Alan Knox began a brilliant series of blog posts a couple of weeks ago about “The Scripture As We Live It.” He has published three so far, reflecting on 1 Corinthians 12:22-25, James 2:15-16, and 1 Corinthians 14:26. I laughed out loud when I read what he wrote on 1 Corinthians 14:26, which I will reprint in full here:
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation find a place to sit, sing along with the band or choir, and listen to the preacher. Let all things be done for building up as prescribed by your leaders. (1 Corinthians 14:26 remix)
This is a fantastic way of realizing what scripture doesn’t say, how we often fail to live out scripture, and to begin to reexamine how we live and repent from lies we have lived out, turning to the Truth God has given us.
A scripture that the Holy Spirit frequently convicts me gently with is Ephesians 4:29, so I thought it appropriate to write about how I often live it, rather than how God tells me how to live:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs unless you disagree with what they are saying, and especially if you disagree with how they interpret a bible verse, that it may benefit those who listen
demonstrate you are right.
Another phrase that gets kicked around a lot in this same vein is found earlier in Ephesians 4:
Be completely humble and gentle
right; be patient
efficient, bearing with one another in love
those who think like you do. . . [S]peaking the truth no matter how harshly you do it
in
is love….
Then, on a very positive note, aren’t you glad that the Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37) isn’t read like this:
Jesus replied: “‘Love
Serve and perform for the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”