Robert Haviland

What is to be learned from getting burned? (This is with a view to trusting church leaders again.)

In Ezra-Nehemiah, the returning exiles are subject to repeated episodes of overt persecution/harassment yet are also needing to deeply repent for their own sin. The temptation is to assume that faithfulness/persecution in one thing means faithfulness/persecution in all things.

John 1:18 - No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

In not withholding mercy when it is called for, in recognizing true contrition, in recognizing mitigating factors

Grace overlaps with justice in terms of upholding righteousness, searching for truth, exposing falsehood, protecting the innocent, acknowledging the wrong and the wronged; in the practice of fairness, impartiality, discernment, not being too severe, not being too lenient, + making right judgments.

A crucial feature of 2 Co. 2:7 is Paul recognizing that the man was truly repentant.

The church can fall off either side of this horse. The tendency is to be too severe with the weak and too lenient with the strong.

2 Cor. 2:7 is correcting undue severity, just as similar verses are correcting undue leniency (cf. 1 Cor 5:1-13).

Love is patient, which means God’s love is also patient. God, who is love, often patiently forebears our slowness of heart, but he also patiently forebears our difficulty in dealing with hard things. We tend to be impatient with those dealing with hard things, whereas God is not.

When scandal hits, immediately talking about Grace and Forgiveness is like talking about how many children on the first date.

Obedience is what is right before God, particularly with respect to what one has been given, in any given situation.

Jesus had certain words for various individuals and groups, both before and after his death and resurrection.

Processing the obedience we’re call to in any given difficult situation is not disobedience. We may be called to do one or more things at once, too. Obedience is sometimes multi-faceted, especially in a fluid situation.

Processing obedience is not ipso facto disobedience.

I think it’d be unrealistic to assume that this was the first and only time.

At Gethsemane, Jesus wasn’t just dragging his feet. Though sinless, he processed.

Whatever is not of you, O God, whether inside or outside the church, will not last. Moreover, it will come to nothing. For Christ has overcome the world. Help us to take heart in this. Help us to be comforted in this.

Applicable to all our trials, no matter how convoluted and confounding. Trying to make sense of our political moment but trying to still take heart.

John 16:33 - I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

The softening of Joseph's heart was not in isolation of the contrition of his brothers. Even the "good" that Joseph saw helped him to offer forgiveness. What if Joseph saw no good in it? What if his brothers weren't contrite? Not to take anything away from his mercifulness.

The forgiveness that blossomed in Joseph's story did not spring up overnight. It organically, divinely, patiently, and climactically unfolded. But how often it is that this passage is used to expedite forgiveness.

Why is the narrative of Russia invading Ukraine so inconvenient?

The Fall was the onset of Individualism.

Genesis 4:9 - Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Even self help books recommend community, but the gospel is to provide community.

If the church’s tough lovin’ response to abuse survivors is “Child, heal yourself,” then what’s the point of Christ, the gospel, or the church? Why should it be said that the whole body is to suffer together?

What will not change is man's propensity to esteem some men too highly.

Many other personal offenses are not infirmities, too.

Any criminal behavior (e.g. sexual assault) is not an infirmity.

Wisdom is knowing how best to address our neighbor's infirmities, including when it might be that we only sorrow for and cover them in love.