Bites

My post is delayed today because of early morning work obligations.  And, after those were done I attended a wonderful lunch with several ladies from our Sunday School class.  Periodically, we get together for fellowship outside the class.  Our husbands actually do better than we ladies do - - they get together almost every Monday morning for breakfast!  At any rate, the food and fellowship were wonderful.  Good bites!

Galatians 5:15 talks about a very different kind of biting, not a good kind.  Unlike the wonderful fellowship I described above, there are times when Christians bite each other and even chew each other up.  This was happening in the Galatian church.

For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

Galatians 5:14-15

Apparently, so much contention had erupted in that body of believers they were turning on one another in attempts to solve their problems.  Freedom in Christ is not the freedom to mistreat others. Paul was warning them of the very real danger of chewing each other to pieces.  In other words, if they did not stop, and begin to deal with one another lovingly, they would have no local church left. And, then where would they be?

Have you ever had someone, perhaps someone new to your church fellowship, ask you about the church's history?  As I think back over the histories of most churches I've attended over a lifetime, I could tell you some stories.  I'm thinking of one church that has now almost disappeared.  Forty years ago, it was vibrant!  Only a handful of people are in the pews/chairs now.

You see, this biting and devouring wasn't just a characteristic of the Galatian church.  Pride can creep in to any body of believers and cause dissension.  Honest disagreements are not bad, in and of themselves.  But, when some believers are more influenced by their own self-righteous pride than by the Holy Spirit and Bible, trouble ensues.  This is not disagreement that can be worked through by prayer, by listening honestly to others' opinions and doing so with an attitude of humility.  This painful biting, scratching, kicking and screaming lead to church splits.

Even worse than carnal Christians, our pews are sometimes occupied by people who claim to be Christians but are not.  Just saying you are a Christian doesn't make you one.  Just possessing an intellectual belief in Jesus doesn't make you one either.  These are people who are deliberately, unreservedly practicing sin in their lives, whether it is hidden sin or obvious sin.  Paul warns that those who insist on living in sin are not Christ's own, regardless of their "testimony" (5:21).

Paul then goes on to describe the ways, attitudes and practices of those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells (5:22-26).

We are wise to guard our thoughts, our lips and our associations with others who claim the name of Christ.  Our goal should be for all of our words, thoughts and actions to lovingly proclaim the truth, in order to minister to others and bring honor to Christ.

Father, guide us by Your Spirit and by your Word.  Let love govern all our ways.  Reveal to us when we are biting, scratching and clawing.  Don't let us get away with condescending verbal jabs at our brothers and sisters.  If truly we are Yours and Your Spirit lives in us, may we walk in Him, live like Him, love like Him. In Jesus' name, amen.