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A couple of months ago, I was sitting in church listening to a sermon that my pastor was giving. I don’t even remember what the sermon was about. But Romans 15:14 came up, in which Paul says, “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” The verse itself didn’t at first stand out to me, until my pastor made a point to mention, “Remember, when you are talking to brothers and sisters in Christ: these are brethren. Even if you disagree: don’t argue and debate, that doesn’t become brethren. Admonish one another: in love, in charity.”
That stuck in my mind. While trying to sleep that night, it resurfaced, and tugged at my heart. Do I do that? When I talk about the Bible, when I discuss what is right and wrong, or talk about different beliefs, how do I do it? Do I admonish my brethren? Or am I just interested in proving what I think is right?
I began to pray on the issue, and seek the council of God in his word. How should I love my brothers and sisters? My thoughts took me to I Corinthians 13, so I decided to study the chapter. It gave me a beautiful definition for charity. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.” (I Cor. 13:4-8) I went through the verses slowly, thinking about what each statement meant. “I don’t live like this,” I realized. But I wanted to: needed to. “Lord, help me,” I prayed, and worked to commit the verses to memory.
It was soon after that, that the verses began to work themselves out in my life. Before I would answer someone, I found them running through my mind: “Charity suffereth long….” If it was a question of doctrine, or something that I held very personal, even as I began to think on charity, the anger or irritation would just melt out of my heart under the weight of the scriptures. “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” (I Cor 8:1).
Because it has had such a tremendous effect in my life, I wanted to post this for everyone. If you get the chance, go through I Corinthians 13. Our Lord is gracious, and he would have us to be gracious one toward another. Romans 15:5-6 says, “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I know that there is a lot of false teaching out there, but I also know that if a person is washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, then he or she is my brother or sister. Ultimately, it is God himself that will teach us and grow us. But as we struggle through this life, we can at least show kindness, one toward another. “Charity never faileth….”
That stuck in my mind. While trying to sleep that night, it resurfaced, and tugged at my heart. Do I do that? When I talk about the Bible, when I discuss what is right and wrong, or talk about different beliefs, how do I do it? Do I admonish my brethren? Or am I just interested in proving what I think is right?
I began to pray on the issue, and seek the council of God in his word. How should I love my brothers and sisters? My thoughts took me to I Corinthians 13, so I decided to study the chapter. It gave me a beautiful definition for charity. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.” (I Cor. 13:4-8) I went through the verses slowly, thinking about what each statement meant. “I don’t live like this,” I realized. But I wanted to: needed to. “Lord, help me,” I prayed, and worked to commit the verses to memory.
It was soon after that, that the verses began to work themselves out in my life. Before I would answer someone, I found them running through my mind: “Charity suffereth long….” If it was a question of doctrine, or something that I held very personal, even as I began to think on charity, the anger or irritation would just melt out of my heart under the weight of the scriptures. “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” (I Cor 8:1).
Because it has had such a tremendous effect in my life, I wanted to post this for everyone. If you get the chance, go through I Corinthians 13. Our Lord is gracious, and he would have us to be gracious one toward another. Romans 15:5-6 says, “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I know that there is a lot of false teaching out there, but I also know that if a person is washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, then he or she is my brother or sister. Ultimately, it is God himself that will teach us and grow us. But as we struggle through this life, we can at least show kindness, one toward another. “Charity never faileth….”
