1 John 4: 20
James 3: 13 - 17 NKJV
We've all seen them, those among us who strive to cause division in whatever situation they're in. This afternoon this was once again confirmed as I was unsuccessfully baited into a argument with a coworker. Now, I know this individual and how he operates in his interactions with others. This gives me a advantage whenever a disagreement looms. Honestly, I usually have to ask myself "Is this who I truly am?" Am I that person who jumps at each opportunity to struggle and argue with those around me? Am I that person who strives to be assured that those around me know that I am right all the time? This is not the person that I want others to see when they see me. What gives me the advantage over my coworker, or anyone else, when strife looms is that in my heart I know who I truly am. No amount of anothers convincing can change the fact that I live as Christ Jesus who is in me {Galations 2:20}. Knowing this truth about ourselves can be beneficial, putting it into practice can be a bit more difficult. However, if we know in our own hearts that the man that is looking back at us in that mirror is indeed Jesus, then we're already on our way to a better life. A life in Christ Jesus. All too often we have been told that we can be "more like" Jesus, but we are rarely told that we ourselves can live as Christ Jesus. As a former local pastor who shall remain nameless recently shared with me, the church may not be ready yet to embrace this truth about Jesus. And so it is that those of us who have come to know Him wait with bated breath for the day the institutional church catches up with us.
20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
1 John 4: 20 - 21 NKJV
I have had many a conversation with others in my time about those hypocritical christians among us who go to great lengths to lay guilt on others because their behavior doesn't measure up to some holy standard. In fact, this was the very basis of the disagreement with my coworker today. Now, it's well known where I work that I am a child of the living God. In fact, I tend to wear my faith on my sleeve without shame. Am I perfect? Absolutely not, but there is no mistake that those around me know where I stand. So it is that I have often been bombarded with words like hypocrite, holier than thou and bible thumper. Of course, those who have known me would say that I am far from perfect in my own right. So, how is it that we are supposed to handle those "others" who will cause strife among us? The apostle John tells us in 1 John 4 that he who does not love his brother who he has seen, how is it that he can love God whom he has not seen? Furthermore, he tells us that he who claims to love God yet hate hates his brother is a liar. Indeed, if I live as Christ Jesus whose Spirit is in me, who am I to ridicule another who has the Spirit of Christ as well? One of the greatest commands which we have been given by Christ is to...love one another. Yes, even that man who takes each and every opportunity to belittle us for our faith. We do well to remember that we do not wrestle, as the apostle Paul tells us, against flesh and blood but against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places {Ephesians 6:12}. It is not the person next to us who we battle against, but satan and his crowd. The only one who we can be assured that satan cannot defeat is Christ. This is the advantage that we have when we live each day as Christ Jesus.
12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6: 12 - 13 NKJV
~Scott~
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