'Henceforth know we no man after the flesh' (2 Corinthians 5:16)

[SteveB]

'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.'
(Col. 3:16)

@JoshebB - replies #2,#3, #5, #8, #10, #12, & #15
@SteveB - replies, #4, #9, #11, #14, #16

Hello there,

Thank you for your input. I have followed your discussion, and have found it thought provoking, and revealing. It has been an object lesson in itself. There has been a great deal of sound teaching as well as admonishment delivered with grace. I would not have missed it this morning. May God give us grace to receive both within the love of Christ Jesus our risen and glorified, Saviour, Lord and Head.

Love to you both, for your time and consideration of the question in had.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Focus on learning to follow Jesus.
I became a believer in 1977.
During my early years, we were getting to know each other and in certain circumstances, we focused on our pre-christ lives. For whatever reasons, we thought it would be helpful... I think it did more to put questions in our hearts and minds that fomented suspicion and doubts.

The passage you selected i think is a great passage.
I see it as telling us to not focus on our/their pre-christ life, but to focus on how to build up, strengthen, encourage and edify believers.
It's too easy to get emotionally abusive towards people who love Jesus today, but were not godly people before they met Jesus.
The Jesus movement in those early years was filled with ex-everything's.

If you saw the movie- Jesus Revolution- i was there, a decade later.
Greg L. was teaching Monday evening Bible studies, Love Song, and other groups did the music, and some Saturday night concerts.

Paul's statement in Philippians 3 which i selected are about...

Forget your past.
Focus on Jesus.


So.... grow in Jesus.

Pray and ask God for some godly friends, and learn to grow in Jesus.

While the "temptation" is to learn about their pre-Jesus lives, please understand.... sometimes there are uglies in our pasts that people just don't know how to get past.
This is likely why Jesus says that the world will know we are his by our love for each other, and to love one another....

Sometimes just being loved by people is more than some people know how to cope with. It's a strange dynamic, but they'll freak out and leave.