The Choice: Builder or Wrecker

It is a beautiful sunny Sunday in the Toronto Area. Not a spot of cloud in sight and it's 6 degrees celsius as I compose this installment. It's one of those days that makes you recall a passage in Psalms - This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Earlier today, I had a chance to share in a small church in the East end of Metro on the topic "Building Up One Another." I based my discourse on a few passages of Scriptures, notably, Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Peter 1:5-11. Essentially these passages underscore the following:

The way Paul sees it -
God sets up ministry offices in the church;
The ministries are for the equipping of believers;
The goal is the building up of the Body of Christ;
Believers are to grow in all aspects of Christ who is the head of the church;
Believers are individual parts and are to work properly in order to cause the growth of the Body in love.

Along similar lines Peter reminds believing readers -

Add to their faith, virtue (moral excellence);
To virtue, knowledge;
To knowledge, self-control;
To self-control, perseverance;
To perseverance, godliness;
To godliness, brotherly kindness;
To brotherly kindness, love.

Just think what kind of impact believers would have on each other if they heed these advice. Peter is convinced of the necessity of these attributes that he repeatedly stated to always remind his readers of these qualities.