Date Posted:06:49:45 10/06/04 Wed Author: Mike K. Subject: Forgetting the things... In reply to:
Hannah
's message, "Re: new ubf" on 21:55:45 10/05/04 Tue
Philippians 3:13b,14 "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I prss on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Please be aware of the context. Paul was saying there that even the good, positive things can become a hindrance to the spreading of the Gospel and to personal growth in Christ.
UBF is mostly about "see how good God used us in the past? See how God worked in the past? The past, the past the past was full of so many good things"
Those are the things which hinder us in going on. We look in the past and become people of the past. If we cannot look forward, then we can only see the things which happened not set our mind on that which is to happen.
God worked great in the past? Good - but unless you're willing to forget that, maybe He cannot use you to work on you in the future!
And the sins of the past are only prone to "being forgotten" when they're repented of. Jesus doesn't sweep anything under the rug. Repent and be forgiven. Don't repent and you have lost Christ.
Please be aware that an unrepented sin lingers: as I stated in the other posting, there are only 2 spiritual conditions, either in Christ or in sin.
When people have sins which they willingly choose to not repent of, they are never in Christ. It won't help us to "simply forget". The spiritual condition does not change. It will STILL be "in sin". And this will stay like that until repentance is made.
The issue has to be brought up until it's repented of. Only then can the spiritual state of UBF be restored to be "in Christ".
Really, I pity people who use EVERY possible excuse to avoid the need for repentance. I pity people who indulge a life separated from the true enjoyment of Christ.
Because life is so much sweeter if there's nothing standing between us and Christ, and nothing between us and other people.
Believe me, it's sweeter. It's better. Don't accuse those who want to see the barriers go down. Thank them.
