Galatians 5.14-16 - What does this mean?

[Pro31:28]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Depends what you mean by "liberal." I mean, that can be interpreted to mean just about anything.

So who is YOUR neighbor?

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Pro31:28

So who is YOUR neighbor?

I was responding to one part of your post. But let me answer your question by re-posting what you said:

It seems that many of the people who said they wouldn't consider non-three steppers their brother are most comfortable being unkind...

Thank you for that blanket generalization, Prov31.
Still on the "are you my brother" kick are we?
Kindness? I don't think statements like this are very kind. In fact, they are accusatory and ill-informed.

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

I was responding to one part of your post. But let me answer your question by re-posting what you said:

It seems that many of the people who said they wouldn't consider non-three steppers their brother are most comfortable being unkind...

Thank you for that blanket generalization, Prov31.
Still on the "are you my brother" kick are we?
Kindness? I don't think statements like this are very kind. In fact, they are accusatory and ill-informed.

Poor little Jeffrey. Everybody's pickin on him.

[Pro31:28]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Depends what you mean by "liberal." I mean, that can be interpreted to mean just about anything.

Originally Posted by Pro31:28

So who is YOUR neighbor?

I was sincerely asking, do you consider people who are not your brother to be your neighbor?

What blanket generalization?

How was I accusatory?

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Pro31:28

I was sincerely asking, do you consider people who are not your brother to be your neighbor?

What blanket generalization?

How was I accusatory?

read your initial post.

[1Corinth2v4]

Originally Posted by jaamez

What does this mean? I'm perceiving this to say that you think it's okay for us to judge whether someone else is our brother or sister based on OUR perception of the will of God. Am I correct in that perception?

According to scripture I'm allowed to render a righteous judgement. Scripture reads we shall know people by their fruits. In order to determine the status of a fruit, I must render a judgement. You might find a study helpful on righteous judgement, as scripture allows.

I'm also called as a fruit inspector!

Matt 7:16 -Ye shall know them by their fruits.

John 7:24 -Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." Jesus says we should "judge righteous judgment."

[Withdrawn]

Originally Posted by 1Corinth2v4

According to scripture I'm allowed to render a righteous judgement. Scripture reads we shall know people by their fruits. In order to determine the status of a fruit, I must render a judgement. You might find a study helpful on righteous judgement, as scripture allows.

I'm also called as a fruit inspector!

Matt 7:16 -Ye shall know them by their fruits.

John 7:24 -Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." Jesus says we should "judge righteous judgment."

I agree with you. We are fruit inspectors. But I'm NOT my brother's judge, neither are you. I understand that we all make judgments every moment of every day. I have studied righteous judgment and am quite confident in how I believe the Lord would have me live. But since you seem to be much more schooled on the subject, perhaps you can provide me with a study. The difference, however, appears to be that I'm willing to listen to your view. I'm willing to listen to anyone's view. And based on that judgment, I may be way off (I hope I am), but don't get the sense from your posts - especially on this thread (inspecting the fruit) - that you're willing to listen with an open mind to my views or the views of anyone else who you disagree with.

Since joining this forum, I feel that I've presented myself in a way that proves that I don't claim to know everything. I'm ALWAYS open to hear what someone else has to say - how they view scripture from their perspective. Everybody brings their own bias to how they read and interpret scripture. And personal bias (whether from experience, training background, family influence) is extremely hard to set aside, and whether we like it or not it influences our exegesis. I ask, in all the talking, who is listening?

My point about not judging and loving our brother (and neighbor) is really more directed at the fact that everyone is talking, but it doesn't look like anyone is listening. This has transformed from a "discussion forum" to a "shouting forum" because everyone wants to be heard above everyone else. If that weren't the case we'd be learning something, but we're not. Everybody is speaking from their perspective and listening with closed minds. If we'd be slower to speak and pay more attention to what others are saying, we might find that we have more common ground than we otherwise might think. That would be a "friends forum."