Post by Cindy on Mar 16, 2016 11:48:07 GMT -5
After writing about the things we should consider in a candidate, I began thinking about all the different choices we make and how it affects our relationships with each other, not to mention all the strife and division it can cause. We need to recognize that any strife and division in this is caused by Satan, the world and our flesh; it's from our sin nature, and we are not to allow it! God calls us to love each other, regardless of our differences. We who are born again are all part of the same family. The problem is that we think about the family of God the same way we think of our earthly families, and they can leave a lot to be desired. God doesn't tell us not to ever disagree with each other. He tells us to love one another and support each others decisions. He tells us not to ever cause another person to stumble because of our own decisions. We're to consider the other persons interests, needs, and desires above our own, and look on ourselves humbly.“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3–4) We can't very well have a humble attitude and then go tell a sister or brother that the candidate they picked after careful consideration is an idiot, because that makes them out to be stupid and not of the body of Christ. We can't say that we have the mind of Christ, but another believer doesn't. We can't know another person's heart; we have trouble even knowing our own! We're told too: “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4) We must understand that God is in control, not us and that He will make each of His children stand, regardless of what we think. We are not to become divided, instead we're to simply love one another deeply, knowing that God will make everything work for the good of His children and for His glory. (although we may not see that "good" right now)
The more I learn from God's Word, the more I understand that love is at the center of everything, and without it, we have nothing. (1 Cor 13:1–3) Even though we all have some understanding that a family is made of people who love each other and are supposed to stick together, many families wind up falling apart. Partly because of that, and partly too because Satan has done such a good job of attacking the family and rendering it obsolete in today's world, we don't really understand what it means to be a member of God's family. We hear the saying that blood is thicker then water, indicating that family relationships and loyalties are the most important ones, yet somehow we haven't carried that over to our family in Christ. Not really. Those of us who have been born again, have been brought into a family by the blood of Christ. It's His blood that unites us, and His blood is stronger and much more important then the blood that runs in our veins right now. The ironic thing about it is that while we act like children throwing a tempter tantrum and avoid our brothers and sisters here because of something as trivial as a presidential election or anything else for that matter (it's all trivial when compared to the Holy God who is our Father and His Son who died for us!) we will be together in heaven for all of eternity, whether we like it or not! I have a feeling that we're all going to be very embarrassed right at first when we have to face the many brothers and sisters we left in a huff over disagreements. It's because we are family that we're to be united in our love for Christ, that we're to forgive and forget because love covers over a multitude of sins. We often perhaps think of ourselves as all belonging and longing for our real home in Heaven, think about us all being citizens of Heaven, but forget that we are family. We are each a member of a family that's unlike anything here on this earth. We are each so very privileged to have been chosen by God to be one of His children. How then can we turn on another of His children and act toward them in any way other then with love???
Please know that I ask myself these things and that I too have sinned by leaving a fellow brother or sister after a disagreement and not seeking reconciliation. Or when seeking reconciliation haven't been willing to give up my "rights" or my "right to be right" in order to be reconciled. Much to my shame, I made that more important then my sibling in Christ. In 1 Corinthians 5:9–13 we're told that the only time we're to allow division is when a brother or sister is knowingly living in unrepented sin, has been spoken to about it and refuses to repent (after the directions on church discipline have been followed in Matthew 18). Then we are to part company with them until they do repent. At that time we're to welcome them back, completely forgiven, with love. In Romans 16:17–18 we're even warned to watch out for those who cause divisions and have nothing to do with them, if after talking to them and going through the process of Matthew, they haven't repented of it. So let's not allow this presidential election to divide us, no matter how strongly we feel about a candidate. Nothing on this earth is worth hurting a brother or sister in the Lord.
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1–2)
The more I learn from God's Word, the more I understand that love is at the center of everything, and without it, we have nothing. (1 Cor 13:1–3) Even though we all have some understanding that a family is made of people who love each other and are supposed to stick together, many families wind up falling apart. Partly because of that, and partly too because Satan has done such a good job of attacking the family and rendering it obsolete in today's world, we don't really understand what it means to be a member of God's family. We hear the saying that blood is thicker then water, indicating that family relationships and loyalties are the most important ones, yet somehow we haven't carried that over to our family in Christ. Not really. Those of us who have been born again, have been brought into a family by the blood of Christ. It's His blood that unites us, and His blood is stronger and much more important then the blood that runs in our veins right now. The ironic thing about it is that while we act like children throwing a tempter tantrum and avoid our brothers and sisters here because of something as trivial as a presidential election or anything else for that matter (it's all trivial when compared to the Holy God who is our Father and His Son who died for us!) we will be together in heaven for all of eternity, whether we like it or not! I have a feeling that we're all going to be very embarrassed right at first when we have to face the many brothers and sisters we left in a huff over disagreements. It's because we are family that we're to be united in our love for Christ, that we're to forgive and forget because love covers over a multitude of sins. We often perhaps think of ourselves as all belonging and longing for our real home in Heaven, think about us all being citizens of Heaven, but forget that we are family. We are each a member of a family that's unlike anything here on this earth. We are each so very privileged to have been chosen by God to be one of His children. How then can we turn on another of His children and act toward them in any way other then with love???
Please know that I ask myself these things and that I too have sinned by leaving a fellow brother or sister after a disagreement and not seeking reconciliation. Or when seeking reconciliation haven't been willing to give up my "rights" or my "right to be right" in order to be reconciled. Much to my shame, I made that more important then my sibling in Christ. In 1 Corinthians 5:9–13 we're told that the only time we're to allow division is when a brother or sister is knowingly living in unrepented sin, has been spoken to about it and refuses to repent (after the directions on church discipline have been followed in Matthew 18). Then we are to part company with them until they do repent. At that time we're to welcome them back, completely forgiven, with love. In Romans 16:17–18 we're even warned to watch out for those who cause divisions and have nothing to do with them, if after talking to them and going through the process of Matthew, they haven't repented of it. So let's not allow this presidential election to divide us, no matter how strongly we feel about a candidate. Nothing on this earth is worth hurting a brother or sister in the Lord.
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1–2)