*

Blessed be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like that to that above.

Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other's woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity

http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh557.sht

It is sad today that this has been lost in many groups

which still profess to be Christian.

Instead, people are gossiped about and ridiculed if they see things

differently from someone else. There is not the

agree to disagree and still love one another

attitude that seems to taught in the NT.

*

Instead, people want to run things like a corporation.

This is Biblically dysfunctional. We should not be lording over others,

shunning when one doesn't get their own way, nor politically campaigning to

make others look bad ...these things are not suppose to be taking place

within the body of believers. This is selfish, worldly behavior.

The Bible tells us to love the Lord our God with our whole

being, and our neighbor as ourselves. It also defines love for us:

*

NKJV

*

Did you see anything of shunning someone maliciously

if they don't do what you want?

 

Suffers long---

 doesn't that imply that we are willing to go through hard

times in order to put the other person first?

 

Does not envy---

doesn't that imply that we are happy when others are

blessed with whatever the Lord gives them?: friendships, children, a nice

home, a wonderful husband or wife, etc. We are to rejoice with those who

rejoice, not be mad like two year olds because we want the toy someone

else has, so we aren't going to enjoy the one we were given.

 

Does not parade itself---

We live in a celebrity world now, even within the

"Christian Community". We need to encourage one another within our spheres

of influence, but not sit on pedestals as if we are something higher.

(Nobody is before Christ).

Read the book of James to see what the Bible says of partiality.

 

It is not puffed up---

I find it funny when someone will say "Doesn't that

person know who I am?". The answer is quite possibly "yes", they do know.

But they don't care about the way you've worked yourself up to a point of

status to make a name for yourself. It is Christ we serve and not man.

 The idol building is disgusting--there are forms of American

Idol going on in "Christian Community". Whenever a person thinks

that their position makes them better than another...

they are off-kilt to say the least.

 

 

Does not act rudely---

This one is important but often overlooked. How

would you like to be treated by others? That is the way you are

 supposed to treat them! I've used this with our children

 regarding table manners (yes, I think it applies even on little

things).

We are to show love and be about loving others and

motivated by sacrificially loving them, not plopping

down, doing as we please,and waiting for others to

wait on us. This is an important one to teach our

children in all areas.

 

Does not seek its own---

One can justify just about

anything. We can make up excuses

that we are acting inappropriately for

someone else's "best interests"... when

 really we just want our own way or

maybe we are just tired of

trying and being burned or let down

over and over. But our goal should never

be to get out of anything and everything

uncomfortable, it should be to go

through all things that the Lord allows

in our lives, well .

For His glory. The escapism is not one I

can find in scripture. People and

relationships are not something to use

and discard when we don't

agree with everything others think. It

makes me think of nursing homes. They

are filled with discarded people who

became uncomfortable to deal with or

difficult to take care of.   Where in

scripture does it say

we are to discard our elderly family

members and turn them over to

strangers to take  care of if they

impede our desired lifestyle?

 

Just within Christian groups I see over and over and over again that if

someone moves on or is no longer involved in a group, the rest of the group

tend to be like vultures bringing up any negative thing they can and

embellishing that to others around.  It is like a way to be united,

no... not in the love of Christ and edification of the body, but in stomping

another down together when they are no longer there. Is there anything of

Christ in that?

Not provoked---

Maybe you are one of the ones who

has been trampled on by others. Should you respond

in like manner? What good would that accomplish?

No, we need to love our enemies, bless those who

cures us and do good to those who use us

despitefully.  If you will pray for those doing wrong

to you, it will help you to have an

attitude of love for them even when they continue to

do wrong. Maybe the Lord will use your response or

lack there of, at some time in the future to plant

seeds in their life and cause them to rethink what

they have done and desire to reconcile. But even if

that does not occur, we are still to do the right

thing and leave the situation with the Lord to handle

in His way and for His purposes.

 

to love and good deeds? Are you desiring that he do what is right because it

is the best for him and you are putting his interests first? Or are you

maliciously trying to get him in trouble?"

 (We had recently gone through Bible passages on all of these issues).

He stopped, cocked his head to one side (wheels were turning), then said:

 "Never mind"---and went up stairs and reconciled with his brother.

 

I think it would be good if we adults did that more often as well.

 

Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth---

People get an "I told you so" attitude

 and even are pleased when someone does evil...

because it proves them right and puffs

them up. We should never be pleased when a person continues

down a sinful path, we should pray for them and hope for

opportunity to encourage them back on the narrow

path.

 

Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things--

 If this were practiced today we would have fewer divorces,

more unity among true believers and so many

other positive benefits for others, for ourselves and for society in general.

Love never fails... but we sure do, don't we?!

