4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."
Jesus taught in John 15 about our being pruned so that we can bear more fruit for His glory. There is a spiritual growth process we undertake when we accept Jesus as our Savior, and it's important that we evaluate our lives to make sure that we are truly growing spiritually. Part of that includes taking steps to overcome and eradicate sinful actions and patterns from our lives. God will convict us by His Spirit, and He will empower us to walk in victory as we passionately seek Him.
+++++
In Romans 5, we see that God has provided a powerful antidote for sin, and offers us the tools through which we can enjoy the victory over the power of sin.
18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Perhaps you've heard about a tragic story out of New Hartford, New York, that took place in a church there a few days ago. It's called the Word of Life Christian Church, and a former member told CNN that it was begun in 1984 and has about five families, or about 35 members, including children. She described the congregation as a "makeshift family" that had been together for 25 years, and said, "We weren't originally isolated from the community," but over time there was friction between the church and a neighboring community, and, according to her, "We put up the hedges." This former member denies the church is a cult, but what transpired recently would suggest that there are at least tendencies in that direction.
According to the CNN story, following the Sunday night service recently, congregation members held what Police Chief Michael Inserra called a "counseling session" for two brothers - 19-year-old Lucas Leonard and his 17-year-old brother Christopher. He said that, "Both brothers were continually subjected to physical punishment over the course of several hours in the hopes that each would confess to prior sins and ask for forgiveness."
The next day, Lucas Leonard was taken to the hospital after church members found he wasn't breathing, Inserra said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The chief said that an autopsy showed Leonard suffered multiple contusions from blunt force trauma to the torso and extremities.
Christopher, was hospitalized in serious condition after suffering blunt force trauma injuries also.
Police have charged the teenagers' parents with one count of first-degree manslaughter, a Class B felony. Four other church members were charged with second-degree assault, also a felony.
In another CNN story, it was reported that the police chief said that Lucas wanted to leave the church, and that was the impetus for the assault.
This is certainly a disturbing story and inexcusable for the people of God. Hopefully, truth will prevail and justice will be served.
Clearly, there was a heinous overreaction to the presence of sin, if that is truly what this is about. We acknowledge that the Bible does teach about God's displeasure toward sinfulness, and we also know that we are not exempted from His discipline - in His time, in His way. And, that also includes experiencing the consequences for our sins. But, the one judge is God Himself.
Now, He does place us in the body, and there may be times when believers are called to hold each other accountable for specific actions. Again, the Bible offers instruction on how that is to be done and the spirit in which it is to be carried out. Matthew 18 and Galatians 6 speak to that issue.
And, personally, the Bible teaches how we are to deal with sin in our lives. We recognize that we will be convicted by the Holy Spirit, and we respond to that conviction by confessing our sins and receiving God's forgiveness through Christ. And, we repent of that sinful action - we go in the other direction, under the authority of the Spirit of God. Our attitude toward sin is to be intolerant to its activity and diligent in our attempts to walk in victory. Romans teaches that even though sin may abound, grace will abound even more!
+++++
In Romans 5, we see that God has provided a powerful antidote for sin, and offers us the tools through which we can enjoy the victory over the power of sin.
18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Perhaps you've heard about a tragic story out of New Hartford, New York, that took place in a church there a few days ago. It's called the Word of Life Christian Church, and a former member told CNN that it was begun in 1984 and has about five families, or about 35 members, including children. She described the congregation as a "makeshift family" that had been together for 25 years, and said, "We weren't originally isolated from the community," but over time there was friction between the church and a neighboring community, and, according to her, "We put up the hedges." This former member denies the church is a cult, but what transpired recently would suggest that there are at least tendencies in that direction.
According to the CNN story, following the Sunday night service recently, congregation members held what Police Chief Michael Inserra called a "counseling session" for two brothers - 19-year-old Lucas Leonard and his 17-year-old brother Christopher. He said that, "Both brothers were continually subjected to physical punishment over the course of several hours in the hopes that each would confess to prior sins and ask for forgiveness."
The next day, Lucas Leonard was taken to the hospital after church members found he wasn't breathing, Inserra said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The chief said that an autopsy showed Leonard suffered multiple contusions from blunt force trauma to the torso and extremities.
Christopher, was hospitalized in serious condition after suffering blunt force trauma injuries also.
Police have charged the teenagers' parents with one count of first-degree manslaughter, a Class B felony. Four other church members were charged with second-degree assault, also a felony.
In another CNN story, it was reported that the police chief said that Lucas wanted to leave the church, and that was the impetus for the assault.
This is certainly a disturbing story and inexcusable for the people of God. Hopefully, truth will prevail and justice will be served.
Clearly, there was a heinous overreaction to the presence of sin, if that is truly what this is about. We acknowledge that the Bible does teach about God's displeasure toward sinfulness, and we also know that we are not exempted from His discipline - in His time, in His way. And, that also includes experiencing the consequences for our sins. But, the one judge is God Himself.
Now, He does place us in the body, and there may be times when believers are called to hold each other accountable for specific actions. Again, the Bible offers instruction on how that is to be done and the spirit in which it is to be carried out. Matthew 18 and Galatians 6 speak to that issue.
And, personally, the Bible teaches how we are to deal with sin in our lives. We recognize that we will be convicted by the Holy Spirit, and we respond to that conviction by confessing our sins and receiving God's forgiveness through Christ. And, we repent of that sinful action - we go in the other direction, under the authority of the Spirit of God. Our attitude toward sin is to be intolerant to its activity and diligent in our attempts to walk in victory. Romans teaches that even though sin may abound, grace will abound even more!
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