Comments on: Why a ragamuffin church? http://www.williamlehman.net/why-a-ragamuffin-church the greatest gift you can give to the world is your own intimacy with God Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:32:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: William Lehman http://www.williamlehman.net/why-a-ragamuffin-church/comment-page-1#comment-1712 William Lehman Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:36:22 +0000 http://www.williamlehman.net/?p=3735#comment-1712 This, Stacy, is what is referred to as the Heresy of License. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery "Go and leave your life of Sin." I John 3:5-7 also mentions this: <blockquote>But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.</blockquote> The word repent literally means to turn away and go a different direction. Our failure to do so is why grace exists. We are a fallen people. But to deliberately sin is rebellion whatever way you look at it. The Old Testament says "For rebellion is like the sin of divination (or witchcraft) and arrogance like the evil of idolatry." (I Samuel 15:23) The encounter with Jesus leaves us no room for getting around the problem of sin. We must turn away from it and turn toward the one who extends us this grace. We can't have it both ways. This, Stacy, is what is referred to as the Heresy of License. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery “Go and leave your life of Sin.” I John 3:5-7 also mentions this:

But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

The word repent literally means to turn away and go a different direction.
Our failure to do so is why grace exists. We are a fallen people. But to deliberately sin is rebellion whatever way you look at it. The Old Testament says “For rebellion is like the sin of divination (or witchcraft) and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” (I Samuel 15:23)
The encounter with Jesus leaves us no room for getting around the problem of sin. We must turn away from it and turn toward the one who extends us this grace. We can’t have it both ways.

]]> By: stacy http://www.williamlehman.net/why-a-ragamuffin-church/comment-page-1#comment-1702 stacy Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:24:34 +0000 http://www.williamlehman.net/?p=3735#comment-1702 <i>After the mass, the priest was right outside, shaking hands and greeting people, and I asked him if he could hear my confession. A few minutes after that, we were in a corner of the chapel. "Bless me Father," I said softly, "I have sinned. I was impure." I hesitated. "With yourself?" "With another woman." His eyes sparkled, I swear, and for just a moment I thought he would say, "You'd be surprised how often I've heard that." For my penance, He asked me to say a Hail Holy Queen, and a Fatima prayer. When I had said my act of contrition, I asked him if I could ask a question. "Of course." "Is my absolution valid?" "Why wouldn't it be?" "How could I be contrite and penitent? As soon as I leave, I'm going to my girlfriend's apartment to do it all again. Every lick and tickle of it." He stood up, taking the stole from around his neck. He extended a hand toward me, and I stood. "Do you remember in the gospels, when Jesus was walking across the lake?" "Yeah, I do." "Do you remember what happened when He told Peter to come to Him?" "Peter took three steps on the water and went sploosh!" "Was Jesus surprised?" I thought about that a moment. "No." I said. "Love your girlfriend, and trust Christ to pull you out of the water every time you fall. Just don't ever turn away from Him."</i> After the mass, the priest was right outside, shaking hands and greeting people, and I asked him if he could hear my confession. A few minutes after that, we were in a corner of the chapel.

“Bless me Father,” I said softly, “I have sinned. I was impure.” I hesitated.

“With yourself?”

“With another woman.”

His eyes sparkled, I swear, and for just a moment I thought he would say, “You’d be surprised how often I’ve heard that.” For my penance, He asked me to say a Hail Holy Queen, and a Fatima prayer. When I had said my act of contrition, I asked him if I could ask a question.

“Of course.”

“Is my absolution valid?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“How could I be contrite and penitent? As soon as I leave, I’m going to my girlfriend’s apartment to do it all again. Every lick and tickle of it.”

He stood up, taking the stole from around his neck. He extended a hand toward me, and I stood.

“Do you remember in the gospels, when Jesus was walking across the lake?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Do you remember what happened when He told Peter to come to Him?”

“Peter took three steps on the water and went sploosh!”

“Was Jesus surprised?”

I thought about that a moment.

“No.” I said.

“Love your girlfriend, and trust Christ to pull you out of the water every time you fall. Just don’t ever turn away from Him.”

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