CBTS...you REALLY need a hobby...better yet...a life.
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Good Non-Believers and Bad Christians
- Thread starter Craigbythesea
- Start date
Can someone tell me what it means when someone rates your post "old". Most of the time it makes no sense whatsoever.
I take it as 'same old same old'...or that someone posts something over and over and that gets old. I guess we're all guilty of that, to be honest.
So after rating someone's posts "old" over and over again this rating of "old" becomes "old" itself. Rather ironic.
I take it as 'same old same old'...or that someone's posts something over and over and that gets old. I guess we're all guilty of that, to be honest.
Guilty as charged.
"Good" is a relative term. Relative to God, relative to mankind, society, etc...
Folks of a high moral character are often regarded as "good"
There is at least one specific human being (apart from Christ) which the scripture designates as "good"
Barnabas:
Acts 11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
And there is a scriptural scope of humanity in totem that attributes to (or at least implies to) man something of value (which is why I personally balk at the term "total depravity" - might better be called "total self depravity")
Genesis 9
5 And surely your blood, the blood of your lives, will I require; At the hand of every beast will I require it. And at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man.
6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: For in the image of God made he man.
James 3
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God:
10 out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Yes, some would say that these only apply to the regenerate but I don't think so.
Even of our brethren caution is required...
James 4
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
So in effect we are forbidden to pass judgement on man both generally or individually on a willy-nilly basis as we so often do - myself included.
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Obviously there are scriptural exceptions (of necessity) to these general rules. The exception being in the interest of self preservation or the preservation and the well being of others:
Matthew 7.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
So judgment of "good" or "evil" is allowed for the protection of self and/or others.
And includes everyone whether considered "Christian" or not in this selfsame context:
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
But since we are ALL made in His image and likeness we must be very careful about the use of the terms "good" and "evil" in perspective.
Would anyone dare say that a person is "evil" and include the image of God in that same sentence?
I realize that there are other scripture that point to our depravity (and yes it is of a very wide scope):
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
James 3
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Just a word of caution... Our judgment of "good" or "evil" should IMO be like that of a physician - to heal and bring back to health and not as Judge, Jury to pass sentence (which is also possible and even necessary in some cases to protect life and/or the Body of Christ, the Church, e.g. evil against the unborn, same gender "unions" - by their fruits shall ye know them - even at that redemption is still offered).
HankD