Post by Brother Michael (FE) on Jan 25, 2018 1:27:51 GMT -8
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So.... you haven't been able to find "The Perfect Christian Group" Yet..?
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Neither could The Apostle Paul; he said this to the Galatians:
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12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
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13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
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14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
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15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Galatians 5, Apostle Paul Writing
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The phrase ‘would even cut themselves off’ (vs 12) is one word in the Greek and it means to emasculate or to castrate oneself.
This is pretty shocking don’t you think....?
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Paul says that his desire is that the false teachers of Galatia would castrate themselves.
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Why such strong language from the writer of the famous love chapter of First Corinthians thirteen? Becaiuse it needed said, and He Spoke/Wroted What The Holy Spirit Directed.
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The Galatians weren’t the only Christian Group who had problems:
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The Romans
In his letter to the Romans, Paul addressed the problems of believers with weak consciences in the areas of vegetarianism and meat’s offered to idols.
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The Corinthians
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul addressed an entirely different set of problems.
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The Corinthians were in strife and division over which church leaders should be followed.
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In fact, they were getting downright ugly about the issue.
Couple that with sexual immoralities, and a case of incest; mix that with church members suing one another; confusion about the use of spiritual gifts; Glutteny out over the Lord’s Table, stir all that up together and you have a complete Train Wreck..
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The Colossians
The Colossians weren’t the perfect church either.
In his letter to them, Paul addressed the subject of angel worship and severe asceticism.
They were beating themselves up with fasting and a severely limiting lifestyle thinking that by so doing they would achieve a greater spirituality.
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Paul’s Reaction
Yet in every one of these ‘problem’ cases, Paul acts as just another member of the family.
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Paul doesn’t cast out these believers aside because of their problems.
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He doesn’t give up on them because they have issues, and leave then to their own devices.
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He bites his tongue and refuses to say, “You make me so angry , I’m not talking to any of you.”
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He resists the temptation to use reverse psychology to motivate them.
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And, he doesn’t pile on guilt so that they would be shamed into right conduct.
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Instead, Paul tries to keep open lines of communication.
That’s how it should be.
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"How will they hear; if one is not sent" ?
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None of us are perfect in our knowledge of God.
And none of us are perfect in walking out the knowledge that we do have.
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We are all growing in God, a "Work in Progress"
All believers are at different stages of development in their walk,
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Everyone is in the process of becoming what He or She is called to be & do.
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So take heart Beloveds.
Because after all, when all the dust settles and we look at the facts as they really are, we must conclude that there are no perfect Christians, Groups, Gatherings, or "Churches".
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Why There Will Never Be A "Perfect" Church until Christ Comes....?
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There will never be a perfect church on planet earth, that is until Jesus comes back.
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There is no perfect Group or "church" because that would require perfect people.
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Think of it this way;
The church became imperfect as soon as we joined it.
It certainly did the day I did.
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But, knowing this doesn’t seem to stop people from demanding perfection..... and giving up if they don't readily find it.
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We are not "Playing Church" in this Gathering, we are Kingdom Building; Amen.
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Let's take a look at what Our Lord Jesus Christ said to The Seven "Churches" in Revelation:
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The Testimony of Jesus Christ; The Book of Revelation:
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In 2:4-5, Christ tells the church at Ephesus to repent of their lack of wholehearted devotion or they would have their lampstand removed. Many men would not dream of calling them unfaithful, but God considered them to be in grave danger!
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In 2:14-16, Christ tells the church at Pergamum (or Pergamos) to repent of allowing false teaching or He would fight against them. Many men refuse to criticize other congregations for their teaching, but Jesus would fight against the false teaching!
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In 2:20-23, Christ tells the church at Thyatira that they needed to get rid of the false teaching and immoral influence of a “Jezebel” before they each received their judgment.
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In 3:1-3, Christ tells the church at Sardis to wake up and get to work because their works were not full or complete before Him. Only by repenting of their spiritual slothfulness could they be right with Him.
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In 3:15-19, Christ tells the self-satisfied church at Laodicea that He would figuratively spit or vomit them out because of their lukewarmness. Many men are perfectly satisfied with a mediocre church, but Christ is not.....
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Convearsly, in 2:7-11 the church at Smyrna is not criticized at all
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and in 3:7-13 the church at Philadelphia also appears to receive no criticism. I'm sure there were difficulties occasionally, but these groups of Christians were considered "Mature" or perfect by God.
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Christ's church ( His Body) in the larger sense will be perfect in every way; It is only those who are working hard at being faithful who are and will be a part of His church. If He came back Tomorrow, would he find us working for the Kingdom, and with Faith..?
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So, I've shared all that, to lay this charge to us all: "What effect for The Kingdom of God do I have if I Give up on the Brethren, when I've been led or called by God to a Gathering of His Children, and just leave.
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and what's worse, if we "throw in the towel", to make an announcement in Public; to be seen by Men, and maybe gather a few to follow in our failure to serve no matter what......
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Is That Overcoming the Race set before Us...? "Enduring" just until I am "Uncomfortable"
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Is our walk one that has to be maintained "in Comfort" for us to pick up your Cross, and Follow Christ?
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Allow me to share something Paul Spoke about His Difficulties, While Kingdom Building for Christ:
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25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
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26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
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27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2 Corinthians 11
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How much less than that has The Lord asked any of us to do than Paul .... answering this for myself;
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Much Less.
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Suffer me one last Word; From God Almighty our Heavenly Father:
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"I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.
Ezekiel 22:30.
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God Forbid He would find no one Here.
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I say "Yes Lord; Send Me; I will Stay".
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"We are all a Blessing to Bless Others"; Wherever we are. Wherever He has called us to.
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Peace be upon you All;
Brother Michael NewDay ~
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