In the body

Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.


Remember those in prison. Let me ask you something, were they talking about all prisoners? Seriously, were they talking about the criminals? Or were they talking about remember fellow believers that are bound? Those in the body of Christ are believers of Christ as their Savior. They live in Christ, they are born again in Christ, they are part of the body of Christ. We cannot believe everyone is part of the body of Christ. Not everyone even wants to be part of the body of Christ and Christ forces no one.


People get upset when we start to differentiate between those who are with Christ and those who are not. They throw up the fact that we are to love all without bias, and that's true. We are to love without bias, we are to love as Jesus loved and loves. Did Jesus speak against anyone when He walked the earth?


Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.


Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees- does that sound as if Jesus is just 'loving' them without any reservation, without any restraint, without any thought for the manner of person they are or what they believe or how they act? No.


While we are not Jesus and we cannot see into people's hearts as He can and know their hearts. We need to be discerning though, don't we?


Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.


Dogs, swine, how are we to know who are the dogs, who are the swine if we are not able to discern between those who are of the body of Christ and those who aren't?


I've mentioned it before- we can't judge someone's eternal life, but we have to be able to judge actions. We have to be able to discern between good and evil and the acts of those who choose to do good or evil. If you know there is a party going on and you get to see the guest list of those at the party you'd be able to tell what sort of party it might be, wouldn't you? If you see a known drug addict, a known pervert on the list what would you assume? That the party isn't quite the type of party you'd want to attend based on your knowledge of those attending. Does this make you unlike Jesus? He went in and supped with sinners. We have to ask ourselves why he went in and supped with known sinners. He did so knowing there was an opportunity for Him to open their eyes to the truth in Him, open their eyes to the forgiveness and new life He offers. He did not JOIN them in their sinning. If we did attend a party where we know it will be anything but Godly and we did so with the intention of witnessing for Christ, that's one thing, but it's a whole other thing if we go to that party and simply accept the debauchery that takes place without saying a word. We aren't to put ourselves into situations or align ourselves with those we know want nothing to do with our Lord and Savior. We can pray for everyone, we can pray that people are convicted by the Holy Spirit and their eyes are opened, their hearts are softened so they can accept the love of Jesus, and sometimes that's all we can do. We can meet the sinner's basic needs- if we see a known godless person hungering, yes, we can feed them and hope the act of kindness reveals the love of Jesus in us. We just can't ignore the fact that there are godless, that there are those who don't love Jesus and we are not to mingle with them unless it's for witnessing. Too many Christians have the 'Holier than Thou' attitude and too many have the 'casting their pearls before swine without a thought' attitude, too many 'give what is holy to the dogs' thinking they are doing God's work.


We are all sinners, but some are sinners who are repenting of their sin and seeking forgiveness, others are not. We can witness, our lives witness for us, and we can pray, all without entering into the dog pits or the swine pen. Even as I say it, I know some are going to believe I'm wrong and who knows maybe I am, but maybe I'm not. Right or wrong we need to fall on our knees and ask for the guidance of our Savior and not presume we know that is best.


Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.


As being yourselves also in the body. We are in the body of Christ.


Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.


Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.


We need to remember those who are in bonds and them which suffer adversity because we are all in one body in Christ. When our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ suffer - we are suffering with them- their suffering is OUR suffering and we can't forget that.


Our lives are caught up in so much. Everyday some of us come face to face with unbelievers, with those who aren't of the body. I don't personally know anyone who is shut off from the world and only living among those who believe as they believe. We aren't told to hide ourselves away. We are told to keep ourselves from evil and not to put ourselves in situations where we can be tempted by that evil. If you are weak when it comes to alcohol then going to witness for your Savior in a bar is foolish! If you have trouble with promiscuity then going to a street corner where people are offering you a chance to be promiscuous under the belief you are just going to witness is WRONG. We aren't to put ourselves in temptation's way but keep ourselves from the evil that would overcome us. We can witness for our Savior and be a part of Christ's body even if you are witnessing to just one single person in your own household. Even if your life reflects Christ's teachings when you deal with the mail man, or the grocery store clerk, or the telemarketer, or any other human being for whatever reason at all you are witnessing when you treat them with Christ's love.


Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.


We are to remember our fellow followers of Christ- strengthening each other in whatever situation we are in, and not forget we need to do this- HELP each other, even as we help our enemies. We shouldn't cast our pearls before swine and we shouldn't give that which is holy unto the dogs, but we still have to love our enemies- overcoming evil with good.


By the grace of our Lord and Savior may we be found helping those in need whether they are of the body of Christ or our enemies, never forgetting that no matter the eternal state of another - of which we cannot know- that we are to be revealers of God's love in all we do.


In the love of our Savior now and always!!!

By His amazing, wonderful grace!


Amen!