We Cannot Change Anyone

The Body of Christ is made up of individuals at every possible level of spirituality. Some people are fully aware of the Believer's freedom and liberty in Jesus, and they live accordingly. 

Then there are some who live in fear of becoming defiled with the contamination of the world. Some Christians who live in the liberty of Christ are judged by those who live by strict biblical standards are constantly and vise versa. One group is seen as  liberal and compromising, while the other is seen as legalistic and harsh.
​

• Drinking alcohol is perfectly fine according to God. Christians who say it’s wrong to drink are so just being judgmental.
• The Bible says we should not eat meat. Anyone who does is unspiritual. As a Christian I must tell them the truth and compel them to stop.
• The format of a church service should be a certain way and done in a spirit of excellence. The Bible says if they don't listen when I tell them they are wrong I am to shake the dust off my feet and walk out. 

Each of the above statements contains some true and false things, but there is one common thread through them all?

1. A judgmental heart.
2. A critical spirit.
3. Despising fellow Christians.

​None of the these are character traits of Christ. All of us, if we think about it we will realize that at some point, we have made judgments like these against our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Even if it was on another issue, we have seen Believers do and say some things, and we look down on them, criticize them, judge them harshly and argue with them.
 
The other night as I slept, I kept hearing the song “What the World Needs Now Is Love”. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. No, not just for some but for everyone. That tune stayed with me for a while.

I believe God created one race: The Human Race. I am a Believer and Ambassador of Christ and I believe that takes precedence over being Black. My heart grieves about the state of our nation and the division in the Body of Christ. The next morning during my prayer time I was talking to the Lord about the disunity in America and the Body of Christ. God led me to study Romans chapters 12 through 14 which is a very relevant topic each for what is going on in this nation today. 

In all three chapters Paul talks about love. In chapter 12 he emphasizes that love serves. God has given us spiritual gifts, so we can serve one another. He says that love must be genuine and real. Then, in Chapter 13, he points out that love must be submissive, especially to the authorities, to the state, and the powers that be, because they are put there by God. He tells us that we owe love to everyone without exception. “Owe no man anything, but to love one another” (Romans 13:8a KJV).

And then in Chapter 14, he points out that love must be patient and tolerant of other people's views.
 
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not.” --Romans 14:1-3a NIV
 
Accept him, means regardless of what we think of him or her if they are a Christian, they are our brother or sister in the family of God. We did not make them part of the family -- the Lord did. So, we are to accept them on that basis. And we are to accept them not with the idea of straightening them out in the areas in which they are weak.
 
When Paul says “Accept him whose faith is weak,” he is not talking about the strength or weakness of the individual's faith, nor about someone whose faith is weak. He is talking about someone who is weak in the faith. He is still on milk, unable to handle meat yet. 

Paul said, “Accept one another. Welcome each other. Show brotherly love. Be glad for them.” God has been this way with you, hasn’t he? There is so much more that these three chapters show us. I encourage you to pray and study them for yourself… even if you have before.

If we are going to judge a life, let it be our own life!  If we are going to be a blessing let us not seek to do it by setting ourselves up as the judge and jury of others. Let us love them, pray for them and be a blessing not a hindrance! 

---

"If anyone continues in my word, he shall be my disciple indeed, and he shall know the truth and the truth will set him free," 
--John 8:31-32 KJV