Charity can be equated to agape’ love. This kind of love is aid and comfort given to someone without qualification. Churches often fall short of this because as individuals they expect to receive appreciation. But that would be qualifying the nature of the recipient.
Besides wanting to call on God, we’ve already made a visible expression of wanting to follow Christ. As we have been raised to a new life in Baptism; we should seek out those things that are pure and represent the purity or holiness of God and Jesus.
“Who am I” is an elementary question everyone has to answer. But have you ever asked this question of yourself? Do you like who you see in the mirror?
Jesus prayed that the disciples would build the church after Jesus was resurrected. Now He prays for us as the results of their evangelism and the generations of believers through the ages.
I benefited from the unity I experienced by literally seeing the Holy Spirit working among His saints. I also believe the Holy Spirit has given me a heart for “church” unity. Now I know about the glory Jesus has in Heaven, but I’m not as comfortable with His glory here on earth.
At my church we have Communion each week. I’m one of five men in the rotation (occasionally a woman). And it never gets old. And you’re probably asking how that can be?
The word “conflict” is better understood as “struggle”. How much do we struggle for the spiritual well-being of another saint? Do we even know what that is; for them or us?
Notice that we are baptized into His death. Jesus did not need to recover from His past; but we do. Also notice that we’re not left there. But we are raised to a new life. But we are also called to complete His mission (the salvation of lost souls).
Jesus was the master at looking below the surface of the issues presented to him. And He knew people’s real motives. While compromise seems like a solution, I think we need to follow Jesus and find the core of each issue, mine for the common ground of the issue with the point of view of others, and build up top a solution using Biblical principles.
The church Paul describes in his greeting was what church should be. A place where outsiders hear about our good reputation for love, acceptance, forgiveness, and discipleship.
