FresnoJoe (08-23-2015)
That is what has astounded me on this thread...how being 'elderly' somehow must equal worthy good and holy and righteous...and the 'church' who issues a reprimand MUST be evil people lusting for more mammon...and as Bap noted..all because of the hearsay of the internet..
BAP (08-14-2015), FresnoJoe (08-23-2015), victoryword (08-14-2015)
1 Timothy 5:3-5
3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 5 Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day...
SO...seems that Timothy teaches that the family should be the primary caregivers and makes a distinction between them and widows INDEED..and then he goes on to add that the widow indeed that should be cared for are those that devote their time to the Lord's service...
Now looking back at the letter it seems to say something very similar...so what we don't know is the actual dynamics that went on in this lady's life and relationship with her fellowship...
So this is my last word..I am going to pray for this congregation and this lady that they all make sure their hearts and choices are pleasing to the Lord..
Proverbs gives us an awesome piece of wisdom...One side seems right until you hear the other side...and as Solomon also knew words are cheap such as in the case of the two women claiming the same baby....assumptions and judgments are never wise when there is so much room for absence of facts and revelations of the hearts. And judgments based on our theological persuasion, toward tithing in this case, is very unwise and can be very unhealthy spiritually.
BAP (08-14-2015), FresnoJoe (08-23-2015), victoryword (08-14-2015)
Creflo Dollar once said that if it were not for grace, he would round up all the non-tithers in his church and Uzi them all down because that is what they would have done to non-tithers in the Old Testament. I'm not so sure that they would but at least that is within the scope of what God could have told his leaders to do based on their failing to keep the law and as James points out, if one fails at keeping one law then one has failed at keeping them all, including the one prohibiting murder, meaning one is guilty of murder. So if the point here is that someone has sinned by failing to meet membership requirements and should therefore be condemned like the elderly who murder people then you're probably right. Just make sure to condemn everyone who is guilty according to the law, including yourself. Including for your half-hearted repenting every time you sin, which we are all guilty of.
FresnoJoe (08-23-2015)
I think you should only speak for yourself on THAT one colonel. For me, when I sin I SINCERELY repent and am grieved by my sin. I never take sin lightly. Now, before you once again deviate from the primary intent of this thread and my post, the point is that you all claim that a church is supposed to bend the rules for the elderly simply because they are elderly. Should that apply across the board when the elderly rape and murder?
FresnoJoe (08-23-2015)
According to God's standards for truth in the depth of the heart, your and my standards for repenting from sin including our love for that sin in our hearts is like filthy menstrual rags were to the Jews. We stopped doing the sin upon repenting and maybe we will never do it again but the love for it is still there, to some degree.
FresnoJoe (08-23-2015)
Again, speak for yourself. I loathe any sin that I have ever committed, am ashamed of it. When I was in bondage to certain things I hated and prayed for deliverance. The thing is you have failed to understand Jesus' words in John 8 and Paul's words in Romans 6. Christ has freed us from sin. It has nothing to do with "the law" but with the power that grace gives to help us stop sinning. When you sin and excuse yourself by not being subject to the law you forget that your sin means you are subject to Satan. When you you stop sinning it is because you have subjected yourself to God's power and grace.
Now, if you are finished digressing and diverting us from the subject matter, let us get back to why a church must its standard rules based on age when it comes to financial obligations as if being elderly should make one exempt from a particular rule within an organization they are a member of and have a covenant obligation with?
FresnoJoe (08-23-2015)