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Galatians 5:12
Gina:
I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! (Galatians 5:12)
Paul was very annoyed (at the very least! because he sounds pretty angry to me!) by the things that people were doing to shake up the faith of the believers when he wrote those words because he was concerned for the church at Galatia. They were like his own children.
I just thank God that he wrote those words. Paul was so real. Like when he got in Peter's face and told him off in front of everyone because he was angry that Paul was separating himself from the believers (because he was worried about what the Jews would think of him and his faith in Jesus Christ). Paul was a firecracker. He was small but he packed a punch.
But if I say things like that or think things like that, is it wrong? For instance, many times I've wished those who come in here and pretend they're someone they're not to gain an advantage over me in the name of "love," (and there have been one or two, possibly more) would be humbled or taken to task. I get so flipping angry when I think about how they have lied right to my face and absolutely refuse to be truthful with me. Is that wrong of me to think those things? I personally don't believe so. That is not to say that I don't pray for these people, but I admit I am hardly praying for them when I'm in that frame of mind where I just wish they would "go all the way and grrrr themselves." lol
Have any of you ever thought things like that, and then felt sorry for thinking them? Because Paul does not apologize for it. And when Jesus was taking certain of the Pharisees to task, He didn't apologize for the things he said either. Does anyone have a problem with the words of Paul? Or believe that there is a contradiction there in that one minute we're told to love our enemies and then we read where Jesus and Paul say things that don't appear to be loving of their enemies at all. Am I confused about what it means to love my enemies? I mean, Jesus said, temptations will come but whoa to the one through whom they come; it would be better if a millstone were hung around their neck and they were cast into the deepest part of the sea. And then He said, so if your right hand causes you offense, cut it off. It would be better to enter the Kingdom of Heaven maimed...
Should Paul have not wished the things he wished? Was he not showing love for the enemies of that church in Galatia?
I'm more of a call it like you see it kind of gal, and I rarely pull punches; except for when I'm at work, then I know to keep my mouth shut because I don't write my own paycheck. And I need to eat. But when I'm not at work and someone tries to "carry me off..." and I find out, I get so angry! Because they know they're doing wrong. They know they are. And yet I care about these people at the same time, not all of them admittedly. Not yet, and that's the God's honest truth. It just makes me so sad to think that people can just lie right to my face and pretend that they love me when then don't. It saddens me, not in a "oh pity me" kind of way, but I feel sorry for them! Because I know what's coming for them if they keep going the way they're going. (Because I've been there done that.)
But I can so identify with Paul there (which is not to say that I have not been one who needed to be castrated or have a millstone hung around my neck and cast into the deepest part of the sea, for God knows I have). Or is the "loving" or right thing to be patient and not say anything but to pray for people who want to screw me over for their own base advantage and never think a cross thought? Because Paul said those things. Was he wrong for thinking and wishing and wanting those things? Did he learn later on that thinking those things was not "loving" or that he was angry and yet sinning?
gregorydc:
Hi Gina,
Two cents here. I believe Jesus was angry at people doing wrong, when they knew what was the right thing to do. And maybe Paul also. It is hard to pray for your enemies when" ye are yet carnal" except for the "make it bloody" prayer. I know exactly where you come from Gina, I hate liars and thieves, they are one and the same to me, and they get to me just the same. I get so angry,I truly want to hurt people for these things, then I try my best to pray for them, but not always the best prayer probably. I also talk to my friends, brothers and sisters here for help, that almost always works, because God works through them.
When I was a young lad of about 8 or 9 I seemed to get into fights about every day. People would make fun of my name and religion. I was called Jew boy for a long time until it came to me that Jesus was also a Jew. So out blurted "thank you, did you know Jesus was a Jew too?" That's when a lot of that nonsense stopped, along with the fighting.
Gina, God doesn't want you to be angry all the time, or lonely,or spiteful, or bitter,or other anti- words. He wants you to love your neighbor, but he is also Gracefully training you to be a better individual by showing you how bad it can be. I know it is a difficult process, because I still blow my top as well. I know you and I will get better, everything in its turn, it is Gods plan after all! I will continue to pray for you my dear friend, for Gods mercy to come upon you, but maybe it already has by what I have read. You will be fine. God bless!
Greg
adiamondintheson:
This is really GOOD!!!!
Dennis and I have been studying Rays articles... and this is a subject we went through just recently...
Here is the link on the Transcripts page:
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3719.0.html
We strongly urge that you read this as it clarified for us how we should love our neighbor as ourselves.... The whole article is awesome... and it may serve to clarify "Brotherly Love" as it did for us.
Love you all
Dennis & Connie
adiamondintheson:
Shorty...
This is another transcript from an audio that Ray did that we feel helps to clarify what loving your neighbor is all about. We have just taken an excerpt from it, as it is rather lengthy... but we feel helps explain the difference between between being judgemental, loving your neighbor as yourself, etc. is all about.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=11521.0
Ray stated:
WE MUST FORGIVE EVERYONE OR OUR WORSHIP IS IN VAIN
Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
v. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
In other words, you might as well not be worshipping at all. That’s dead in the water, if you’ve got a grudge or hold bad feelings towards people.
Now when I say hold bad feelings, that’s where you wish bad on people or you hope they get theirs or something like that. It doesn’t mean you can’t think about what they are. I call a spade a spade and people hate me for doing that. I’ve had more than five or ten, twenty or thirty or forty Christians and ministers say, ‘Ray what are you doing, you name names.’ I said, duh. Jesus Christ named names, Paul named names. Paul said the copper smith really did me dirty. What about the loving John? Third John, it’s less than a half a page in the Bible, less than half a page and do you know what it centers around? The pride of Diotrephes.
3John 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes (that carnal minded jerk), who loves to have the preeminence among them, received us not.
John named names didn’t he. But if I do it… I don’t condemn these people, I just tell what they are.
Wait until you see my article on ‘23 Minutes in Hell.’ I mean I have to constrain myself, because I tell you I am going to blow that thing out of the sky. I would love for that to get on U-Tube. But I have no ill feelings towards Bill Wiese, that something horrible happens in his life or I hope he gets to really go to hell that he says everybody else is going to, no I don’t wish that on him. But I am going to expose him and I am going to name names, you bet I am.
Hope this helps...
Dennis & Connie
Dave in Tenn:
Excellent articles, Connie and Dennis. What a perfect answer and challenge to each of us. Thanks. :)
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