Sometimes it is hard to listen to people who teach concepts dealing with fellowship when those teachers are clearly outside of fellowship themselves. It is like unmarried people giving advice about marriage or people who have never had children talking about raising children. Concepts are present but there are clear blindspots. What is being said might be theoretically compelling but it is going to lack the practical edge that only a participant has. You know that the people who listen and learn from them are going to suffer and that is hard to watch.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." - Hebrews 10:19-25 ESV
This book is called 'Hebrews' for a reason. It is written to the Jewish people living in Jerusalem during the time of the Apostles right before the fall of that city in 70 AD. Persecution was active. If Jewish people associated themselves publicly with the other believers in Christ there were social and financial consequences.
Drawing near was fellowship and it has never been easy to do. Sometimes the obstacles are external to the group and sometimes they are in the midst of the fellowship. That is always how it has been and will be in this life. If we fly solo, for whatever reason, we are going to be missing something. Oneness and identification are needed even if it is long distance identification that has a longing for a future reunion. Life has those times.
"As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well." - 2 Timothy 1:4-5 ESV
Yes. We have those times.
Someone who is purposely cutting themselves off may be a fine person on one level but they have nothing valuable to say about the Church or fellowship in general. Their theology is going to change more and more over time in justification of their new lifestyle and become protective of individualism. If someone is not submitted under anyone (except grudgingly to their source of income because of necessity) then they see no value in submission. They aren't disciples and will lack the wisdom of a disciple. Discipleship has submission. It is a vital ingredient.
The Church is a big part of the new testament. I understand people taking issue with places that have problems and not wanting to fellowship everywhere with everyone but to 'throw away' the Church and Bible-centered fellowship and worship has consequences now in this life and later when we stand before God. If teachers teach individualistic doctrine there will be smoke later as the wood, hay and stubble they built their Christian life around goes up in flames. They will also be partially responsible for the smoke in other people's lives also.
If you are reading this and getting angry I understand. Perhaps you are ready to be around imperfect people again. Please pray and seek a place where they open the Bible, worship and pray. If you ask God I know He will be faithful to open doors and show you a place you can call home that will bless you and bring you just a little out of your comfort zone.
God, please keep us from adding wood (human thinking based on natural reasoning) to the foundation you have given us. It looks so pretty and practical at times to add it. It can be moulded and carved in such beautiful patterns. Show us the right way so we can be functioning in a bright eternal mindset.
"Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 KJV
Gold is your deity. Silver is your redemption. Precious stones are the people and memories you give us... relationships formed in the Earth by heat but made to shine in Your hand.
--
Showing posts with label Individuality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Individuality. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Monday, February 15, 2016
A Body Member
Christianity isn't one person believing. It is many people believing in One person.
"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many." - 1 Corinthians 12:4-14 ESV
Church life is mystical. It isn't always easy.
"For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body." - 1 Corinthians 12:14-20 ESV
These questions do arise because each person is self aware and as fallen people we have had exposure to the effects of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As fallen individuals we amplify differences and make distinctions but God is saying that the group is His body. He thinks about 'us' the way we think about our physical frame. That is his frame of reference.
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:21-27 ESV
God tells us this and then we know it. The group is His body. A Church is seen by God this way. It is so easy to be cut off from this reality. We wouldn't even know about it if He hadn't told us.
Now that we do know what do we do with that information?
This reality is challenging for me this morning. If this is true (and it is because the Bible reveals it) then the decisions I make matter on a larger scale. It isn't just me. It isn't just me and my family. It isn't just me and my political party. It isn't just me and my ethnicity.
The King James Version puts it this way.
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." - 1 Corinthians 12:27 KJV
If we believe we are part of something larger. What will we be in that arena? What is our function today?
"But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." - 1 Corinthians 12:31 KJV
Chapter thirteen is about love for a reason. It is linked to this reality. We love knowing this. The more excellent way is love that recognizes and unity that transcends right and wrong.
If I feel small and I often do. I remember this. There is much more at stake here then me and my needs. God will meet my needs. I want to stay connected in the way that glorifies God. There is life there and provision there. I am a member in particular.
If you have believed then you are also.
--
"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many." - 1 Corinthians 12:4-14 ESV
Church life is mystical. It isn't always easy.
"For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body." - 1 Corinthians 12:14-20 ESV
These questions do arise because each person is self aware and as fallen people we have had exposure to the effects of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As fallen individuals we amplify differences and make distinctions but God is saying that the group is His body. He thinks about 'us' the way we think about our physical frame. That is his frame of reference.
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:21-27 ESV
God tells us this and then we know it. The group is His body. A Church is seen by God this way. It is so easy to be cut off from this reality. We wouldn't even know about it if He hadn't told us.
Now that we do know what do we do with that information?
This reality is challenging for me this morning. If this is true (and it is because the Bible reveals it) then the decisions I make matter on a larger scale. It isn't just me. It isn't just me and my family. It isn't just me and my political party. It isn't just me and my ethnicity.
The King James Version puts it this way.
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." - 1 Corinthians 12:27 KJV
If we believe we are part of something larger. What will we be in that arena? What is our function today?
"But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." - 1 Corinthians 12:31 KJV
Chapter thirteen is about love for a reason. It is linked to this reality. We love knowing this. The more excellent way is love that recognizes and unity that transcends right and wrong.
If I feel small and I often do. I remember this. There is much more at stake here then me and my needs. God will meet my needs. I want to stay connected in the way that glorifies God. There is life there and provision there. I am a member in particular.
