Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10 ESV)
We must love one another as we really are and not as we would ideally like others to be. We must honor each other in our imperfect state and not in some ideal state in which we have no faults. We are called to love and honor real broken people and not some "ideal" Christians who do not exist in the real world.
The love we are to have for other Christians is unconditional. It is not based on their performance. The honor we are to give them is also unconditional. It is not based on their performance. Only unconditional love and honor last since everyone we love and honor is a sinner. Because those we love and honor sin we will eventually find fault with them if we look for it. If our love and honor is conditional upon their performance then we will find reason not to love and honor them.
This is entirely different than the way the unbelieving world system operates. Love and honor are earned by good performance. Here in the kingdom of Christ they are given as a gift to all who call upon the name of the Lord Messiah Jesus. Doing Church well means that we strive to feel love and honor for every Christian seeing in them God's image and God's child. We see in them the body of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit. We embrace them as God's child and our spiritual sibling. This is all done as a gift even as we have been accepted by God in Messiah Jesus as a gift.
Only a focus on grace can allow us to do church well.
Showing posts with label acceptance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acceptance. Show all posts
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Friday, September 19, 2008
Don't waste your time judging!
Devotions
Friday, September 19, 2008
Reading
NLT Romans 14:1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should. 5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter. 6 Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. 8 While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died. 10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.' " 12 Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God.
Meditation:
Literal - Paul is attempting to get Christians to accept one another instead of judging each other concerning areas in which God has not provided an authoritative word. The very fact that Paul could write this seems to indicate that he was not assuming absolute divine revelation on every single aspect of Christian conduct. Paul shows his practice of this principle in that he did not use his apostolic position to bind the conscience of other Christians where God had allowed there to be freedom. Where God has clearly spoken we can clearly speak and where God has not clearly spoken we must allow freedom of personal conscience.
Christian fellowship is to be one where we accept each other even when we differ about how we should honor God in areas of eating, drinking, and what days of the calendar should be celebrated as “holy”. These issues had to do with the conflicts between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians and how they felt it was best to honor the Lord in these areas. The condemnation towards each other would quickly turn into the idea that one group was being “legalistic” and the other “lawless”. Self righteousness would be in both camps as they perceived themselves as the more enlightened or faithful.
Paul says let Christ be the one that every Christian has to answer to on such matters and just focus on accepting and loving each other. Each Christian belongs to Christ and is attempting to honor Christ in what they do on such matters. So why bother condemning and judging your brother or sister? Cannot Christ handle that? Why must every believer conform to your way of following Jesus? God is more concerned about our attitude of love and acceptance of each other than He is about our conformity to some particular cultural expression of devotion to Him.
One of the key points here is that the one thing that all Christians agree upon is that life is all about pleasing the Lord in what we do. It is all about living for His glory and in gratitude. Keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Christocentric perspective: Paul’s understanding of who we are is very simple. We have been bought by Christ’s blood and belong to Him body and soul. We are the servants of Christ and of no other person. Every action we take we take to please Christ. We will have to give an account of every action to Christ. We are lead by the Lord in discerning the best path for us to take to please and empowered to do this. Christ is our life.
Moral perspective: Stop judging other Christians. We will not be judged on how well we judged others. We will be judged for judging. So it seems wise to stop judging and condemning and strive towards loving and accepting.
Eternal perspective: The church in the eternal kingdom will finally be free of all our party spirit, divisions, self righteousness, self centeredness, politics, and condemning spirits. We will be fully in love with the LORD and with each other. We will be accepting of our different cultures and background. We will be one in Jesus!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me not judge my brothers and sisters. Free me on majoring in the minors. Show me how to show love with those who disagree with me.
Contemplation: Love one another!
Action: Who have I spent time judging and condemning in the last week? Last month? Last year? Why am I tempted to focus my condemnation on this person? How could I release my condemnation and open my heart to accept them as they are?
Friday, September 19, 2008
Reading
NLT Romans 14:1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should. 5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter. 6 Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. 8 While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died. 10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.' " 12 Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God.
Meditation:
Literal - Paul is attempting to get Christians to accept one another instead of judging each other concerning areas in which God has not provided an authoritative word. The very fact that Paul could write this seems to indicate that he was not assuming absolute divine revelation on every single aspect of Christian conduct. Paul shows his practice of this principle in that he did not use his apostolic position to bind the conscience of other Christians where God had allowed there to be freedom. Where God has clearly spoken we can clearly speak and where God has not clearly spoken we must allow freedom of personal conscience.
