THE PEOPLE OF GOD LIVE THUSLY
January 24, 2022
Prayer: Lord, we want to learn to be pleasing in Your sight. We want to love our brothers and sisters. Please help us, Lord, and show us how to build Your body here on earth. Thank You. Amen
Scripture: Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say, “If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” 1 Pet. 3:8-12 NLT
As the elderly Apostle nears the close of his little note to the believers in community, his thoughts point back to the years of walking with Jesus on earth and the Lord’s teaching in all the famed places and times. And in all the decades since that time, the Holy Spirit had burned those notable truths into Peter’s own heart and mind – writing it there – as the ancient prophet Isaiah had said would happen after Messiah came.
These words describe how the members of our body of believers must interact with each other – being of one mind. In the local church, we must be of that one mind. Between our churches – one mind. Between parachurch organizations and local churches – one mind again! Any among those claiming to be Christian who deliberately separate from the others or shun the others are certainly not of that “one mind” that God’s Word teaches we are to be all about.
Sympathy must characterize how we feel toward each other. Love without condition and with humility and tenderness must characterize how we act toward each other. Evil is never to be repaid with anything but love and kindness as God’s Spirit within gives the power. Suffering – if we must – without fighting back, glorifies God. Denying our self-desires to promote others glorifies our Lord and draws others to Himself. Avoiding even the speaking of evil things about others – criticism, complaining, denigrating, falsely accusing – all sorts of evil speech – that, too glorifies our Lord and Savior.
Since the “Lord turns His face against those who do evil” then we must never be found to be among such persons or doing such things. May God’s power continue to purge us from all evil.
. . . lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other’s faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united with the Holy Spirit and bind yourselves together with peace. Eph. 4:1-3
Copyright Dan Elliott. To connect with the author, email [email protected]
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