Quote:
Originally Posted by rdp
No worries Jeffrey...I wouldn't be interested in preaching for you anyway. You'd only explain away the Word of God to fit your lifestyle anyway!
Oh, by the way, the Gospel includes walking in a new, clean way of life [ressurrected after a death to worldliness]....YOU are the one who does understand the Gospel concept of a new life [Ressurrection]!
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You couldn't be farther from the truth. But I'll take that. I mean, if I disagree with Jewelry I MUST be a preacher of license. Riiiiiight.
We are a community that is big on discipleship and growing in God, hearing his voice, listening to Him, and receiving His word. We are a community that puts Jesus as the focal point, which in reality, there is no "higher standard" than
Matthew 5-7.
The Gospel is implicitly involved in our acting as "new creatures." The Gospel, however, is how and why we are new creatures. So in reality, the good news is that we are no longer slaves to sin. The Gospel was never proclaimed as a "now you must do this." As one friend put it:
He who captures grace is one who allows grace to capture his heart & rescue him from the tyranny of self & into the presence of a gracious God. If we forget that grace changes us into His image, we will either settle into some lesser image (lawlessness) or we will forge ahead with our stubbornly-fickle wills, trying to change ourselves into His image through formulas, rules and regulations (legalism). But when we understand God's image of reality (the gospel), grace will begin to empower our lives. The Gospel is a proclamation of the Story of God, and how a gracious God pursued us, found us, loved us and has made an offer of eternal life to us.
Let's not cheapen such a beautiful thing with a debate on jewelry.
I understand as much as is fathomable the reality that is the Gospel, and the new life it offers. I trade my selfishness in for Gospel/Jesus-centeredness. My life now points to the cross. Let's not mince words on the Gospel so you can slip in your legalism.
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