Respectable Sins Wrap-up

Hello, friends,
Well, this is a little late even though it was intended to happen a couple of weeks ago, but I think we need an official close to our Respectable Sins study. Though there has been some disappointment for all of us in both the "loneliness" and lack of luster for the study via blog after such a life-giving summer of meeting together, I still believe that God continued to teach us things individually. I know it was a lesson for me in perseverance, too--it feels good to be finished even though I didn't continue my blog activity to the end in the way I had intended.

So with that, I don't have any profound questions or thoughts, but I just want to create some space for us to share. Let us know how Respectable Sins changed thought patterns, made you think or frustrated you--no matter how many or few chapters of the book you read. Here are some questions for thought...

1. Did any "respectable sins" surprise you? Were you convinced (or not) that any of the topics in the book were sins that formerly you hadn't thought of as sinful?
2. Which topics were most difficult for you?
3. What feelings did the book raise in you?
4. Did the book change how you thought about sin and our relationship to God in it?
5. Do you have any other general thoughts or feelings you want to discuss?
6. What's next for the Noggies?? :)

Thanks to all of you for participating in the ways you have. I know our ability (and sometimes motivation) to do so has wavered, but I pray that the Lord still uses this concept to begin to change the way we think about how we live in a world that "respects" many things we know our Lord does not.

A respectable and forgiven sinner,

Beth :)

Confession

So, I made this confession to Beth a few weeks ago b/c I am so disappointed in myself that I haven't done a better job posting and even worse READING our book. I made it through two weeks and then I got so behind that I couldn't seem to catch up. I am sure I have a lot of reasons (excuses) for how I got so behind, but the fact is I feel bad and feel the need for confession. (It is good for the soul right? Here comes my need to be accepted and told "its okay, Rochelle,"rearing its ugly head!)

One thing I dare to wonder is whether I subconsciously don't want to read the book because it is hard and it challenges me and makes me feel bad about myself. Perhaps?

Thanks to Beth who faithfully posts questions and her thoughts every week. Thanks to those that post in response. I wish the blog study would have worked out better than it has.

Something I read on Fliphemena today:

We generally associate well-being with the presence of God and assume that suffering means someone has done something wrong ... And of course, it is true that pain was not part of God's original plan, and the day is coming when he will wipe every tear from every eye. And yet ... While God hates pain, he can also redeem it. It does not mean he is absent. Years ago [I] helped conduct a survey that asked thousands of people what had most contributed to their spiritual growth. The number one answer was pain.
In "summer" I am tempted to think that because of my success, wealth, reputation, virtue, faith, I'm in control. My life will unfold how and when I want it to. In "winter" I learn I'm not running things after all. Somebody once said that the biggest difference between you and God is that God doesn't think he's you. In pain, we get very clear about not being God.
Over time, although I never wanted to feel pain, I came to see that it was doing much good in me. I became much more aware of how everything meaningful in life rides on God. I became much more dependent on him.

I just thought the first two paragraphs very well explain my life most of the time. In general, as long as I (and my family) has their health, wealth, success, etc. I feel in control. And when I'm in control, I block "hard/challenging stuff" out. I just want to relax, live freely, be "happy," not worry. Why is it so hard to stay cognizant of spiritual things? I hate that I am so fickle. So "on the surface."

Anyway, just thought I'd reach out and post something, even if I haven't read most of the book.

Hope you all are doing well!

Judgmentalism & Sins of the Tongue

Once again I am behind on getting these posted...so far behind! My apologies. Here are the questions for thought and discussion from Ch. 17 & 19.

Study Questions

1. "Judgmentalism begins," writes the author, when "we equate our opinions with truth." What's the difference between a preference for something and a Bible-based conviction?
2. Paul faced judgmentalism head-on (Romans 14). How would you describe Paul's response in Romans 14:4-5? What position did Paul take concerning the personal convictions of what people ate or special days they observed?
3. What do you think is the proper balance between a) standing up for key biblical doctrine, and b) expressing disagreement with advocates of unsound doctrine in ways that do not degenerate into character assassination?
4. How do we know that God takes "respectable" sins of the tongue seriously? (See Matthew 12:36-37.)
5. Which word pictures did James use in James 3:1-12 to illustrated the tongue's power and sinful effects? What did he want us to realize?

