If We Are The Body

[superchick]

There is this song by Casting Crowns, If we are the body.
It goes like this:

It's crowded in worship today, As she slips in
trying to fade into the faces, the girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know, farther than they know
CHORUS But if we are the body, why arent His arms reaching
why arent His hands healing, why arent His words teaching
and if we are the body, why arent His feet going
why is His love not showing them there is a way, there is a way

A traveler is far away from home, he sheds his coat
and quietly sinks into the back row, the weight of their judgemental glances tell him that his chances, are better out on the road

But if we are the body, why arent His arms reaching
why arent His hands healing, why arent His words teaching
and if we are the body, why arent His feet going
why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price, for us to pick and choose who should come
and we are the body of Christ, Jesus is the way

This is something I've been with and faced with over the last couple of weeks. It seems as though their is a massive calling for people to get off the fence and choose, are you COMPLETELY for CHRIST or are you not. There is really no middle ground, we can't pick and choose which parts of the bible we like and which parts just don't suit us. I'm preaching to myself here.

How do you overcome "the fence"? How do you get off and not look back. Daily renewal I guess, I'm not sure? I don't want to spend my life living on a fence "thinking" I'm a christian and arriving in heaven and God tells me "I don't know you." Ouch!

What do you think?

 

[Ann]

I don't really have an answer but I think that you can't be on the fence if you are a Christian.
When you were reborn you actually jumped over the fence, from the darkness to the light.
You must remember that you did not instantly changed into a different person. The renewal of who you are in Christ will come in time as you walk with Him and have a personal relationship with Him.
In myself looking back since I was reborn until today, I've changed so much that I can only praise God for making me a better person.
As for the body of Christ, I 'm very sad when I see that Christians who's hands and feet God wants to use is just not available!!
We must begin as one person, making a difference where you live and work, and soon it will have a ripple effect, reaching people we don't even know.
Much blessings for you!

 

[superchick]

Hi Ann,

Thank You for your reply. I completely agree. We were chatting about this exact same thing in our Home Cell group on tuesday.

It's so important for people to continue making those changes in their lives. To keep on growing.

Have blessed Weekend.
Karen

 

[rizen1]

I love that song.

Jesus paid much too high a price, for us to pick and choose who should come

This line says it all, churches spend more time condemning others instead of really being Christ like.
We get so righteous with our church labels and divide the body.
We get so prideful of our doctrines and rebuke everyone that is different.
We compromise and call it Holy Spirit led.
We love to talk and quote scripture, but we dont practice what we preach.
We live luke warm, and expect to be used by God, because he is full of Grace and forgiveness.
We build ministries, when God never called us.
We ignore his voice when he finally has something to say.
We walk in love, yet so many people die of hunger each day.

=superchick
How do you overcome "the fence"?

By choosing which side of the fence we want to fall.
Cleansing our minds, and applying the mind of Christ daily.
Realising Christianity is not a religion but a way of life, a relationship we share as a body.

God is looking for the body, but if we are not ready who then shall he use.

I answer this song with Audio Adrenaline,,, Hands and Feet
,because this is what we should be saying to form the true Body.

I want to be your hands
I want to be your feet
Ill go where you send me
I'll go where you send me

And I try, yeah I try
To touch the world like
You touched my life
And I find my way
To be your hands


Romans 15:7 (KJV)
7Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

 

[superchick]

Well said! I am blessed by your answer. It is something I am so careful to avoid. Judging people i mean. And if you really evaluate your life closely, as I believe each of us need to do a lot more, one finds that alot of judgement is so, "acceptable" we don't even see it as judgement anymore.

I guess this was Jesus' intention and plan when He told us to renew our minds daily. This renewing, with the help of the Holy Spirit, helps us to identify these areas and put a stop to them or work on them until we form new God Reflecting habits.

 

[rizen1]

I guess this was Jesus' intention and plan when He told us to renew our minds daily. This renewing, with the help of the Holy Spirit, helps us to identify these areas and put a stop to them or work on them until we form new God Reflecting habits.

Amen
that's right.....

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings Superchick and friends, brothers and sisters alike,

Jesus Christ is the Lord.

Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. (read Hebrews 12;2)

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Philippians 1;6


My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. John 10;27-29


What is it we are listening to? What are we believing? Who is our Lord?

