Tag Archives: competence

“Keeping” our Brother

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Have Christians coddled one another to the point of eternal death?  Have many gone to the grave destined to suffer eternal loss?  And has the reason been, that no one confronted them in regard to the seriousness of rebellion?

let every man do what he knows the Gospel demands.  If our brother displays a weakness that is inherent from his former life, then let us encourage him towards strength.  Let us fill his mind with the promises of God for those who are faithful.  Let us continually remind him of those who have gone before us through great sufferings.  Let us strive to point out how trivial our sufferings of this day are, compared to that which is to come.  By all means let us encourage such a one.

But let us make a distinction between weakness and rebellion!  Is Christ in us not wise enough to make the distinction?

Coddle weakness in the hopes of overcoming.  But confront rebellion for what it is!  Even our unwillingness to distinguish between the two, is rebellion in itself.  For God has promised us the gift of wisdom, given freely and without judgement.

We do well to point out rebellion as an abomination before the Living God.  We do well to encourage such ones with Holy Terror.  Let us bring a simlatude of the Judgement Day before their eyes.  Let us help them perceive their destiny as eternal death. 

We will most assuredly regret our fear of confrontation.  Gather together the boldness of Christ that lays dormant within you.  Strike out with confidence, and Christ will bless your way.

Jude said these things best.  22 “Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”

But I must also add this.  Do these things with the utmost of godly care.  If the beam in your eye remains, you will not weild the wisdom of God with reliability.  But if you are submissive to the will of God in Christ.  If you have endured the purification offered by the Holy Spirit.  If your own life begins to depict the righteousness of Christ.  You have an obligation to apply these things. 

The putrid reply of Cain is unacceptable.  Yes we are our brothers keeper!  Yes we will be held accountable the death of many.  If you are not willing, then prepare yourself for the rebuke of God.

Amen.  Even so, come Lord Jesus.

By His Grace

Steps to Christian Maturity

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5 “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1)

Curiously enough, I have found personally, that the order of these qualities can be trusted.  Attempt the last one first and you will find yourself in error. 

Maturity in Christ begins with faith filled repentance, and finds its culmination in love.  It is written that the fear of the living God is the beginning of wisdom.  It should be well noted the Godly love is dispensed in Godly wisdom.

By His Grace

Understood or Only Perceived

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A man is given a job.  What is expected of him is taught.  In many cases the expectations are written down thoroughly.  The man is tested to be sure he has grasped what is essential.  Still the question remains, has he understood.

The man who understands is rare.  Yet the one who understands will learn to do what is expected of him. Most people do their job to their best.  But there is always some lack of full understanding.  By this mistakes are made and the employer suffers loss.

Only the seriously diligent will truly understand what is expected of them.  In truth, at best, most of us can only say we have perceived the expectations.  Understanding is an entirely different animal.

The more complicated the expectations, the less the possibility that the man will understand.  Yet, as he is taught, his perception becomes more clear.  At some point, if he applies himself, he becomes a reliable representative, and perhaps one who can teach.

If this is true among the things of men, how much more so the things of God? 
Shall we stand and proclaim that we understand the Gospel?  Is not very likely that understanding has come.  If it is true that few believe the Gospel, how much more rare are those who understand?

If a man is able to do what the Gospel demands, then he may be able to say he has understood.  But more likely, truth will say he has only perceived very well.  Even in the best of us failures come and go.

The Lord has told us what is expected of us.  Do we find ourselves willing to listen?  “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.”

Sadly the majority of people grasp the beginnings of the Gospel, but fail to understand the fullness of it.  Like rudimentary students they live their lives lacking understanding.  All the while simplicity rules their life, and they find themselves falling horribly short.

Like the worker who simply shows up to perform some menial task, the manual of expectations is rarely read.  Such a man may be coerced or forced to do what is expected of him.  But he does not have the will to succeed. 

What employer will give promotions to those who are not diligent?  The productivity of the company will surely lack for the sake of laziness and rebellion.  How is the Kingdom of God any less?

The wise go back to the Bible everyday.  They kneel in prayer often.  They watch carefully to the things that come to them, striving to gain understanding.  In such men, loyalty is supreme.

Men will pay us according to our willingness to serve.  Should God treat us any differently?  The answer, in words, is obvious.  Does our performance give those words life?

The key to understanding lays in our loyalty.  Perception obeys like a servant.  Striving to understand obeys like a son.  The difference between them is the quality of love within the heart.

As a man loves the one who gives him the opportunity, the service is more beautiful, and understanding is bound to come.  Equally, as a man loves only himself his service to the one who gives him opportunity will lack.  The one who truly loves the Lord will find himself very prosperous for the Living God. 

Again, the proof of our love will be shown by the things we do.  And the things we do present themselves clearly before us, that we may determine how we love the Lord.

“If you love me, obey my commandments.”

By His Grace