin no more..

In Pentecost is seems sometimes (more oft than not) we "Judge" them before we Love them...

What think Ye??

btw.. Excellent Post...

[Rico]

Originally Posted by revrandy

Hey DB.. I was just thinking about this last week and the Lord dealt with me about it..

I visited with a man in the hospital and his wife... they at one time were attending a UC church... His wife wasn't UC any longer..

As I visited with them I could tell they loved each other very much and the Lord... We prayed together and as I left the Lord spoke to me...

He said.. before you judge them...Love them... and I was reminded of the story you wrote of in this Thread...

Those that were looking for the sinner judged her before they loved her...

Jesus...simply said to her...Where are thine Accusers?

He simply told her that he didn't condemn her... and to go and sin no more..

In Pentecost is seems sometimes (more oft than not) we "Judge" them before we Love them...

What think Ye??

btw.. Excellent Post...

That'll preach Brother. That would make an excellent title for a message or Bible study! Can I file it away for future use?

[RevDWW]

Good post DB. Good point RR.

Isn't it amazing the He loved us first.....and while we were yet sinners.....

[deacon blues]

Its so frustrating in my own daily life to deal with this carnal notion that somehow I am validated by proving that I am right, I am on the inside track, I am better, I am more worthy, I am a part of the inner circle, etc. In order to fixate that attitude in my mind, I must do it at the expense of other persons. Someone has to be the "dregs" of society if I am going to be superior. Someone has to be the disdainful in order for me to be the bright and beautiful.

Now don't take me wrong. I know that Christ in me makes me special. I know that being a child of God makes me somebody. I know that being filled with His Spirit should give me confidence to face the world and our enemy.

What I'm talking about ties in with Christ's parable in Luke 18:

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

I guess its the shameless self-promotion that raises its ugly head in me that I get disgusted with. I find myself feeling justified looking down on others. I see the disgusting things others do around me and I think thoughts of "I'm not like them." I feel smug. I feel I'm in a different class. And again, as a child of God I am. But its the moment that I compare myself to them as opposed to comparing myself to Him is when I have gone from being clothed in His Righteousness and I throw on the dirty rag of my own.

I want to be a loving Christian. I want to love my enemies. I want to love the difficult to love. I want to love that person who gets on my nerves, the person who cuts me off in traffic, the person who frustrates me, the person who offends me, the person who disagrees with me, the person who I find most difficult to love.

I think Sis. Alvear is one person I feel embodies this Spirit of Love on this forum, or any other forum for that matter. I have never read anything from her that I feel ever exudes false piety, arrogance or judgmentalism. We would all do well to follow her example.

[Truly Blessed]

Several years ago now I was inspired by this story to write the following song.

A woman was brought to the Lord one day
Her accusers thought that she ought to pay
For adulterous sins, caught in the very act
But these religious men overlooked the fact

That Jesus came down to save from sin
To pick her up and give new life within
To give her peace of heart and joy of soul
Only Jesus Christ Christ could make her whole.

I was lost in sin and couldn't find a way
To brighten up my long dark lonely days
Though I tried and tried, Satan said "You're bound"
But I proved him wrong the day I found

That Jesus came down to save from sin
To pick me up and give new life within
To give me peace of heart and joy of soul
Only Jesus Christ could make me whole



We so often fail to look beyond the raw material God is using to build a beautiful "house" in which to dwell.

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Its so frustrating in my own daily life to deal with this carnal notion that somehow I am validated by proving that I am right, I am on the inside track, I am better, I am more worthy, I am a part of the inner circle, etc. In order to fixate that attitude in my mind, I must do it at the expense of other persons. Someone has to be the "dregs" of society if I am going to be superior. Someone has to be the disdainful in order for me to be the bright and beautiful.

Now don't take me wrong. I know that Christ in me makes me special. I know that being a child of God makes me somebody. I know that being filled with His Spirit should give me confidence to face the world and our enemy.

