Studies by Book
Luke 17 3-6 Faith and relationships 01 Growing in Christ, loving people
📖 Luke 17:3-6
27Jun2020 - *Growing in Christ, loving people* - _Luke 17:3-6_ - Bible reading: _Leviticus 19:17-18_
We have completed our study of the children and the kingdom of God. We now begin a new study, on _Luke 17:3-6_. We will title this study as, *Faith and relationships*. We begin with _Luke 17:3_
_Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him._
Relationships with one another are crucial in our walk with God. As God’s people, we are part of each other and we are the body of Christ. To build relationships it begins to *take heed to ourselves*.
_Colossians 1:9-10 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;_ We are to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Our understanding of God’s will is a spiritual experience, which requires that we are constantly led by the Spirit of God. Only then will we be filled with the knowledge of His will.
_(10) that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;_ As we are led by the Spirit of God, we become those whose life is worthy of God, fully pleasing Him. It is from this intimacy with God, of taking heed of ourselves that we relate with people.
*…If your brother sins against you, rebuke him…* _Leviticus 19:17-18 ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. *You shall surely rebuke your neighbour, and not bear sin because of him*. (18) You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD._
We have always heard about learning to love people but an important dimension of loving people is to learn to rebuke people and surely being open to receiving rebuke. This level relationship comes from our walk with the Spirit.
_Psalm 141:5 Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked._
As we take heed of ourselves in our walk with God, we are to be conscious of the work of God in the lives of others in the body of Christ. When we see that something is happening or said that causes hindrance for the growth of the body of Christ, we must rebuke in love for the growth of that person and for the growth of the church.
Sadly, what we often see happening is that instead of addressing the issue directly with the person concerned, we speak of this matter to someone else and that is how the devil comes in and destroys the fellowship amongst His people.
The Lord is teaching us to address the matter directly with the person and *if he repents*/receives the correction then nurture him in his walk with the Lord and in the fellowship of His people. Always ensuring that our own walk with the Lord is one of being worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him. Rebuke must happen only from this base of taking heed to ourselves.
At this time of crisis, the Lord is purifying the church so that we be ready for His return. _Revelation 1:6-7 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (7) Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen._
*Thought to ponder*
```The bride is being made ready for the bridegroom.```