> General Discussions
physical vs. spiritual
Dave in Tenn:
Welcome to the new covenant. As Ray says over and over in replies to emails, he (we) cannot tell you what you should be doing. You have this much wisdom, however: Whatever you 'do', don't do it like they do. That's hard enough all by itself. We're going to grow in grace (the Divine influence on the heart). Growth requires patience and the inevitability of failures.
Gina:
I would say that a physical act can reap a spiritual result. I mean, God does physical things for us all the time and He's reaping a spiritual result when we worship (obey) Him in spirit and in truth and grow to praise Him, not by merely saying the words "praise ya Lord!" but in actions. I think that lending an ear to someone who is down is a great way to give. Regardless, when we give we do it not to be seen of men, even though they may see, that's not why it should be done. And I'm not saying that everyone in the church system who gives to others is doing it to be seen of men. Of course not.
But think about this: When the church does good for others, should it reap feelings of shame and guilt in the ones observing the good works, or result in praise to God? (2 Cor. 9:13)
Beauty is vain and charm is deceitful, but the woman who loves the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Prov. 31:31)
mharrell08:
--- Quote from: lauriellen on November 30, 2011, 11:15:43 AM ---i know we are to give cheerfully as we are able, but should the pursuit of physical good works be our PRIORITY?...should i be spending the MAJORITY of my time, thought & effort in physical good works
--- End quote ---
No
--- Quote from: lauriellen on November 30, 2011, 11:15:43 AM ---or is there a deeper spiritual application to the passage in Matt 25?
--- End quote ---
Yes
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I [Jesus] give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
1 John 4:19-21 We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
How you treat others, saint or sinner, is how you treat God...that's sums up Matt 25. John confirms as well, you can't love God and not love your brother.
Another point is this: while not everyone is a brother or sister in the faith, we believe they will be soon right? The scriptures teach us to 'reckon' ourselves dead to sin, though we continue to sin everyday. We should, as ministers of the faith, 'reckon' those outside the faith as soon to be brothers & sisters in the faith and love them appropriately.
That doesn't mean we should approve their false doctrines. But it means we shouldn't wait until after they are of like mind to assist them. That's a big difference in how the church provides...they push their agenda and if one doesn't go along with it, the aid stops. Maybe not everyone of them, but a good majority. I've heard of classes and commitments members of a church must make before even being heard for assistance. Think and talk like them, get a hand out...if not, move on. So don't be intimidated by a church and it's members 'good works'.
Marques
River:
Here we can see the difference in physical and spiritual.
John 4:13
Jesus answered and said to her, 'Every one who is drinking of this water shall thirst again;
John 6:27
work not for the food that is perishing,
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John 4:14 but whoever may drink of the water that I will give him, may not thirst -- to the age; and the water that I will give him shall become in him a well of water, springing up to life age-during.'
John 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
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