Christian fellowship is to be one where we accept each other even when we differ about how we should honor God in areas of eating, drinking, and what days of the calendar should be celebrated as “holy”. These issues had to do with the conflicts between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians and how they felt it was best to honor the Lord in these areas. The condemnation towards each other would quickly turn into the idea that one group was being “legalistic” and the other “lawless”. Self righteousness would be in both camps as they perceived themselves as the more enlightened or faithful.
Paul says let Christ be the one that every Christian has to answer to on such matters and just focus on accepting and loving each other. Each Christian belongs to Christ and is attempting to honor Christ in what they do on such matters. So why bother condemning and judging your brother or sister? Cannot Christ handle that? Why must every believer conform to your way of following Jesus? God is more concerned about our attitude of love and acceptance of each other than He is about our conformity to some particular cultural expression of devotion to Him.
One of the key points here is that the one thing that all Christians agree upon is that life is all about pleasing the Lord in what we do. It is all about living for His glory and in gratitude. Keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Christocentric perspective: Paul’s understanding of who we are is very simple. We have been bought by Christ’s blood and belong to Him body and soul. We are the servants of Christ and of no other person. Every action we take we take to please Christ. We will have to give an account of every action to Christ. We are lead by the Lord in discerning the best path for us to take to please and empowered to do this. Christ is our life.
Moral perspective: Stop judging other Christians. We will not be judged on how well we judged others. We will be judged for judging. So it seems wise to stop judging and condemning and strive towards loving and accepting.
Eternal perspective: The church in the eternal kingdom will finally be free of all our party spirit, divisions, self righteousness, self centeredness, politics, and condemning spirits. We will be fully in love with the LORD and with each other. We will be accepting of our different cultures and background. We will be one in Jesus!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me not judge my brothers and sisters. Free me on majoring in the minors. Show me how to show love with those who disagree with me.
Contemplation: Love one another!
Action: Who have I spent time judging and condemning in the last week? Last month? Last year? Why am I tempted to focus my condemnation on this person? How could I release my condemnation and open my heart to accept them as they are?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Take joy in the Lord's acceptance of you!
Devotions
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Reading
NLT Psalm 149:1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. 2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King. 3 Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp. 4 For the LORD delights in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. 5 Let the faithful rejoice in this honor. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds. 6 Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands-- 7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, 8 to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains, 9 to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glory of his faithful ones. Praise the LORD!
Meditation:
Literal: Outline
Vs. 1 – Command to vocalize the wonder of the Lord’s great character and deeds in the assembly of those with faith.
Vs. 2. – Command for the people of God to rejoice in their redemptive creator and Sovereign ruler
Vs. 3. – Command to vocalize with passion about the LORD’s authority and character with celebration, dancing, tambourine, and lyre (which was not a “harp” as we think about it but a hand held musical instrument).
Vs. 4 – The reason for this praise is that the LORD delights ( hc'r' ratsah (953a) Meaning: to be pleased with, accept favorably) His people. He glorifies, exults, and gives them beauty for they are weak and afflicted. He gives to them “salvation” which is the word h['Wvy> (yeshuah)
The name Yehoshua has the form of a compound of "Yeho-" and "shua": Yeho- יְהוֹ is another form of יָהוּ Yahu, a theophoric element standing for the personal name of God YHWH, and שׁוּעַ shua is a noun meaning "a cry for help", "a saving cry", that is, a shout given when in need of rescue. Together the name would then literally mean, "'God' is a saving-cry," that is, shout to God when in need of help.
Vs. 5 – In light of being so highly honored and favored by the LORD those with faith are to be full of joy at all times, even when they lay down after a long day of work.
Vs. 6 - The psalm at this point turns from worship to war. They are to be praising the LORD for their salvation and ready to fight His battles.
Vs. 7 - The purpose of this war is to bring God’s judgment against those nations who have rebelled and sinned against the LORD. Israel at times was used to literally be engaged in holy wars in the Old Testament and this was seen as part of the duty that God required.
Vs. 8 – The purpose of the war is to bring heathen kings into captivity and under the rule of the LORD.
Vs. 9. – The glory of the people of faith is that God will use them to bring judgment upon the rulers of an apostate world.
The first five verses of this Psalm focus on the need and reason for God’s people to be filled with praise and wonder in the LORD. The fifth verse is the center of the psalm and the main point. We are to be filled with JOY for the LORD has taken pleasure in us and given us the gift of salvation.
The hard part of the psalm is found in vs. 6-9 for the focus there is upon God’s judgment on those who are outside of grace and a call for His people to join Him in His judgment of the nations. In the New Testament we know that our battle is not with flesh and blood and that the kingdom of God is not now to be established with literal swords. Instead our warfare is now spiritual.
