So many things can become clearer when we take the scales off of our eyes in regard to our brothers and sisters, I am not speaking of only the called or the chosen but unbelievers as well. Having empathy for for those who are yet on the milk of the Word, or those unbelievers who are on a journey with Him unaware of the forces, powers and principalities that dominate the situations they find themselves in each and every day of their lives.
Many or most of humanity hasn't a clue of what God's ultimate plan is, or the role Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour has in the lives of believers or the love He has for unbelievers and that His Sacrifice covers everyone, as Ray repeats over and over Jesus will not fail in His Father's plan of redemption for all creation.
The denominations seem to be content with preaching Jesus as a man, the wonderful works He did in the flesh and of course His death on the cross, the resurrection becomes very important at Easter but it all seems to stop at that point. Where are the sermons on Christ living in His people, alive and doing greater works now than when He was walking the earth as a man? Is it ever mentioned that He will displace the carnality and replace it with His Spirit? That rituals, symbols, recitations and the like are nothing to God, only the complete sacrifice of our ego and a heart's desire to do His will has any meaning at all.
It now amazes me when I hear about praying for this material thing or that material thing as if God will specially intercede or change His plan to give us the idols of our hearts, the very things that keep us separated from experiencing true Spiritual Life.
When we begin to receive the joy that is Him living in us we should also see the value of every other human being, some people don't make it very easy to love them but the Lord saw fit to sacrifice Himself for them as well, God has planned for that person too, set his path and the circumstances that comprise his life on earth, there is a purpose to it although we or the person themself has really no idea why things are a certain way, only He knows. That is where faith and being true to the admonitions of His Word come in, we should first see all our brothers and sisters as a valuable creation, because they are valuable to God. When dealing with difficult situations with our brethren that require discernment or judgement we should always prayerfully consult His Word for guidance, remember the answer to Soloman's prayer?
Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
1Ki 3:10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
1Ki 3:11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
So we are admonished to correct our brothers and sisters in the spirit of love, it is doing them a disservice to just let false doctrines live in their hearts in the name of that same spirit.
Rom 15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
2Th 3:15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
The world is so wrapped up in the flesh, in what can be seen, heard, felt, through the senses, the church is also still in this condition we are all instructed to look past these things and to the spiritual things of God, us in Christ, and Christ in us. The Father sees us in Christ and we are clean, free from sin, if we see Christ in our brethren than He truly lives in us.
This chapter from 2 Corinthians 5 got me started today, here is verse 16 in a few translations;
(King James Version)
2 Cor 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
(Amplified Bible)
2 Cor 5:16 Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]. [No] even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now [we have such knowledge of Him that] we know Him no longer [in terms of the flesh].
(The Message)
2 Corinthians 5:16-20 Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.
I did it again, sorry for the length, I did not intend for this to be so long when I started.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe