A spirit or The Spirit?

Who you choose to follow on social media matters.

Who you choose to hold influence over your life matters.

Beware of anyone who doesn’t represent Jesus and His word.

Beware of anyone who chooses to sow contention. 1 Corinthians 11:16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

Beware of anyone who slanders. 1 Timothy 3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

Beware of anyone who doesn’t represent Jesus and what His word signifies- charity. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

Beware of heeding advice from a heart of bitterness. James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

There are too many individuals who have been hurt by the church, and we, as the body of Christ, should be working overtime to lead them back, not further away. A Christian’s job isn’t to further discourage the discouraged or break the broken.

Individuals with a personal relationship with Jesus and a platform of any variety- public or private- should continually strive to use that to fulfill the great commission and encourage our fellow believers.

While we should strive to practice the latter portion of 2 Timothy 2:25, “instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth,” may we not fail to continually practice the first portion, “In meekness.”

Be bold in what you believe and why you believe it. Stand unashamed to share correct, Biblical interpretations on scripture with anyone and everyone. But we must strive to stick with just that- scripture.

And with charity.

I want my children, my Faith Family, and my brothers and sisters in Christ to fully grasp that tradition is more than just that. Doctrine is more than just that. And in order for it to be lived wholly and fully, it must first be received as a lifestyle of the heart before it can genuinely be reflected.

Above all, exude charity. Live it liberally. Give it unendingly. Speak it over those who have done nothing to earn and even less to deserve it.

I challenge you to ask the questions. Study scripture and ask more questions. Study your doctrinal belief and teaching and ask even more questions.

Choose that counsel, wisely.

Not from those who choose only to exemplify a Facebook religion, a social media, or YouTube religion, or even those who only live their religion, publicly.

But choose to seek it from those who choose to seek the face of God over the opinions of man.