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Originally Posted by NightSpirit  I am confused about what you are trying to say here. I understand the mercy part but are you saying God cares nothing about what we do, only what we feel and think?
What does the concept of sin then mean to you and of repentance, both which are themes woven into the New Testament along side of the mercy?
Much of what went on here is left a mystery, especailly what Jesus wrote on the ground while they were dropping their stones. But Jesus did say to her in
John 8:11 - "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." So we know from this, 1. There is something such as sin and 2. Jesus expects us not to do it.
What do you think her sin was, that he was asking her to stop? |
Do YOU understand the mercy part because I think that is the only part that is your buisness and I think thats what Jesus was trying to point out to these people. He succeeded. They dropped their stones. The judgement part is Gods buisness not ours. If you truly believe that Jesus was God you get an idea of Gods take on judgement from the words he spoke and if you will excuse the application of my faculty of imagination, the manner in which he spoke them, tenderly, utterly convincingly.
There are three kinds of buisness in this world. Gods buisness. your buisness and my buisness. When you get out of your buisness and into mine you defend your self and attack me, likewise if I get into yours I defend myself and attack you. This is when we see the splinter in our brothers eye and neglect to notice the beam (PLANK) in our own.
Jesus came to show us the way to the Father. I think we can agree on that at least. He is God incarnate. His buisness is Gods buisness then. He clearly shows us in this instance what Gods buisness is. MERCIFUL FORGIVENESS. He gives Gods response to people who fall short of the Law, sinners "NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU" We would do well to notice this. God is talking here. God is taking care of His buisness.
Everyone involved in this scene is shown, by Gods response to it ,where their responsibility lies ie what is their OWN buisness. The point in the scriptures is that we as readers are as much involved in them as the people actually IN the scenes themselves ,by our participation . This is why it is called the Living Word.
Our buisness is to "Go and sin no more". Live a life that doesnt fall short of the Law. Dont point the finger. Let God be the judge. Let God deal with each of our lives and let God deal with us when we fall short ie when we fail to live up to the mark, when we sin.
Jesus tried throughout his life to get this message accross but failed miserably. When he was at the point of death, himself a victim finally of men who accused HIM of sin, of breaking the law of moses just like this woman in the story we have been talking about he forgave them all. He was a man of his word and was faithful to Gods buisness right up until his death
"NEITHER DO I CONDEMN THEE."
...My repentance is not your buisness. Yours is. God will take care of me. You must be careful not to bandy about the words of the scriptures to point out the splinter in my eye. However , taking the lead from the Master himself I can echo "FORGIVE THEM FATHER BECAUSE THEY HAVENT GOT THE FOGGIEST NOTION WHAT THEY ARE DOING" When we are in someone elses buisness we are as far from true repentance as is humanly possible and we really function at the level of the madmen who threw this woman down at Jesus feet or those that had him hammered onto a cross.
My repentance is my buisness. It is something between God and me. Thankfully God is merciful , because I really have a tough time living up to the law and fall short of it daily. The fact that I am gay means that a lot of my "FALLS" are gay falls. I think like a gay man. I approach God as a gay man and I approach the world as a gay man and I get told all the time by men who are not gay that my sin makes me - a word they like to use - an anathema unto the Lord.Whatever that means .Ive never cared to look it up. Did you KNOW that I am an abomination unto the Lord? I get that one pretty much! Do you have ANY idea what this does to a person and do you think it helps gay people in any way to feel good about God ? Does your getting into my buisness help me? Does your getting into Godsbuisness help God? Does it help YOU? What does it do for you to point out my failings and to back them up with quotes from the bible? Is that what God wants you to do? Are you sure?
Anyone can, like this womans accusers, quote scriptures . It was scripture quoting that got Jesus in the end. According to the law of Moses he was a blasphemer. The great thing is gays are in good company ,from the woman taken in adultery to Jesus himself. Quotes from the bible by people too busy minding everyone elses buisness can do a lot of damage.
Repentance? What do I think about it? Its like a tax collector at the back of the church quietly communicating from his heart. It is not like the know it all at the front spiritually jerking himself off with words like "I AM SAVED HALLELUJAH BUT LOOK AT ALL THOSE SINNERS OUT THERE. ABOMINATIONS UNTO THINE EYES". Repentance is the daily recognition of where you fall short of living the best life you can and seeking in your heart to be better able to LOVE. It has nothing to do with being of this religion or that, of making claims that because you know what the bible says you are in favour with God.
God seeing the damage the churches are doing understands completely why people cannot accept their teachings. How can people regarded as ABOMINATIONS approach God via religions that talk like this?
Thankfully Jesus can still be found. The churches are for churchfolk, the bible is whatever you want to make of it. God is contained in NOTHING.
We sinners can still find ourselves lying in the sand at his feet and search out HIS eyes. In the end thats all sinners ever could do. And its marvellous!! He doesnt quote the bible and instead of stones shows us holes in his hands,
Thats what I think of God and repentance , of the bible and the teachings of the church, of churchpeople and of sinners and of the Christ who has come into the world not for the saved but for the lost sheep of the house.