Paradoxes and stuff

Dual post!!

I came up with some more stuff I just wanted to get out there right after I posted that. Just some things I've been studying and thinking over throughout life and lately and in my devos.

First about the paradoxes in the Christian life. I'm so amazed all the time about the paradoxes found in the Christian life/faith. It's amazing. I would have to say it makes the Christian's life so much more interesting and sometimes complicated.
Like the way that Christ's death brings us life and not only life, but eternal life!
Or the way that we are supposed to die to self to come alive. Or how in 1 John 4:18 John says;

"There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love."

And then at the same time we are best off having a fear of God (thus the phrase God fearing folk, or whatever).


Gen 20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place. And they will slay me for my wife's sake.

Psa 61:5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God.

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.


Another paradox I've always found interesting and particularly emphasised specially well is where Paul is talking about the struggle within ourselves against the sin nature.



Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.


Rom 7:15 For that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do.

(This is one of my favorite verses depicting what I'm sure many Christians feel all the time, the battle between the will to be righteous and the temptation of the flesh to sin)

Rom 7:16-18 But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good. So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.


-----------------------

Second Section

One thing I really wanted to write about and have everyone read is what I'm going to type about next. I really would hope everyone would read this or pay attention now if nothing else is read or gained in this post.

One thing I've been studying lately is the "love passage" as some like to romanticize it up as, 1 Corinthians 13. Specifically the first half and middle especially, emphasizing verses 4, 5, and 6.


1Co 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.


1Co 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


1Co 13:8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.


Doesn't fail,
didja catch that? It doesn't. Remember that, you'll need some of that stuff some day (scratch that, you'll need it every day!).


This is so very key and important I cannot emphasize it enough through the words I possess and so I will say this:

PAY ATTENTION!!!!

Basically the point I really want to get across is how important it is for every single Christian on this planet needs to read this because it has soo much information about how we need to love every Christian with a "Christian love"

The information is clear, the hard part is remembering it. Problem solved, your assignment, memorize it, NOW. I'm joking, but you really should memorize this if at all possible unless you've already got this covered 100% (so basically you better start memorizing)

Numero Uno (number one for those who aren't as incredibly bilingual as I am):
Love is patient and, is kind. We gotta put up with people, but the sentence doesn't end there. Don't be narrow minded! AND is kind! We can't just put up with people in our church or life. The Christians around us. We have to put up with them KINDLY! Remember that. I forget often.
2. Love does not envy or boast. Not too hard. Don't be jealous. Only God can do that and we aren't allowed to take his job. Remember that one angel of light (Lucifer) who tried that? Didn't turn out so well. But also, remember this; love doesn't boast. So often I think that's just that pride that is oh so prevailing in every person I know (so much the more myself). Love doesn't boast, when you serve or show love in anyway, it is not for boasting. In ANY way.
3. It is not arrogant or rude. This isn't really hard to grasp. Simple to grasp and hard to do. Easy for you to say, as some people might put it but remember it, always. When you're interacting in anyway with people you should be showing love, remember to kill the arrogance or rudeness. Just get rid of the hostility. It's not needed within the Christian family.
4. Does not insist on it's own way. This is another one that is not so hard for us to grasp. It's just something that we forget occasionally and we should be on the look out for in everything, not just the little stuff.
5. It is not irritable or resentful. This can come up all the time, especially within family relations. But, of course as a Church is so much like a family problems can arise. Moods, opinions, or disagreements are not to be affecting our love towards others making us irritable or resentful towards them, We are told to put away grudges.
6. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth. Another seemingly no-brainer, but this one needs to be watched out for especially in close friendships. At least for myself. We should look to see that we are not exalting wrongdoings (even small ones, perhaps breaking the speed limit or making fun of people?) between each other and only rejoicing in the truth. Take that along with the first one of course. Tolerate with kindness!

And finally, Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. A great summing up of the feeling of how we should be loving each other. Remember that loyalty towards any other believe or friend. These statements exhibit in all reality a type of naive love that needs to be shown to each other. Don't be doubting or second-guessing each other. And please keep faith in each other. Every person on this planet has shortcomings and that should be kept in mind even for our fellow Christians. Remember that though they are not perfect they are trying their best, or at least we must have the attitude that they are and love serve and respect them and encourage faithfulness to our great God.

Keeping all this in mind is something that is vital to Christian life, as a good Christian life calls for fellowship with other believers. Show the Godly love to each other all the time. Perpetually. Write these verses in your heart (or on your forehead, whichever is most convenient) and remember to actually DO IT!
This I believe is one thing that is absolutely essential as the eggs in a good cake are to hold a Christian body such as a Church together. And much more to be remembered in interpersonal relations, where this is to be put to use.

Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Yokanchi

(all quotations unless noted from ASV)