Thursday, June 25, 2009

Attitude Check As We Grow and Know

Attitude

“… 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” (I Corinthians 8:1-3).

I have no corner on truth, nor does anyone else. None of us possesses “all truth” infallibly. Therefore I seek to fellowship with all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ and take pleasure in His precious Word. I agree with the words of George Whitefield when he said,

“I truly love all that love the glorious Emmanuel, and though I cannot depart from the principles which I believe are clearly revealed in the Book of God, yet I can cheerfully associate with those that differ from me, if I have reason to think that they are united to our common Head.”

I desire to avoid destructive “uniformity” and allow for differences of opinion. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me on everything, but I do trust that we will all be stimulated to further Bible study by our interactions.

As Otis Q. Sellers has so well written,

“I hope anyone following after me will go further than I have gone in the search for truth, will see more of the Word of God than I have seen, and will explore where I never dreamt treasures were to be found.”

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook

I tend to agree with Clyde here. After much study and learning with and being taught by the Holy Spirit.....I find JUST HOW DEEP IS GOD'S WORD AND HIS RICHES IN HIS WORD.

I find that the more I learn and know, the more I don't know......

There is much to glean from Romans 14 on this matter. Just because I may know something,
that doesn't make me any greater then my brother in Christ who may not have learned that golden
nugget yet. We are all in different stages of growth in the Spirit. Some points will have to be learned at the judgment seat of Christ. The Greatest thing, I think we can learn about our relationships with each other is to be kind and gental with one another and to be patient with each other. Most importantly, we must be careful in our edifying and reaching out to each other,
to not be a stumbling blog to our brother.

It does appear that in Scripture that Grace wins out over the law, but it may take Christ to get that point across to some at the judgment seat. In the mean time let us keep on growing and knowing...5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Very Sincerely,
Your Brother Mark

Romans 14:
The weak brother
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

1 comment:

Mikes Sumondong said...

Simple. We are each other's keepers. We cannot boast of anything as well as we all have been saved through grace of the Lord Jesus Christ so that no one can boast (Eph 2:10). Thanks for sharing this brother Mark. We must all be reminded that in this journey of our Christian life, our attitude which is the result of our faith matters.