Colossians 2:2-3 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ESV

Yesterday I ended my devotional with a question. Are you a member of a local church body? Being in church is not the same as being a member of the body of Christ. Being a family member, you are knitted together in love. It is within these relationships that we should practice what we have learned.

In my discipleship to my brothers in Christ, once I have established sound doctrine, imparted wisdom and seen their growth in Christ, I ask them to encourage others within the body of Christ. I do this because members of the same body have the same head, Christ. Early development in the natural needs to build on success. Growth in Christ is no different.

It is easier to encourage people to do what they know to be right, true and honest. We all need to be encouraged to do what we know in our hearts is right. Encouragement serves the body of Christ in two ways. It strengths the bonds of unity and it restores strength in parts that have been weakened by lack of use. Just as you strengthen muscles by use, members of a church body are strengthened in faith by use.

We all need to participate if our local church bodies are to grow in Christ.

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

It begins there.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

I began the year with simplicity. I have tried to bring the gospel to the world in simple terms. For some of my readers it has been needful. For others a reminder. For some it has been a new way to look at an old subject. I have spent these later works in examining lies of the enemy.

This past week I have been recovering from cornea transplant surgery. I have relied solely upon devotionals that were written weeks ago. Now as my eye sight is improving I am looking over the remaining three issues of lies and have rejected them, putting them in the trash.

I have done this primarily because of James 3:17. The words of those three devotions do not measure up to the standards of wisdom prescribed there. Does that mean what I wrote was untrue? No. They strayed from the mission I set out to hold onto for this year. I strayed from simplicity and began to drift into old habits.

Drifting back into old habits is easy to do when you have changed. Becoming a new creation is unfamiliar territory. Growth in Christ is good and necessary but it comes with the same problems of growing up under the instructions of our parents. Sooner or later we are going to have to put into use those things which we have been taught.

Where do we begin? What is next? How do you put what you have learned into action? The answer to this is not much different than in your natural life. You practice upon your family. Your church family is like a natural family. We all have the same Father above, we all have the First Born to look up to as our example. Most importantly we are surrounded by loving brothers and sister who are going thru the same things.

Are you a member of a local church body?