Discussion Questions

1. Biblically, when should we pass judgment on the practices and beliefs of other believers? What criteria must we use? Read Romans 1:24-32; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:1-5. How is the perspective of Bible-based confrontation different from much of our society's emphasis on "tolerance"?
2. How have Christians' judgmentalism and sinful speech affected their churches? Their witness in the local community?
3. Jerry writes: "Note Paul's absolute prohibition [in Eph. 4:29]. No corrupting talk. None whatsoever. This means no gossip, no sarcasm, no critical speech, no harsh words.... Think about what the church of Jesus Christ would look like if we all sought to apply Paul's words." if indeed we could live and worship together in this way, what would the body of Christ be like? What are we each willing to do in order to help make that happen?

Personal Reflection:

1. How do you feel wehn you are with someone who continually practices judgmentalism--having a critical spirit and finding fault with everyone and everything? Why do you think a critical spirit is so damaging?
2. Which sins of the tongue tempt you the most?
3. Based on your speech, what is in your heart? What might the Holy Spirit be prompting you to do about it?
4. For the next two days, ask yourself, "Will what I'm about to say tend to tear down or build up the person to whom I speak (or about whom I speak)?

Week 6: Impatience, Irritability & Anger

I'm trying to get back on track this week, so I decided the first step is engaging in the chapters early and getting the questions posted on time. While I personally haven't dug in to chapters 14-16 yet, here are the study questions to help us all get started.

I don't think I'm wrong when I say that it is getting hard to stick with it. The blog feels a bit lonely, and I can relate to the difficulty too. But whatever your level of involvement on the blog, I hope you'll persevere through the book, and I'll try to do the same. The book isn't a "fun" experience, yet I have to say that this type of self-examination is certainly a tool God can and is using in making me/us more like Himself. And there is no greater goal than that! So even if you're not blogging, I'm just asking you to stick it out and see what God will do. Don't see it as more to feel guilty about but as a way to honor a God that is so holy that He cannot stand even the "smallest" sin yet so loving that He has forgiven even the "biggest" ones. Our sins are paid for, so now we have the freedom to live in the joy of the Lord AND the sanctification His Spirit longs to do in us...for our whole lives.

I'm thankful for sisters in Christ like you! I love you all and pray your week is blessed with the knowledge and presence of our holy and loving God!

Study Questions for Ch. 14-16 (Ouch! These hurt--are we sure irritability is a sin?)

1. Jerry defines impatience as "a strong sense of annoyance at the (usually) unintentional faults and failures of others." In what ways do you tend to express impatience? How do these expressions affect those people who are objects of your impatience?
2. Situations do not cause us to be impatient. "They merely provide," the author writes, "an opportunity for the flesh to assert itself. The actual cause of our impatience lies within our own hearts, in our own attitude of insisting that others around us conform to our expectations." Is Jerry's statement a new distinctive for you? Why is it important for us to understand this perspective?
3. Speaking through Paul in the following Scriptures, how does God want us to act when we're tempted to be impatient? 1 Corinthians 13:1-4, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 4:1-2
4. "Irritability describes the frequency of impatience, or the ease with which a person can become impatient over the slightest provocation." Keeping this definition in mind, do you agree that irritability is a sin? What do you think lies at the root of the irritability?
5. Contrast what the Bible reveals about righteous anger with what it says about sinful anger:

• Righteous anger (self-controlled, arises from an accurate perception of evil, focuses on God and His will): Exodus 32:15-20, Nehemiah 5:1-8, Matthew 21:12-13
• Sinful anger (sinful reactions to people's actions and words): Matthew 5:22, Galatians 5:19-20, Ephesians 4:29-31

A Little Behind...But Here They Are!

Hello, friends! I'm a little behind this week on getting the questions out, so I'll offer a condensed version of the study, discussion and personal reflection questions. I need a little jump-start this week. My level of focus is not good! Hope you're doing better than I am in that area!

