Introduction:
What is the preeminent aim in our care for one another as Christians?
What is it that we most want for each other if we genuinely love each other?
Considering what we have learned so far in this section, we can state it negatively. We can be certain of what our aim IS NOT.
It is not our aim, it is not our ambition, to conform everyone to OUR IMAGE.
And that needs to be remembered in every realm where we have influence.
Loving your spouse is not trying to make them just like you.
Loving your children is not robbing them of their individual personalities so that they become just like you.
True love, God’s love, has a much holier aim.
THE GOAL OF TRUE LOVE IS THAT THE PEOPLE WE LOVE WOULD BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST.
The aim of ministry is the formation of Christ’s character in His people.
ESV Galatians 4:19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
Ministry to the church is on behalf of the one to whom we will all be presented one day.
ESV 2 Corinthians 11:2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
All our shepherding is for the purpose of the believer’s maturity in Christ.
ESV Colossians 1:28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.






That maturity in Christ is defined as the image of Christ. This is the end toward which all believers are headed.
ESV Ephesians 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
WHAT DOES A LOVING HUSBAND OR WIFE WANT FOR THEIR SPOUSE? — CHRISTLIKENESS
WHAT DOES A LOVING PARENT WANT FOR THEIR CHILDREN? — CHRISTLIKENESS
WHAT DOES A FAITHFUL PASTOR WANT FOR THE CHURCH? — CHRISTLIKENESS
WHAT SHOULD ANY BELIEVER WANT FOR ANY OTHER BELIEVER? — CHRISTLIKENESS
This is why we can love each other and walk together, even when our consciences do not agree on matters of judgment, so long as our brother or sister can say that they do what they do to honor God, with thanks in his or her heart to God.
Again, to be clear, we are not talking about matters clearly defined as sin in Scripture. Those are not for liberty; those are matters for obedience.
We are talking about matters where believers are free to do as they desire so long as they are convinced in their own mind.
Convinced of what? Convinced that what they do is for God’s honor, as that which can be sanctified unto God with thanks.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE FIND OUR UNITY IN OUR JOINT SUBMISSION TO CHRIST’S LORDSHIP.
We have the privilege to contribute to each other’s lives.
We have God assigned responsibilities in the human realm, and we need to be faithful to those responsibilities.
Christ’s Lordship does not eliminate those responsibilities but infuses them with a proper sense of how they are meant to function.
BUT IN THE ULTIMATE SENSE, EVEN WHEN WE HAVE GOD GIVEN RESPONSIBILITIES TO EACH OTHER, WE MUST RESPECT THE FACT THAT EVERY BELIEVER IS BLOOD BOUGHT, BELONGS TO CHRIST, SERVES AS HIS SLAVE — THEY DO NOT BELONG TO US.
ESV Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
BUT EVEN WHERE THAT IS ACKNOWLEDGED, WE MEET WITH ANOTHER STRUGGLE.
You will remember that we said that the life of love is a challenging life. It is challenged not only by sin, but by our differences.
And one of the temptations we face (a temptation to sin), IN OUR DIFFERENCES, is the temptation to JUDGE EACH OTHER over matters of conscience.
There is a kind of judgment that is appropriate in the church.
Righteous judgment.
Judgment according to the Word of God.
It is a judgment that is familial in nature, redemptive in nature, rescuing in nature, protective of the purity of the church, and jealous for the purity of each believer.
BUT THAT KIND OF JUDGMENT ALWAYS REFLECTS THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD.
They are not judgments based on opinions. It is the church pronouncing GOD’S judgments by simply remembering and repeating what God has revealed in Scripture.
ESV 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler-- not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."