Dear bretheren(brothers and sisters/sisters and brothers),
I'll get straight to the point and explain afterwards....

the idea of struggle is all totally wrong....it's a bad seed! Reject it.

Look at the scriptures above. Then read them again. What do they say?

As I considered this thread, the thought was put on me that if this was the last thing I ever wrote, put the passion into it that is as my last words.
Hence the start of it. (and to be honest, it could be the last day/night for me...only my Father knows...but we should approach every moment of every day with this attitude...it could be our last, so make it direct and as full of truth as is in you, that we leave behind no unfinished task)

Dear readers, this whole idea of us needing to struggle and grow bit by bit and decide if we are Christian or not and the general theme so far in this thread, is put on us right from the start of our new life by the common concensus, meaning, everybody repeats it and thereby confirms it. BUT, it is not what God the Father says...it is not what Jesus Christ the Son of God says...it is not what the Spirit of God nor the Holy Ghost says...it is not what the Bible says.
Reread those Scriptures above. Oh yes, we can argue that the context is not the same, in order to support the bad seed and prop up our mistakes. BUT, look at all the Good News of Jesus Christ...it is the main prevailing thread in the Scriptures...look and you will find.

I point you now to this scripture....(again we can argue the point, but when we take the message of the promise of God in Christ Jesus as it is, the arguements must cease).....

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Galations 3;1-3

Now, it's not about pointing fingers. Jesus spoke against who? The people who handled the Word in such a way as to make it difficult and/or impossible for others to enter in to His rest, who prevented with their words.

Having said this, please read what the Bible says, not what the others are saying. There is much error and corruption of the Word coming from man. Read what the Scriptures say.....in them you will find that we are, by the grace of God, in His care, that our lives are hid in Him.
We must render every thought captive, and not allow ourselves to get tossed around by every wind of doctrine that blows our way.

I think from memory, there is a good post here at Talk Jesus about who we are in Christ. This is the truth. All this other talk about trying to work it out by feeble little us making the decision whether we are Christians or not and how we have to work at it is ......totally anti the truth.
When we grasp just who we are, and therefore and also, who He is...our Saviour and Deliverer, Keeper, Shepherd and Lord, yes, when we grasp just who we are in Him and what has become of us in Him, we can and will see that anything else that challenges our position is not from Him and therefore a lie.......and we want absolutely nothing to do with lies!!!

Romans 8;37-39

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We're all made into His body where He puts us to do His will....not ours or anyone elses. Starting with Jesus means finishing with Jesus, and what is His will? Think for a minute about this. Does the Lord of Glory design for His body anything but His joy? His Holiness. His Peace.
The Bible says very clearly that His will is for us to give thanks. Why?
Because when we give thanks we have His joy....when we have His joy, we give thanks. He is not the author or god of confusion.
Let His Peace live in you and reign supreme that you may shine the full brightness of His glorious Light. He is the Lord and a friend. Take that word "let" from both angles....a command and the advice from your most trusted and unfailing, honest, faithful friend, Jesus Christ the Living Word.

The gospel is/was preached to the simple. It is a simple gospel. It sets us free. Anything...ANYTHING that is contrary to His perfect peace in our hearts, minds, souls, spirits is not from Jesus Christ the Lord.
He is the Lord...full stop...meaning He is the most supreme finality in all matters concerning you. This includes in every way imaginable, your whole life in Him. So, is the fence you talk of, the assurance of the Lordship of Christ Jesus to you?

Stop talking yourselves into a situation that does not exist. A good rule to consider if you must have a rule, is....do not speak things that are not in the Scriptures concerning Christ Jesus and you.

If you are born of the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus, you Know it. There is no second guessing. Let Him do that which He has planned for you, and let Him do what He has planned for others. It is His Joy...His Life....His mission for us. He gave His life for us. Why should we want any more than His perfect life and peace and rest?

Yes, dearly beloved of God, it is not about your works, but His works.
Trust Him to finish what He started in His perfect time for you, believing in Him with your whole heart and mind to be able to do a perfect work in you.
Only believe. He does the rest. Have His joy. You will never do wrong with it, because your life will become an instrument of praise....how perfect is that?!

