HOW TO DEAL WITH DISPUTABLE MATTERS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH: MATTERS PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS IN CHRIST JESUS STEAD!
“Brethren, if a man be OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT, ye which ARE SPIRITUAL, RESTORE such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. [5] For every man shall BEAR HIS OWN BURDEN” Galatians 6:1-5.
In our course to fulfil the cause of grace as pertaining to doing life and living godly in Christ Jesus, there are certain misnomer that may arise that are more of human creation than are scriptural in context. That’s the reason Apostle Paul was laying out the scriptural tool to deal with such happenings in Galatians 6:1-5. While it’s appropriate that the individual brethren take personal responsibility and accountability in the principle of the scriptural context for their own maturity, it’s of gracious and graceful importance that those who have a more spiritual sensitivity, capacity and capability, bear the burden of their respective weaker brethren burden. It’s vital for the good of the common faith in the grace, that those, who are SPIRITUAL, that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit, are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness, not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness, keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well, while you carry one another’s burdens; for in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ, that is, the law of love – for by so doing, we’ve fulfilled the law of Christ Jesus in the grace in the faith as it’s written:
“I am giving you a NEW COMMANDMENT, that you LOVE one another. Just as I have LOVED you, so you too are to LOVE one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have LOVE and UNSELFISH concern for one another” John 13:34-35/Amplified.
So, in relative term, there are certain misnomer that may arise that are more of human creation than are scriptural in context. And some action may create contradictions in the general faith that may affect the individual, local and universal body of Christ Jesus. And the context of contradictory failure is not about what happened, or has happened or is happening but the HOW we go sorting an answers and solutions to enable us to stay in the freedom wherein Christ has made us free in REDEMPTION, without giving the enemy and cohorts the crafty tool and means they crave after, to shame or destroy the testimony of our faith in Christ Jesus stead. It’s the know-how context, that we need to address and be addressing by and by, in ensuring and assuring all that ARE of God in Christ Jesus, can find hope, love and faith in the midst of the misnomer in the grace. That, to ensure there is an opportunity for access to a wholesome foundation of restoration and freedom in the faith, through the grace of God in Christ Jesus stead. Amen!
“It was for this freedom that Christ set us FREE [COMPLETELY LIBERATING us]; therefore keep STANDING firm and do not be SUBJECT again to a YOKE of slavery [which you once removed] . . . 6 For [if we ARE] in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only FAITH ACTIVATED and EXPRESSED and WORKING through LOVE” Galatians 5:1, 6/Amplified.
“Therefore, since we have been JUSTIFIED [that is, ACQUITTED of sin, declared blameless before God] by FAITH, [let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). 2 Through Him we also have ACCESS by FAITH into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] STAND. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power]” Romans 5:1-2/Amplified.
Herein are my takes in SCRIPTURAL CONTEXT for the good and goodness on us, and on how to deal and be dealing with MATTERS that are in dispute and contentious in the Christian faith. These set out principles are SCRIPTURALLY healthy, in order to stay SCRIPTURALLY balance in the CONTEXT of disputes, disputed and contentions amongst us in the Faith, if you must avoid errors and the extremely offs, at all ends of the Christian faith as Jesus caution the sectarianism of His days in humanity.
“Jesus answered and said unto them, YE DO ERR [ERRONEOUS, MISTAKENLY], not KNOWING the scriptures, nor the POWER of God” Matthew 22:29 [Mark 12:24]/Emphasis Mine.
