Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
How many of you have had a music instructor teach you how to play a musical instrument? More than likely, he had many years of experience, and was teaching you everything that he knew. When you sat down for your lesson, you began to play the song that he had given you the week before. As he listened, he might stop you occasionally and show you a certain part that needed work. He might even circle something on the page that you needed to work on when you went back home. His ultimate goal for you is to play the song the same way that he does, perfect and without fault.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
This is exactly what the Apostle Paul was doing for the church. Guiding, correcting, rebuking, encouraging, and refining them, until they walked perfectly in the truth of the Christian faith.
Ephesians 4 ¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
The Apostle Paul was in the process of perfecting people in the church, so they would become without any type of fault. He wanted them to become perfectly pleasing unto God so they were prepared for the kingdom of heaven.
“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:17
The Apostles were edifying the church. When you edify, it means to build up something. But like any construction project, sometimes the foreman needs to knock a few things down that someone else put up wrong. Sometimes you might only need a hand planer to fix the problem, but at other times it may require a sledgehammer. If the building is going to be built properly, this has to be done. This is why men of God rebuke, reprove and correct people in the church. This is so they grow up into what God wants them to become. We must unlearn the things that we have learned wrong, and we must relearn them the right way. This is all a part of spiritual growth in the church.
The Spiritual construction worker is hammering up the framing of the church by using God’s Truth. Without God’s Word in his tool belt, nothing will ever get done. One time Andrew and I left our chainsaw out in the middle of the woods at a work site. That afternoon, we had to drive all the way back out to the woods to get it so we could prepare firewood for our wood cook stove that night. I don’t know if a day goes by when our chainsaw isn’t being used. It is a tool that we must have in order to live the way that we do. God’s Holy Word is the most important tool that a preacher must have if they are going to work each day on the building of God. It must be built with the truth, because without it, it’s like leaving your tools out in the woods.
“Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:7
The Apostles wanted unity in the church, but it is a unity that is based upon the teachings of God’s Holy Word. It is a unity of our faith, whereby we all share the same beliefs together. It is a unity where everyone is striving together for the one true faith that was once given unto the Saints. It’s more than just claiming to believe in Jesus, it is a unity that is solidly grounded in the things that Jesus and His disciples taught. Fellowship cannot exist unless this structure is in place. It is like a load-bearing wall that holds the entire church together. It doesn’t matter if they claim to be a brother or sister in Christ. We must fellowship with those who do the will of God!
“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Matthew 12:50
The goal in the church is to become perfect, which will only happen by faithful obedience to the will of God. It is to completely surrender yourself to His purpose and calling for your life. But in many of today’s false forms of Christianity they are preaching a different Jesus than the one you find in the scriptures. This is because they have succumbed to the philosophies and teachings of this world, and justify their sins by printing false and perverted Bibles. In that state they will never become perfected.
“God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:40
The Apostle Paul was in the process of perfecting the Saints. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and guiding people towards the Spiritual things of God. But many times he ran into opposition as people resisted the truth. Rather than humbly accepting correction, they fought against Him, even calling him a deceiver. The path to eternal life is extremely narrow, and to stay on it, requires complete submission to the will of God. It requires turning away from your desires, to what God desires you to be. His direction for our lives is found throughout the teachings of Holy Scripture, but in order to obtain eternal life, you need to become a doer of what it says. This is the only way that a sinner can transform from a sinner into a saint, and walk each day in the perfect will of God.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
Paul’s great desire for the church was their perfection.
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” Hebrews 6:1
“For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.” 2 Corinthians 13:9
God is molding and shaping us through the teachings of Holy Scripture, and to become perfected in His sight, we must submit to His will. Spiritual men will guide you into perfect obedience to the teachings of Christ. Like sitting down at a recital, they wait anxiously to see you, walking in the perfect will of God, and….
……Playing His Song.
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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