2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Share with me your thoughts. How else can I discover if we are of one mind? Too often we hold our thoughts private to ourselves because of fear. We fear rejection. We fear loss of respect. We fear being wrong.
How can we be of one mind if we are not willing to concede that we might be wrong on any matter? Which is more important, to be right or to love? In the list above Paul encourages us to be perfect. I believe he means in love. He says to be of good comfort. I believe he means in love.
When it comes to the one mind, how can we be a mind in love? Because we are imperfect we must allow that our minds might not love perfectly. Having one mind cannot be a shared experience in solitude. If we love one another as we are asked, how can we hold our minds subject to any other control but that of Christ?
The problem comes when another does not agree. What do you do with that moment? How do you come to a point of agreement? Both minds must seek safe haven, a place where love abounds and only God is right. That means letting go of self and allowing God to shine truth into the moment. We have to put love first. If we can do that, what does it matter what was said, thought or felt?
1 John 4:18a There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
Then we have no fear in being vulnerable towards one another.
Your post this morning is most interesting. You asked us to share our thoughts, so I am going to pick up on it. I love this blog, and I love you, dear brother. Yesterday you opened yourself to us and I appreciate your candid remarks, so a big “thank you” for this. You reminded us of the importance of vows and I immediately thought of marriage vows and how lightly they are treated in today’s world and the sorrow that is caused because of it. I have the feeling that you are trying to get an open discussion going on this blog site, am I correct? I am going to ask you for your thoughts on “being perfect” that opens the verse that we are working on in 1 Corinthians 13:11.
We are to renew our minds by the washing of the word. The mind is flesh and subject to failing. The best we can do is to renew ourselves every day, trusting in God to complete the work He has begun in us. Apart from God we wither and faint. We can do all things only in Christ. Being is a state of action and obedience of faith is our best action. Walk after the Spirit, we can expect no more from ourselves. Perfection is a goal we seek after, a movement toward conformance to Christ, not ever fully achieved in this life time. God will we shall keep walking in the right direction.
Is that right direction the same direction that we have in Philippians 3:12-14?
Yes, that is exactly my meaning.
Thanks, dear brother, for keeping our hearts and thoughts together knit together….knit together in love.