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In the 12th chapter of 1st
Corinthians the church is portrayed
as being the Body of Christ.
Every saved person has been
individually gifted to
contribute to the overall good of
the Body. And in order
for that Body to efficiently
function, it has to have variety.
Some parts have to move, while
others must remain still. Some
will be seen, while some function
out of sight - unnoticed and many
times unappreciated. Healthy
bodies have no place for jealous and
self- seeking members.
In Ephesians 2:20-21 Paul describes
this Body as being like a
building, "...built upon the
foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being
the chief cornerstone. In whom
all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto an holy temple
in the Lord."
But unfortunately there are some
within the Body who have
never learned that lesson.
They are proud and presumptuous and
a few fiercely ambitious.
They love the places of honor and
the positions of praise, and as a
result of the misplaced affection,
there are many churches that
resemble play houses, laughingly
built by the hands of incompetent
children! That's why some
churches are more interested in
their calculator than in
their conscience!
The little epistle of 3rd John
describes a church and 3 members who
represent the attitudes that exist
in many churches today - Gaius,
who is described by the apostle in
verse 1 as: "...The well-beloved
Gaius..." and in verse 12: "Demetrius
hath good report of all men, and of
the truth itself". Then
there is "Diotrephes, who loveth
to have the pre-eminence among them..."
in verse 9-10.
There are churches all over the
country that have too many "Diotrephes".
Whenever that happens there will
always be a congregation of members
who do not fit, reeling with
dissension, and crumbling with the
instability of self-importance like
the church in Corinth as described
in 2nd Corinthians 12:20. But
there are other churches who gladly
submitted to the lordship of Christ,
counting their lives unimportant
except as they respond to the wishes
of the Master. They have
allowed the Holy Spirit to tenderly
fit them together, to patiently cut
and adjust each one until they have
been..."...Perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the
same judgment." (1st
Corinthians 1:10) WHERE ARE
YOU- WHERE DO YOU STAND?
Sincerely
Yours in the Reality of His
Salvation
=Pastor
Jerry=
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