Comments | izhilzha: Stages of Grace

izhilzha

Stages of Grace

Mar 08, 2011 20:48

Thanks to whitemartyr, to her man Craig, and to one of my pastors for the thoughts which take form beneath the cut. This is something I've been struggling to frame for a while, and what better way to begin the season of Lent?

( Stages of Grace )

grace, faith, church, essay, real life, lent 2011, godstuff

Comments 17

travels_in_time March 9 2011, 20:18:20 UTC

If you wrote a book, I'd read it.

I think I'm bouncing back and forth between #2 and #3, with the associated kicking and screaming. But I think for the first time, I'm starting to realize that #4 even exists.

izhilzha March 10 2011, 02:11:22 UTC

If you wrote a book, I'd read it.

Truly? You mean like a non-fiction book, stuff like this post? ...Huh. (Sorry to be cryptic, but you're not the first person to tell me that, and the other was someone who I'd barely met, years ago.)

I am more in #3 than #2 right now, but only because I spent the last several years, as you say, bouncing between them. God bless you with an ever deeper experience of grace. :)

travels_in_time March 10 2011, 02:51:31 UTC

Yep, stuff like this post. You have a very clear way of expressing things.

izhilzha March 10 2011, 06:21:18 UTC

Thank you. That means a lot to me.

You'll be the first to know if I write such a book. :)

scionofgrace March 10 2011, 03:32:33 UTC

I like this ( ... )

izhilzha March 10 2011, 06:33:06 UTC

I have to disagree with your comments on points 2 & 3, at least partially. I agree that congregations need structure, but that's because none of us are at the same stages--rules help bridge the gaps in experience and understanding ( ... )

feliciakw March 10 2011, 12:03:49 UTC

I guess I'm a little confused on what you mean by "rules." Are you talking about God's rules, or man's rules? Because I'm thinking of Romans 6:15.

I grew up in a church that had both, and there was a distinction between them. Rules based on scripture were defined as such (and I don't recall feeling condemned by that). "Rules" (more like traditions or customs) of the congregation were/are changeable. Oft times people forgot there is a difference between God's rules and man's traditions, and that's something that gets addressed fairly frequently in my experience.

where you can utterly trust yourselfThis brings me in mind of Proverbs 3:5-6. I don't think we ever reach a point where we can trust ourselves completely. We ditch the self-conscious fear and spill out our hearts because of our trust in God. Yes, I think we can get to a point where we have confidence in our decisions; that comes with a confidence in our relationship with God ( ... )

izhilzha March 11 2011, 01:22:03 UTC

Very often, it seems to me, what people call "God's rules" are only "man's rules" labeled with authority. For instance, what about women wearing head coverings when they pray? Does your church think of that as a rule of men or of God, since it's in the Bible as a practice the church encouraged?

I'm not trying to be provocative for the sake of it, here; I'm just curious as to your experience of discerning that difference. (It will be different from mine, I am sure, but that means it's valuable.)

My beef is mostly with how people use rules (theirs or God's) to insist that we all be clones of each other in some way, rather than allowing the great differences that God creates as he opens each of us up to receive His love and to love others. Putting each other in a box can be just as damaging as putting God in our boxes, no matter how good the intention.

I don't think we ever reach a point where we can trust ourselves completely. We ditch the self-conscious fear and spill out our hearts because of our trust in God. To try and clarify ( ... )

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