Have you ever felt guilty or responsible for doing remedial work for a sin not because you have committed it directly, but because you're part of the group or family who did?
I learned this from Nehemiah, who confessed on behalf of his ancestors on being sinful (Nehemiah 1), asked for forgiveness, then went back to Jerusalem to do his work. He didn't have to do that but he asked for it.
For me, when I prayed to God and asked for His forgiveness that all of us being not zealous enough, slowing down, if not hindering, the growth of the church. Then I tried to be the change I wish to see (Gandhi) and worked hard on that. Does this count?
My recent experience is that: A and B were forgetful, careless, and tardy, which offended C. C is (legitimately) upset and as a result has formed a bad impression of our fellowship. After I learned what had happened, I spoke to A and apologized to C, as I feel that some of our members would commit the same mistake from time to time. Apology wasn't felt necessary by A.
There was another incident, in which things are less clear cut. Say, if your daughter injures another kid, does she bear all the responsibility? Or do you, as her parent, bear some responsibility? By law it's under 18 over 18 stuff about parental guidance-ship. How about by the Scripture?
Your question is complicated and I don't have a simple answer to say whether me as my kids' parent is responsible or not.
I borrow from Foucault that the law by age is actually power and control imposed by adults onto kids. Like when the adults set a law prohibiting kids under 18 to watch porn movies, at the same time adults are justifying ourselves to do those things. So law like this doesn't make much real sense to me.
My learning from the Scripture is not to argue about whether I am responsible or not. If everything starts with love, one shouldn't hesitate to take responsibility even one doesn't need to do so. Jesus is the classic model in which He CHOSE to come down to die for our sins.
3 comments:
I learned this from Nehemiah, who confessed on behalf of his ancestors on being sinful (Nehemiah 1), asked for forgiveness, then went back to Jerusalem to do his work. He didn't have to do that but he asked for it.
For me, when I prayed to God and asked for His forgiveness that all of us being not zealous enough, slowing down, if not hindering, the growth of the church. Then I tried to be the change I wish to see (Gandhi) and worked hard on that. Does this count?
Yes, it counts. Thanks for sharing.
My recent experience is that: A and B were forgetful, careless, and tardy, which offended C. C is (legitimately) upset and as a result has formed a bad impression of our fellowship. After I learned what had happened, I spoke to A and apologized to C, as I feel that some of our members would commit the same mistake from time to time. Apology wasn't felt necessary by A.
There was another incident, in which things are less clear cut.
Say, if your daughter injures another kid, does she bear all the responsibility? Or do you, as her parent, bear some responsibility? By law it's under 18 over 18 stuff about parental guidance-ship. How about by the Scripture?
Your question is complicated and I don't have a simple answer to say whether me as my kids' parent is responsible or not.
I borrow from Foucault that the law by age is actually power and control imposed by adults onto kids. Like when the adults set a law prohibiting kids under 18 to watch porn movies, at the same time adults are justifying ourselves to do those things. So law like this doesn't make much real sense to me.
My learning from the Scripture is not to argue about whether I am responsible or not. If everything starts with love, one shouldn't hesitate to take responsibility even one doesn't need to do so. Jesus is the classic model in which He CHOSE to come down to die for our sins.
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