Believes All Things

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

The greatest proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit in an individual or a congregation is the expression of Holy Spirit directed love. But what does this love look like? Today we’ll continue to look at love as found in the love chapter of the Bible….1 Cor 13!

 

We pick it up in verse 7 where love believes all things. OK, we’re not talking about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or more importantly…false doctrine. A Christian is always called to “weigh the spirit of what’s being said or pushed as truth. 1Jo 4:1 reminds us: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

 

This believing of all things is to commit to trust of each other. It is a playing out of Holy Spirit directed love in our interactions with each other in the body of Christ. It’s a commitment to trust each other’s words.

 

But what if that person is lying? Good question. Many times, you really can’t tell. I have worked with enough addicts to know that many are skilled in hiding the truth of their addiction. There often is a fear of discovery that leads us to hide our sins. This is sad because they are best dealt with when we put them out in the open,

 

Jas 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

 

The Holy Spirit calls us all to honesty in the Body of Christ, Mt 5:37 "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

 

And if that truth is lacking He will take care of it either now, (ask Ananias and Sapphira about that Acts 5:1-11) or later. Re 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

 

Meanwhile the presence of Holy Spirit guided love in our midst is committed to mutual trust, knowing that God will deal with the untrustworthy.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word