ESV Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Christological – It is interesting to not that when this psalm says that the LORD gives them salvation it is a word related to the Hebrew name for Jesus – Yeshua. God gives His people Jesus because He favors them and wants to exalt them out of sin and the rebellious world.
Moral: We have a duty to be passionate in our worship. The LORD deserves our very best praise. Our faith should lead us to positive emotions of joy and faithful loyalty to God in the midst of a rebellious world.
Eternal: The Kingdom of Heaven will be full of joy, thankfulness, praise, and passionate worship. The worship we have on earth is just a shadow of an eternity we will spend soaked in the pleasure, favor, acceptance, and embrace of our LORD.
Prayer: Lord, when I face the difficulties of my life, the disappointments of my failures, and the hardship of my circumstances, let me not lose my joy in my salvation.
Contemplation: Rejoice and again I say rejoice
Action: Take time to remember that God is for me today because He has sent Jesus to me to save me. Remember my salvation and take joy in it.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Reading
NLT Psalm 149:1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. 2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King. 3 Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp. 4 For the LORD delights in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. 5 Let the faithful rejoice in this honor. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds. 6 Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands-- 7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, 8 to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains, 9 to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glory of his faithful ones. Praise the LORD!
Meditation:
Literal: Outline
Vs. 1 – Command to vocalize the wonder of the Lord’s great character and deeds in the assembly of those with faith.
Vs. 2. – Command for the people of God to rejoice in their redemptive creator and Sovereign ruler
Vs. 3. – Command to vocalize with passion about the LORD’s authority and character with celebration, dancing, tambourine, and lyre (which was not a “harp” as we think about it but a hand held musical instrument).
Vs. 4 – The reason for this praise is that the LORD delights ( hc'r' ratsah (953a) Meaning: to be pleased with, accept favorably) His people. He glorifies, exults, and gives them beauty for they are weak and afflicted. He gives to them “salvation” which is the word h['Wvy> (yeshuah)
The name Yehoshua has the form of a compound of "Yeho-" and "shua": Yeho- יְהוֹ is another form of יָהוּ Yahu, a theophoric element standing for the personal name of God YHWH, and שׁוּעַ shua is a noun meaning "a cry for help", "a saving cry", that is, a shout given when in need of rescue. Together the name would then literally mean, "'God' is a saving-cry," that is, shout to God when in need of help.
Vs. 5 – In light of being so highly honored and favored by the LORD those with faith are to be full of joy at all times, even when they lay down after a long day of work.
Vs. 6 - The psalm at this point turns from worship to war. They are to be praising the LORD for their salvation and ready to fight His battles.
Vs. 7 - The purpose of this war is to bring God’s judgment against those nations who have rebelled and sinned against the LORD. Israel at times was used to literally be engaged in holy wars in the Old Testament and this was seen as part of the duty that God required.
Vs. 8 – The purpose of the war is to bring heathen kings into captivity and under the rule of the LORD.
Vs. 9. – The glory of the people of faith is that God will use them to bring judgment upon the rulers of an apostate world.
The first five verses of this Psalm focus on the need and reason for God’s people to be filled with praise and wonder in the LORD. The fifth verse is the center of the psalm and the main point. We are to be filled with JOY for the LORD has taken pleasure in us and given us the gift of salvation.
The hard part of the psalm is found in vs. 6-9 for the focus there is upon God’s judgment on those who are outside of grace and a call for His people to join Him in His judgment of the nations. In the New Testament we know that our battle is not with flesh and blood and that the kingdom of God is not now to be established with literal swords. Instead our warfare is now spiritual.
ESV Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Christological – It is interesting to not that when this psalm says that the LORD gives them salvation it is a word related to the Hebrew name for Jesus – Yeshua. God gives His people Jesus because He favors them and wants to exalt them out of sin and the rebellious world.
Moral: We have a duty to be passionate in our worship. The LORD deserves our very best praise. Our faith should lead us to positive emotions of joy and faithful loyalty to God in the midst of a rebellious world.
Eternal: The Kingdom of Heaven will be full of joy, thankfulness, praise, and passionate worship. The worship we have on earth is just a shadow of an eternity we will spend soaked in the pleasure, favor, acceptance, and embrace of our LORD.
Prayer: Lord, when I face the difficulties of my life, the disappointments of my failures, and the hardship of my circumstances, let me not lose my joy in my salvation.
Contemplation: Rejoice and again I say rejoice
Action: Take time to remember that God is for me today because He has sent Jesus to me to save me. Remember my salvation and take joy in it.
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