Wednesday, September 16, 2015

2 John 1; 3 John 1; Jude 1

(September 1, 2015)
                I had two, relatively quick, thoughts from here.  The first was that bidding God speed to someone engaged in wickedness makes you a partaker in the evil deeds they perform.  I think, in our desire to avoid conflict (in part because of our lack of confidence in our own relationship to the truth), we are permissive or encouraging of behavior contrary to the will of the Lord.  I thin, as with saying God speed, this makes us partakers in the evil around us – at least, in my life, this is something I need to repent of.

                Secondly, so many people (in and out of the Church) attempt to turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness.  This can happen both literally, or metaphorically.  Literally, Grace is the enabling power of the Atonement and if we are not being changed for the better we are not partaking of Grace.  So to excuse lasciviousness with Grace is foolishness.


                Figuratively, we sometimes think that because we are in the right Church (or because we have a particular calling) we must be righteous and on the right track (even as we are uncharitable, or dig a pit for our neighbor, or whatever else we happen to want to do).  Being a member of the Lord’s Church does not justify unrighteous behavior, but rather demands more exacting behavior – where much is given, after all.

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