What I'm talking about ties in with Christ's parable in Luke 18:

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

I guess its the shameless self-promotion that raises its ugly head in me that I get disgusted with. I find myself feeling justified looking down on others. I see the disgusting things others do around me and I think thoughts of "I'm not like them." I feel smug. I feel I'm in a different class. And again, as a child of God I am. But its the moment that I compare myself to them as opposed to comparing myself to Him is when I have gone from being clothed in His Righteousness and I throw on the dirty rag of my own.

I want to be a loving Christian. I want to love my enemies. I want to love the difficult to love. I want to love that person who gets on my nerves, the person who cuts me off in traffic, the person who frustrates me, the person who offends me, the person who disagrees with me, the person who I find most difficult to love.

I think Sis. Alvear is one person I feel embodies this Spirit of Love on this forum, or any other forum for that matter. I have never read anything from her that I feel ever exudes false piety, arrogance or judgmentalism. We would all do well to follow her example.

Good post!

[NLYP]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee..."

Christ's actions and words in this story are a perfect picture of God's great mercy. David said in Psalms 103:8 "The LORD [is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." He also says in Psalms 106:1 "O give thanks unto the LORD; for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever." He says again in Psalms 86:13 "For great [is] thy mercy toward me."

Our God is a God of great mercy. In seeing this humiliated, embarrassed, and patronized woman, Jesus could not but help to see the hypocrisy and duplicity of her accusers. She had been caught in the act. Many scholars believe she had been set up. Where was the man? The law was clear that he too should be brought to account. Maybe he was numbered with the scribes and Pharisees. Maybe he agreed to set up this woman so they could set Jesus up. Nevertheless Jesus exposed their phony sense of righteous indignation and they all left smitten by their own consciences.

We all would like to think we would react like Jesus. I'm sure many of us would. Many of us would have reacted to this woman much like the hypocrites unfortunately. Many of us would rise to expose her guilt and we would quote the Scriptures and we would feel justified in our stand for what is right. I know I have in times past with much remorse. But certainly to react to this woman as Jesus did would be labeled by many as "sloppy agape".

Is it really sloppy to err on the side of mercy? Is God sloppy in that He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy? Is it sloppy to trust that people, in spite of their flawed decisions and regretable failures, will respond better to love and forgiveness, mercy and grace as opposed to wrath, indignation and acrimony?

It would have been "sloppy agape" had Jesus only said "neither do I condemn thee." He finished the conversation by saying "Go and sin no more".

I will agree that there are those who only want to talk about the mercy of God. They take advantage of God's grace and pervert it to mean a license to do whatever they want. They truly practice a form of godliness, but there is no power because it is not rooted in a love for God, rather its rooted in a love for self, flesh, and the pleasures of the world. They forget the scripture also says in Psalms 89:14: "Justice and judgment [are] the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." God is holy. God is righteous. God is just. God is Judge. And He will with fiery vengeance pour out HIs wrath upon the earth and the wickedness of mankind. The scripture is very plain on this.

But could we also be guilty of "grandiose hageasmos" (hageasmos = Greek = holiness)? Is holiness purely right versus wrong, purity versus uncleanness, truth versus lies? Isn't it an act of holiness to give people a second chance? Multiple chances? Isn't that what our holy God does? Isn't it a holy thing to love someone and cover a multitude of sins? Isn't it godly to tell someone "Neither do I condemn you" and then say "go and sin no more".

"Grandiose" means "pompous, overblown, more elaborate than necessary". There is an agape that is defined incorrectly, for sure. But there is also a hageasmos that is equally mischaracterized. Somehow, someway we must walk the fine line of the balance between the two extremes. I know the concept of "balance" gets brushed off many times. But its biblical, its accurate and its right.

We see it in Jesus: He was full of grace AND truth. He whipped the money changers out of the Temple but He ate with publicans and sinners. He denounced sin but He loved sinners. He told the woman in John 8 "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."

We should never make people feel comfortable about sin, but we should always make people feel comforted that in spite of their sin, and in spite of the tragic consequences that follow as a result, they won't find condemnation and "grandiose hageasmos" thrown their way by those of us who are called to Christ's ministry of reconciliation.

Lets practice agape, the greatest of these and let's follow after hageasmos, without which no man shall see the Lord.

WOW DB....Great stuff!