Chris' Christian Blog

January 9, 2019

"January 9, 2019" 

What does this scripture mean to you? "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ," Galatians 6: 1.

The Jews had very strict laws when it came to sinners. The one who was caught in sin in the Jewish law was to be stoned to death. There was no mercy. The Christian way changed all of that. Christians are told to restore the one caught in sin. We are not to tolerate sin but we are not be harsh either. We are to restore in love and not judge. We can judge sin but are not to act self-righteous. We are to remember that we ourselves have sin in our lives as John tells us that the person who says they have no sin deceives their self. We all sin. So when we catch a fellow Christian in an obvious wrong we are to encourage them to repent and pray for their restoration. If they continue to sin we are to take others from the church with us and confront them about. If this does not bring repentance we are to go before the church and allow the church to take action. The key though is remembering that we ourselves are merely forgiven sinners. Every action must be tempered with understanding, mercy, and most of all, love.

Prompt: “Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there.

It doesn't matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn-cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime.”
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Hopefully we've a long time ahead of us but it is nice to think ahead. Contemplation is good for soul, don't you agree? What will you leave behind, what difference do you hope to make?"

I hope what I leave behind is a family of believing Christians. I understand what this is saying and all, but as a Christian I believe the only thing that really matters in this life is what we do with the good news of Jesus Christ. All else is hogwash. If we are millionaires or billionaires and leave behind tons of wealth for the enjoyment of others but have never had a relationship with Jesus Christ we are still going to suffer the same loss. It makes no difference what we leave behind. Do we take Jesus with us when we go?

"Prompt: In the winter, she curls up with a good book and dreams away the cold. What is your take on this?"

I really have no take on it today. I would curl up with my Bible and read. Now that college is about to start again I will be curling up with my text books. I guess I understand though.