| Divine Life |
The illusion of perfection which many within the Body of Christ
perpetuate turns away those who are hurting. It leads people to think, "Once I
'get right', then I can get saved and then I can go to church." The church
building, where we congregate, is a place of perfecting (see Ephesians 4:11-13). It's where you come as you are and leave better than you
came.
Has the Body of Christ alienated others by maintaining an air of
perfection and superiority? Is it
possible that rather than drawing people to the light, we have repelled them
from us as a stench?
The fact is, as believers we are perfect, in
Spirit (See
Hebrews 10:14). It is
the soul (mind, will and emotions) that has to be perfected and that is a
process (see Romans 12:2). We have
no right to think of ourselves as having attained a level of perfection that
makes us better than those who have not yet received Jesus as Lord and Savior.
We must remember that as the Body of Christ, believers, our lives are a continual transformation. In this process of transformation there are hurdles, obstacles, trials and falls; yet all that we experience becomes a testimony of God's goodness, mercy and grace in order to encourage others to believe in Him (see 1 Peter 4:12, Revelation 12:11). While we're being transformed into perfection, let's not alienate those who have not yet started the process.
