| Author | Message | 
| Aliza Registered user
 Username: Aliza
 
 Post Number: 106
 Registered: 8-2006
 
 | | Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 6:49 am: |      | 
 Thanks, Susan. I'll check it out.
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| Susans Registered user
 Username: Susans
 
 Post Number: 187
 Registered: 8-2006
 
 | | Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 7:17 am: |      | 
 Here are the 2nd and 3rd parts dealing with how to treat the weaker brother:
 
 http://66.236.24.34/mp3/45-ROM/45-ROM-014-001b.mp3
 
 http://66.236.24.34/mp3/45-ROM/45-ROM-014-014.mp3
 
 I've listened again to the first one.  I do miss my old church for the in-depth teaching of Ken Ortize!
 
 Susan
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| Colleentinker Registered user
 Username: Colleentinker
 
 Post Number: 5017
 Registered: 12-2003
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 12:36 pm: |      | 
 Aliza, our pastor also did sermons on Romans 14. They are available at this link: http://trinityonline.org/cgi-bin/MediaList.cgi?section=&category=Romans
 
 Scroll down to April 23, April 30, and May 7, and you can either listen online or download them as MP3 files. They were EXCELLENTóand he preached them fully aware that he was teaching Former Adventist Fellowship as well as numerous undisclosed Adventists visiting from the surrounding community.
 
 Colleen
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| Colleentinker Registered user
 Username: Colleentinker
 
 Post Number: 5018
 Registered: 12-2003
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 12:39 pm: |      | 
 Oops--double posted! Sorry!
 
 
 
 (Message edited by Colleentinker on November 28, 2006)
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| Agapetos Registered user
 Username: Agapetos
 
 Post Number: 601
 Registered: 10-2002
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 1:28 am: |      | 
 Aliza,
 
 Viewing the common desire of many American Christians to post the Ten Commandments in their homes, in public places and in courthouses, one commentator once wondered, "Would we ever be comfortable doing the same thing with the Beatitudes?
 
 "Morality" for much of the American church has become its new gospel.  We've kind of forgotten the New Covenant gospel that redeemed us from the Law, granting us the blessing while we were still lawbreakers.  Morality is real, but it's just not the "good news" or our commission or our reason for being & preaching.
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| Raven Registered user
 Username: Raven
 
 Post Number: 650
 Registered: 7-2004
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 4:19 am: |      | 
 Speaking of posting the 10 C's, we stopped briefly in the parking lot of my mom's church while down there recently, to meet up with a relative before proceeding elsewhere. I hadn't been there in about three years, and was surprised to see a new decorative addition. On the lawn is a huge statue of the 10 C's - it kind of shocked me to see it. And yet they can't have a cross. I like the Beatitudes idea!
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| Aliza Registered user
 Username: Aliza
 
 Post Number: 115
 Registered: 8-2006
 
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 5:26 am: |      | 
 In Haiti there is a large statue and fountain in a prominent location in one of the largest cities with the 10 C's prominently displayed as the focal point.  Haiti has many churches steeped in legalism.  And guess what?  One of the leading denominations there is SDA.
 
 Maybe we need to start a new fad with the Beatitudes!
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| Helovesme2 Registered user
 Username: Helovesme2
 
 Post Number: 720
 Registered: 8-2004
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 10:04 am: |      | 
 What I learned from my study of Romans was that living in the Spirit includes being considerate of the weaker brother. But that it does NOT mean being a chameleon - always changing to keep from offending one or another person. It does NOT mean hedging our bets by believing in the freedom of the gospel but still locking ourselves up in the observances and taboos of the law. It does NOT mean that any time another person is offended it's likely our fault . . . On the other hand, it also  NOT mean trampling on other people's consciences either just because we can.
 
 Living in the Spirit changes our entire focus. No longer must we be preoccupied with our every step, or on every step of our fellow Christians - instead we get to focus on God. Under the law it was convenient to measure ourselves and our friends to see if we hit the mark. Now we know that we have been chosen and accepted, and that God has taken the responsibility for our lives. And when God does a thing He does it well!!
 
 It DOES mean listening to the Holy Spirit. It DOES mean living by faith. It DOES mean, as some have mentioned earlier on this thread, acting in love to our weaker brothers - not flaunting alcohol in front of someone who is an alcoholic for instance, or leaving valuables in front of someone who struggles with theft. It DOES mean not looking down on people for their weaknesses, and It DOES mean letting God do the judging, letting people stand or fall to their own master.
 
 (It was also striking to me to learn that it is the 'weaker' who eats only vegetables. Exactly opposite from what I grew up with in SDAism where the 'weaker' hadn't yet 'come up to the light' on the health message!)
 
 Blessings,
 
 Mary
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| Helovesme2 Registered user
 Username: Helovesme2
 
 Post Number: 722
 Registered: 8-2004
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 10:46 am: |      | 
 ALiza, a fad on the beatitudes sounds like a great idea to me!
 
 Mary
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| Colleentinker Registered user
 Username: Colleentinker
 
 Post Number: 5032
 Registered: 12-2003
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 12:46 pm: |      | 
 Great observations, Mary. I love that beatitudes idea!
 
 Colleen
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| Mwh Registered user
 Username: Mwh
 
 Post Number: 352
 Registered: 4-2006
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 3:55 pm: |      | 
 Just a note, I, some Christians and my SDA friend where reading Romans and my SDA friend did make a lot of fuss explaining us that the passage was only speaking about eating meat sacrificed to idols. Oh my, so far from context.
 
 In Christ
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| Raven Registered user
 Username: Raven
 
 Post Number: 651
 Registered: 7-2004
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 5:12 pm: |      | 
 Yes, that is standard SDA interpretation to say what your SDA friend said "about eating meat sacrificed to idols."
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| Flyinglady Registered user
 Username: Flyinglady
 
 Post Number: 3082
 Registered: 3-2004
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 5:30 pm: |      | 
 Mary,
 I like the Beatitudes idea also.
 Diana
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| Agapetos Registered user
 Username: Agapetos
 
 Post Number: 603
 Registered: 10-2002
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 10:28 pm: |      | 
 Mary, thanks for what you shared about what you learned from studying Romans!!  Right on!!
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| Agapetos Registered user
 Username: Agapetos
 
 Post Number: 604
 Registered: 10-2002
 
 
  
 | | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 10:32 pm: |      | 
 Ha! You know, the whole standard explanation about Romans 14 referring to meat sacrificed to idols was neutralized as soon as I saw two things:
 
 1) The alternative in the passage is "eating only vegetables", and
 2) I live in a country (Japan) that has idolatry!
 
 As soon as you actually visit countries with idols, you learn that there are more *vegetables* (and fruit) offered to idols than meat!  It is rare to see meat offered to idols.  Even in the older days, sacrificing non-meats was easier and *cheaper* -- hence more common.
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