Our theme for this month: “Being a virtuous person”
Our Bible verse for today: “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.” 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “We must help each other be virtuous.”
I’ve heard it said and I believe it is true that if the church were more like Christ, the world would be more receptive to the message of the Gospel. Sadly, the behavior of Christians is often not too different from that of the culture we live in. Sometimes it’s worse. Sexual sin, dishonesty, gossip, back-biting, greed, gluttony, you name it – if it exists out there in the world you will also find it in the church.
Ironically, and to our shame, we’re often very vocal about the sins of the world and very blind about our own sins. We’re pretty good at pointing out all the things “those people” do wrong, and we’re pretty bad at acknowledging all the things that we do wrong. Picture the loud and opinionated big-belly preacher spitting and fuming about “them homosexuals”, while he himself is clearly in bondage to the demon of gluttony.
In 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 Paul tells the Corinthians (and us) that we would be well advised to pay a little less attention to “them” and a little more attention to “us”. We’ve got a few things to get cleaned up in our own lives before we’re going to be very effective at convicting the world of their sin.
And for that, we need each other. We’ve all got blind spots and we need to help each other see them. That doesn’t mean that we’re to be running around inside our churches pointing out each other’s faults. It does mean that in gentleness and love we need to help each other see our own weaknesses. That’s usually best done in subtle ways. Sermons and Bible studies (and daily devotional messages) are helpful in this respect. Close friendships can also serve as a platform from which we can minister to each other in this way. Counseling with your pastor or other church leaders is another way these issues can get addressed.
But get addressed they must. We have a responsibility to help one another identify and deal with our own obvious (and not so obvious) sinful ways.
Being virtuous in a sinful world is not easy. We need to help each other. You help me to see and deal with my faults and weaknesses, and I’ll help you to see yours, and maybe then, together, we can help the world see theirs.
Oak Hill Baptist Church