We all make mistakes and according to God's Word (Bible) even believers at times do not act from a motive of love. We don't always follow God in our choices.
Consider the biblical record re. Israel, the chosen people of God: 32 times "rebellious house",
2 times "rebellious people", 1 time "rebellious nation" (KJV) -meaning exactly that -which God has said clearly and in context.
We who profess to be followers of Messiah Jesus can claim His mercy and forgiveness in being our Savior but in all honesty the idea we are any different than often wayward Israel is by my best biblical interpretation work, historical accounts and personal experience, a fantasy.
Image of God in all- yes! Sin nature in all- yes! Capacity and ability to rebel against God and His Word, commands- yes! And, Thank God, the ability to obey Him in the power and help of God the Holy Spirit, also YES!
Paul writes the Christ-followers in Ephesus (Eph. 2) 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
Yet he also writes we have the ability to grieve and quench the Spirit in our daily choices and relationship. Children in a family may act out what they learn from their parents or think, behave and act out quite differently than what they've been taught and had modeled for them. The very same is true of we children of our heavenly Father, brothers and sisters of Jesus.
I have long thought if people are shocked by what professing Christians actually say and do- at times anything but a clear reflection of the One we call our Lord and First Love -well, I'd say it's ignorance, naivety, expectations of a sinlessness none of us possess in full this side of heaven or some combination of these.
We all need to repent beyond when we first came to initial faith and salvation in Christ.
So what sort of "temple of the Spirit" am I, are you, we/us?! It can surely change for the better or if we drift and merely live for ourselves, dissolve when (as Jesus said) the rains, winds and floods come.
He never stops loving us but at times we need prophets to call us out, up and back as did/does Israel in it's journey.
As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
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