the balance between righteousness and mercy

[popsadie]

I am writing this out of a feeling of frustration with a fellow christian...why can't we seem to get all the threads of lovel down? I am a member of a christian forums posting board and I am in despair with the lack of mercy that a poster has shown. Where do we draw the line between discernment and graceful acceptance? I know that I err too much on the other side.....I am perhaps relatively merciful because I realize that I have sinned too much to have the right to judge the righteousness of others. There is a good chance that this poster who I disagree with is more righteous.....but I don't think I could ever even try to talk with him. I don't know...words of a song I love by Pedro the Lion are coming to mind right now..."The bad half live in wickedness while the good half live in arrogance.."

 

[Sue DeNym]

Where do we draw the line between discernment and graceful acceptance? I know that I err too much on the other side.....I am perhaps relatively merciful because I realize that I have sinned too much to have the right to judge the righteousness of others.

I struggle with this all the time. Like you, I try to err on the side of mercy, and I get frustrated when legalism rears its head.

I wish I had an answer; I don't even seem to have the gift of discernment. Hopefully a more mature Christian here can help. All I can offer is the assurance that you are not alone in feeling this way.

 

[nbcrusader]

If you are serious about your faith, this is always a struggle. How to resolve this tension? I guess you stand firm on the non-disputables and give loving answers on everything else.