The renewing is starting with believing and trusting that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting/eternal life. From there, very simply, His life in us, made anew by his Spirit, full of His joy. There is no getting better a person than what He has already provided in full.
Listen, if you or anyone else was/is full of His joy (which is everything in Him) you/they would and could and will, only shine His light (not merely reflect it in a little glimmer).
Jesus Christ IS the same today as He was yesterday and will be forever.
The works He did in the early Church, meaning the early believers, where they turned the world upside down with rejoicing in Him...by His Spirit in them...He will and does do today. He hasn't changed one bit. They turned it upside down because they had Jesus and only Jesus.
We have centuries of mans limitations which cloud the understanding, and like in the days of before Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, as He said, the people were in bondage to false teachings and limitations which prevented an entering in to His presence. He tore all that up...but slowly it has all been built up again, leaving people with condemnation rather that Joy.
Why do I mention joy so much?
Because it is missing!
We find ourselves attempting to live the life with all the other goodies from God, but joy is nowhere to be seen and if it is, it is not lasting and strengthening and victorious joy. Simple joy that comes when we see who we are in Him who set us free.

The only change needed is to rejoice in the Lord every minute of every day for what He has already done in us...which is eternal/everlasting. The Lord does the rest! He made us, He called us, He saved us...Trust in Him and rejoice.

Remember this...who gets the glory for us and who we are as Christians?
Jesus Christ...or..us ?
If you are a Christian, you are in the Creators grip.
Cease from works that defile His handiwork, and let Him have His way with you.
And, don't concern yourself about the so called hands and feet that don't seem to be doing anything. His sheep hear his voice.
If folks are not living in Christ, then Christ is not living in them.

Let your light so shine.

May these word minister only love to you and be of help in your questions.
This is written with the greatest of love and not a word is written to accuse you or pick on you....only care for your precious souls.

Bless you,

Br. Bear
....................................><>

 

[rizen1]

That song by Casting crowns has nothing to do with works.
But a question we need to ask about our churches, what fruits are we baring, how can God use us. And why is there no revival.

Jesus paid much too high a price, for us to pick and choose who should come
and we are the body of Christ, Jesus is the way

The last few words was Jesus is the way.

Basically the question is why isnt there a difference if we are the Body.

 

[sunshine307]

Br. Bear, what a wonderful post. Thank you for taking the time to make the post. When I first read this thread my thoughts were what you need to do superchick is go back to the start. Repent from your sins, tell Jesus you want to start again, and from there start reading the Bible and having a relationship with Jesus. Read the Bible - not just listen to what others are telling you, (as Br.Bear has already said), read and act on what God's Word says. Then you will know without a shadow of a doubt you are in Christ and Christ in you because you have heard it for yourself. Having a relationship with Him is the only way to know Jesus. Like any relationship it takes time getting to know Him intimately.

The only change needed is to rejoice in the Lord every minute of every day for what He has already done in us...which is eternal/everlasting. The Lord does the rest! He made us, He called us, He saved us...Trust in Him and rejoice.

Remember this...who gets the glory for us and who we are as Christians?
Jesus Christ...or..us ?
If you are a Christian, you are in the Creators grip.
Cease from works that defile His handiwork, and let Him have His way with you.
And, don't concern yourself about the so called hands and feet that don't seem to be doing anything. His sheep hear his voice. If folks are not living in Christ, then Christ is not living in them.

Absolutely Br. Bear. We need to rest in God, and get to know Him. Hebrews 4:11 "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience."

 

[Ann]

Dear Br, Bear
I am only a simple person with no specific training or higher education, so forgive me if I say that what you said became to complicated for me.
For me in simple terms:
God saved us when we repent and got reborn, then He started working in us to change us into His image. My brother once said a very interesting thing, "that if God would change us instantly the shock for us would be to much to handle".
God will be working in our lives until the day we die, He only knows how much change we can bear at a certain time. Because many times these changes includes sorrow and pain and His purpose is not to break us completely but to transform and strengthen us, like the potter do to the clay.
We go through a process, which take time, and if one ingredient is missing the whole process would be futile (and we all know that God doesn't make mistakes).
God knows best and I'm sure that if we trust Him, have faith in Him and obey Him these changes will take place sometimes without us realizing it.
In this process we must be an active part in God's body, doing what God wants us to do even if it is just sweeping the floors of the church.
The problem comes in when everyone wants do to the impressive stuff and not the mundane tasks, not realizing that all the tasks are equally important.
Another thing that I experienced about the body of Christ is that people are very selfish and don't really want to be bothered by other people and their struggles - this is so wrong because the body can't function properly if one of the members of the body is sick. Ignoring sickness in the body will lead to decline an ultimately death.
WE MUST LOOK OUT FOR AND AFTER EACH OTHER WITH LOVE AND SINCERITY!!

