Thank you Jameson. This post made me reflect back to when I was first saved at age 28. The Lord delivered me nearly instantaneously and completely from a very "wild" lifestyle,
As an exuberant yet still ignorant Christian, I would judge those fellow believers who struggled with victory over certain things and had a special disdain for those who confidently claimed to be saved, yet chose to stay in the denomination I came out of, which did not preach or teach salvation by Grace through faith.
It took me a while to get over myself. Reading/studying Romans 14 was great convicting and liberating. Sometimes, I still have issues with it, after 43 years, but now ask the Lord to help me be gracious and encourage them vs. chastise them.
Another area of "judgment" that I had to overcome was toward unbelievers, expecting them to act like believers.
Most of my career has been in or around the military - some pretty raw folk. I had to remember that I had been no different before Christ. Why would I expect them to act in a way that they knew nothing about.
It was liberating when I eventually realized that my words and actions could either turn them against Christ or toward him. They may not read the Bible, but they would see me, who professed to read and follow the Bible.
"There, but for the Grace of God, go I" should be our constant self reminder ...
Thank you...I really needed to share this with some people I know.
Thank you Jameson. This post made me reflect back to when I was first saved at age 28. The Lord delivered me nearly instantaneously and completely from a very "wild" lifestyle,
As an exuberant yet still ignorant Christian, I would judge those fellow believers who struggled with victory over certain things and had a special disdain for those who confidently claimed to be saved, yet chose to stay in the denomination I came out of, which did not preach or teach salvation by Grace through faith.
It took me a while to get over myself. Reading/studying Romans 14 was great convicting and liberating. Sometimes, I still have issues with it, after 43 years, but now ask the Lord to help me be gracious and encourage them vs. chastise them.
Another area of "judgment" that I had to overcome was toward unbelievers, expecting them to act like believers.
Most of my career has been in or around the military - some pretty raw folk. I had to remember that I had been no different before Christ. Why would I expect them to act in a way that they knew nothing about.
It was liberating when I eventually realized that my words and actions could either turn them against Christ or toward him. They may not read the Bible, but they would see me, who professed to read and follow the Bible.
"There, but for the Grace of God, go I" should be our constant self reminder ...