tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post6544765526315224160..comments2023-05-25T07:17:05.918-04:00Comments on Abide in My Word: "It's not about Religion; It's about Relationships"Rev. Thomas C. Messer, SSPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13740553600700598394noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-52535821664427767122011-12-24T13:11:33.731-05:002011-12-24T13:11:33.731-05:00Hmm...so you've been to this church? You'...Hmm...so you've been to this church? You've experienced a worship service there? You sat in the crowd and sensed the presence of God once you stepped outside of your comfortable religious box? Didn't think so...Jeremy McKinneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07850803034322198874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-30247397583173153062011-12-24T13:10:27.596-05:002011-12-24T13:10:27.596-05:00Hmm...so you've been to this church? You'...Hmm...so you've been to this church? You've experienced a worship service there? You sat in the crowd and sensed the presence of God once you stepped outside of your comfortable religious box? Didn't think so...Jeremy McKinneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07850803034322198874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-20230984325488609902010-07-22T18:33:17.010-04:002010-07-22T18:33:17.010-04:00thank you for your correction on Law and Gospel. T...thank you for your correction on Law and Gospel. Truth is that is what I was trying to say, only I'm afraid I didn't use the right words and explanation. I at times get so confused in how to share this part of my faith...I understand it, but when it comes to sharing it in words, i'm afraid I fumble. I suppose I should stay away from sharing it until I can share it correctly...=><br />Thanks for clarifying things for me...=><br /><br />In Christ<br />~cynthia~Bringeroflighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01134964277595453648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-20908807234344591562010-07-19T14:59:23.016-04:002010-07-19T14:59:23.016-04:00Dear Bringeroflight,
You make many good points in...Dear Bringeroflight,<br /><br />You make many good points in your post. Please know and understand that my original post is not in any way, shape, or form intent on denying the fact that we who have been baptized into Christ have an intimate, personal relationship with Him. So intimate and personal is this relationship that He fills us with Himself whenever we gather around the altar to receive His very Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins and strengthening of our faith. Yes, we most definitely have an intimate, personal relationship with our Lord! <br /><br />The original post was aimed at those who are wont to create "churches for those who don't like church." Their emphasis of "relationship" over "religion" does not speak to the same "relationship" you bring up in your post and which is affirmed by me above. The "relationship" they emphasize is one that they themselves establish and maintain, based on their personal decision to accept Jesus as Savior, etc. Quite a different thing indeed! <br /><br />Also, please be careful when distinguishing Law and Gospel. The Law does not lead us to faith in Jesus; the Gospel does that. The Law kills us and prepares us for the Gospel, which makes us alive in Christ. <br /><br />Thanks for your post.Rev. Thomas C. Messer, SSPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13740553600700598394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-66479149549640086952010-07-18T18:13:40.530-04:002010-07-18T18:13:40.530-04:00I found this blog very interesting, yet at the sam...I found this blog very interesting, yet at the same time it can swing quite the opposite direction by becoming so religious that we forget about experiencing a real relationship with our heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ. We become so wrapped up in serving and doing good works that we don't take time to sit at the feet of Jesus and listening to His Word, daily in our lives. A time to be still before the Lord.<br />Isn't that the reason why God has restored us back to him through His beloved Son Jesus Christ? So that we can have a right standing before God? So we could worship Him, have a personal relationship with Him? Jesus said to His disciples, "I no longer call you my servant, but I now call you my friend" Isn't that having a relationship with God? John 15:15<br />I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.<br />Did Jesus have a relationship with his disciples? Yes I am so very much for worshipping my heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ in reverence and in true worship! I don't go to church to be entertained but to be feed on the very Word of God and in sacraments. To hear have an initmate relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and heavenly Father. To hear that my sins have been forgiven, go in the peace of Christ! I have to admitted I have use this phrase before, "It's not a religion, but a relationship", meaning that religion to me isn't like that of the Pharasees, so focused on the Law that they didn't show any mercy to God's people...In His Word He also speaks on how He desires mercy over sacrifice. Hosea 6:6<br />For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.Matthew 9:13<br />But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."<br /><br />They missed out on having a right relationship with their Messiah, because they were so focused on the Laws, they even added to them. that they missed out on God's grace through Christ Jesus, for the Law had been given to them to point them to their promise Messiah. Galatians 3:24 “So that the Law has become our tutor to bring us unto Christ<br /><br /> that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith is come,<br /><br /> we are no longer under a tutor.”<br /><br />We to have to be careful not to get so caught up in the Laws that we miss out on the Gospel message. We can not have one without the other! The Law and Gospel must be shared. For it is through the Law that we are lead to faith in Christ Jesus and the Gospel that shows us we are set free in Christ Jesus death and resurrection! This is what Christianity is all about!Bringeroflighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01134964277595453648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-50512353203413247572010-02-18T09:59:14.517-05:002010-02-18T09:59:14.517-05:00Excellent. The irony is that I find that these &#...Excellent. The irony is that I find that these 'relationship' churches don't do *that* very well either. The relationship is only given as a reward for not questioning the leadership. It is all (or mostly) law.terriergalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08801794520433439408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-16135990847863948922009-10-17T09:44:12.518-04:002009-10-17T09:44:12.518-04:00Thanks Megan, Todd, and Dan!Thanks Megan, Todd, and Dan!Rev. Thomas C. Messer, SSPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13740553600700598394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-60658983596055714062009-10-16T16:58:06.681-04:002009-10-16T16:58:06.681-04:00Nice! Congrats!Nice! Congrats!Dan at Necessary Roughnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16449576018918167898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-67568692619557894582009-10-16T13:37:42.905-04:002009-10-16T13:37:42.905-04:00So good, I think I'll read it on the air today...So good, I think I'll read it on the air today.<br /><br />TWTodd Wilkenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17470378774431406044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-36053885143192420482009-10-15T23:58:11.180-04:002009-10-15T23:58:11.180-04:00Dan,
Thanks for the link. Good post, as usual. ...Dan,<br /><br />Thanks for the link. Good post, as usual. Enjoy your blog! :)Rev. Thomas C. Messer, SSPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13740553600700598394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2978485750390455025.post-41229656524588759592009-10-15T23:49:40.014-04:002009-10-15T23:49:40.014-04:00I think relationship does get in the way here. :)...I think relationship does get in the way here. :)<br /><br />See: <a href="http://necessaryroughness.org/2009/10/does-relationship-get-in-the-way/" rel="nofollow">Does 'Relationship' Get in the Way?</a>Dan @ Necessary Roughnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14815354600299927976noreply@blogger.com