God's blessings to You!!

 

[rizen1]

Amen.. Ann

The body needs to work together.

Please listen to the song to get a better understanding, its not about works, or us listening to other people.

The song ends, say

Jesus is the way.....

As for hands and feet,

My brother took his hands and feet to India for missionary work, not because of a song, or him listening to people,only because he heard God's voice.

John 10:27 (KJV)
27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

 

[superchick]

Thank you ALL for your words. My prayer today, is one of thanks. Yesterday it was one of need. We should thank God for the changes He is causing in us, we should THANK Him for the changes He is planning in us, and we should thank Him in ADVANCE for these. All of your words, Ann, Rizen, Sunshine & Br. Bear are inspirational and something to think about. I want to take each and every word into consideration, read them, test them and act on them. There are points I agree on, and points I disagree on. I disagree about us not having to struggle. INITIALLY. There is a book (I know the only book I should base opinion on is the Bible), but it had a nice story, it is by Ted Dekker, a man called Blessed. This book is the cause of my questioning and my renewed "quest". The man in the book, Caleb, has discovered an almost "perfect faith". When you can completely trust in Jesus Christ, when you have complete faith in HIM and when you have ZERO doubt and complete peace. I believe then you will have no struggle, and it is something to strive towards. But INITIALLY, getting to that point, every persecution, every downfall, every obstacle IS a struggle. NOT in the perfect scenario of how a Christ-Life like should be, but as IMPERFECT people. My pastor made a comment that warns people of preaching an EASY Christian life. HE warned of drawing people into the kingdom under the impression that absolutely EVERYTHING will be a picture-perfect-pretty life in Christ. As I'm sure many of us can testify, it is far from it. But IT IS something that we CAN have.

Coming back to the "Body of Christ" and what Br Bear said:

And, don't concern yourself about the so called hands and feet that don't seem to be doing anything. His sheep hear his voice.
If folks are not living in Christ, then Christ is not living in them.

I think we have a responsibilty, because of the God's commandment to Love our neighbours, to have a concern for the rest of God's sheep too. I believe one of my purposes is to uplift the brothers and sisters around me, with Godly council. I should not be able to stand around while people I care about "don't seem to be doing anything". In LOVE we need to direct or teach these people.

It is true that once you have conveyed a point or a challenge to one of our brothers and sisters, the responisiblity to ACT falls on them. Once you have made an attempt or attempts (depending on how the Holy Spirit guides you) the decision to be used as a part of Christ's body, rests on those sheep and no longer on us.

I hope that makes some sense.

Sunshine: Strange thing, the sermon at church last night was REPENT & RENEW..

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings in Jesus name,

looks like I've been misunderstood on some points. Can I please clear some things up?

First and perhaps foremost, when I said not to concern yourself about others, my meaning is this...
your faith is based on Jesus and God so loving the world that He gave Jesus, so that in believing in Him, you will not perish, but have eternal everlasting life. Jesus stated quite clearly that this life He gives is abundant. It is you and your faith that you need to concern yourself with, not the faith of others.
For most of us, a struggle begins when we weigh up anothers faith...it's called judging. Our Lord has called the members of His body, and is the Lord and Head of that Body. My part (and yours) is just where and how He wants it, and it is of no concern to us how He places other people in His Body. Our part is to have His abundant life. Without it, we can not shine the glorious living light of the Gospel. Without His joy, we can not serve Him by serving others.
There is far too much talk and time wasted in concerning ourselves with the other members positions in Christ. This only leads to distraction and division, leaving the talking time-wasters luke-warm, as they must neglect the joy of the Lord to look away from Him.
Now, to love all members of the body is crucial, but it comes from being in His joy, His life in us. Remember God is Love. We are not. But having His fruit in us, we can only be loving and instruments of His love.
As for looking at a needy soul and wondering why the body doesn't care, or do something, well, if we are truely His, we will do something, and we will care. The Lord doesn't have idle hands.
Most of my post was talking about this...
(I'll re-word it but tell the same message)...
Revival. Victory. Regeneration.
These things I think it would be safe to say, most Christians long for, look for, pray for, wait for and get tripped up on. Nearly every Christian would agree that the Bible is THE first book on their favourites list, and is an authority on the Christian faith, unequalled by all the other books in the world put together. Let's put the three together, revival, victory and regeneration, and because we believe the Bible, see what it says, not what people say.
Tell me, if you can, where any or all three can exist without steadfastness of joy. What is the opposite of joy?
So, what is our part in the body? To be joyful, (it is one with giving thanks, being thankful) in the hope we have been given in the promise of God...eternal life. Oh, that! Yeah, we know we have eternal life, but....what about all these other things?
Were you born again by the other things, and were you born again to them, or, eternal life, abundant, both now and everlasting.
We can pray, pray, pray for these three, Revival, Victory, Regeneration. (It is good to pray) We know it is all possible..we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, so why after praying so much are we still wondering about when the answer will come. I tell you it has. The moment you were born again. Somehow, something, someone got your eyes off the Lord and onto the other things, and the Power in you is put aside as you tend to believe the 'other' bits more and more.
The struggle to be good. The struggle to be better. The struggle to work at improving your walk, etc., etc., etc. And then there is the question about why isn't everybody else being proper Christians.
Where did the joy go? And, what went with it.
I tell you, it is inside you, getting buried underneath all the 'other' stuff.

