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Per Fidem Intrepidus means "Fearless Through Faith". My courage isn't my own, it comes from the Holy Spirit, it's my faith in God and my personal savior Christ Jesus that calms my fears and allows me to move forward in this fallen world. Personally I'm afraid of a lot of stuff, but having the faith that Jesus adopted me as his little, sin filled, brother keeps me going.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

The Monastic Life Is Not For Me

You can't trust people, but you can always trust God, His word never changes. We know this to be true from Numbers 23:19. What may change is our understanding of God's word. God says quite clearly what a sin is, and which sin God really hates. (Of course He hates all sin, but there's one He really really hates)

As we continue to ride on this sin sick world the morals and values of the people around us change to something we as observers of this world are generally shocked to see. This was prophesied to happen, we knew it would happen, if anything we should be surprised how quickly it's happening and the levels to which it's reaching. We, as Christians, are under attack for not supporting sin, which is one of the things we should be doing best: not supporting sin. However are we to retreat to monasteries to avoid the sin sick world around us? I don't do monasteries. If we look in the bible is that what Paul is really saying?
Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)
That reference, as I've mentioned before, is for fellowship and worship service among Christians. It's saying not to invite unbelievers into worship service. What it is not saying is to remove oneself from corrupt portions of society. Let me clarify here - Paul addresses this in his previous letter to the Corinthians:
9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
What Paul is doing is referring to a letter to the Corinthians that predates 1 Corinthians (and was lost). He's clarifying a statement that Christians should not associate with immoral people, and the Corinthians took it to mean all immoral people. Paul here is saying that would be impossible, to avoid all immoral people on earth, you would literally have to leave earth. Look around you, you know it's true. Sin and unGodly idol worship are all around us. The average person would rather worship Jennifer Lawrence than they would Jesus Christ. 

Paul is saying that it's the immoral people in our midst that we need to avoid. I know a fellow in a little church that took up with another man's wife - he's gone. I know a couple that pressed older saints for money they couldn't afford just to satisfy their drug habit - they're gone. they're now on the outside where God judges, without an advocate to help them through their trial.

We shouldn't be avoiding the sinner, they're our mission field! If we avoid them we are left trying to save the saved. Imagine a coast guard rescue diver spending his life on the beach making sure that people who are nowhere near the water are not drowning. Yes, the atheists and homosexuals are right, Jesus did dine with sinners, he did associate with adulterers, but our friends with such meager bible knowledge fail to mention what Jesus said to these sinners: "Go and sin no more" Jesus was teaching and preaching every time He spoke with sinners (which is pretty much all the time), this is the example He set that we should be following.

Rather than turning away the homosexual couple looking for a cake (or a fight) wouldn't it be better to witness to them? Let them know you're a Christian and you witness; you'll witness to them, you'll witness to their friends, you spread the word of God. You don't have to wear a hassock with the Holy Family emblazoned on the front with TEAM JESUS in neon letters on the back, but maybe hand out a few bible tracts. If they still want your services do your best to provide those services AND God's word. At worst they won't like it and you'll lose a customer, and best you may save a soul
24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

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