Spiritual Balance Maintaining Christian Stability In An Unstable

Spiritual Balance Maintaining Christian Stability In An Unstable World

Spiritual Balance • Spiritual balance is required (Mt. 23: 23) • Spiritual balance take maturity, focus, and biblical understanding

Balance in Zeal and Knowledge • Many religious people are zealous, but misguided (Phil. 3: 6; Gal. 4: 16 -17) • Others have a knowledge of truth without zeal (Rev. 2: 4; 3: 15 -16) • Both zeal and knowledge are a must (Rom. 10: 2)

Balance in Knowledge and Wisdom • Many lack the knowledge to teach (1 Tim. 1: 7; 2 Tim. 2: 2; Heb. 5: 11 -14) • Others have knowledge but lack the wisdom and maturity to apply what they are saying (Jas. 3: 1 ff, 13 -18) • Both knowledge and wisdom are a must (Col. 1: 9; 2: 3)

Balance in Emotion and Truth • Many religious people are emotional, but will not listen to truth (Ac. 19: 20, 23 -28, 34) • Others lack the emotion that comes from truth (Ac. 2: 41; 8: 39; 16: 34; Phil. 4: 1; Rev. 2: 4; Mt. 24: 12) • Both emotion and truth are a must (Jn. 4: 24)

Balance in General Principles and Specific Details • Many will maintain general principles, but fail to obey the details (Lk. 6: 46; Jn. 14: 15; 15: 14). • Others will remember the details and overlook the principles (1 Cor. 11: 20; 13: 1 -7; Eph. 4: 25 -32) • Both the general and the specific are a must (Mt. 23: 23 -24)

Balance in Absolute Obedience and Relative Growth • Some Bible matters, like baptism, are of absolute obedience (2 Pet. 2: 12) • Other Bible matters involve a lifetime of growth (2 Pet. 2: 5) • Both absolute obedience and growth are necessary (1 Tim. 3: 2)

Balance in Bearing Burdens of Self and Others • Some help themselves, but not others (Phil. 2: 3 -4; 1 Thess. 5: 14) • Some help others, but not themselves (2 Cor. 13: 5; 2 Jn. 8; Jude 20) • Both burdens of self and others need attention (Mt. 7: 1 -5; Gal. 6: 1 -5)

Balance in the Desire to Be Right and Humility • Some desiring to be humble end up condoning unrighteousness (Col. 2: 23) • Others who desire to be right often lack humility (Lk. 18: 9 -14) • Both righteousness and humility are needed (Eccl. 7: 15 -18; Rom. 12: 9, 16)

Balance in Matters of Divine Revelation & Human Opinion • Some religious matters are of divine revelation (Jn. 16: 13; 17: 17; 2 Jn. 9 -11) • Other religious matters are of human opinion, scruple, judgment or conscience (Rom. 14: 1 -23) • Both divine revelation and human opinion must be respected (1 Cor. 8: 4 -13)

Balance in Saving the Lost and Keeping the Saved • Many brethren focus on keeping the saved while neglecting the lost (Mt. 9: 37 -38) • Other brethren focus on the lost and neglect their own (1 Tim. 4: 16) • Both the lost and the saved are important (Ac. 2: 42, 46; 4: 23; 5: 14, 42; 6: 7; 8: 4; 11: 22)

Balance in Truth and Love • Many religious people are caring but lack the truth (Ac. 17: 22; 18: 26; 19: 32) • Others have the truth but lack the proper attitude (Phil. 1: 15 -17) • Both truth and love are necessary (Jer. 1: 7 -10; 6: 9 -16; 9: 1; Eph. 4: 16; 2 Tim. 2: 15, 24 -26; Jude 3, 22 -23)