Diamond in the rough

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InSpiritInTruth

InSpiritInTruth

Banned
#1
Jan 7, 2015
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Paul was a man, who before his conversion considered himself to be chief of sinners because he persecuted the early disciples of Jesus Christ. Paul said of himself he “was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

In Luke chapter 7 we see one of the Pharisees asks Jesus to eat with him, and a woman who was a sinner found out and came with ointment to anoint Jesus. It was said of the woman who was a known sinner, stood at Jesus feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

And the Pharisee after seeing this thought within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touched him: for she is a sinner. Then Jesus perceiving this asked this question in a parable…..
[SUP]
40 [/SUP]And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.[SUP]41 [/SUP]There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.[SUP]42 [/SUP]And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
[SUP]43 [/SUP]Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.”

In this parable we not only see the mercy of the Lord, but also the wisdom. Do you suppose the Lord knew what manner of sinner Paul was before he chose him for the ministry? I would say he did.

Paul would later go on to say in 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

I believe Paul’s ministry confirms the truth in Jesus’ parable above about those who would be forgiven the most, would also love the most. Just as I believe Paul could not have labored in the ministry with such a great passion without also having a great love for the Lord as well. In this we can see, sometimes the chief of sinners can also become the chief of saints.

So judge not by appearances, and judge nothing before it’s time; for you may just see an old dirty lump of coal, but the Lord may see another diamond in the rough. Peace
 
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StevieJ

Banned
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Jul 30, 2015
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First class post thank you.
 
Jason0047

Jason0047

Banned
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Jul 22, 2014
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Yes, thanks InSpiritInTruth. Great post. It reminds me never to give up hope on anyone. It also reminds me to be ever on my guard all the more in choosing the right words when discussing heated topics or issues in the Bible, too (So as not to make it sound like it is personal and to convey that I do care and love them deeply).
 
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slave

slave

Senior Member
#5
Mar 20, 2015
6,307
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Thank you InSpiritinTruth,

It's refreshing to see encouragement posts leading toward love and good deeds. I love the transparency of Paul's rough side, for I find commonality in it.. But I benefit from the diamond side, God produced, for we all are encouraged by this. I pray we all be pained by loves draw to love the unlovable with such voracity that we too can be called 'crazy' in our purposeful response to Gods calling in love. This is like a huge bucket of mountain water poured over my brow. This is the beautiful slavery 101 with benefits..smile.

I remember being newly born again, I was inconsistent due to my unrelated emotions and the state of external things and circumstances in my life. The Apostle Paul had a strong and steady underlying consistency in his life. Consequently, he could let his external life change without internal distress because he was rooted and Grounded in God, from a past that gave him a crisis unto the state he was in currently. Most of us are not consistent spiritually because we are more concerned about being consistent externally.

In the external expression of things, Paul lived in the basement, while his critics lived on the upper level. And these two levels do not begin to touch each other. And if we are to say we are driven by the slavery of love we too will say such a history is our "Experiential Spiritual reality", Paul's consistency was the agony of God in the redemption of the World, namely, the Cross of Christ.I applaud those in this thread that think in like mind to his calling. God bless you all richly!

"It pleased God thru the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe....we preach Christ crucified." 1 Cor. 1:21,23.

Remember, you are accountable to no one but God; keep yourself for His service along the line of His providential leading for you, not on the line of your natural temperament.
 
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slave

slave

Senior Member
#6
Mar 20, 2015
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"We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." 2 Cor. 4:10.

And we all have a specific past that God has equipped us to use for the purposes of reconciling people to Himself, there is someone out there that needs to be touched by you, for God has put in you loves obsession in that area. And in Gods purpose of the Gospel spilt, by speech and by example.
 
Jason0047

Jason0047

Banned
#7
Jul 22, 2014
10,350
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Thank you both for the blessings and words you have given to me.

Peace be unto you, my dear brothers.
Stay strong in the LORD always and His love.
 
R

Risen2014

Guest
#8
#8
I agree 100% I am sure that when one is in Christ one will see other's as Christ sees them. One will hear others as Christ hears them, One will love and have compassion on others as Christ did. for In 1 Jh 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.
 
slave

slave

Senior Member
#9
Mar 20, 2015
6,307
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#9
Jason0047 said:
Yes, thanks InSpiritInTruth. Great post. It reminds me never to give up hope on anyone. It also reminds me to be ever on my guard all the more in choosing the right words when discussing heated topics or issues in the Bible, too (So as not to make it sound like it is personal and to convey that I do care and love them deeply).
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And Paul says it well, but once more:"....I will be all things to all people ...." we have a treacherous crisis we bring people of a different Spirit, and that we must surrender to God in the wake of the torrent affair before us, but in our love and commonality, and appeal to others for the sake of that message, it is good to render thought and spiritual surrender to our every demeanor regardless of how natural our new man is. "Prudence" is a well- dressed entity.
 
slave

slave

Senior Member
#10
Mar 20, 2015
6,307
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#10
* Be Biblical

* Be authentic

* Be gracious

and, * be relevant.... The World get's the second well, but we are indeed called to all 4.
 
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