22 Words

11 Responses

1. 1
   David Wilhtie says:

   March 19, 2008 at 7:52 am

   Even though I believe this to be a rhetorical question…absolutely not.

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2. 2
   Dani says:

   March 19, 2008 at 8:10 am

   Good point. Good reminder.

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3. 3
   Joe says:

   March 19, 2008 at 8:27 am

   “Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue.” Hypocrites acknowledge the standard set forth. That’s a step in the right direction.

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4. 4
   Tyler K. says:

   March 19, 2008 at 9:19 am

   It’s only hypocrisy if you require it of them for the love of Jesus. Law, for example, is a form of righteousness that isn’t hypocritical to enforce or obey. The motivation there is for the good of the individual and society.
   But really, no outward acts are inherently righteous or not. It all goes back to the inclination of the heart.

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5. 5
   Tyler K. says:

   March 19, 2008 at 9:20 am

   Or did I totally miss your point?

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6. 6
   Abraham Piper says:

   March 19, 2008 at 9:52 am

   No, you didn’t miss the point at all. I think you bring up an example of one of the ways such “hypocrisy” is worth it.

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7. 7
   Tyler K. says:

   March 19, 2008 at 10:29 am

   Ah, I thought it was a semi-rhetorical question, as though you were already decided. But I should’ve known better.

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8. 8
   jenna says:

   March 19, 2008 at 10:30 am

   good question and answers. this may be off point, but sometimes i get frustrated when people who don’t even love Jesus act more righteously than myself. what gives?

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9. 9
   Robin says:

   March 19, 2008 at 4:20 pm

   NO! And I think this is overdone with children more often than we realize. One of my most often googled posts is on my own blog; the title? “Jesus is NOT my best friend!” Interestingly, the key words searched are usually “Jesus is my best friend”, but the essence of the post is how we impose a false Christianity on children, requiring outward behavior (or maybe more accurately mental assent) that doesn’t flow from a changed heart.

   If you’re interested…:

   http://openconversation.blogspot.com/2006/03/jesus-is-not-my-best-friend.html

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10. 10
    Tim Wilson says:

    March 19, 2008 at 4:25 pm

    This is a real toughie, but I’ll throw something out there. In Amos 1:2-2:3 the Lord condemns the nations, and in 2:4-16 he condemns Israel and Judah. The actions of the nations that are condemned are all acts of violence and hatred, but for Israel and Judah it is acts of transgression from the law.

    It seems poignant that only God’s people are expected to keep God’s law (cf. Romans 2:12). The nations, however, are expected not rip open pregnant women, something that everyone knows is wrong, Does this give us a framework for how righteous we should expect people to be?

    I don’t know. Asking more questions than giving answers I guess. And yes Jenna that’s well annoying, but then the Pharisees looked holier than the disciples. The change in us is eternal.

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11. 11
    Rachael says:

    April 8, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    In answer to the question in the title of this post, if the push came from within (through God’s power), even if it felt ‘forced’, I wonder if it might sometimes force the outside behavior as well…even if they don’t believe it or trust the promise (in God’s Word) at first, by acting upon it, perhaps the belief or trust could follow…

    Reply