Black and white thinking

[missmuffet]

14 minutes ago, BornAgain490 said:

In terms of the saved and the lost, the distinction is crystal clear, that is: it is black and white.  Few are on the narrow way, saved and heading for eternal life, and many are on the broad way, lost and heading for eternal destruction.

In terms of what one must do to be saved, the distinction is crystal clear, that is: it is black and white.  Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, and is the only name under heaven given among men by which man must be saved. 

There are some things that can not be altered or moved when it comes to our salvation and Jesus Christ. When it comes to the Holy Bible it is only the true literal Word of God. No compromising there.

[Sower]

22 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Do you think the born again Christian life is a black and white thinking perspective?

No.

“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin” Have you faith? In all you do? Maybe most? Perhaps not?
Intentionally speeding in your car 20 mph over speed limit? 10mph? 5mph?  1mph? (getting greyer?)

I have had faith in an area, then growing learned relevant scripture, and lost the faith having receiving light.
Scripture says adultery is sin. So I could only think about it instead of doing it.(no, I didn't)
I continued to learn; "But I tell you, anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." So the light I received 'changed my thinking' and I changed my actions (repentance)

Two men standing side by side doing the exact same thing. But one is thanking and praising God, the other is sinning.
The one had the light/faith to eat sacrificed meat, because God said it was good. The other did not have the faith, but ate anyway.

“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin”

My faith is very strong in many areas. Not so strong other areas that are grey. I have to decide till I have true faith.
Is it OK to tell a lie to save a life? Tell the wife she looks beautiful, with her curlers/mascara on? (But my heart was right:)
I believe the black is black, and white white, plainly. But as we grow, some black may become white, and vise versa.

One more.

Going down the highway and see an elderly lady by herself with a flat tire, but you are late to an appointment.

What do you do?

              "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin"
 

[BornAgain490]

54 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

There are some things that can not be altered or moved when it comes to our salvation and Jesus Christ. When it comes to the Holy Bible it is only the true literal Word of God. No compromising there.

Yes, of course: take the Bible literally where it's meant to be taken literally; historically where historical; figuratively where figurative; symbolically where symbolical, etc. 

[missmuffet]

27 minutes ago, BornAgain490 said:

Yes, of course: take the Bible literally where it's meant to be taken literally; historically where historical; figuratively where figurative; symbolically where symbolical, etc. 

Biblical hermeneutics is the study and the principles and methods of interpreting the Bible. It is all about finding the

correct interpretation. It is also to protect us from false and bad interpretations that keep us from the truth.

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Sower said:

No.

“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin” Have you faith? In all you do? Maybe most? Perhaps not?
Intentionally speeding in your car 20 mph over speed limit? 10mph? 5mph?  1mph? (getting greyer?)

I have had faith in an area, then growing learned relevant scripture, and lost the faith having receiving light.
Scripture says adultery is sin. So I could only think about it instead of doing it.(no, I didn't)
I continued to learn; "But I tell you, anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." So the light I received 'changed my thinking' and I changed my actions (repentance)

Two men standing side by side doing the exact same thing. But one is thanking and praising God, the other is sinning.
The one had the light/faith to eat sacrificed meat, because God said it was good. The other did not have the faith, but ate anyway.

“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin”

My faith is very strong in many areas. Not so strong other areas that are grey. I have to decide till I have true faith.
Is it OK to tell a lie to save a life? Tell the wife she looks beautiful, with her curlers/mascara on? (But my heart was right:)
I believe the black is black, and white white, plainly. But as we grow, some black may become white, and vise versa.

One more.

Going down the highway and see an elderly lady by herself with a flat tire, but you are late to an appointment.

What do you do?

              "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin"
 

Ok

[Neighbor]

3 hours ago, missmuffet said:

You need to be careful not to compromise your faith when you think outside the box. You need to make sure that your thinking

outside the box is biblical.

....Biblical; while not putting God in a box of one's own making, especially for others to then have to follow or be considered and judged a "false" Christian.

[Neighbor]

On 10/26/2024 at 10:00 PM, missmuffet said:

Do you think the born again Christian life is a black and white thinking perspective?

No. The born again Christian life is one of constant learning and with learning anew comes discernment anew.

[AdHoc]

On 10/27/2024 at 3:00 AM, missmuffet said:

Do you think the born again Christian life is a black and white thinking perspective?

 

10 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Black and white thinking means that you see something as either right or wrong. No in-between.

 

9 hours ago, missmuffet said:

You need to be careful not to compromise your faith when you think outside the box. You need to make sure that your thinking

outside the box is biblical.

Your warning is noted.

Just to show the difficulty of your theme is your thinking over the last hours. It poses a question on the thinking process that leads to a certain living by somebody who is born again by faith. By your definition black and white thinking is the discerning, or knowledge of good and evil. I responded by showing the dilemma of such thinking. You thought that I was thinking out of the box, although my examples were Biblical. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat (organically be mingled) of a Tree that brought knowledge of good and evil. Remember; God's words were that the knowledge of GOOD would kill as much as evil. That is a black and white as can be.

The human soul, if we approach it with scripture, has three parts - 1. the mind or thinking organ, 2. the will or deciding organ and 3. te emotions or feeling organ. As you will have discovered by living life, the emotions are the weak point. They can change in ten seconds, they cause wrong decisions and influence the thinking process out of all proportion. The will makes its decisions either in favor of the immediate emotions (irrational), or, in favor of the thought process (cool-headed). So the mind is our strong point.

But what dos God think of the human mind? He doesn't think much of it. After a mere 1,500 years of existence, man is thus summed up by God;

5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Gen.6:5.)

The mind of a newly born again Christian needs to be saved from itself. In Rome, the center of world politics, culture, wealth and the arts, a Church was born without the Apostles Paul there to teach them. In his letter to them he showed that the Gentile was headed for perdition, but that the Jew, with his Law, was equally headed for hell. Paul builds this case carefully from Chapter 1 to 8. The facts are so devastating that Paul must then spend three Chapters showing that Israel will still be recovered as per the prophets. From Chapter 12, Paul, in his normal fashion, turns to the solution to man's utter depravity. And his very first solution to the problems in the Church at Rome is:- "Oh man, oh Christian ... your THINKING stinks!" Here are his actual words as given to him by the holy Spirit;

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us ... (Rom.12:2–6).

In verse 1 the BODY is dealt with. From verse 2 it is "YE" - the man himself. That is, according to Genesis 2:7 - the SOUL. The Christian needs a PROCESS of renewing the MIND. The Lord, probably thinking back to Genesis 6:5 and the unabated evil that spews forth from a man's thought, is, in essence, saying: "Oh Christian, my beloved, your body must be offered and your MIND in its present form IS USELESS to me. It must be RENEWED. And the process is;
1. stop thinking about yourself.
2. think without any stimulus
3. think according to your measure of faith
4. think CORPORATELY - the individual does not count
5.the result of your thinking is the discernment, or proof, of what God's will is for you

Man ate from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. He intrinsically falls into this mode of thinking. But the Christian life is not black and white. It cannot be catalogued. It cannot be categorized. Why does Israel kill its enemies at the command of God, but the same God chooses to spare Rahab - a whore - to be prominent in the ancestry of Jesus. Why does God call for a "eye for an eye" but chastises His People "seven times over". But Mystery Babylon is only punished "twice over". Why does God spare David after he ate the shewbread, but slays Uzzah for touching the Ark. Both were reserved for the Priests. David was not a Levite. Black and White ... even God is not so rigid ... but hang on .... did he tolerate "Lukewarm" at Loadicea?

The only thing about Christian "black and white" is that it is not black and white. The axle the the verses above turn around is "LET EVERY MAN .... ACCORDING ... AS GOD"

[Mr. M]

On 10/26/2024 at 7:00 PM, missmuffet said:

Do you think the born again Christian life is a black and white thinking perspective?

1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.

All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful;

all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

Let all things be done unto edifying, with decency and with order, and in love(charity).

1 Corinthians 14:26, 40; 1 Corinthians 16:14

[Mr. M]

12 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Black and white thinking means that you see something as either right or wrong. No in-between.

If a good deed is performed with an impure motive, what good remains?

2 Corinthians 4:15 For all things are for your sake, that grace,

having spread through the many, may cause

thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 9:11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness,

which cause through us thanksgiving to God.

 

Christians extend Grace through the giving of thanks.

Grace is not black or white, but the pure light of Truth.

Matthew 6:22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Not Good or Evil, Black or White; but God or Not God; Light not Darkness.