Avoiding a Misconception - Fatherhood

"Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father" - 1st Timothy 1:2b

The tendency to understand God, our Heavenly Father, by the experience of our earthly fathers (most have one but some have fore) always leads to a misconception.

Fatherhood is to be understood as God has revealed it, not the other way around.

God is the father our fathers should have been like. As Eugene Peterson translates 1st Thessalonians 2:11,

"With each of you we were like a father with his child, holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well" - The Message Bible

How do we avoid the Misconception?

1). Repent of judging God by our standards;

2) Ask God to show you what fatherhood is really like;

3) Forgive the imperfect examples;

4) Bask in his fatherly grace.

- fritz

Two Oars on Life's Dinghy

"..holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck" - 1st Timothy 1:19

Living is sometimes compared to guiding a boat. It could end up where you want to go or it could end up drowning everyone on board.

There are two (2) oars on life's rowboat:

1. Faith
2. A Good Conscience

The Bible says letting go of either is a real mistake!

- fritz

Great deal - if you can do it!

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; - Deuteronomy 7:9

Some are up for the challenge - Keep the commandments, love God, and get God's blessing; and how some really try!

But law condemns for incomplete adherence. Have you ever wanted what someone else had? You haven't kept the 10^Th commandment, you failed the challenge! Have you ever worked on Saturday? You haven't kept the 4^Th commandment, you failed the challenge! Actually, are there any of God's commands you have done from your heart without some failure? Me neither!

There's no balance scale to see if more good is done than bad - laws, even our own, don't work that way. Example: Stop at five (5) traffic lights but run one (1); can you still get a ticket?

James puts it this way:

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker." - James 2:10-11

We can't even keep his commandments one generation, much less to a thousand!

So we have blown that deal! Our only hope is to find an alternative; fortunately there is one!¹

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. - 1st Timothy 1:15

- fritz

^{1 - Post from 09/23/2010 Alternate Righteousness}