The United States was founded on freedom from persecution and on tolerance of differences in beliefs and cultural heritage. The differences (or diversity) that come from people who accepted one another without prejudice.
There are efforts to popularize the Christian faith have been extremely damaging to the Christian communities because they have mistaken the desire to maintain a spirit of tolerance rather than loving the sinners but hating their practices. We are morally obligated to treat everyone with respect, regardless of who they are and what they have done. This reflects notions such as civility, courtesy, dignity, tolerance and acceptance. Love hopes all things (1 Corinth 13). Love refuses to take human failure as final. With Christ in me, my human failures are never final. Love never keeps a record of wrongs. Love forgives and love is unable to think about them anymore. Forget the past and move on. Focus on the future as I focus on Christ at the same time. Romans 4:8 (also Psalms 32:2) "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him".
Hate what is wrong and stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Live in Harmony with each other.
The bottom line is this, Christians are to act like Jesus, toward sinners and brethren in compassion, toward saints in warm affection, toward others in love. We are to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Jesus Christ has forgiven us.
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2 comments:
"Love forgives and love is unable to think about them anymore. Forget the past and move on. Focus on the future as I focus on Christ at the same time."
This entire quote is of the essence of times of today Jim, truly profound. You got my wheels turning!
Great post!
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