Be At Peace

The sermon at church this morning was alright.  I was down at Josh's, and visiting his home church is always an experience.  The message was based on the benediction part of 1 Thessalonians 5.

After feeling uncomfortable while the pastor discussed practical ways in which the church could encourage him and other leaders, he talked about helping the feeble-minded (reading a great passage out of Pilgrim's Progress) and being at peace with the brethren.  Man, I got hit hard then.

I thought of all the Christians I don't like for stupid reasons.  Like I assume their motivation for actions isn't good.  Or some of the stuff they do isn't my style.  But that's not satisfactory, and certainly not Biblical.  Constantly, I forget the fact that others are made in God's image.  And I'm worse on Christians, because they should know better.

But I should be at peace with them.  Of course they're different.  I'm not Christ, or even Everyman, so why should all of them be what I think I should be.  Unique image-bearers.  Why shouldn't people be proud of the things they're good at, even if they're not things I care much about?  No matter what, I should be at peace with these folks, and ideally, I'll be loving them.

Good and Right

I note that when my heart turns to vice, I create a disconnect in my mind between good and right.  This should not be so.

At what point did I stop asking, "Is this right?"  When did I replace it with, "Is this what I feel is good?"  There should be no difference between good and right in actions, and yet, when my standard is my feelings, good could be anything.  And so my morals disappear with my exasperation and my worry.  Both of which are based in my pride.

I think, though, that there is some small difference between doing good and doing right.  I can do good to another by offering them a social gospel.  I can feed the poor.  I can make my friends feel better.  But unless I am offering Christ, I am not doing right.  And really, my good is no good.

Recently, I've been forgetting that God is in all things, that the Spirit is always ready to lead.  Instead, I do what I want because it's not wrong in and of itself.  But then again, eating a fruit isn't wrong in and of itself.  But God wasn't directing Adam and Eve toward the forbidden fruit.  And He's not directing me to my selfish desires.  I really want to be observing and caring and seeking and sacrificing, but I forget that my deepest desires have nothing to do with me at all.

Engagement

Amy and I are engaged.

Sacraments

Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification (Catechismus concil. Trident., n. 4, ex St. Augustine, "De Catechizandis rudibus").

That's how I feel about it.