Cpr For A Healthy Walk Part 8 Series

“CPR for a Healthy Walk -- Part Eight – “Build the body”

I. Cleave to Christ and continually cultivate a dynamic relationship with Him.

II. Persistently pursue, develop and maintain meaningful connection with the community of saints.

A. Fervently pray (intercede) for one another

B. Diligently preserve the unity of the body

C. Continually build up the body in love

Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thes. 5:11

God builds the body

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. Matthew 16:18

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor. 3:5-9

SOME BASIC POINTS

• God builds the body through the faithful planting and watering of His servants.

• Credit falls to the one who causes the growth not to the servants.

• Servants working in cooperation with each other and God bring about healthy growth.

• God rewards individual faithfulness.

God delights in working in partnership with us to accomplish his purposes.

The body builds the body

• The body builds the body through the cooperative effort of God and man.

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Cor. 3:9 See Also 5-8

• The body builds the body through the word of truth shared in loving relation-ships.

Instead, we will share the truth in love, growing more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church…Eph 4:15 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephes. 4:29

• The body grows by the proper arrangement of individual members by God.

Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly Eph 4:15

in Christ the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; Eph 2:21

• The body builds the body by the proper working of each member.

As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow,

• The body builds the body genuine love.

so that the whole body is healthy and growing through the manifestation of their love. Ephes. 4:16

• The body builds the body through equipped saints serving one another

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; Eph. 4:12

• The body builds the body by the loving use of spiritual gifting

So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification (building) of the church. 1 Cor. 14:12

• The body builds the body as we seek to do good to our neighbor.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. Romans 15:2

• Building the body is the responsibility of every believer.

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Romans 14:17-19

Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thes. 5:11

Having said all of these things, there are some specific “one another” instructions that con-tribute to body building.

1. Encourage one another daily

The word for encourage is a common Greek word -- parakaleo; from Greek 3844 (para) preposition indicating toward, along side, with and Greek 2564 (kaleo); to call to or for, to exhort, to encourage : following is an indication of the variety of ways this is translated in the English text - appeal(4), ap-pealed(1), appealing(2), beg(1), begging(2), beseeching(1), comfort(5), comforted(11), comforts(2), conciliate(m)(1), encourage(6), encouraged(4), encouraging(3), entreat(7), entreated(9), entreat-ing(7), exhort(8), exhortations(1), exhorted(2), exhorting(3), exhorts(1), given exhortation*(1), invit-ed(2), preach(m)(1), requested(1), urge(17), urged(5), urging(1).

The basic idea of encouragement focuses on the loving instructing, explaining or exposing of Biblical truth in such as was as to inspire courage or godly action in the hearer.

Following are some representative passages that provide a good basis for understanding this vital function of the body.