For as the body is one and has many members,
but all the members of that one body,
being many, are one
body,
so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit we
were all baptized
into one body--
whether Jews or Greeks,
whether slaves or
free-- and all
have been made to
drink into one Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12: 12
-- 13
Paul now
contrast the various and different manifestations of the Spirit with the carnal
body that has many members and are yet part and parcel of one body. While there are many types, or manifestations,
of the Holy Spirit that has been the demonstrated throughout the centuries of
Christianity, there are not different doctrines. What I mean by this is what I have written about before: there
are matters of indifference that exist between the various churches: but, there
is only one doctrine that has as its importance and it is matters of difference. When it comes to the matters of difference,
those things that are clearly outlined in Scripture that all Christians are to
follow, without exception, then the we are not to be different or hold them as
matters of indifference. Sometimes we
hold on to matters of indifference so tightly that we will not accept any other
matters of indifference. All this that
only separates Christians rather than join all Christians into the one body
which is Jesus Christ. Apparently
within the Corinthian church there was much confusion and contentiousness over
the various manifestations of the Holy Spirit and Paul was giving them be
advice needed to return them to the love between brothers and sisters that
Jesus told us we are to have if we are His followers. This leads us to the discussion about what is authentic
faith. If a Christian is nothing more
than a cultural Christian then they have faulty thinking concerning
authentic faith. They often point to
their good deeds and living and this is doing nothing more than putting the
horse before the cart the cart; that is, that if one practices good deeds, or
is caught up in some euphoric manifestations of the Holy Spirit that in itself is
adequate to earn the favorable of God.
They do this by placing their exercises first and placing God and His
will second in their life. Some may
even say that this is doing nothing more than making a distinction between
belief and action and is only a mere semantic argument. They will argue that the objective of faith
is to produce these very qualities and that their existence is evidence that
faith is at work. Take note, it is true
that in many men and women, the most basic duties of society and family cannot
be performed apart from the enabling influence God creates in their lives. But in many cases, all these qualities exist
without any shred of authentic faith.
That is true, no one knows the true state of the hearts of those who
practice common courtesy to society and appear to be people with true
goodness. The outward conduct of a
person does not always reveal the true state of the inner person. What is seen in churches that manifest
titillating and euphoric, even group euphoria.
They hold it in high opinion and it becomes obvious that all is being
done is that giving credence to self interests and the opinion of the crowd
becomes more important than the sacrifice of reputation for that which is truly
good, and that good is to live a life according to Scripture. We find that in some churches a point to
certain exercises as though this is a demonstration that they are cruelly
"good" Christian and hold that difference on a pedestal: "For in fact the body is not one
member but many. If the foot should
say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore
not of the body? And if the ear should
say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore
not of the body? If the whole body were
in on it, where would be the hearing?
If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of
them, in the body just as He pleased" (1 Corinthians 12:14 -- 18). This problem of the schisms within the
church over such matters that are not found to be taught to Christians other
than those in the present time of writing before the coming of the holy book
called the Bible, exist and has existed throughout the centuries of
Christianity. And we wonder why many
people condemn Christianity when Christians can't even get along one with the
other: "Beloved, let us love one
another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows
God. He who does not love does not know
God, for God is love"...
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one
another" (1 John 4:7 -- 8; 11).
As Christian we are the body of God and God has composed the body for
His purpose. To not allow God to use
this as He so desires is to go against what God has determined for his people
and for the Gospel. What is more
important to you: your church doctrine or your church practices, or, that which
God has revealed to us in his word? How
will I know what the word says if I do not read it and take time to study
it? If we are truly following the Bible
we will follow what 1 Thessalonians 5: 21 says: "Test all things; hold fast what is good" "beloved, do
not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4: 1)
"finally That, brother and, what ever things are true, what ever things
are noble, whatever things are just, what ever things are pure, whatever things
are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if
there is anything praiseworthy-- meditate on these things" (Philippians
4:8).
This is simply my goal with this
blog and that goal is to encourage you to examine all things and hold fast to
that which is scriptural by Scripture and not by man so that you are change
from the inside/out. To be truly
converted to God and our Savior Jesus Christ and to be led by the Holy Spirit
is to become slow devoted to God than nothing can take you away from Him.
You are the source
and center of all minds,
Their only point of
rest, ETERNAL WORD!
From you departing,
they are lost, and a rove
At random without
honor, hope, or peace.
From you comes all
that soothes the life of man,
His high endeavor,
and he is glad the success,
His strengths to
suffer, and his will to serve.
But O Great Giver
of all good,
You all are of all
your gifts, your self the crown!
Give what you can,
without you we are poor;
And with you rich,
take what you will away.
Revised from a William Cowper,
The Task, bk. 5, lines 898 -- 909
Retrieved
from William Wilberforce, Real Christianity, p. 129
Rejoice in the truth
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