Enter into His rest and LET His peace do it's work, and His joy fill you.

THEN, you will be too busy serving others with such love, that you won't even notice the other so called members who are doing nothing (following the words of the song you are talking about)

I'll write a bit more a bit later.
As you can see, I did have a few more days on earth.
If this was your last day, how much joy could you share, or would you concern yourself with what others are not doing. I think you would be happiest to die overflowing with joy and strengthening others with it.

Bless you,

Br. Bear

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings again, also in Jesus name,

I was just looking at the multitude of stars in the night sky. They never cease from filling me with a sense of wonder for my creator.
As usual, I talk to the Lord when I see the wonders of His creation and take time to appreciate His handiwork. Jesus holds it all together. He is what you call awesome. Everything else is ultra pale in comparison. As I was considering this post/thread, it occured to me to share these thoughts...

If you or I were in charge of the stars, how long do you think it would be before we decided to change things a bit...like, make this one a bit brighter, move those ones over here and that one over there, and perhaps make some 'nice' patterns around the place, with a bit more twinkle all over.
What about if there were a few of us working on it, after all, it is a big night sky. Maybe quite a few of us. Would we all agree, and what terms, and what guidelines would we draw up to see that the 'rules' were followed?

Before you read on, please think about it.

Now let us picture something else that is held together by Christ Jesus.

His Body.
My meditations began with these words...When i consider the work of your hands, oh Lord, and the wonder of all you have created, what am I that you should consider me?
So, what am I? Just who am I in all of creation. I'm happy to shove all the other humble souls out of the way and claim to be the least of all, but am I?
And even then, what do I amount to. Even if I was the greatest man (in human terms of recognition and limitations), I still wouldn't amount to much in comparison with what I see in the night sky. So my opinion on things pertaining to the order in which Christ handles His Church are likewise so tiny that it is a bit of a joke to even think they are countable or measurable (my opinions). Would anyone care to suggest theirs were of far greater worth?
Jesus is THE Lord. He died ONE death...for ALL. We are all so inadequate that we can't create a single dot of new matter out of nothing, even less keep it in perfect order amongst everything else created.
We can not keep ourselves alive without Christ, both now in the flesh, and for eternity. We can not raise ourselves from the grave.
So, like our futility of managing the stars, it is not in us to manage what He paid for with His life, the Church....believers. We have all been given a twinkle and a shine.
Let's be like the stars and shine because that is how and who we have been made in Christ...members of His Body.
My thoughts at times go to the unseen stars. From where I am in the southern Hemisphere, there are stars I never see. During the day, I don't see any of them, but I am quite sure they are there.
So too, with the members of His Body. My part is to shine as He has put His Spirit in me according to His will and mercy and grace and wisdom and love.

Joy shines when in prison, when persecuted, when 10 000 drop at your side in battle. It is not dependent on the things of this world, nor the people in it. Joy overrides emotion, for it is from God in Jesus Christ the Lord. He gave it to us, His joy.

Can you see now what I meant about not concerning ourselves about if/if not and how much or how little we perceive in others?