If you have believed then you are also.
--
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Marveling At The Diversity Of People
Just marveling this morning at the diversity of people and how much different people add to the life of an individual. To be in a diverse group where there is love is a beautiful thing.
"All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?" - 1 Corinthians 12:11-19 ESV
Indeed. If everyone were the same what would life be like? Some things that people do seem exotic and we want to possess what we don't have but the beautiful thing about Church life is that in a sense we can have the benefit of what we don' t have by association.
"As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another." - 1 Corinthians 12:20-25 ESV
'Look how dirty you feet are. Tisk Tisk Tisk.' Diversity leaves room for care doesn't it? Nakedness gives a place for fashion. Ministry is centered in diversity. Care. Love. Help. Humor.
"If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 ESV
Grace is so needed. It must reach every member. Like blood being pumped by the heart to reach every part of the body we also want the cleansing, nourishing and healing mercy of God to reach each portion in the body of Christ.
Thoughts from the mind direct the whole.
Comfort, honor and joy knit us together even as we are joined together.
I am glad to be a part of something today... something big and diverse. I am thankful for the Church I go to and the fellowships I have in an organized way. That is manifestation of the body but truly there is a larger grander manifestation in the world and in Heaven that we are also a part of... beautiful... really Beautiful.
--
"All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?" - 1 Corinthians 12:11-19 ESV
Indeed. If everyone were the same what would life be like? Some things that people do seem exotic and we want to possess what we don't have but the beautiful thing about Church life is that in a sense we can have the benefit of what we don' t have by association.
"As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another." - 1 Corinthians 12:20-25 ESV
'Look how dirty you feet are. Tisk Tisk Tisk.' Diversity leaves room for care doesn't it? Nakedness gives a place for fashion. Ministry is centered in diversity. Care. Love. Help. Humor.
"If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 ESV
Grace is so needed. It must reach every member. Like blood being pumped by the heart to reach every part of the body we also want the cleansing, nourishing and healing mercy of God to reach each portion in the body of Christ.
Thoughts from the mind direct the whole.
Comfort, honor and joy knit us together even as we are joined together.
I am glad to be a part of something today... something big and diverse. I am thankful for the Church I go to and the fellowships I have in an organized way. That is manifestation of the body but truly there is a larger grander manifestation in the world and in Heaven that we are also a part of... beautiful... really Beautiful.
--
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Like Passions
"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are" James 5:17a
If we go through life thinking everyone thinks and functions just like we do then we will have many misunderstandings. Human needs are the same but the ways people cope with those difficulties is varied at best. I subscribe to the twelve personality type theory. Four temperaments with three variations each. I think this proves out Biblically and can be seen clearly in biology and anthropology.
Yet, While we should recognize the differences we also recognize the similarities. The "passions", the needs and situations we end up in are common to every person. We can celebrate our diversity and our commonality and should in a manner. God has made people wonderfully and He celebrated his own handiwork (see Genesis 1:31).
It is funny. The experts, those who study these four temperaments all their nuances, when given the Gospel accounts and Jesus as a case study begin to marvel. Christ might as well be the shroud of Turin to these people because He defies categorization. Not in the way that a fictional character would being inconsistent in personality but in a glorious way that only a perfect man would exhibiting the strengths of each without a flaw.
"As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption." 1 Cor 15:48-50 NKJV
The amazing thing is that we as individuals with varying personalities now have incredible commonality in Christ. A commonality that doesn't "dumb us down." It doesn't tell us to be all the same or drive us to magnify our differences. There is a graciousness of mind and an elegance of thought that can dwell in the individual hidden in the Savior that can give us the ability to cope with and appreciate everyone else.
"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" Eph 4:11
God wants to grow "us" with all our complexity and individuality into one that has abundant fruitfulness in love and all the qualities of love. Grace gives us the freedom to be who we are in this new man's image.
We can be like a glove that God's hand slips comfortably into.
If we go through life thinking everyone thinks and functions just like we do then we will have many misunderstandings. Human needs are the same but the ways people cope with those difficulties is varied at best. I subscribe to the twelve personality type theory. Four temperaments with three variations each. I think this proves out Biblically and can be seen clearly in biology and anthropology.
Yet, While we should recognize the differences we also recognize the similarities. The "passions", the needs and situations we end up in are common to every person. We can celebrate our diversity and our commonality and should in a manner. God has made people wonderfully and He celebrated his own handiwork (see Genesis 1:31).
It is funny. The experts, those who study these four temperaments all their nuances, when given the Gospel accounts and Jesus as a case study begin to marvel. Christ might as well be the shroud of Turin to these people because He defies categorization. Not in the way that a fictional character would being inconsistent in personality but in a glorious way that only a perfect man would exhibiting the strengths of each without a flaw.
"As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption." 1 Cor 15:48-50 NKJV
The amazing thing is that we as individuals with varying personalities now have incredible commonality in Christ. A commonality that doesn't "dumb us down." It doesn't tell us to be all the same or drive us to magnify our differences. There is a graciousness of mind and an elegance of thought that can dwell in the individual hidden in the Savior that can give us the ability to cope with and appreciate everyone else.
"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" Eph 4:11
God wants to grow "us" with all our complexity and individuality into one that has abundant fruitfulness in love and all the qualities of love. Grace gives us the freedom to be who we are in this new man's image.
We can be like a glove that God's hand slips comfortably into.
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