Comments on: Half-Way Redemption http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/02/half-way-redemption/ Let's give the Commission back to the church. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:47:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: stepchild http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/02/half-way-redemption/comment-page-1/#comment-6862 stepchild Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:16:31 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=350#comment-6862 Rick, That's a great way to put it. Thanks. This is why we're not to boast about what we do and don't do. Instead, we only boast in Christ and what He did/does. Rick,
That’s a great way to put it. Thanks.
This is why we’re not to boast about what we do and don’t do. Instead, we only boast in Christ and what He did/does.

]]> By: Rick Cruse http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/02/half-way-redemption/comment-page-1/#comment-6824 Rick Cruse Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:19:18 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=350#comment-6824 In 1Jn 3:1-3 we find a wonderful (albeit brief) overview of the entire Christian life. In three short verses John answers three questions: who am I (God's beloved child), where am I going (to become fully like Christ, whatever that might actually look like) and what am I to do in the meantime (to purifiy myself even as Jesus is pure). it might be real easy to read the final answer as "purification = stopping all the bad things." The purity of Jesus did not mean simply that Jesus never did anything bad. Consider this: purified water is not water with everything removed. That kind of water is called "distilled" and it tastes...well, like nothing. Purified water not only has impurities removed, it also has all sorts of things that make water actually tasty: think clear mountain stream on a hot afternoon after a long hike. To purify ourselves (1Jn3:3) means, as we deal with those things that make us impure, we also make certain we have in our lives those things that make us "tasty," things that Jesus had that made him attractive to others: joy, concern for the marginalized, liked a good party, touched the unclean without fear of contracting uncleanness, etc. Half-way redemption sounds like drinking distilled water, sorta like kissing your sister. In 1Jn 3:1-3 we find a wonderful (albeit brief) overview of the entire Christian life. In three short verses John answers three questions: who am I (God’s beloved child), where am I going (to become fully like Christ, whatever that might actually look like) and what am I to do in the meantime (to purifiy myself even as Jesus is pure).

it might be real easy to read the final answer as “purification = stopping all the bad things.” The purity of Jesus did not mean simply that Jesus never did anything bad. Consider this: purified water is not water with everything removed. That kind of water is called “distilled” and it tastes…well, like nothing. Purified water not only has impurities removed, it also has all sorts of things that make water actually tasty: think clear mountain stream on a hot afternoon after a long hike.

To purify ourselves (1Jn3:3) means, as we deal with those things that make us impure, we also make certain we have in our lives those things that make us “tasty,” things that Jesus had that made him attractive to others: joy, concern for the marginalized, liked a good party, touched the unclean without fear of contracting uncleanness, etc.

Half-way redemption sounds like drinking distilled water, sorta like kissing your sister.

]]> By: stepchild http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/02/half-way-redemption/comment-page-1/#comment-6748 stepchild Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:29:56 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=350#comment-6748 Arukiyomi, Thanks for sharing from your redemption experience. That's exactly what I was trying to communicate in this post- that "not sinning" isn't the end of the process. Praise God for your experience of grace! As you may have guessed, "former missionary" in my profile refers to my vocation. I'm not sure whether you've every read my blog before, but it chronicles the long story of my experience as a fully supported professional missionary. I still tell people about Jesus. Every chance I get. Sometimes, I'm even <a href="http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/06/22/inviting-yourself/" rel="nofollow">aggressive about it</a>. Thanks for asking. Arukiyomi,
Thanks for sharing from your redemption experience. That’s exactly what I was trying to communicate in this post- that “not sinning” isn’t the end of the process. Praise God for your experience of grace!

As you may have guessed, “former missionary” in my profile refers to my vocation. I’m not sure whether you’ve every read my blog before, but it chronicles the long story of my experience as a fully supported professional missionary.

I still tell people about Jesus. Every chance I get. Sometimes, I’m even aggressive about it.

Thanks for asking.

]]> By: Arukiyomi http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/02/half-way-redemption/comment-page-1/#comment-6730 Arukiyomi Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:02:40 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=350#comment-6730 ... this strikes me as a something of a glass=half-empty kind of view. It took me years of my addiction to p*rn to realise the beauty of being broken in the arms of our God. I don't revel in it, but there's an initimacy that comes from being helpless with Him that is far more valuable than any amount of discipline on my part. I can't tell you how much this revelation of grace has changed my life and, importantly, my attitude to myself and others when they fail. There's a reason why we're not able to be sinless this side of heaven... and I praise God for it. Oh, BTW, I was intrigued by the phrase in your profile: "former missionary" Have you now stopped reaching others for Christ? ;-) … this strikes me as a something of a glass=half-empty kind of view. It took me years of my addiction to p*rn to realise the beauty of being broken in the arms of our God. I don’t revel in it, but there’s an initimacy that comes from being helpless with Him that is far more valuable than any amount of discipline on my part. I can’t tell you how much this revelation of grace has changed my life and, importantly, my attitude to myself and others when they fail.

There’s a reason why we’re not able to be sinless this side of heaven… and I praise God for it.

Oh, BTW, I was intrigued by the phrase in your profile: “former missionary” Have you now stopped reaching others for Christ? ;-)

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