It is easy to let human logic waffle back and forth between a rigid religion with lots of rules and an over-emphasis on selected phrases interpreted with a very limited human understanding on one hand versus a let-it-all-hang-out, one-idea-is-as-good-as-the-other approach offering perfect chaos with no firm foundation whatsoever.
Fortunately, we are not left adrift with only the limited human brain's wanderings to offer insight.
C S Lewis wrote that he believed that the longing for joy is common to all mankind, and it is a gift from God calling us to Himself. St. Augustine of Hippa wrote "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."
This is what I understand about this: "—the body that cast the shadow is Christ." from Colossians 2:17. St. Paul was writing about theological angst being a distraction when human attempts to "get it exactly right" overshadow God's highest directive, to love each other as He loves us.
This does not release us from the responsibility to live as "rightly" as we are able to discern, but it does take away the NOT godly tendency to judge others and ourselves in ways that are an insult to the saving power of Christ.
Our errors (sins) are forgiven. God remembers them no more. As followers of Jesus we have a responsibility to allow that this means that as long as there is life there is capacity for God to bring love, joy, hope and purpose to our lives. It does mean that a perfect God has overcome our short-comings, so it must surely be very bad business to withhold our love from another of God's children.
Does this mean that we should allow someone, in the name of "love", to cause harm to us or those for whom we are responsible Surely not. But we can work to release hatred, resentment and judgement which only allows another's action to cause us unnecessary harm, and instead stand solidly on doing the right thing as powered by God's Grace because it is our best understanding of God's Will.
No matter the challenges we face, the risen body of Christ offers new hope, new wisdom, new capacity. I know no better definition of Grace.
Fortunately, we are not left adrift with only the limited human brain's wanderings to offer insight.
C S Lewis wrote that he believed that the longing for joy is common to all mankind, and it is a gift from God calling us to Himself. St. Augustine of Hippa wrote "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."
This is what I understand about this: "—the body that cast the shadow is Christ." from Colossians 2:17. St. Paul was writing about theological angst being a distraction when human attempts to "get it exactly right" overshadow God's highest directive, to love each other as He loves us.
This does not release us from the responsibility to live as "rightly" as we are able to discern, but it does take away the NOT godly tendency to judge others and ourselves in ways that are an insult to the saving power of Christ.
Our errors (sins) are forgiven. God remembers them no more. As followers of Jesus we have a responsibility to allow that this means that as long as there is life there is capacity for God to bring love, joy, hope and purpose to our lives. It does mean that a perfect God has overcome our short-comings, so it must surely be very bad business to withhold our love from another of God's children.
Does this mean that we should allow someone, in the name of "love", to cause harm to us or those for whom we are responsible Surely not. But we can work to release hatred, resentment and judgement which only allows another's action to cause us unnecessary harm, and instead stand solidly on doing the right thing as powered by God's Grace because it is our best understanding of God's Will.
No matter the challenges we face, the risen body of Christ offers new hope, new wisdom, new capacity. I know no better definition of Grace.
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