Good Christian behaviors

I'm more thinking of the three people that said, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do" which would be Christ, Stephen and the apostle Paul. All three said essentially the same thing. Jesus was murdered. Stephen was murdered. Paul was completely abandoned by all in the province of Asia. So this would be more than simply being offensive, but it involves incredible travesty up to and including murder.

But yes, it would include those who do not realize how offensive they are. In fact, I received one such an instance this morning . . . Truly unbelievable that someone could turn on me so utterly quickly. So what is this about? It is about blindness. And this is the Purpose of Christ, to give sight to those who claim that they can see.

John 9:39 NLT - "Then Jesus told him, "I entered this world to render judgment--to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind."

How does Christ accomplish this? Like I've said a "million times before," through Spiritual Circumcision of the Heart . . . the greatest Operation/Healing anyone could ever hope for.

Colossians 2:11 NLT - "When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature."

Until a person receives what physical circumcision represents, the cutting away of the Sinful Nature, that person is incapable of "knowing what they do." They don't, cannot, and will never grasp the depth and reality of their thoughts and actions, hence Christ referencing the gift of new eyes to see and ears to hear.

So getting back to my initial post, this is what Paul was referencing in Romans 7. He said:

Romans 7:5, 17-18, 20, 23-25 NLT - 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. ... 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. ... 20 But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. ... 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

What is Paul referencing as he states (not asks) . . . "Who will free me from this life . . ." - Paul is talking about Christ and how He alone cuts away the Sinful Nature so that a person WILL become Transformed (Rom 12:2) and then begin to understand the Truth of themselves. Transformation IS the change in a person's thinking and subsequent behavior to follow.

Romans 12:2 NLT - "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

Does this help you to understand why I CONSTANTLY talk about Spiritual Circumcision? It is the utter center of the Bible, yet I seem to be only but two or three, here, that talk about it. Not that I'm great, no, that's not what I am saying. I am saying that it is SAD that I am only but a few who understand this oober critical doctrine.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 NLT - "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations."

As believers we are children of God.

ACT LIKE IT!

Amen I agree especially when taken in with johns gospel it helps us gather the treasure your speaking of from the epistles

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Matt 5:13 is the first of the three references listed in post No.8
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We see the message is to love our neighbour as our self. Neighbour is defined in the parable of the good Samaritan. We also see a message that the children's bread mustn't be cast to the dogs.

"Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." - Mat 15:25-27 KJV

The Mat 15 passage could be seen as a way of differentiating between how to love the ones closest first (ourselves, and our neighbours as ourselves) and then enemies with the excess. In times of plenty there is much to share. In times of scarcity, it seems to be more complicated. On one hand we feed our enemies and show hospitality for the sake of changing their mind about things in the long run (smouldering coals over head), but where does that balance against the children's bread? Especially in cases of forecastable scarcity such as failed crops where you don't know whether today's bread for your enemy is actually the children's bread of tomorrow that you are giving away. Is the donation to the enemy rewarded by unseen bounties such as Jesus telling his disciples to catch a fish and a coin will be in its mouth? Or is it an unwarranted hubris to assume that giving away the children's bread of tomorrow will repeatedly be rewarded by unforeseen miracles?

I can't think of a scriptural basis to resolve this (but maybe there is), so the closest I can figure is that we should go ahead with the course of action that feels right in the circumstance from our heart and mind.

We see the same kind of dilemma with two neighbours asking for your coat at the same time. Which one do you give it to?

Very interesting commentary from you as usual and I mean that in a good way. I have always been a secret fan of reading your posts.

I am with you on doing what seems right in heart and mind, but the determining factor is if it’s cheerful. If God loves a cheerful giver then, by process of reverse engineering that preference, God must not love uncheerful giving to some degree on the spectrum of love and hate. While God may not totally despise uncheerful giving, it’s possible that cheerful giving is a requirement.

The old proverb comes to mind:

Proverbs 17:1 KJV
1Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

Proverbs 15:17 KJV
17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

And does this proverb really apply to anything? I think so. So my conclusion is that loving our enemies as ourself must at least be because I want to. If I don’t want to them why should I do it? I know that kinda sounds like the antithesis of what we’re talking about, but how can I fake love an enemy? Or if I actually hate my enemy why should I help them?

How wonderfully refreshing this post is. Christ said to follow him, and Christ didn't praise the students of the Law or scribe, he praised an old woman who gave only a mite to the Lord, he praised unlettered fishermen. They lived transformed lives.

Our forums usually can lead to being learned scholars of the word, but few posts are about living the word.

”Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

From a young age I’ve taught my children the right of appeal: that is, making a case for their position when they don’t agree with my judgement. They were never permitted to whine or tantrum as a valid protest. But they were allowed to handle me, as it were, and dig into the rationale of my position. I admit, I repented a hand full of times because of their case.

By this, they learned that their Father in Heaven can hear all their appeals. He will never repent but He has shown them His ways in a manner that supports their spirits and settles their souls. And, they learn that their father and their Father want them to know what they are doing.

”The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does.”

The best thing we can do is pass on our spiritual heritage to the next generation and show, by example, the Father to the children.

Loving in your enemies is the hard one to follow. I agree with all 3.

Kind of a profound question that I have never thought of.

Perhaps the line is drawn when/where you go beyond meeting a need and reach the point of providing a luxury.

God's 50+ commandments in the Bible.

You sound like you are a good father. I think you exemplify what a good Christian father should be like. Your children are blessed. I am sure they all grew up to be good fathers themselves. Unfortunately my childhood was chaos.

Yeah I think that seems right. Maybe love your enemies doesn’t mean being in love with them the same way we feel about our friends and family.

I think it might be considered more "fitting" with 'love your neighbor'. After all, if your neighbor happens to be your enemy...

Not to get "political", but

Keep your personal convictions to yourself...

...lest you hurt your brother, and thus, sin against Christ (Rom 14; 1 Cor 8)

Thank you, my friend.

I have daughters.

I hope they find a man like me now and not like me in my 20s.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:5-22:THE CHRISTIAN'S WALK
5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
12And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16Rejoice evermore.
17Pray without ceasing.
18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19Quench not the Spirit.
20Despise not prophesyings.
21Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22Abstain from all appearance of evil.