I’ve been studying the story of Job, and it made me think of
our responsibility to our fellow believers.
If you don’t know the story, here is a summary. After Job lost everything, including his
health, his three friends came to “help” him by trying to find out what his sin
was.
Instead of judging Job, what should they have done?
1 Thessalonians 5:11
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up
one another, just as you also are doing.
Our responsibility to other believers is simply to
concentrate on building them up in their spiritual life. We must temper all our words and actions
based on what effect they might have on the spiritual status of the one who
hears or sees them.
There may be things that are okay for you to do according to
the Word of God that you know, but you are to refrain from them if they will
have a negative affect on another believer:
Romans 14:14-20
14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is
unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is
unclean. (Some people think you shouldn’t
drink, for instance)
15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no
longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom
Christ died. (It’s all a question of
putting the spiritual welfare of your fellow believers ahead of everything
else!)
16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil;
17 for the
18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God
and approved by men.
19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and
the building up of one another.
20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food.
All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives
offense.
Ephesians 4:29
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only
such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment,
so that it will give grace to those who hear.
Instead of judging Job for whatever sin they thought he
committed, his three “friends” should have only tried to build him up, giving
grace to him.
Whatever circumstance our fellow believer find themselves in, our first priority has to be their spiritual life. You have to think about what affect your words and actions will have on them.