Just reading the questions alone has given me a lot of food for thought and conviction. I continue to be thankful that Jesus' work of rescuing me from myself and my sin is finished! I pray the Spirit continues to speak to us all as we continue and that we'd be willing to submit.

Pride & Selfishness (Ch. 11-12)

Study Questions:

1. "The sin of moral superiority and self-righteousness is so easy to fall into today," Jerry writes, "when society as a whole is openly committing or condoning such flagrant sins as immorality, easy divorce, a homosexual lifestyle, abortion.... Because we don't commit those sins, we tend to feel morally superior and look with a certain amount of disdain or contempt on those who do."

• Why do you suppose it is that we can so easily drift into the pride of moral superiority and then develop a spirit of contempt toward those who practice those sins?
• To what kind of people did Jesus tell the parable about the self-righteous Pharisee? Why is this significant to us? (See Luke 18:9.)

2. Which biblical principles help us guard against a sinful desire for personal recognition? (See Luke 17:10; Psalm 75:6-7.)

3. What phrase in 2 Timothy 3:1-2 describes a selfish person? Why is this so convicting?

4. Because time is precious, it's easy to be selfish with it. What do the following verses reveal about sharing our time with others? (See Acts 9:36; Romans 16:2; Galatians 5:13, 6:2; I Thess 5:14; Hebrews 6:10; 1 Peter 4:10.)

Discussion:

1. Do you agree with the author that "there are degrees of selfishness as well as degrees of subtlety in expressing it"? Why or why not?
2. Why is it sometimes difficult to focus on and listen to other people's interest areas rather than talking about our own? How do our selfish tendencies influence our conversations? Our activities? Our thoughts?
3. If we allow sinful pride and selfishness to take root in our lives, what consequences should we expect? (See 1 Corinthians 5:6.)

Personal Reflection:

1. In which particular areas of your life do sinful expressions of pride and selfishness tend to surface (home, work, school, recreation, thoughts)?
2. What do your calendar and checkbook reveal about selfishness in your life?
3. Compare the sins of pride and selfishness to the fruit of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22-23). What changes might you need to make, with the Holy Spirit's help?

FYI

I am not sure how I have kept this secret so well (so unlike me!), I sort of anticipated saying something on Saturday, but then I was so consumed by the intricate painting of my angel ornament ...

These pictures say it all:

ETA of Baby #2: May 1, 2009! We are very excited!

Week 4: Discussion Questions

Oops! A little behind on getting these posted! Here are the questions for thought and discussion about anxiety, frustration and discontentment.

Discussion:

1. Why is anxiety so common in our culture--in our daily activities, in advertising, in news reports? How does the Bible's teaching about anxiety contradict what modern culture teaches about it?
2. Which other sins often crop up if we tolerate anxiety, frustration, and/or discontentment in our lives?
3. Do you think God sometimes allows us to face difficult, unchanging circumstances for reasons we may never know? Feel free to share a situation in which you learned a key lesson because you accepted that situation as part of God's plan for your life.
4. Discuss this quote from the author: "Suppose someone you love were to say to you, 'I don't trust you. I don't believe you love me and will care for me.' What an affront that would be to you! Yet that is what we are saying to God by our anxiety."
5. Throughout Respectable Sins, Jerry encourages us to remember God's attributes. If we believe and remember that God is infinitely wise, loving, and knows what is best for us, then how will we respond to circumstances that tempt us to be anxious, frustrated, and discontented? On the other hand, if we think God is simply toying with us and wanting us to suffer, how will we respond to trials?

Personal Reflection:

1. What types of circumstances tempt you to become anxious, frustrated and/or discontent (a, f, and/or d)?
2. When has God used your a, f, and/or d to teach you something, help you grow in a particular area, or get your attention and make you more attentive?
3. What particular insights, verses or quotations particular connected with you this week?

Actions:

1. Carefully note when circumstances tempt you to be a, f, or d, and when temptation occurs, immediately ask God to help you trust and obey Him.
2. Write a prayer thanking God for being in control of your circumstances (even when you don't feel that certainty). Invite Him to help you respond in ways that serve and glorify Him.