“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous” 1 Peter 3:8 (KJV)
Unity with the saints. Compassion on those around us. Brotherly love. Extending pity. Courtesy. These are five Christian characteristics that are difficult to develop. The reason is because professional theologians, religious scholars, and pastors cannot agree whether it is even possible to possess these characteristics. Of course, if they were not possible, then why would the Holy Spirit inspire Peter to exhort the Church to do them?
Someone has written, “Courtesy should be in the curriculum of every Christian.” To this I might add, unity of the saints should be every Christian’s goal. Brotherly love should be so common among Christians that the world will be impressed rather than revolted. Compassion and pity for other Christians, as well as those less fortunate in society, should be the reputation of every Christian.
Now, understand that I do not write this with any personal sense of superiority. I am still burdened by the flesh same as you are. I have a daily battle with fleshly temptations same as you do. But do not forget that this on-going battle between the Spirit and our flesh is exactly why Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41 KJV — see also Luke 22:40).
It is the flesh resisting the Spirit when we excuse ourselves by, “it’s not possible to practice these” or “a Christian cannot really ever attain this.” Why would God have his holy prophets and apostles write and exhort these issues if they were not possible for the Christian to possess and practice?
Like Paul the Apostle, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT). This is neither an excuse nor a license to continue as we are. Rather, it is an apostolic encouragement to press forward despite our past failures.
Dear Father, thank you for the heavenly prize that you have set before us. Empower us with the grace of determination that we may forget our failures, pressing on to achieve the end of the race and receive what you have in store for us. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today: forget the past and press on,