Abuse from Christianity toward saints in a local church

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by aron

It is sad that we sometimes don't realize the cleansing power of our Lord, that "forever tainted" doesn't exist in His eyes.

I was very touched that the christian fellowship was able to receive Saul/Paul, who had formerly been persecuting them to the death, on only the recommendation of Ananias and on his(Paul's) own testimony. That was good enough for them. Once their Lord forgave, so did they, immediately and without any lingering rancor. May such a Spirit still prevail upon this land!

I'm not so sure that the saints were so quick to forgive "immediately and without any lingering rancor." Acts 9.26 says, "Saul came to Jerusalem, and he tried to join himself to the disciples, but all were afraid of him, and did not believe he was a disciple."

It was then Barnabas (full of the Holy Spirit and faith) who was instrumental in connecting Saul to the body of Christ. It took the church a long time (3 years in Arabia?) to accept his salvation from the Lord, and then Barnabas went to Tarsus to retrieve Saul, bringing him to Antioch, where they assembled a whole year.

But, yes!, how wonderful is "the cleansing power of our Lord."