It seems

[quinntar]

Christians, why does it seem that you find it so difficult to walk as your Messiah. I keep hearing that it's a fleshy problem, that your flesh war's with your new life, but do you intend to be ruled by your flesh when the spirit of God is living in you?

 

Didn't paul say

 

1 Corinthians 9:27

27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

 

It seems that in the beginning of the Christian movement the disciples of Jesus were deadly serious about love, so much so that they died for it. But these days I do not see this kind of devotion in Christian's.

 

Here is another thing they did

 

Acts 4:32-35

32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the LORD Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

 

It seems that this kind of love is lost from the people of God, it's all give and take and nothing more. Do you honesty think that your God would be fooled by platitudes, by a so so love.

 

John said this didn't he

 

1 John 4:20

20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

 

So when are you going to get around to the love part, one that's not contrite and one that points out what Jesus says not to do

 

Matthew 23:4

4They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

 

Yes, you've really 

 

Strained out a gnat but swallowed a camel.

 

 

[mwc]

     Well, you know...stuff.

 

          mwc

 

[disillusioned]

It's just a la carte religion. Nothing more.

[Geezer]

It seems to me that accepting the Bible as the standard for truth is the first problem. At best it may contain nuggets of truth & some worthy  ideals, but it Isn't a divinely inspired instruction manual that must be followed to the letter. 

 

John Dominic Crossan notes the Gospels were written in the form of parables & should be read in that context.