This is actually a “pre-post” to my regular class notes because I wanted to address a question that came up in class while we were discussing the idea of “saints” being “set apart and holy” and therefore, “sacred.” We talked about the difference it would make if we really treated our brothers and sisters in Christ (not to mention our own family members) as “sacred.” How different would our interactions be?
But then, does that mean we would treat non-believers differently?
This morning, as I prayed about this, the Lord clearly reminded me of the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. (Luke 15) We are instructed to seek out that lost one with great diligence and once found, to rejoice! And so, it seems that our treatment of unbelievers is actually similar … not sacred, per se, but very important, still fragile, still unique in God’s eyes, still valuable.
Consider this idea as you go about your daily tasks.
And may your love abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (to both the believers and unbelievers) that you may know what is best…
You are each in my prayers this day. ib
3 comments
Comments feed for this article
February 20, 2009 at 9:24 am
Brian
But, even still, how can we identify who is a believer and who is a nonbeliever? Yes, we should treat a believer as sacred, and a nonbeliever as captive or lost, but how can we distinguish in the first place which is which? Aren’t the requirements for salvation to confess with your tongue and believe in your heart (Romans 10:10)? So, then if this is how one becomes set apart how are we able to know what is in their heart? We may be able to hear a person’s confession or see their good works but are we ever able to see their heart or is that something only God can do (1 Cor 4:4:)? I’m not trying to start a big debate, I’m just curious. Thoughts?
February 20, 2009 at 9:35 am
Irmgarde Brown
Actually, I believe my discovery was that we would treat others equally… for they are both valuable and precious but for different reasons. We don’t know what’s in the heart of the other, that’s the point. And when we think we do, I think we often slide over into “judgment” … again, remember our prayer, abounding love in knowledge and “depth of insight” … this is where we learn how to respond to others, both believers and non-believers.
If you treated a non-believer as “sacred” … would that be such a bad thing? That may be the very thing that “finds” him/her.
February 23, 2009 at 8:57 am
Koinonia and the Sacred Other « Wisdom Seekers
[...] From verse 1, the idea that our relationship to God should really be more closely described as a “bondservant” or slave who has willingly agreed to submit to a benevolent master was striking. This is one who is solely committed, for life, to this master, willing to go where he commands, do what he demands (or needs us to do), and all the while benefiting from his protection that comes from taking his Name as our own. In verse 2, we discovered how another word complements the slave relationship and that is “the saint” … and by Paul’s use of the word, we are all saints, those of us who have accepted Christ as our savior, we are all positionally covered by the blood of his sacrifice and therefore we are “set apart,” holy, and sacred property. For me, as we talked, I became excited about the change in relationships if we treated our fellow believers as truly sacred… special, something to be protected and lovingly handled. See pre-post for more about the sacred. [...]