Good Morning Friends,
“All of us who are mature should take such a
view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will
make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join
with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according
to the pattern we gave you.” (Philippians 3:15-17)
Sometimes it’s frustrating to be around people
who are wrong. The tendency is to want to correct them and if they don’t listen
the first time to keep bringing the subject up until they finally get it. Paul
must have wanted to follow that same pattern. I can’t imagine that it was easy
for him to let people continue to be wrong. But notice how Paul encouraged us
to handle those who are wrong: let God make clear their error. That doesn’t
mean we shouldn’t ever try to help, you may be the instrument God uses. But it
does mean it is not our responsibility to keep coming back to the point we
think they are in error about until they agree with us.
Do you trust God to work in the lives of other
believers, that’s the point! What we don’t need to be are nags. Nags rarely
change anyone’s point of view.
There’s one more bit of advice here. Don’t let
the areas in which you are unsure keep you from following Christ in the areas
you are sure: live up to what you've attained. I like what Mark Twain once
said, “It’s not the parts of the Bible I don’t understand that give me the most
problem, it’s the parts I do understand.”
Follow the direction from God that is clear and
be open to God to continue to make clear His direction in other areas of life,
too.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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