"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom 15:5-6)
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. “May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:13-18)
“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph 4:16)
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Col 3:12-14)
No amount of personal genius can ever supplant God's purpose of oneness in the Body. Every gift - not just the "5 fold" gifts - serves this purpose. Christ is coming back for one Bride. Think about this before you are too quick to dedicate your life energies to pursuing privatized goals. And as you do, forgive men; release debtors; love everyone with all your heart - not just the "likable" people. Practise the spiritual skill of overlooking offences. Act and speak as men and women who will themselves be judged by the law of Love. Sow towards righteousness. Bite your tongue. Pass the shocks and pains onto Jesus, the Great Yoke-Breaker.
If you are a Christian, know this - the same Awesome Power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you. The reason all the New Testament authors could write instructions so plainly was because they knew that the church had been raised to a supernatural life. The Spirit given to us is powerful. He tends us towards holiness. These authors wrote not to the "old you", but the the new you - the Christ-life within.
So, practice righteousness. Be a pot for noble purposes. When Paul wrote of this (2 Tim 2:20), he wrote specifically in the context of men who argued and chattered and slandered. God is saying here, that the man who does not increase spiritual unity across the body is a common man.
Don't be a commoner any more! Humility releases the power of God - so apply yourself in your new life to love; to peace; to meekness. For such a man is described as "great" in the eternal Kingdom.
Nick
0 comments:
Post a Comment