We could look at this passage and just throw up our hands in

discouragement. Who can do all that? ---Or we can be all the more

motivated to operate in life in the way the

Lord has laid out for us. Striving to live our purpose for the glory of

 Jesus Christ, instead of giving in to the flesh and trying to

 take the easy way out and come up with all kinds of excuses to do that.

*

We should indeed expose false teachers who change the gospel and try

to build their own little kingdoms defaming the name of Christ as they

use it for their own gain. That is warned against in scripture.

It should not be followed. We should warn others out of

love for Jesus Christ and for them, to not join under wolves and goats.

We would not pay to go to conferences they teach at, nor would we support

their groups that so deceptively lead folks away from the gospel and the

truth of God's word through clever disguises and wording. However, when

the Lord brings such people to mind, we should not "hate", but should pray

for them and for their families and others who are blindly following them.

Pray that the Lord would open their eyes to the truth found only in His

perfect word and to bring them to obedience. Think of the good they could

do if this were to happen!

*

Those who are believers who profess the true gospel,

should not be as lions ready to attack anyone that doesn't do as they say or

believe as they believe in all areas. This is not Christian behavior...it is

exactly how the devil wants for those who profess Christ to act in front of

the lost... it plays right into his plan.

He is as a lion roaming about seeking to devour.

 

This type of action is worldly, it is just the way those in politics or the

corporate world act, except they don't claim the name of Christ in doing it.

What a sad way to live.

*

In regard to sin, we do need to call sin --> sin, just as it is described in

 

God's word.  If a person is living in sin, we are not to condone it or act as

 

if it is nothing.  

But we don't need to make up new sin because we don't like how another

person does things.

 

For instance, if one family's females wears only dresses, and another wear

pants without any conscience against it. Should you separate from the family

 for that reason (on either side)?

 

We've even seen folks split, over who was right about the Civil War.

These issues are not sin issues. They are differences in opinions based on

ones knowledge and understanding of things. Sometimes it is wiser to do a

certain thing, and not as wise to do something else... but that doesn't

necessarily mean that it is sin.

 

We all have consequences for our actions, both good and bad.

But to go around shunning or acting like a pharisee to anyone

who doesn't see things your way is sad... more for the person

doing it than the for the one being hurt, for the person doing it

is building a life based on judging others

and implementing punishments... they are teaching their children

to do the same.

*

So what is the answer to this dilemma? Operate as a Christian, not a

business or politician.

 

In past churches we've attended, we've seen fights break out over carpet

color, or where pictures of missionaries should be positioned and other such

nonsense.

 

Everyone fighting for their own "right" to have things done their

way. What is the body of Christ? Is it a building made of stone

and wood or are we, the people of the Lord living stones?

*

1 Peter 2:5

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house,

a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God

 through Jesus Christ.

NKJV

*

When someone is living in sin

(as defined in scripture... not just doing something you don't agree with)

--that needs to be confronted in love and humility, and always with the

 desire to help the person come out of the sinful state and repent and be

reconciled to others in the body of Christ.

But it isn't a vengeful endeavor and a malicious

feeling of being pleased they got what they deserve,

or that you are now judging them to make yourself

feel puffed up as if you don't sin. If

they will not repent of the sinful lifestyle

 (not differences in views, but sinful lifestyle as

stated in the word of God), then you must separate

from them. But we are to function with love.

If we are unapproachable because we've

put some silly shunning order on

them, then how can they come be

reconciled if the Holy Spirit convicts

and leads them out of their sin? Yes,

in a business situation a person can

 just be fired, but is that how the body

of Christ is to function? In politics

a person can be attacked and made to

look like an incompetent bumbling

idiot... but is that to be done within

the body of Christ?

Through the years we 

continue to learn lessons, 

don't we?  Our

sanctification

is on-going.  But God's

word is consistent and we

need to be in it daily to

renew our minds, asking the

Holy Spirit to illuniate truth

to us, and that we

would then go out and live

that truth in our day to day

lives.

 

It is interesting how

families and society

functions.  Some don't

teach their children even to

say "sorry"... because they

don't want to bother or

perhaps they don't want to

do that themselves.  Others

allow their children to say

 "sorry" with a bad

attitude... as if that word

meant anything to anyone

involved or observing the

situation.

But as Christians we are

called to be sorry for our

sins on-going. 

 Confessing them to one

another. We teach our

children that we are to be

on-going, life-long repenters. When we sin

we need to confess and

admit it  (naming what it is)

and ask for forgiveness of

God and any person or

people we have sinned

against in the matter. 

 There is something else

 involved here... we need to

stop doing it!

Turn from it and go the

other way.  Asking

forgiveness is not just a

verbal act to appease God

or others.  It is a genuine

heart change and

acknowledgement of sin. 

We don't confess, as

forgiveness and then go be

deceptive some more until

caught again.   Let's teach

our children to be  lovers of

God, haters of our

own sins, and lovers of

others...

as God defines love, not the

world's way.