Do YOU Love the Body? - Part 2

So once you understand the fact that every follower of Jesus Christ or Christian is in the process of being conformed into the image of Jesus, it should be easier to understand how you fit into the "BIG PICTURE". You are just as imperfect as all the other "stupid" people are. And actually ... most of us realize over time that we can also be pretty stupid sometimes too. So lets consider some other things ...

I want to make it very clear that you are responsible for you. When you stand before God you will give an account for what you have done on this earth. And you will give an account what you have not done. Read Matthew 25:14-46 for a reference. You will give an account for every idle word spoken (Matthew 12:36). So don't you think it is wise not to base your salvation on someone else's relationship with God? And it's also kinda stupid to reject God by someone else's blunders as well. A friend of mine said once that when someone says, "I don't go to church because of all the hypocrites!" you should reply, "you are welcome ... there is always room for one more!"

Do you get it yet?

You are responsible for you! You will someday give an account to God for your life - not anyone else's. So don't you think it would be smart to figure out how to maximize your time on earth in order to experience all of God's rewards when you stand before Him? That's my goal for my life - plain and simple!

But there is a deeper point. Once you learn your place in the Body of Christ and you realize the process that you are being put through (to become like Jesus) is happening to everyone in the Body of Christ simultaneously, it makes you feel like you are really part of something.

I'll be honest, I fall apart when I see people genuinely going front to give their lives to God in a public meeting. If you ever saw the movie "Joshua" I lost it when Joshua healed that blind girl in the tent meeting. I absolutely trembled with tears. I yearn to see people healed and set free from the bondage of the enemy. For years I wondered why I felt like that. Later God revealed to me that He was the one who gave me a sensitive heart for people. I can honestly say that without the Holy Spirit living in me, I probably would not be like that. It's not something I have learned to do or be. Instead it's His working in me that gives me a heart for people. Do you know what I mean? Has God given you a love for people?

But loving people is only the start. Once a person gives their life to Jesus Christ they start going through that process that shakes them down and finds out if they really experienced the truly life transforming work of the Holy Spirit or whether it was simply a whim of theirs to "try something new". Time always tells doesn't it. When the honeymoon is over and following Jesus Christ isn't as cool as they expected it to be people start thinking twice. In the whole process, people stand back and watch ... and criticize ...

Do you criticize the Body of Christ? Even worse - did you ever criticize a follower of Jesus Christ to a person who does not know God? Wow! That is a HUGE mistake. I can you story upon story when this happened in my circle of relationships and every single time it brought shame to the Body of Christ which ultimately brought shame to Jesus. Many people who are not followers of Jesus Christ turn away from giving their lives to Jesus because of the gossip they hear from Christians!

A couple years ago I was shocked at the number of Christians who said they thought the movie "Saved" was a good movie. One person said he thought it was as good as the "Passion of the Christ". For the life of me I do not understand that. "Saved" was a slam on the Body of Christ by a man who had a vendetta against the Body of Christ. People said they liked it because it revealed issues that the Body of Christ has to deal with. I agree that some of the scenarios in that movie were stupid characteristics of immature "youth group" Christians ... some. But much of the movie contained exaggerated disfunctions of very immature people that did not represent any Christian I know.

I brought up the movie "Saved" for a reason. If you were hurt and shocked as I was at this producer's slam on the Body of Christ, it is my opinion that you understand what "love for the Body" really means. It's like someone slamming your family. Muslims kill people for slamming Muhammad. Modern day Christians laugh at people slamming their brothers and sisters. I do not understand that.

I want to talk more about "Body Life" and what it means for you if you are part of the Body of Christ. But for now I want to end Part 2 with this statement. Learn to love the Body of Christ - all of it! In doing so you will begin to feel the pain the Head of the Body feels when His body does not love each other. And you will also begin to understand what it means when Ephesians chapter 5 tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit Who lives in us!

... more soon ...

Do YOU Love the Body? - PART 1

I hate Christians ... but I believe in Jesus!

I love Jesus but I can't stand going to church!

God, yes! People? uhhhh ... most of them are stupid ... especially people who go to church!

Be honest - How many of the above statements do you identify with? The first one is kinda harsh but some might identify with it. The second is pretty common among people who don't have a good church near them and a pastor who isn't trying to play the "re-enact the past" religious game. Tradition is nice for people who want to live in the past but many times it turns others away. But the last statement ... I've found that one to be pretty common among people - especially those who haven't studied what the Bible says about who the body of Christ is and the importance for the body to work together as a healthy, functioning unit.

Most of you who have given your lives to Jesus Christ understand the biblical teaching of the body of Christ. The body of Christ in short is all living followers of Jesus. First of all, you are His - you belong to Him that you might bear fruit to God:

"... you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God ... " Romans 7:4 (read the whole chapter).

The Bible describes the body as made up of many different parts that all give glory to the Head which is Jesus Himself (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18). Your gifts that God gave you define who you are and how you are to function in the Body (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). Some parts are "out front" parts that do jobs that everyone can see. Other parts of the body are to do work that no one sees. One thing is clear in the Bible - If you are a follower of Jesus, you are part of His body. I want to be clear about what God says - check this out:

"... But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." 1 Corinthians 12:18

So what about stupid Christians? I'll get to that ... I know they are out there ...

God teaches us in His Word that since you are part of a living organism, the body of Christ or the Church, you have to work as a body. You cannot work alone. You cannot act like the body doesn't exist. There should be no division in the body of Christ.

" ... so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:25-27

But what about the stupid people ??? Hold on - let's keep studying ...

Every single person in the body of Christ (every follower of Jesus) is "IN PROCESS" being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ Himself (Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and many other verses). Everyone is making mistakes, learning from them (hopefully), hitting brick walls as they try their "own way", etc. But when we go our own way, it only brings pain and sometimes death (Proverbs 14:12). Paul also taught that when someone is caught up in a sin that we are to restore them (Galatians 6:1). This is a normal part of "body life" marked by bucket loads of GRACE. Remember the verse above in green ... "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. " The body cares for other parts of the body.

So, here's the deal - If we believe the Bible is God's Word - without error - our standard for living - the Creator's owners manual - then we know that this teaching on the body of Christ is set in stone. What God says about the body of Christ is His final Word on the issue. So, when you are tempted to think you can operate (as a Christ follower) outside the rest of the body of Christ (other Christ followers) you are wrong - period.

"But God told me differently" ... aaahhhhh ... no ... the owner's manual says "no". As a follower of Jesus, if you don't love the rest of the body of Christ you need to re-evaluate if you are really part of the body - really His. Or it is very possible that you might have, in fact, bought into a wrong teaching that you can be His and not part of any other part of His body - what is commonly referred to as being a "lone ranger christian". No. That cannot exist according to the Bible.

But what about the stupid people ???

The Bible is clear. We are all stupid (Romans 3:9-18).

Let's talk more about this in PART 2.