Discerning The Body Of Christ

My thoughts this morning turn to 'discerning the body of Christ'.

I can see very easily why people would be gun shy of entering into a large or medium-sized group. Anyone who has been in such a group before knows there are dynamics that are possible that are not so pleasant to endure.

"If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler." - 1 Peter 4:14-15 ESV

It's an interesting list. Meddling seems right at home with robbery and murder because taking is involved.

Can we discern the body of Christ? Is the group holy? Is each individual holy? Yes. In God's mind, certain groups are holy because He Is present when they gather.

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." - Matthew 18:20 ESV

Gathering in God's name is gathering in His character and nature. It isn't a group that slaps a name of a building. It is God making Himself manifest in a particular way for a particular season.

This isn't a rebuke of any kind.

I'm just praying for different people this morning. Some suffer as victims because of a lack of discernment and other suffer as perpetrators. Both carry degrees of suffering.

Here is a different translation with verse sixteen added also.

"So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!" - 1 Peter 4:14-16 NLT

Yes. Murder, theft, troublemaking for personal gain or amusement and meddling all carry a burden of guilt. They all have echoes that bounce back for years and maybe even centuries after the event but identification with Jesus doesn't carry regret like that. That suffering has future glory and amplifies appreciation.

I find myself careful that my speech is oriented towards edification and evangelism (the two sanctioned forms or communication) and not meddlesome or careless. People need safe places.

Let the 'glorious Spirit of God' rest on us today and make us into harmless edifiers with words saturated with grace and mercy.

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