And I am certainly confident that when you follow the principle’s guidance, which I know are of the Holy Spirit, you can RESOLVE without been in extreme disputes and contention in the Christian FAITH. It has SAVED me severally from day zero of giving myself to do life and godly living in Christ Jesus stead. Amen. So, when dealing with matters of serious contention and dispute, these are the key notes to approach such matters, in order to keep your being in Christ Jesus safe in the FAITH, without hurting yourself or others in Christ Jesus stead: Herein are the three basic PRINCIPLES to apply in all situations and circumstances of disputes and contentions:
- IN ESSENTIALS: DO PURSUE UNITY
- IN NON – ESSENTIALS: DO ALLOW LIBERTY
- IN ALL THINGS: DO ENSURE LOVE – CHARITABLE LOVE CAUSE
It’s high time to always seek APPROVAL of God as in JESUS CHRIST stead, and not crave the APPLAUSE of men, which is often rooted in sentiment and prejudice that leads to all manners of false teachings – Acts 2:22; 2 Timothy 2:15. You need to BUILD your FAITH based on God’s WORD, in order to get His APPROVAL in principle and not in sentiments and prejudice and then be free from hypocrisy and sectarianism. For Men APPLAUD legislate and are of sentiments and prejudice and it’s not based on the principle of God’s WORD in Christ Jesus stead. Men APPLAUD are, as seen in among religious zealots and sectarianism, denominational dogmas and creeds, man-made legislative make-belief, traditions sect settings of men by-laws and such like, as seen telegraph in many current situations in the world today. Don’t be entangled with any person in matters, where many thinks that GAINS is equal to GODLINESS and SPIRITUALITY with their disputation and prejudice and sectarianism. [1 Timothy 6:1-6; 1 Timothy 1:3-11].
Be WATCHFUL and VIGILANT, lest you be misled by men with titles, status, and gains. Instead, be constantly and fervently LED by the Holy Spirit through the WORD of God, as in Christ Jesus stead, for anything else is religion and man-made make belief and sectarianism.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are SPIRITUAL [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. [2] Carry ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. [John 13:34] [3] For if anyone thinks he is something [special] when [in fact] he is nothing [special except in his own eyes], he deceives himself. [4] But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another. [5] For every person will have to BEAR [with patience] his OWN BURDEN [of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible]” Galatians 6:1-5/Amplified.
“RECEIVE one who is WEAK in the FAITH, but not to DISPUTES over DOUBTFUL things. 2 For one BELIEVES he may EAT all things, but he who is weak EATS only vegetables. 3 Let not him who EATS despise him who does not eat and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has RECEIVED him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his OWN MASTER he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is ABLE to make him stand. 5 One person ESTEEMS one day above another; another ESTEEMS every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who OBSERVES the day, OBSERVES it to the Lord; and he who DOES NOT OBSERVE the day, to the Lord, he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For NONE of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you JUDGE your brother? Or why do you show CONTEMPT for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may EDIFY another. 20 Do not DESTROY the work of God for the SAKE of food. ALL THINGS indeed are PURE, but it is EVIL for the man who EATS with OFFENSE. 21 It is good NEITHER to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother STUMBLES or is OFFENDED or is MADE WEAK. 22 DO YOU HAVE FAITH? Have it to YOURSELF before God. HAPPY is he who DOES NOT CONDEMN HIMSELF in what he APPROVES. 23 But he who DOUBTS is CONDEMNED if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for WHATEVER is not from FAITH is SIN” Romans 14:1-23.
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man APPROVED of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” Acts 2:22.
“STUDY to shew thyself APPROVED unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15.
“For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” Romans 8:14.
“. . . 3 If any man TEACH otherwise, and CONSENT not to WHOLESOME words, even the WORDS of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the DOCTRINE which is ACCORDING to GODLINESS; 4 he is PROUD, knowing NOTHING, but DOTING about questions and STRIFES of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, SUPPOSING that GAIN is GODLINESS: from such withdraw thyself. 6 But GODLINESS with CONTENTMENT is GREAT GAIN” 1 Timothy 6:1-6.
“As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 NEITHER GIVE HEED TO FABLES AND ENDLESS GENEALOGIES, WHICH MINISTER QUESTIONS, RATHER THAN GODLY EDIFYING WHICH IS IN FAITH: SO DO. 5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 from WHICH SOME HAVING SWERVED HAVE TURNED ASIDE UNTO VAIN JANGLING; 7 desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust” 1 Timothy 1:3-11.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI
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