Author: Warren Berkley

Serve One Another!

(Gal. 5:13)

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

We are freed from sin when we obey the gospel of Christ, and as we continue the obedience of faith, we stay free from sin in Him (Rom. 6:17-23). We must not, however,  be foolish and presumptuous about that freedom. Do not, Paul said above, “use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.” And this is echoed by Peter: “…do not use your freedom as a covering for evil,” (1 Pet. 2:16, NASB). So what we enjoy and praise God for, must never become any license for liberty. That is the “do not” part of this.

The DO part of this is: “…through love serve one another.”  Observe this isn’t a legalistic, “do I have do” kind of thing. No. This is service we render to each other out of a sincere mind toward all the components of service we are able to provide. We have received from God, have freedom in Christ, so now: “…use it to serve one another.” This we do gladly as “good stewards of God’s varied grace,” (1 Pet. 4:10).

We do this likewise as disciples of Christ who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as ransom for many,” (Mark 10:42-45).

What does this look like in actual practice? It looks like counting others more significant than ourselves (Phil. 2:30. It looks like equipping ourselves to be able to instruct one another (Rom. 15:14). I looks like bearing with one another, “and if one has a complaints against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive,” (Col. 3:13). It looks like sharing bread (Prov. 22:9), showing hospitality (1 Pet. 4:9) and refusing to put a stumbling block or offense before a brother (Rom. 14:13). We are free but free to serve in these ways, to the glory of God.  

Serving one another sounds like declining greatness (Luke 22:26-27), encouraging one another (1 Thess. 4:18), praying for each other (Jas. 5:130 and speaking words of kindness (Col. 3:12). Freedom in Christ? YES, thank God. In that freedom there is service to God and His people and to the lost, through love.

I suspect I’ll spend the rest of my life attempting to live the outward-focused life. Learning to be a servant is quite a process. There is a big part of me that just wants to circle the wagons. Or cocoon. Or whatever word describes inward living. And I’m pretty sure my brain would be happy just storing stuff. But I want my heart to rule, to receive and give. Because as I periodically remind myself, this life is not about me; it’s about God and others. Enough talk. Now let’s make a difference in someone’s life today. Enough talk. Now let’s Let’s go serve somebody. [Source: Workman, Dave. The Outward-Focused Life: Becoming a Servant in a Serve-Me World (p. 186). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.]

Claiming the Status but Without the Standards

I am a veteran. United States Army, 1966-1969. I have my DD 214, my honorable discharge certificate and my VA benefits ID card. I was not a hero, no combat medals. But I did serve.

Have you heard of Stolen Valor? This describes the appalling spectacle of someone who didn’t serve in the military pretending they did, in an effort to falsely gain either benefits or attention. Under United States Law (2013), it is a violation of federal law for someone to falsely claim military service, awards or decorations or even “embellished rank.” At discharge I was an E-5. If I started telling people I was any higher, I would be in violation of federal law, subject to the penalties for making such a false claim. It is serious, in the sight of God and federal law in this case, to claim status that is a lie.

One way to express this is – Claiming Status Without The Training, The Reality and The Standards. And that is also common in religion. There are men who claim to be current apostles. Women who claim to be prophets. Preachers who claim God spoke to them directly. And ordinary people who claim some extra-ordinary status with God and over people.

And of course, people who just say “I’m a Christian,” but without any training in discipleship, have not met the standard or conditions of becoming a Christian and have no proof of spiritual life in their behavior.

The only valor belongs to Christ. The only claim we can make is, He is our Savior and we have responded to Him according to what the apostles taught. And we continue to live to the best of our ability, standing in the grace of God.

Attitudes In Positive Form, Part 8 (June 26, 2022)

Encouraging One Another!

(1 Thess. 5:18)

“Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Context: Paul was addressing the uninformed idea circulating that Christians who had died would not experience the glory of Christ’s second coming. He based his response on the historical truth of the resurrection of Christ with the associated promise of our resurrection, declaring: “the dead in Christ will rise first.” “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” What were the Thessalonian Christians to do with this? “Therefore comfort one another with these words!”

The immediate application is, when we have good news, assurance and hope, we need to share that with each other. Comfort from God is to be shared within the spiritual family (see also 2 Cor. 1:4). One way to avoid conflict, distance or coldness is the positive interaction God desires among His people. Love, comfort, gratitude, service and encouraging one another.

To this add 1 Thess. 5:11, for a wider imperative: “Therefore, encourage one another and build one another, just as you are doing.” The negative is, don’t tear one another apart (Gal. 5:15). The positive is, “encourage one another and build one another up.”

In speech, how we treat people and all our interaction with fellow Christians, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear,” (Eph. 4:29).

“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13). When we share goodwill, speak encouraging words, pray for one another, worship and study with one another – those are positive actions that keep us from the hardening and deceitful movement away from God into sin.

In previous articles I’ve written AGAINST harsh words, anger that leads to sin, grumbling and complaining. This article and the others to follow turn the whole theme to the POSITIVE, active goodness that is the godly attitude we should have and consistently exhibit toward each other, to the glory of God and for our peace and edification, as we pursue the pathway to heaven and do our best to take others with us.

To apply these passages with full and joyful energy, make a list of what you can do better. Phone calls, cards, speaking to people in a better way, visiting folks who need help, praying with other Christians, assembling consistently for worship and Bible study, using your talents and resources to come to the aid of those in need, expressing gratitude, surprising kids with gifts, having folks to your home for a meal and good conversation, joining with others to approach some wayward saint, attend area gospel meeting with other brethren and don’t forget to give the preacher a gift card for Krispy Kreme donuts on his birthday.

Hebrews 6:10: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”