“Bite and Devour”

[Solus Christus]

“But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” (Galatians 5:15)

A warning for us saints. If we are not careful, we will consume each other, and fail to prove to the world that we are Christ’s disciples, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Joun 13:35)

Edited August 4, 2023 by Solus Christus

[Neighbor]

Matthew 7  In it's entirety; while keeping in mind always to beware those that come among us as sheep, that are in reality ravenous wolves.

As my teacher from just a couple years ago was partial to warning us; sheep do not bite sheep, wolves do.

[Solus Christus]

I am saddened when saints let their mouths or in the case of online, fingers, serve Satan, like how Peter did and Christ rebuked his behavior, 

“And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”(Matthew 16:22-23)

I think when saints do bite it is because their mind is on things of man. 

[com7fy8]

37 minutes ago, Solus Christus said:

I think when saints do bite it is because their mind is on things of man. 

Yes.

We can want control, pleasure, feeling important because of in having influence. I can be unforgiving and self-righteously critical.

Biting and devouring each other - - cannibalism.

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

[Solus Christus]

9 minutes ago, com7fy8 said:

Yes.

We can want control, pleasure, feeling important because of in having influence. I can be unforgiving and self-righteously critical.

Biting and devouring each other - - cannibalism.

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

That Ephensians 4:31-32 is so good. We are suppose to be spreading the fruit of the Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galarians 5:22-23)

[Vine Abider]

22 hours ago, Solus Christus said:

“But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” (Galatians 5:15)

A warning for us saints. If we are not careful, we will consume each other, and fail to prove to the world that we are Christ’s disciples, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Joun 13:35)

Love is patient and kind. If we are abiding in Him, we will manifest theses fruits of the Spirit (as you mentioned in another post).

Sometimes it is good to exercise a little patience before responding to a fellow saint, and delay hitting that "Submit" button for a short time.  Then ask the Lord, "Is this something You want me to say to this brother?"  Often times, after pausing a bit, I've found I either modify what I was about to post or delete it entirely!

(that is, before hitting "Submit" consider submitting to Him.)

[Marathoner]

This why it's so important to focus upon what is good, lovely, and worthwhile. Am I in error? Is my brother? My own error is the most important to me; that's what I should focus upon. 

Let's say that @Vine Abider and I are embroiled in a dispute. I'm using us as an example, brother. 

We're arguing about how to pronounce "tomato." I'm right () but my brother is convinced that he's right, and I am utterly wrong. So, what's wrong with picture? 

We shouldn't be arguing in the first place. Who cares about something like that? I would rather concede the matter to my brother and forget about it. My conduct in this affair --- not his! --- is what I'm concerned about. I was wrong to pursue it in the first place. 

Right. When I pronounced "tomato" properly and my brother insisted upon that erroneous alternative, I should agree with him quickly. That's an absurd illustration to be sure, but it touches upon holding our own opinions in such high regard that we're callous toward others just to prove that we're "right." It's not worth it.

[Vine Abider]

5 hours ago, Marathoner said:

This why it's so important to focus upon what is good, lovely, and worthwhile. Am I in error? Is my brother? My own error is the most important to me; that's what I should focus upon. 

Let's say that @Vine Abider and I are embroiled in a dispute. I'm using us as an example, brother. 

We're arguing about how to pronounce "tomato." I'm right () but my brother is convinced that he's right, and I am utterly wrong. So, what's wrong with picture? 

We shouldn't be arguing in the first place. Who cares about something like that? I would rather concede the matter to my brother and forget about it. My conduct in this affair --- not his! --- is what I'm concerned about. I was wrong to pursue it in the first place. 

Right. When I pronounced "tomato" properly and my brother insisted upon that erroneous alternative, I should agree with him quickly. That's an absurd illustration to be sure, but it touches upon holding our own opinions in such high regard that we're callous toward others just to prove that we're "right." It's not worth it.

Or we can go along the lines of my wife's thinking: "Yes, but if I agree with you, then we'd both be wrong."  

[Solus Christus]

I find the hardest moment is getting another saint to realize “we are both right,” that we are seeing teo different sides of the coin, or as Rabbi said, “the many colors reflecting from diamond.”  

[other one]

The most difficult thing I had to fight when I was still working was convincing people that they did not have the right to tell someone they were wrong.   The company I worked for for 38 years certified every single employee we had globally in Al Deming's Total Quality Management.

Being someone who got elected as a facilitator I had to attend two professional facilitator seminars to learn how to get groups of people to work together.  Working together was a condition of employment after we switched to self managing work-groups.

That was the fastest way to stop teams from working through problems...   having someone telling others they were wrong.   You can disagree and tell them, I really don't see it that way."   That leaves things open for further discussion, but you are wrong ends any chance of coming to a consensus.

I do see that happen here, and after everyone shuts down, out come the insults so they can hate each other next week on any subject that comes up.  That happens here also.