Last night I finished up the teaching with Paul's definition of a "Spiritual Person." The key verse is Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, even if a man is caught up in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted." The word for trespass is for those who lapse into sin. Paul is specifically speaking to believers who stumble into sin. The word for spiritual is speaking to those who are spiritually mature and have been endowed with the Holy Spirit. The verb to restore is the same word in Ephesians 4 that is used to denote"the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry." This word is used to describe the mending of a broken bone or the mending of fishing nets. Spiritual people restore those who in the midst of their struggle stumble into sin. They are not given to a pride that allows them to attack those who struggle because of their own sense of shame.
I closed the evening with encouraging people who may be struggling to embrace the cross as the very wisdom of God. Who may still be very critical in their spirit, bringing accusation against their brothers and sisters to consider their ways. just as the scripture states that "No weapon formed against us will prosper." If we become a weapon formed against someone else we will not prosper. The lack of humility in one area of our lives will set us up to give into temptation somewhere else in our lives. Busybodies do not want to take the time to reflect because then they will have to look at their own undoneness. Reflection is a gift of God that one can use to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to them in a gentle way of revealing the brokenness in one's heart!
I close with this short poem that i wrote while in reflection;
"Oh Lord, I have hurt, and my bitterness daily grows,
It is like a poison that infects not just me but others that I know.
I am so afraid to stop my activity because of what is in my heart is so very ugly,
So I criticize my brothers and sisters so that I do not have to reflect and see the brokenness that is alive and well in me!
In my heart I replaced my pain with pride so that I can walk the easy road and live a lie,
I now understand that underneath my root of bitterness is a sea of sin;
What is amazing is that I am Born Again!
I know that one day I will hit a wall and I will face the crash of my own fall,
If I am judged by what I have done to them,
than O God! I must run and embrace your Cross right now once again!
Amazed Because His Grace is powerful enough to transform me. Humbled because at times my pride chooses an ungrace path and He still pursues me!
