BEARING BURDENS

Do you ever run into those people who say -- ‘’Why do I need GOD"? "I have enough problems in my life already..’’ -- Or -- (they say); ‘’Going to church just makes me feel even worse about myself. Worse then I already do...’’ ‘’I already feel guilty enough... I don’t need it rubbed in my face.’’ Do the people saying those things need help? ( Yes, would be the answer.) Have they done something, (maybe) that they feel, deep down is some 'unpardonable sin', and nothing or nobody is gonna make it any better? Something in the past is eating them up spiritually, perhaps? And they have convinced themselves that if they come to church, or seek Pastoral advice, that they will get more of the same from some self-righteous 'finger pointing' Christian?

Perhaps instead of 'pointing the finger', or allowing any of this to persist, (we) need to instead make it known to that person that not only is JESUS already waiting to build them up and lay those burdens to rest, but ( We ) as members of the body of the church are also there to help shoulder, or bear the load? To show them that YES - we care as well? CHRIST JESUS was 'crucified' for ( who ) ? ALL. HE was crucified for ALL. Are ( we ) not to lead others by example, as we are being led by example? Yes. By showing them there is hope through CHRIST, through prayer, through true fellowship, by ( example ) by 'caring' -- we demonstrate love. We show Faith And Hope. Matthew Chapter 25:33-36; And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. When we do this for 'OTHERS' - we are in effect, doing this for and to- JESUS CHRIST. (( "We" are the body -- and "HE" is the head. )) ColossiansChapter 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 1 Corinthians 13:13“ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

"BEARING EACH OTHERS BURDENS". What does GOD say about this?

Let’s start in Galatians 6:2 and find out something very simple that many of us (should be doing) for our fellow Brothers and Sisters.

Galatians 6:2 -- 1Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5For every man shall bear his own burden.

James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Numbers 11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. Exodus 18:22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 2 Corinthians 8:13-14 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

Are some people feeling divided? Are we not supposed to prop each other

up by shouldering some of the load? Yes !!

It’s our responsibility to do so. Are ( we ) as Members of the Body of CHRIST Saints? The answer to that is ~ YES. YES ( We ) are. Saints..?

What is a saint? -- The Greek word for saints is an interesting one. It is the word: “hagios” and means “most holy thing” . So a saint is a holy person. But wait, aren’t all men sinners, even after they are saved? Yes, that’s true but GOD sees us as having JESUS' own righteousness ( in effect ), because CHRIST became sin for us so that when the FATHER now sees us, HE sees us as having the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST- (2 Corinthians 5:21). "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him". What about those who are saved or justified by faith in the Old Testament? Does GOD considered them saints too? The Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for saint is “chaciyd” which means: “faithful, kind, godly,” and “holy one”. So we see that the use of the word [saint] essentially means the same thing in (both) the Old and New Testament and that is “holy ones.” There is yet another Hebrew word for saint and it is “qadowsh” which again means “sacred, holy, holy one” and “set apart.” When believers are called and saved we are sanctified or “set apart for holy use” which is what sanctified means. So the Bible mentions believers in both the Old and New Testament as saints. Here’s proof... Ephesians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” There you are. Paul calls the believers at Ephesus “saints” because in Christ they are made holy due to Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. But there’s more... 1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Once again, Paul as is his custom, opens his epistles (letters) with greetings to the saints or the set apart or holy ones. They have no inherent holiness of course but they are made holy by Jesus’ blood that was shed for them on the cross. Want yet more proof? Colossians 1:2 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” Paul is not the only one to call Christians saints. So too does the Apostle John but really it is JESUS CHRIST Who calls them saints because- HE is the actual author of the Book of Revelation (1:1) and so we turn there to see in 14:12 where it is written “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” There is a theme that is found in all of the New Testament verses where a saint is mentioned and it is almost always associated with those who are in CHRIST or have faith in CHRIST. Without CHRIST, being a saint is impossible. With CHRIST, it is possible !! You are Saints in the Present. There is no need to await beatification (sainthood achieved) as some believe. It doesn’t take ten or twenty or a hundred years. If you have repented and trusted in CHRIST, you are a saint of GOD today, right now! Why would Paul declare to the believers that they were saints at the time that he was writing to them, while they were still alive, if it was only for the dead? It makes no sense for Paul to write to “the saints and faithful brothers in CHRIST at Colossae” or in Corinth, or at Rome if they were dead ! There is nothing in the Bible that teaches that someone has to be dead for a certain number of years before they can be referred to as a saint or reach beatification. That is not taught in the Bible.you are a saint today if you have placed your faith in CHRIST. Period! There are only two kinds of people on earth right now, as the late Adrian Rogers said; there are; "saints and there are ain’ts". There are none in the middle. There is no fence that anyone can sit on when they are having indecision about whether to be saved or not. You are either saved and have escaped the wrath of GOD or you are not saved and have the wrath of GOD still awaiting you on Judgment Day (Rev 20″11-15). You must choose, before you die or before Christ comes back (which could be at any moment) where you will spend eternity. It will be either in the New Jerusalem or the lake of fire. There is no place in between. Are you a saint saved by grace or a sinner destined for hell for all eternity?

Do those who feel so condemned and ashamed that they no longer fellowship maybe need someone to show them that they do [ NOT ] need to shoulder that burden alone??

A ‘’Saint ’’ perhaps? Many people are dying slowly in a secret tomb of shame. Some are ashamed of their poor financial condition, plagued with guilt about their irresponsible spending and debt. Others are ashamed about sexual sin's from their past. Many carry extreme guilt with them into their future relationships. If you compound that with those who ( should be helping them )- but are instead POINTING THEIR PROVERBIAL FINGER at them, It does not improve the situation at all, does it? 1 John 1:9“ say's: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” By simply acknowledging the offence(s), HE will do what HE has assured us HE will do in remitting them. [ "And just to forgive us our sins" ] - The word ("just") here, cannot be used in a strict and proper sense- since the forgiveness of sins is never an act of justice, but is an act of mercy. { FORGIVE } -—remitting the guilt. " Remit " -- To cancel or refrain from exacting or inflicting (a debt or punishment). HIS Grace -- HIS Mercy. JESUS CHRIST did NOT come, to beat us all into the dust... HE came to REDEEM US. To SAVE us. "Feed my SHEEP..." We can't feed the sheep, if we scare them away, or run them off, or turn a BLIND eye to them, can WE?

Let’s take care of Our Family ! GOD Our FATHER, Is watching, by the way...