Is addiction ALWAYS a bad thing, is jelaousy ALWAYS a bad thing?

 

If you simply say "yes" think again!

 

1 Corinthians 16:15 says this: I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

 

Now, you know and I know that the "saint" here were not some statues or pendants or dead people who were "canonized", they were, simply, the beleivers. It says here that the house, oikos, HOUSEHOLD, a gathering of multiple families who were a Household of Faith, was "ADDICTED" to the "ministry of the saints."

 

What is "the ministry of the saints?"

 

Verses 17 and 18 explain this a bit further:

 

17I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

18For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.

 

Quite simply, they took care of people, and they supported the work of the ministry others were doing, and not just with resources but in other ways as well, helpong, refreshing their spirit, and simply being supportive and encouraging.

 

So, we SHOULD be addicted.....

 

to the ministry of the saints!

 

But what about that green monster, jealousy?

 

2 Corinthians 11:2-3 tells us when we might be jealous and it actually be godly.

 

2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

   3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

 

Paul is worried here that the Corinthians will fall into legalism and be led astray from the truth, and he does not want that.

 

How often do we have such godly jealousy over our new converts or even over the people we minister to? How often does something rise up within us when we see a member of our fellowship being led astray to scream out "I have espoused you to one husband?"

 

We have a tendency in Christianity to "kill our wounded and abdandon our babies", but if we had godly jealousy over the wounded who have fallen, lest they be snatred and lost to the Bridegroom whom we have espoused them to, or the new convert who is stumbling, we might be willing to go and find them when we don't see them for a few weeks, we might spend time with them in their home to help them and answer their questions or concerns, and we might be willing to show them, by our deeds and not just our words, just how addicted we are to the "ministry of the saints" because we have godly jealousy for the souls we care for or lead to Christ. 

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  • from the Strong's Concordance Jealous used of God as not bearing any rival; the severe avenger of departure from Him.
  • I consider the technically saved to be those who said the prayer, maybe did the stuff for a while but certainly are not currently behaving like a Christian.

    IMHO much of the church has too much fun being judgemental to be effective with the walking wounded. It's even worse when the wounded are wounded by those in the church. So much easier for leaders especially to poke at someone's attitude and poor delivery than to actually hear what they are saying and see your role in it. Most of the time the person is hurting, doing the best they can, and may have never been taught to express themselves well. Then you have the days when these folks turn around and do exactly what they just told you not to do. Gotta love people (double meaning intended.)


    Jan said:
    Had to smile, Lisa! I have never heard of someone being "technically" saved. My Bible understanding has always led me to believe one is either saved.....or condemned already.

    What concerns me more...is the walking wounded the we Christians many times never reach out to. Those whose heart cry is "please...someone come before...I divorce my spouse...or------ ( fill in the blank). The world is cold out there....and the church should not be just as cold or if not colder!
  • Had to smile, Lisa! I have never heard of someone being "technically" saved. My Bible understanding has always led me to believe one is either saved.....or condemned already.

    What concerns me more...is the walking wounded the we Christians many times never reach out to. Those whose heart cry is "please...someone come before...I divorce my spouse...or------ ( fill in the blank). The world is cold out there....and the church should not be just as cold or if not colder!
  • Of course God can woo one back. However, one must be willing to come back. The truly unwilling would never stop dennying Christ even though technically saved in the Baptist sense.

    Jan said:
    Jan said:
    So,if a Christian is wounded or immature...gives up...walks away...God gives him up???
    What would be the point of Christ dying if...one could so easily be lost again?

    I just think God is a bit more powerful than that. You may have walked away...but you were His....and He would woo you back. : ) He is quite a lover of His bride! You might say He is Jealous!
  • I know that in the Baptist denomination, it is "once saved, always saved". I do not quite agree with this and believe me, I am not knocking what Baptist's believe and do not believe; but, a good example would be Judas Iscariot. Judas was one of the twelve disciples that ate with Jesus, walked with Jesus, prayed with Jesus and slept at the same places as Jesus did. With all of that said though, Judas still turned his back on Jesus and not only deceived him but denied him because if we are doing anything to betray Christ, then we are denying who He is. Judas betrayed Jesus and will forever live the eternal death. I know what it is like to live for Christ and then fall away from Him and live a complete opposite life; it is something that I never want to do ever again. If I had not returned to Christ when I did, I may had been lost forever. Thank you Jesus for all that you have done!

    Jan said:
    Jan said:
    So,if a Christian is wounded or immature...gives up...walks away...God gives him up???
    What would be the point of Christ dying if...one could so easily be lost again?

    I just think God is a bit more powerful than that. You may have walked away...but you were His....and He would woo you back. : ) He is quite a lover of His bride! You might say He is Jealous!
  • Jan said:
    So,if a Christian is wounded or immature...gives up...walks away...God gives him up???
    What would be the point of Christ dying if...one could so easily be lost again?

    I just think God is a bit more powerful than that. You may have walked away...but you were His....and He would woo you back. : ) He is quite a lover of His bride! You might say He is Jealous!
  • My guess is that this would be the Christian who out of deep wounding or the confusion of immaturity gives up and walks away. I nearly did this at one point. If I had done it I would have never come back. I was ready to throw Bible right out the door; hang it up and never talk to the Lord again. Doing so would have resulted in my being forever lost to the Bridegroom .
    Lisa

    Jan said:
    Good article!
    I would like to comment on this,"We have a tendency in Christianity to 'kill our wounded and abandon our babies' .." Boy do I agree...that to our shame!!
    But I am not sure what you mean by what was said right after that " ....lest they be snared and lost to the Bridegroom...." How can a Christian...wounded... though he may be...or baby.. though he may be.....be"lost to the Bridegroom"???
    Jan
  • Good article!
    I would like to comment on this,"We have a tendency in Christianity to 'kill our wounded and abandon our babies' .." Boy do I agree...that to our shame!!
    But I am not sure what you mean by what was said right after that " ....lest they be snared and lost to the Bridegroom...." How can a Christian...wounded... though he may be...or baby.. though he may be.....be"lost to the Bridegroom"???
    Jan
  • Bill, that is such an anointed message. You are so right; just as God is a jealous God and does not want us to serve anyone but Him, we must be the same when we begin to see others fall away. There are times when my wife had said that I was obsessed with God and that it wasn't right to be that way, and I disagree with her because Jesus should be our obsession and our only addiction. Addicted to God and to the ministry of the saints as you have elaborated on. May you continue to lead on as Christ leads you my dear brother in Christ!
  • Deuteronomy 4:24
    For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

    Joshua 24:19
    Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God.

    Psalm 79:5
    How long, LORD?Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?


    Ezekiel 36:6
    “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”


    Nahum 1:2
    [ God’s Wrath on His Enemies ] God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies;


    Romans 10:19
    But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “ I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”
    Romans 10:18-20 (in Context) Romans 10 (Whole Chapter)

    Romans 11:14
    if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
    Romans 11:13-15 (in Context) Romans 11 (Whole

    2 Corinthians 11:2
    For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
    2 Corinthians 11:1-3 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 11 (Whole Chapter)

    James 4:5
    Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
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