The goal of Christ is to make His followers perfect in one, and through this the world will recognize the love bonding them together and come to believe that the Father sent Him. Jesus also gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for this integration, and to equip those who are being integrated for works of service so that His body can be built up. Are we being integrated with our fellow believers? Sadly, many professing Christians are becoming more dis-integrated and d s-connected with their brothers and sisters in Christ. Isolation from fellow believers is a dis-location problem in the body of Christ. The church by is built up through the knitting together of the joints that not only connect saints together, but more importantly supply the love by which Christs body builds itself up. How do we recognize whether we are becoming more integrated or disintegrated? Here are some questions that might help with a self-examination:Do we have more confidence in or caution towards other people in our lives?Do we have greater appreciation for or increasing apprehension of others around us?Are we seeing more things to question or qualities to appreciate in those we fellowship with?Are we growing more hesitant with others are becoming ever more hopeful for them?Are the connections with others being strengthened or starting to dis-connect more and more? I hope by these sample questions we can examine where we are in the process of integration. Those who are not integrating are quite likely disintegrating. Those who are disintegrating with their fellow believers have likely lost connection with the head of the body and are equally disintegrating inwardly. Love waxes strong towards integration with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Love waxing cold begins in an inward disintegration of fellowship with Christ and soon manifests itself in an increasing disintegration in relationships with other believers around them.
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon