My mind was wondering yesterday and last night instead of sleeping. So, I will warn you this may ramble a bit, but hopefully it will start your mind wondering and pondering. Do we really live and mean what we say? Do we know what we say and stand by the things we say? Do we say "good" and productive things? Do we build up each other? Do we hear the love in the reproofing we receive? Reading scripture it looks like this should all be so simple and easy. We all have a copy of the "rules and procedure" we all have the model of Christ. Why is it so complicated to apply the scriptures to life. Why does walking the walk feel like our feet are in concrete? Why is life so hard and hurtful if we are all full of love? Why, Why, Why??????? When in doubt go to the word. When hurting, angry, sad, mad, whatever go to the Father.
Look at John 3:16-19 "For God SO Loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to Condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
What makes a person good or bad? How do we look at each other and determine, "oh, they are good people" or "oh, they are scraping the bottom" Do we really care when someone is not reaching and achieving "all they can be"? Do we care enough to reach out to them and say something (to them) in a timely manner? One thing BELIEVING in CHRIST, the Son of God. Not their works, not their church service, not their attendance, not their career choice, not anything about them..... God is Good, all Goodness comes from God, all Glory is to GOD!!!
The Bible says that God created us in His image. That he looked down and saw us going astray and the sin and deceitful hearts of men were pulling people away and He sent his only begotten son to come and save us, he bought us with Him precious and perfect blood and restored us to a rightness with God the father. Isn't that what we teach, and share? But what about daily living? What about the "Walk, the Christian life"? There are thousands of books, and about that many theories on how to walk and when to walk, if we walk at all, and if we even have to do anything.
What about caring for others? Aren't we "commanded to Love one another" of all the commandments God said this was most important AFTER having only one God. Christ, cared, Christ weep for people. Shouldn't we? Christ helped people in need even when it was poor planning or self inflicted problems. (Look at verse 17 again, He did not determine fault or blame, he served because he loved them) Remember the wedding, where he not only "helped" them out of a bind but preformed a miracle, turning the water into wine. He could have just lectured them about planning better, not over using their resources and taking better care of things and scolding them for people drinking too much and acting foolish anyway. But, he did not say a word, other than to tell them what he needed, a vessel of water. Or my other favorite, even when Christ was not respected and received angry comments because he was not there when Lazarus died. The sisters felt betrayed and angry that Christ did not come when they sent for him. He did not argue with them and resent them, he wept with them and then he got to doing what he could. He raised Lazarus from the dead!!! (they believed, verse 17 again) He could, and he did... Will we do that? or would we just walk away and not understand.
Okay that settles the Life thing, now we are Saved, but what do we do until time to ascend with Christ? We are family, but how do we live with each other without becoming Cain and Abel?
The first thing, addressing being wronged and reproofing are two different things! Sometimes are brother or sister has wronged us AND needs to be reproofed but, scripture is not to settle sibling issues. Reproofing is to restore them to Christ! That is it... Approach the brother or sister when they wrong you, that is in scriptur. However that is to open the door and get their heart right, then put the bible down and talk to them... Do not quote scriptures to them!
But like all things human, sometimes we miss the mark and we do not love and support each other. But, should'nt we confess that and repent (bring our actions into the light) from the wrong and hurtful acts? Forgiveness of God is different and alot easier than that of man. However, it takes work and it is very humbling and sometimes a bit unfair to have to deal with all the anger from the person we wronged. But isn't it worth it to restore our relationship with our Brother or Sister in Christ. If they are so upset to end a relationship with us, they may end their relationship with the Body of Christ. Then the whole Body hurts from the loss of this one that Christ blessed with gifts and talents to serve Him and the others. They have a calling on their life to reach the lost. But, how can they reach anyone if they are nursing wounds and isolated from believers from fear of being hurt and of being betrayed again?
As the offended Brother or Sister, who is commanded to love our Brothers and Sister in Christ, shouldn't we cut them some slack. Yes, they wronged us. Yes, we are madd and want them to wallow in their action for a while. But, is that a godly way to deal with them? (we can react to the pain and disappointment but to judge them or determine fault or guilt {verse 17}puts us in the position to beg their forgiveness) Is that our decison to make? Isn't vegence the Lords? Forgiveness, is that just a suggestion? Only applicable when we "think" they are sorry enough, once we have made them suffer enough? Christ Loves us therefore we love others. Christ forgives us, freely and quickly (many, many times) so can we not forgive our brothers and sisters?
Community, Relationships, Loving, Caring and Serving for God's Glory are not just theologies and suggestions. They are God's design, his goal for us, he set the example for us to follow. Can we claim to be Christian and not act like him? If we don't care for our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ, how are we supposed to love, care and serve those without the Heart of Christ, and without the Hope? What is our Father's Plan, Why did Christ come?
The Bible makes all these and more questions clear, we are not our brothers keeper, but we are supposed to love him and grieve when we see him separated from God, we are to take our grievances, cares and hurts to God, our Father. And just a hint, He will have us go to our brother and work this out, (See Matthew, before we can have communion and remember what he did for us, we have to be right with our brothers and sisters) Restoration is the purpose of having relationships in the first place, it gives us a personal connection to our Restoration with God.
Anyway,, just my opinion and what God showed me.. think about pray about it..
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