1 Thessalonians 5:11-15 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
I failed being Reformed, being a strong Calvinist. Notice I said, “I failed”! It was not Calvinism which caused me to be unloving, and critical. It was me treating my brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ like they were missing out on the truth of Calvinism. I had gotten so high off the 5 points, the dispensation, etc, I thought I had arrived and become Superstar-Christian. I had done exactly what I had done in my days as a self-proclaimed prophet. I didn’t see what Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, was saying here:
1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
My thing was to bash the brethren who didn’t see what I had seen, to scorn the opposing views, and to only lift up those of like views (mainly the Calvinists). It was sin against the brethren, and most of all, sin against Christ Jesus the Lord.
So did my beliefs change, did I remove myself from Calvinism? You may say so, but I am now running under the name of a follower of Jesus Christ. That is my theology. I should love the New Covenant brother, just as much as the COGIC brother. What did I say? COGIC, yes, for there are Christians in that denomination. I have found, and I hope more Calvinist can admit it is that, we fail in coming to love our other brothers. We fail in building them up in the faith in Jesus Christ, just because they don’t sound like us. I mean let’s be real, how many of us link up with people that don’t sound like us? I am not talking about false teachers; I am talking about Christian brothers and sisters. What I have seen is the Calvinist hang around the Calvinist, the Southern Baptist around the Southern Baptist, dispensationalist around other dispensationalist, and so on. How are we any different from the false teachers and their groups who gravitate to themselves those of like passions? We’re not. Christ command to us was what, my friends?
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Looking at the Greek transliteration of the word know (eido) in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, one of its biblical usages means: to have regard for one, cherish, pay attention to. I had to seriously think about the application of this. See, I participated in supporting those that talked like me, spoke like me, or went to church like me. But what about the Arminian who disagreed with me? What about the New Covenant theologian who disagreed with me as Dispensationalist? Could I love them, regard them, and entreat them with the love of Jesus Christ? Could I edify him in Jesus? Could I extend the encouragement to them, even if the post-mill knew I was a pre-mill? That’s where I failed, right there. I had gotten so puffed up with Calvinism; I neglected to follow the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Take a look at Paul. He dealt with the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Ephesians, Timothy, Titus, and so on. All of these Christians were not the same. Not of the same beliefs, neither did they function the same way. Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ penned His Word to these different churches for our edification. Paul loved them, and ministered to them, meeting their needs, and serving the Lord Jesus Christ towards them. So, I looked at God’s Word and said, why is this missing from my life? Why the arguing and defending of my doctrinal beliefs, compelling men to become Reformed 5 point Calvinists? Why not compel them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why not edify them in Christ Jesus? Why? I was puffed up!
I recently had a Christian Brother of mine pass away, Brother Paul Thompson. He was a loving and encouraging saint of God. Well, when people die, that’s when the truth really starts coming out about how they lived their life. All the people God used Paul to draw to Jesus Christ started appearing up, when they learned of his death. They all testified of his faithful commitment to Jesus Christ. Mind you Paul was only a Christian for 12 years. They spoke well of his love to obey God’s Word. Countless times I remember Paul encouraging me in the Lord Jesus Christ. He even encouraged me to exposit the Scriptures. He loved to hear biblical exegesis, and was the first one to bible study at work faithfully, just to learn about God’s Word. His funeral was at his church and guess what his denomination was? Was he Reformed? Nope, COGIC is what he was. There was dancing and shouting, and running around the church, but it seems everyone who spoke, talked about his love for Jesus Christ. What????. Yeah, I got smacked in the face with that one. We’re coming to find out even more about Paul did daily for Christ. Paul had set up scholarship funds so young people could be encouraged to follow after Jesus Christ. He planned a secret collection for me because for teaching the bible study, this was while he was sick. More and more, his Godly influence is showing, and he was a member of COGIC. Nothing against COGIC, I am just pointing out that I had it all twisted up.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Can we as Christians do this? Notice I didn’t say we as Reformers! Can we love and encourage those Christians whose theology is different from ours. Are we going to keep beating down and badgering? Can we encourage the opposing view, who is a Christian, to continue following hard after Jesus? Or do we want him to know the truth we have found? Hey, I am just telling you something I have done. Praise God, let us share in the joys of Jesus Christ, and edify and build one another up. God bless you my beloved.
Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
I failed being Reformed, being a strong Calvinist. Notice I said, “I failed”! It was not Calvinism which caused me to be unloving, and critical. It was me treating my brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ like they were missing out on the truth of Calvinism. I had gotten so high off the 5 points, the dispensation, etc, I thought I had arrived and become Superstar-Christian. I had done exactly what I had done in my days as a self-proclaimed prophet. I didn’t see what Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, was saying here:
1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
My thing was to bash the brethren who didn’t see what I had seen, to scorn the opposing views, and to only lift up those of like views (mainly the Calvinists). It was sin against the brethren, and most of all, sin against Christ Jesus the Lord.
So did my beliefs change, did I remove myself from Calvinism? You may say so, but I am now running under the name of a follower of Jesus Christ. That is my theology. I should love the New Covenant brother, just as much as the COGIC brother. What did I say? COGIC, yes, for there are Christians in that denomination. I have found, and I hope more Calvinist can admit it is that, we fail in coming to love our other brothers. We fail in building them up in the faith in Jesus Christ, just because they don’t sound like us. I mean let’s be real, how many of us link up with people that don’t sound like us? I am not talking about false teachers; I am talking about Christian brothers and sisters. What I have seen is the Calvinist hang around the Calvinist, the Southern Baptist around the Southern Baptist, dispensationalist around other dispensationalist, and so on. How are we any different from the false teachers and their groups who gravitate to themselves those of like passions? We’re not. Christ command to us was what, my friends?
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Looking at the Greek transliteration of the word know (eido) in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, one of its biblical usages means: to have regard for one, cherish, pay attention to. I had to seriously think about the application of this. See, I participated in supporting those that talked like me, spoke like me, or went to church like me. But what about the Arminian who disagreed with me? What about the New Covenant theologian who disagreed with me as Dispensationalist? Could I love them, regard them, and entreat them with the love of Jesus Christ? Could I edify him in Jesus? Could I extend the encouragement to them, even if the post-mill knew I was a pre-mill? That’s where I failed, right there. I had gotten so puffed up with Calvinism; I neglected to follow the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Take a look at Paul. He dealt with the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Ephesians, Timothy, Titus, and so on. All of these Christians were not the same. Not of the same beliefs, neither did they function the same way. Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ penned His Word to these different churches for our edification. Paul loved them, and ministered to them, meeting their needs, and serving the Lord Jesus Christ towards them. So, I looked at God’s Word and said, why is this missing from my life? Why the arguing and defending of my doctrinal beliefs, compelling men to become Reformed 5 point Calvinists? Why not compel them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why not edify them in Christ Jesus? Why? I was puffed up!
I recently had a Christian Brother of mine pass away, Brother Paul Thompson. He was a loving and encouraging saint of God. Well, when people die, that’s when the truth really starts coming out about how they lived their life. All the people God used Paul to draw to Jesus Christ started appearing up, when they learned of his death. They all testified of his faithful commitment to Jesus Christ. Mind you Paul was only a Christian for 12 years. They spoke well of his love to obey God’s Word. Countless times I remember Paul encouraging me in the Lord Jesus Christ. He even encouraged me to exposit the Scriptures. He loved to hear biblical exegesis, and was the first one to bible study at work faithfully, just to learn about God’s Word. His funeral was at his church and guess what his denomination was? Was he Reformed? Nope, COGIC is what he was. There was dancing and shouting, and running around the church, but it seems everyone who spoke, talked about his love for Jesus Christ. What????. Yeah, I got smacked in the face with that one. We’re coming to find out even more about Paul did daily for Christ. Paul had set up scholarship funds so young people could be encouraged to follow after Jesus Christ. He planned a secret collection for me because for teaching the bible study, this was while he was sick. More and more, his Godly influence is showing, and he was a member of COGIC. Nothing against COGIC, I am just pointing out that I had it all twisted up.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Can we as Christians do this? Notice I didn’t say we as Reformers! Can we love and encourage those Christians whose theology is different from ours. Are we going to keep beating down and badgering? Can we encourage the opposing view, who is a Christian, to continue following hard after Jesus? Or do we want him to know the truth we have found? Hey, I am just telling you something I have done. Praise God, let us share in the joys of Jesus Christ, and edify and build one another up. God bless you my beloved.
Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Titles and sects aren't what christianity's about, when speaking of their offices, they then were addressed.
ReplyDeleteI don't want such a tag as calvinist or whatever else is out there, just call me a child of God, on his journey of being perfected (matured) by the grace of God.
That sort of jostling is futile and fruitless, sort of like claiming turf on the streets of a urban area. We ought to remember the admonishment of Paul, stating that one plants, one waters, but God gives the increase(paraphrasing). We all know in part!
Amen!!! That was the way Paul did Christianity, that's the way we should do our walks with Christ as well. Amen
ReplyDeleteKarsten Miller