Jul
11
2006
Shake the dust off your feet.
Here’s a question for you. What does the following bible verse really mean?
Mat 10:14 And whoever will not receive you, nor will hear your words, having gone out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
I think it sets limits. I think it tells me I am to tell people about my religion but not try to force my religious values on other people. I’m to set an example but not make an example of other people. I think it shows a libertarian leaning to bible lessons.
Religion | Larry D. Burton | 11 July 2006 |
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By Felix Miller, 7/13/2006 @ 4:44 pm
“Libertarian,” yes, Larry, faith cannot be imposed, nor can it be drummed into unwilling ears, nor should it. The whole thrust of Jesus’s ministry was to value voluntary, unforced acceptance of his teaching.
Another illustration, I think: in Mark 10:17-22, a young man of wealth was told by Jesus to give his possessions up to the poor, and follow Him, if the young man would have eternal life. When the young man was unable to accept that, “he went away sorrowing.” Although Jesus had looked on the young man with love, and presented the choice to him, Jesus made no further effort to the young man into acceptance. Liberty to accept, liberty to decline.
By Larry D. Burton, 7/16/2006 @ 10:31 pm
Felix, as you point out, there are many examples in the gospels of voluntary obedience to God is key to one’s own salvation. It’s something that the Dominionist just haven’t figured out.
By Roger, 7/14/2007 @ 6:10 pm
And what do you do if those that will not listen are those in your own church? The church of which you to are a leader, but the ringleader amongst them manipulates the truth until it becomes lies, then seeks to manipulate those that he can, and to bully those, like yourself, whom he cannot manipulate? Who will not escercie scriptural discipline aganst transgressors, because he “does not wish to be judged “, maybe because his known lifestyle neither complies with the teaching of the church of which he is a Member, or Christian teaching as a whole.
When neither Christian teaching or what would be accepted as permissible management practice are the norm. When what is taking place is unlawful, in that for the person employed as leader the bullying is in fact an assault affecting the leader’s health.
We have withdrawn from this church because of the severe effect that the bullying has had on us, but we are deeply conscious that there are many that we have left behind who did and still do want something better.
By Larry D. Burton, 7/15/2007 @ 10:40 pm
> And what do you do if those that will not listen are those in your own church?
I think you’ve done what you can. All that’s left is to pray for those you left behind.