Chapter 18 - The Disciple and Unbelievers
Bonhoeffer- 'No, the disciple can meet the non-disciple only as a man to whom Jesus comes. Here alone Christ's fight for the soul of the unbeliever, his call, his love, his grace and his judgment comes into its own. Discipleship does not afford us a point of vantage from which to attack others; we come to them with an unconditional offer of fellowship, with the single-mindedness of the love of Jesus.'
My thoughts-
Jesus died so that He could save all of mankind. Mankind as individuals must choose to believe in that, the greatest of Sacrifices ever made, and they must believe it was made for them, because IT WAS. Every single person we encounter - Jesus died to save. We have NO right to judge any one unworthy, not after our Savior died for them!
Most assuredly our following Jesus does NOT give us any right whatsoever to attack another in any way at all! Satan loves when we attack and accuse others, that only proves just how far from Christ we ourselves are. We TRULY must go to ALL others with UNCONDITIONAL love, comprehending that Christ would have us do NO LESS than that. It is LOVE, not our own sense of self righteousness, not our own preconceived ideas of what a righteous life looks like, but love that reveal Christ. We do not reveal Christ in living a pious life seemingly untainted by the world. We can't point to the seemingly sinless person who appears as if their life is so close to God's that they do no wrong. And we can't point to the seemingly most sinful person we know, living a life of total debauchery. We cannot POINT at all! Because we KNOW so very little of others and we certainly do NOT know the hearts of others. The most pious could in fact be the worst, and the worst could be the best, we CAN'T know!
What we have to concern ourselves with is our own walk with Christ, with our own heart's surrender to the Savior, and revealing only HIS LOVE to others all in the TRUTH.
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Bonhoeffer- 'No, the disciple can meet the non-disciple only as a man to whom Jesus comes. Here alone Christ's fight for the soul of the unbeliever, his call, his love, his grace and his judgment comes into its own. Discipleship does not afford us a point of vantage from which to attack others; we come to them with an unconditional offer of fellowship, with the single-mindedness of the love of Jesus.'
My thoughts-
Jesus died so that He could save all of mankind. Mankind as individuals must choose to believe in that, the greatest of Sacrifices ever made, and they must believe it was made for them, because IT WAS. Every single person we encounter - Jesus died to save. We have NO right to judge any one unworthy, not after our Savior died for them!
Most assuredly our following Jesus does NOT give us any right whatsoever to attack another in any way at all! Satan loves when we attack and accuse others, that only proves just how far from Christ we ourselves are. We TRULY must go to ALL others with UNCONDITIONAL love, comprehending that Christ would have us do NO LESS than that. It is LOVE, not our own sense of self righteousness, not our own preconceived ideas of what a righteous life looks like, but love that reveal Christ. We do not reveal Christ in living a pious life seemingly untainted by the world. We can't point to the seemingly sinless person who appears as if their life is so close to God's that they do no wrong. And we can't point to the seemingly most sinful person we know, living a life of total debauchery. We cannot POINT at all! Because we KNOW so very little of others and we certainly do NOT know the hearts of others. The most pious could in fact be the worst, and the worst could be the best, we CAN'T know!
What we have to concern ourselves with is our own walk with Christ, with our own heart's surrender to the Savior, and revealing only HIS LOVE to others all in the TRUTH.
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
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