Monday, January 25, 2010

Be a do-gooder

Matt 18:7-9 "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 8 "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

The great preacher and disciplined man of the faith, John Wesley, had three rules that he would tell his people to follow. As evidence of their salvation Christians should live by these principles; First, by doing no harm or any kind of evil, Second, by doing good, all kinds of mercy and doing all the good you can, and Thirdly, by attending upon the ordinances of God, (worship, Communion, prayer, Bible study, Christian Conferencing etc). By following these rules, we would be following the principles that Jesus spoke of and demanded of His followers. Jesus wanted to make sure the only harm that we did was to the enemy (the devil), and his plans. We are by no means to do any harm physically, mentally, or spiritually to any person. In the book of Ephesians Paul said, our battle is not with flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities, or the evil forces of the devil and his demons.

Jesus was very clear about offenses and what He thought about them. He said unfortunately they will come and we need to react to them in a proper way. However, He also warned WOE! to that man by whom that offense comes. He made it clear He did not want those offenses coming by His own people. We are to be the receivers not the offenders. How dare we continue in the ways we treat people, as if Christ is not a part of our lives. With the world and non-Christians that behavior is normal, but for someone living and proclaiming the blood of Jesus in their lives, is wrong. It is so offensive to Jesus that He warns His disciples that if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off. That is strong language. Jesus does not of course condone physical mutilation, so we must ask our selves why such strong language? Because causing others harm is repugnant to Jesus and an anti-Christ attitude. In fact, we should be the opposite, we are to go and search with all our being to find the hurt and wandering sheep and heal their wounds. We Christ-followers must not be the offence, rather we need to be the healing balm that comforts and edify.

This world needs more good in it. We as Christ-followers are to be healers. We are to be like corpsmen on the battlefield of this world. We are not the ones shedding blood but patching up the wounds that this world causes. We each have a first-aid kit that we carry with us daily. His name is the Holy Spirit and along with the Bible, we are to do much good.

Tomorrows Readings:
Old Testament: Exod. 11-12 New Testament Matt 18:21-35

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