As we encounter His life, and give thanks with a grateful heart, as we begine to let our light so shine before men that they will glorify our Father in heaven, we bare the qualities and perfections of the fruit of the Spirit, His Spirit in us.

Rejoice in Him!

The sweetness and healing of His fruit will not be bitter towards others nor cause harm or hurt. It will achieve that which is in the will of the Father to do...like Jesus showed us.

We need to renew our minds daily in this... to remember the Love of God and the eternal abundant life Christ Jesus paid for us with His life, while we were still sinners, and the hope that is in us, without which we are the most wretched amongst mankind....and in so remembering these things, give thanks and let the joy of the Lord be our strength and song. It appears a gradual process because we live for years, one day after another. Don't tire of rejoicing...it is your lifeline to love.

We are born in an instant and the life in us is 100% life. We do not gradually grow life into us, or work at life being in us. We can learn and develop bad habits and attitudes as we grow and follow others who have learnt the same sort of stuff....BUT, we were not born only a little bit to start with. We need more nurturing than anything else in all of God's creation, but the life in us is complete from the start.
A habit of...whatsoever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, any virtue or praise, think on these things (from Philipians 4:8) ... is a good one to get into.

Look after each other in love, which requires us to have the love of God in us unhindered by mans passing ways. Today is the day we need His joy, right now, not earlier or yesterday, and not later or tomorrow, but today and now, is the day of salvation. Harden not your hearts, but enter into His rest while it is still today!

Bless you,

Br. Bear

 

[rizen1]

looks like I've been misunderstood on some points. Can I please clear some things up?

First and perhaps foremost, when I said not to concern yourself about others, my meaning is this...
your faith is based on Jesus and God so loving the world that He gave Jesus, so that in believing in Him, you will not perish, but have eternal everlasting life. Jesus stated quite clearly that this life He gives is abundant. It is you and your faith that you need to concern yourself with, not the faith of others.
For most of us, a struggle begins when we weigh up anothers faith...it's called judging. Our Lord has called the members of His body, and is the Lord and Head of that Body. My part (and yours) is just where and how He wants it, and it is of no concern to us how He places other people in His Body. Our part is to have His abundant life. Without it, we can not shine the glorious living light of the Gospel. Without His joy, we can not serve Him by serving others.
There is far too much talk and time wasted in concerning ourselves with the other members positions in Christ. This only leads to distraction and division, leaving the talking time-wasters luke-warm, as they must neglect the joy of the Lord to look away from Him.

I think I understand what you're saying.
I always believe the first paragraph is the main point ( dont get me wrong I read the WHOLE thing. )

your faith is based on Jesus and God so loving the world that He gave Jesus, so that in believing in Him, you will not perish, but have eternal everlasting

AMEN.

I agree about us being concerning about ourselves, it would be silly and very hypocritical for us to meddle in someone else's walk, when we never made a step.

Matthew 15:14
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

For most of us, a struggle begins when we weigh up anothers faith...it's called judging.

I agree Judging is bad.
Matthew 7:1
[ Judging Others ] "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Our Lord has called the members of His body, and is the Lord and Head of that Body. My part (and yours) is just where and how He wants it, and it is of no concern to us how He places other people in His Body.

I know concern sometimes can be seen as judging, but Paul instructed that we do encourage each other. Exposing/Admitting one's short comings and appreciating their gifts are ways we encourage the body.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing

My part (and yours) is just where and how He wants it, and it is of no concern to us how He places other people in His Body.

Paul final instruction the christians in Thessalonica
1 Thessalonians 5:12-17
1.And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

13And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16Rejoice evermore.

17Pray without ceasing

There is far too much talk and time wasted in concerning ourselves with the other members positions in Christ. This only leads to distraction and division, leaving the talking time-wasters luke-warm, as they must neglect the joy of the Lord to look away from Him

Division would only take place if Pride is involved. It's not a competition to weigh up each others faith. Its the desire to share the Joy, God gave us in abundant with others. Its me singing while my brother is playing the bass leading others in worship, its us encouraging you and others to use your gifts to share the joy of salvation.

One side of the fence spend to much time criticizing other believers about what they should do.
And the other side is filled with compassion for the lost and calling other believers to join in to experience this Joy in abundance.

We are to encourage each other not judge putting a scale to one's faith.
Romans 15:4
4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.


Those who criticize others often are not perfect, either