Can we live the Word?
One of the great things about teaching Sunday School is that it has really forced me to study the bible more. As I have told my students, the best way to learn something is to have to teach it! What bothers me is that the more I read of the word of God, the more of a disconnect I see between what is written and what we live. Now, I have always known that there have always been hypocrites and failures among the church (heck, I just need to look in the mirror if I want to see a hypocrite!) Many of the the principles that are in the Bible are being twisted, ignored or misapplied.
Look at how the bible tells us to treat one another as Christians. Paul does a great job throughout the New Testament describing how we should view ourselves as the Body of Christ left on earth to fulfill his work. A beautiful metaphor, something that is apt, easy to understand and should probably be the guiding principle whenever we have differences of opinion or opposite ways of working.
Romans 12 is just one section that lays out how we are to act towards one another.
If we were filled with the Holy Spirit, wouldn’t we follow what Paul writes:
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Such a great picture of what living the Christian life should be like. How much of the world could be brought to Faith if His followers acted as Paul says? Look at where his focus is. It is on love, hospitality, humility, forgiveness and harmony. When I look around at those in my church, at a lot of the Christians in my area, on the internet and yes, in my own life; I do not see a striving for the qualities that Paul calls for. And yet I think we all KNOW that we are to life with these priorities. What is stopping us? What are ways in which the Church in America is failing to be the body of Christ? And what can we do to change it?