"TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE."

 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual  blessings in  heavenly places  in Christ.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.
Having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption of  children  by  Jesus 
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.  To the 
praise of the glory of  his grace,  wherein he hath made us accepted 
in the beloved".    Ephesians 1: 3-6"


"And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in 
  whom I am well pleased."    Matthew 3: 17

Throughout his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul shows the
measureless blessings afforded to the Children of the Kingdom.  Early 
on, verse 6, he indicates we are,  “...for the praise of  His glory, accep-
ted in the Beloved."  This acceptance is all of  grace with no  merit  on 
our  part.  ("Not of  works  lest  any  man  should  boast.")  One  thing  
comes  to  mind;   He expects us  to pass  along this  attitude of  accep-
tance.  How could this acceptance be to  the  praise of His Glory  if we
do not  pass it along.  Every  gift  our  Lord gives is to be used to draw 
men to Him.  (And I,  if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men 
unto me...John 12:32)

   When the true Christ lives in a believer, it shows; all around  know it.
It seems the fundamental  problem with the visible church is the appa-
rent factions in the body of Christ.  When unbelievers observe it,  they
become disillusioned and will  not be drawn to the body.  When  mem-
bers become aware of these apparent  factions,  they have a  tendency 
to disassociate and become “Lone Ranger” believers.  There  are num-
berless  individuals who simply withdraw from  fellowships, becoming 
inactive.  Although some seek out other assemblies with whom to join,
many  drop out altogether.  When  God’s Word  says, “...they went out 
from us because they were not of us,”  this does not refer to those who
are driven away by factions in the body. There are some who thrive on 
controversy,  but there are  many repelled  by it.  We may and  have at  
times placed blame on the drop-out, but  God's Word shows we will be 
held accountable if our actions offends “one of  these little ones.” This 
may well apply to acceptance.  Our failure to  truly  accept or  approve 
another believer leads to  schism.

     At times I have found myself  measuring a fellow believer, having 
that one  fall short on  my “yard stick.”  This happens in spite of  the 
fact I am accepted by the Lord, in the Beloved, despite my sin. Since 
all  of  us  are  about  average  as  God’s  Children go and  none  are 
“Super  Saints,”  let's stop  appraising  each other to determine whe-
ther an of  us qualifies  for fellowship.  If  God accepts a  believer in 
Jesus Christ,  we are obligated to accept each one.  This is not to be 
determined  by how  he “measures up.”  The contradiction is;  none 
of us is perfect, that being evident to all.  We become  respecters of 
persons and  accept those about  whom we care,  and fail to  accept 
others.  As  the Apostle Paul  wrote in  his letters to  the Corinthian  
believers; he longed for them, loved them and  agonized over them.     
He was demonstrative about his love and acceptance of  them.  He 
did not separate himself from  any because of  their failure to mea-
sure up to some arbitrary standard,  but to warn and reprove them 
of error. The Scripture says,  the “wounds” of  a friend are faithful.  
(Proverbs 27: 6)

    When we would wound a friend it is all in the Spirit in which it is 
done.  If we are wise,  as was  the Apostle,  we will  handle differen-
ces with grace and finding it redemptive.  If we act vindictively, with-
out grace,  and  are not  motivated by  the  Love of God, we are not  
friends,  and  even  our  kisses  are  deceitful.   Could  this  ever  be
“...to the praise of His Glory.” 

The most difficult thing for an unbeliever to accept about the church  
of Christ is factions. We who are close to the situation have the mind 
of Christ.  There is never  good reason for dissension within the Body
of Christ.  Men of good will go the second mile,  preferring  others to
self and accept personal  loss rather than go to war over an issue that 
is not injustice perpetrated on another. If there is good reason to take
issue with individuals   or groups  it must be  handled discreetly;  with
grace. We must guard against collateral damage to the Body of Christ. 
It is comprised of imperfect, individual saints, not unlike ourselves.  
             “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”    John 8:3-7

  The author does not wish to cast stones, but to issue a mild caution, 
since he has found  himself in the wrong,  in this area  more than he
cares to admit.  Praise God!! "And his mercy endureth forever."  
See Psalms 136...donporter 6/22/12,   edited 3.12.16