“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” I must admit, I am not that great a fan of the way that Matthew 7:12 has become known as “The Golden Rule.” It sounds like one of those mechanistic laws for life. Almost as… Continue reading The Golden Rule
Tag: Forgiveness
Get these two words in your regular vocabulary
This is a subject I will keep coming back to because I believe it is so important that we get this right if we are going to see healthy gospel churches. They are “sorry” and “forgive”. Elton John sung that “sorry seems to be the hardest word.” It shouldn’t be should it. We know that… Continue reading Get these two words in your regular vocabulary
Seeing clearly and reporting accurately (my responsibility in a dispute part 2)
On our After Eight slot for Bearwood Chapel we were talking about the bit where Jesus says to take out the log in your own eye before attempting to remove your brother’s speck the other day. I asked Sarah, in the context of this, what she thought was our primary responsibility in a dispute. She… Continue reading Seeing clearly and reporting accurately (my responsibility in a dispute part 2)
How do I want to be judged?
Jesus says that we will be judged by the same standard by which we judge others. This should slow us down before pronouncing a verdict on others. Judging is not just about coming to a conclusion about what has happened, it is also about handing out the penalty too. When Jesus in Matthew 18 and… Continue reading How do I want to be judged?
Forgive us our debts
When we get to this point in the Lord’s Prayer, we are reminded of two stories Jesus told. I have mentioned the first one a few times. It is the story of the unforgiving servant. The other one is about a young man, who demands his inheritance and heads off to a far country where… Continue reading Forgive us our debts
Skin Deep? Anger and Murder
Have you ever called anyone a fool or an idiot? I would probably do better to ask if anyone has not called someone that! So, we probably should take Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:21-26 seriously. But doesn’t the Bible, Paul and even Jesus himself refer to people as fools and foolish? So, what exactly is… Continue reading Skin Deep? Anger and Murder
When pastoral questions might be linked (A further response to Beth Moore)
I want to come back to Beth Moore’s questions. Now we assumed that the two questions were hypothetical and that they were about two distinct scenarios. However, suppose that they weren’t. Of course, only Beth Moore knows the answer to that. Certainly I get the feel that they are at least based on her wealth… Continue reading When pastoral questions might be linked (A further response to Beth Moore)
Melchizedek
For Starters When you do something wrong, or when you hurt someone you care about, what do you usually do to put things right (if anything)? Does it work? A Look at the Bible What does the Text say? The story of Abraham and Melchizedek is told in Genesis 14. Abraham goes to rescue Lot… Continue reading Melchizedek
Forgiveness, reconciliation, restored trust and domestic abuse
In my article yesterday, I talked about learning to trust again after forgiveness and reconciliation. I argued that this was possible by choosing to remember the good things about a person as well as God’s grace to them and us and to choose to not remember their weakness, sin and the pain caused. In a… Continue reading Forgiveness, reconciliation, restored trust and domestic abuse
Forgiveness, reconciliation, trust and what you choose to remember
Forgiveness does not always lead to reconciliation. It is possible to say “I forgive you” but rebuilding broken trust is difficult, takes time and may not be possible. This may leave us feeling hopeless, helpless and despairing. What hope is there for the married couple where there has been a breakdown in the relationship, they’ve… Continue reading Forgiveness, reconciliation, trust and what you choose to remember
Faithroots 