Friday 28 May 2010

The Grace To Restore


From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

If we were honest with ourselves for a moment we would all agree that none of us are the embodiment of our Lord’s perfection. Sin crouches at each of our doors as a lion ready to devour his prey. Far too often religious folk cloak themselves in pompous self-righteous judge, jury, and executioner. Too many falsely presume they would never commit such atrocities against God. They feel much too lofty in their holiness for their toes to stoop so low as to be caught in the quagmires of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. But surely as their noses are in the clouds, their throats and souls are clutched in the jaws of the roaring lion.

We are exhorted by the Word of God: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” (Gal. 6:1-3) It is the high and holy love of God and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ through the new birth that makes us brethren and secures us as brethren. Can we find enough in this to restore our brethren that stumble and fall into sin?

We can hypothesize a whole world of imaginations of “Why’s?” The fact is, “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal. 5:17) Sin has a way of blinding, numbing, and deceiving that can have one hooked before he knows it. One brother’s strong area may be another’s weakness, and vice versa. “Ye which are spiritual” know how deceitful the heart can be especially when the lion is at the door. Our brethren are our brethren by the electing grace of God, and it is our business to bear one another’s burdens on this pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem. If you cannot help pull them from the quagmire, clean them off, and ease them of their load, then at least be kind of enough to get out of the way, keep your judgmental opinions to yourself, and allow those who God has graced with love, kindness, and meekness work to restore the precious brethren. At the foot of the Cross we became brethren; at the foot of the Cross we remain brethren, and at the foot of the Cross we will love, cherish, and restore our brethren!!!

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