Posted by rayww on February 23, 2004, at 20:07:06
In reply to Re: religious abuse » jdgjdg, posted by Simus on February 23, 2004, at 1:47:33
> It's sad, but true, that there have been many abuses throughout the history of the Church. Many leaders, who don't seem to experience the love of God for themselves, have misrepresented Him to their flocks. How sad that they grow up believing that God wants to merely point out their sinfulness & leave them there, feeling condemned! That is NOT the message of Christianity.
>> Man (meaning mankind) is a sinner. Not just because of the wrong things we do, but because we're born in a sinful state. We inherit this sinfulness from our parents, & it goes all the way back to the beginning of mankind. We're born being separated from God. (Ever notice how you never have to teach a child to say "no" or to be selfish? It comes very naturally.)
>
> This is the message of the Gospel, the Good News. It's not "you're a sinner & God hates you & wants to send you to hell." That's condemnation; God doesn't condemn, but the enemy does. It's "yes, you're a sinner, but God loves you so much He sent His Son to take your punishment so that you can be with Him forever." This is what the followers of Jesus have believed since He walked this earth. This is what He commanded that we tell the world: that there is hope.(me)
Isn't it abusive to teach a child he is a sinnner? I have raised 8 children and have twice that many grand children. I have never once thought of any of them as a sinner, and we too are Christians who believe in and worship Jesus Christ. Children are to be reverenced and protected because of their innocence.The words to these two songs express how I think Christians should and most do feel toward their children:
I am a child of God
and He has sent me here
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.Lead me, guide me, walk beside me
Help me find the way,
Teach me all that I should do
To live with Him some day.http://people.uleth.ca/~anderson/hymns/301.htm
------------Dearest children God is near you
Watching or' you day and nighthttp://people.uleth.ca/~anderson/hymns/096.htm
Music is of the spirit, not the intellect. We can learn much about who God is through music. If you don't feel like praying, listen to or sing a hymn. Hymns are prayers.
http://people.uleth.ca/~anderson/hymns/193.htm
rayww
> And here's the problem: You see, God is a merciful God; He loves us. He doesn't want to punish us. But... God is also a just God, & He must punish our sin.
>
> And here's the solution: Jesus Christ is the infinite God-Man. He's 100% God, while also being 100% man. He was sent by the Father for two things: to live the perfect life, & to die on our behalf. He died on the cross, paid the penalty of our sins, & purchased a place in heaven for us.
>
> Here's how to apply it to our life: by Faith. Not mere head knowledge. It's not enough to "know" that Jesus is the Son of God; even the demons know this, & they tremble, but they're not in heaven. Saving Faith is also not temporal faith; it's not the kind of faith we can store away "in the closet" until we experience a crisis & have to pull it out. Saving faith is trusting in Jesus alone to restore us to a relationship with God.
> >
> Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. Hebrews 4:16 (amp)
>
> God bless, we are praying for you.
>
>
------------Let us all join in prayer for one another.
ray
poster:rayww
thread:315917
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20040113/msgs/316986.html