As the family of God our calling is to be a covenantally bound community, knit together by God’s grace. In light of this, our Father in Heaven commands us to not just be nominally involved in our brothers’ and sisters’ lives (in name only), but actually living life together. We are called to live lives of love for our God and for the church more than our individual ambitions and desire.
When Paul calls believers to “seek” to do good, the word in Greek could be translated as ‘aggressively pursue’. Far from a call to seek the good of others at our leisure, comfort, or convenience, Paul calls the people of God to aggressively pursue doing good to all people: those within the church and those outside of it. Like soldiers pursuing the enemy so to gain victory in battle, we are called to overcome evil in our lives with good. Conversely, we are not to give evil to those who are giving evil to us.
On a parenthetical note, Christians should take time to ruminate upon how scripture defines good. There is a tendency for us to import the modern definitions of good and loving into our thoughts and actions via affectual impulse more than active reasoning. What are some ways that looks like?
Do we admonish the idle? The idea behind the Greek word is insubordination, likely to God’s word. Are we or others in the body living in such a way as to reject God’s sovereignty and call to obedience over our lives? We may impulsively say no, but if our words and actions don’t line up, are we not functionally living as insubordinate children? Do we love our God and brothers and sisters enough to talk with them, in love about it if we see it? Do we love them enough to be humble and allow them to talk with us about our insubordination? Do we really desire to be conformed to God’s will? May we be.
Do we encourage the fainthearted or help the weak? Do we seek to build up the souls in our midst that are weak in the faith? Do we see those who don’t have a well-orbed, developed identity in Christ? Do we seek to fortify their soul with encouraging words and actions? Do we lack a stable, mature identity in the Lord? How about those who are sick? Do we seek those who are ill and seek to meet their needs? What about those who are spiritually sick and need Christ’s body to help combat the illness that plagues their soul? If we suffer from any of these, do we seek help, or do we hide it from the body (and sometimes) as well as God?
Lastly, are we long suffering, bearing with all those mentioned above? Do we delay anger as much as is right? Do we have the faith to play the long game with people, trusting God with the results? Or do we give up on people because they haven’t changed in our time?
To obey God’s call in all these things requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it requires the faithful seeking of the Lord in His word, in the hearing of it preached, and in the fellowship of the saints.
When Paul calls believers to “seek” to do good, the word in Greek could be translated as ‘aggressively pursue’. Far from a call to seek the good of others at our leisure, comfort, or convenience, Paul calls the people of God to aggressively pursue doing good to all people: those within the church and those outside of it. Like soldiers pursuing the enemy so to gain victory in battle, we are called to overcome evil in our lives with good. Conversely, we are not to give evil to those who are giving evil to us.
On a parenthetical note, Christians should take time to ruminate upon how scripture defines good. There is a tendency for us to import the modern definitions of good and loving into our thoughts and actions via affectual impulse more than active reasoning. What are some ways that looks like?
Do we admonish the idle? The idea behind the Greek word is insubordination, likely to God’s word. Are we or others in the body living in such a way as to reject God’s sovereignty and call to obedience over our lives? We may impulsively say no, but if our words and actions don’t line up, are we not functionally living as insubordinate children? Do we love our God and brothers and sisters enough to talk with them, in love about it if we see it? Do we love them enough to be humble and allow them to talk with us about our insubordination? Do we really desire to be conformed to God’s will? May we be.
Do we encourage the fainthearted or help the weak? Do we seek to build up the souls in our midst that are weak in the faith? Do we see those who don’t have a well-orbed, developed identity in Christ? Do we seek to fortify their soul with encouraging words and actions? Do we lack a stable, mature identity in the Lord? How about those who are sick? Do we seek those who are ill and seek to meet their needs? What about those who are spiritually sick and need Christ’s body to help combat the illness that plagues their soul? If we suffer from any of these, do we seek help, or do we hide it from the body (and sometimes) as well as God?
Lastly, are we long suffering, bearing with all those mentioned above? Do we delay anger as much as is right? Do we have the faith to play the long game with people, trusting God with the results? Or do we give up on people because they haven’t changed in our time?
To obey God’s call in all these things requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it requires the faithful seeking of the Lord in His word, in the hearing of it preached, and in the fellowship of the saints.
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