The Body
Our coming together is with purpose:
EDIFY: Instruct or give direction for the improvement of the members in the body.
ENCOURAGE: Motivate the members that this walk is not in vain and those things we instruct are achievable, with great reward.
EXEMPLIFY: Let our lives be an example of Christ, showing that the brotherly love we speak of is expressed through us first.
If we do these three things we will successfully - FORTIFY the body; meaning, to make it stronger by creating bonds between its members by way of love, making it a fervent adhesive.
When we gather, this is our only purpose: to strengthen. If one comes for any other reason it is in vain. For what other reason is there to come together than to lift or to be lifted, to make better or to be made better? Any other reason would be to tear down or destroy. What person awakes in the morning and search for ways to harm their physical body; this would be insanity. There is a man the bible speaks of whose son is possessed by a devil and he constantly brought harm to his own body. He was explained as lunatic meaning: he was considered thoughtless, ridiculous, or reckless. Why do I give this story for an example? Not because we are possessed with a devil but, there is a spirit of offense, and we must be careful because this spirit is a subtle one which attaches itself; entangling with our spirit causing all ill thoughts and actions toward one another to become justified in our hearts.
The physical body, when one of its members is stricken with an infection brings affliction upon the whole body, and that one organ unless it is cured with an antibiotic, will spread its infection without intention. This is because it is all connected one to another. This is the same for the body of Christ; offense is an infection which the member that is infected, if not attended to; will pass the infection to the other members in the body causing growth to become hindered. Knowing that the word Antibiotic means “against life or against bacterium”, which needless to say expresses that it is a helper. Once put into the body it destroys that which causes the body harm. Once again it means “against life or against bacterium”, however when merged its’ definition becomes clearer; “against the life of the bacterium or bacteria” that attacks the body.
And what is our antibiotic? Love; for all things that I have listed: edify, encourage, &exemplify all for the sake fortifying the body; which is impossible without love. For if we do not love this body which we are in, we care less for its condition. If we do not love our physical bodies we eat whatever, putting things into the body that causes sudden destruction. Cherish the body that you are in, and strengthen its’ members. Not treating each other as expendables but, as vital counter parts. Without the kidneys, though a small member; the whole body will shut down. This is the “law of reciprocity”: we all need each other survive.
