Edification part 4
I think this verse goes along with what I was trying to say yesterday: "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not" (1 Corinthians 10:23). We CAN do whatever we want. And if you don't believe that you're fooling yourself. People do whatever they want all day every day. Even religious folk. They've just gotten pretty good at hiding the things they don't want people to know about. But just because we CAN do something doesn't mean we ought to. And for me its as simple as asking the question, "helping or hurting?" And then... if it helps... do it. But if it doesn't, maybe don't do that thing. And I believe that when we really begin to come into the unity of faith, and realize and understand that we are all in this together, we will begin to see that helping others helps ourselves. We are ALL stronger when we use our strength to help others. The tide raises all ships. And I believe that when we start seeing each other (and ourselves) correctly, we will be able to--as Hebrews 12:1 says--lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets us. We can begin to lay aside our hangups. Just let it go. And we can STOP tearing each other (and blaming "human" nature), and we can START building each other up. Because here's the bottom line: People need help. All people. Nobody has it all together. Nobody. We all make mistakes. We all have regrets. Life is messy. But kicking someone when they're down doesn't help. Helping or hurting, right? Lifting people up IS our new nature. Our true nature. That's what we were created to do. The God who is love created us in His image in order for us to be loved, and to love. To receive and release His love. To love Him back by loving others with the love that He loves us with. And, guys, if love is that important... that's HOW we build each other up! We love the hell out of each other. Just as Jesus did to us. I always quote Romans 5:8, and I'm going to do it again right here. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." When we had absolutely nothing to offer... when we were literally dead in our trespasses and sins, Jesus showed us what love is all about. He showed us what love really is. He gave everything He had and everything He is. Not because He was trying to get anything from us. But because He wanted to give EVERYTHING to us. So that we might have something to give. Its the idea behind 2 Corinthians 5:18, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation." He reconciled us, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. The ABILITY to reconcile us to each other by sharing the glorious truth that we HAVE been reconciled! He edified us, and gave us the ministry of edification. The ABILITY to edify each other by sharing the love that we are loved with. You can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. So it has to come from somewhere. And its the master carpenter, Jesus, who built us up. Filled us up to overflowing so that we can let what's inside come out and build each other up. Naturally. Not by forcing it, but simply by partaking of the Divine Nature. KNOWING who we are (in Christ, which is who Christ is in us) and BEING who we are. Letting God love us, and loving each other!