Lesson 25
- July 16, 2001
Ø Christian
Response or How to deal with others.
1. Do not respond in kind 1 Pet 3:8-9
-
vs:8 some positive Christian virtues.
-
vs:9 a negative command "not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult,"
** Control of the tongue is a sign of the
healthy heart/mind.
- "but giving a blessing instead;"
> What does Peter assume here?
That the believer,
empowered by the Holy Spirit has some doctrine, knows what is right and is
willing to apply it; if that is the
case, then there is something possible,
that we're able to control our response!
2. In a non-Christian world, we must expect to be treated in a
non-Christian manner!
- John 15:18
3. Our reactions reveal something; what is dominate in our minds at the moment
of the stimulus.
We
have basically 2 options.
Joseph had the capacity
from his doctrinal frame of reference grid to see the good things in life and
the things we would consider the bad things, all within the framework of the
Sovereignty of God.
4. One of the typical reactions to being
wronged is to complain!
Definition: Complaining is to quarrel with my
circumstances!
Phil
2:14
* Moses pointed out the
real focus of grumbling and complaining!
Ex 16:8
5. Our reactions are determined by what is
internal not external.
What's
the difference between these two statements?
What's
the difference in responsibility?
#1
You hurt my feelings =
#2
I let you hurt my feelings =
When
they rain on my parade, What am I
called on to do?
Col.
3:12-13 See here how down to earth
and realistic the WOG is!
6. The external may precipitate a
reaction, but the external is never to
control it!
Ext our #1 = DVPT/H-S enabling power
Circ
Reaction #2 =
OSN/emotion/huvpt
**
What does all this mean?
As
we have already seen volition controls what we think, the way we think, what
stays in our thinking and what we are occupied with.