"And Make Me Whole"

You are no doubt wondering just how it is that we could even try and control something that is out of our control? I have thought about this all yesterday and last night, and there still is no easy way to explain it; but I shall try. First off, something we all should be able to agree upon: to be completely whole, we must believe that Jesus Christ has made us completely whole; do you agree? If you do not, then you must not be whole yourself, and therefore do not believe that it is so. Nevertheless; when Jesus asked the man which was by the pool at Bethesda, "Wilt thou be made whole?", He did not ask him that question because He needed to know the answer, He asked him that question because the man needed to believe that he could be made whole. When Paul speaks about "as many as be perfect" in Philippians 3:15, he is referring to those of us that believe that Jesus Christ has made us completely whole. In other words; we who are living for the end of this journey realize that the end justifies the means; or, what we shall become justifies what we are in Jesus Christ. In this we are made perfect; not because we are already perfect, but because that is what we shall be. And the real kicker is, that with God, and His eternal clock, we are perfect today!!! Secondly, there is the matter of sin; which for all it is worth, means more than those sins which were once considered ungodly, but now includes those things which express God; which are love for God and one another. This is pointless to continue in if we do not agree that not loving is sin; and it is also pointless to think that you love God if you hate your brother. To really love my brother, then those things which might offend me that I think my brother has done, must be forgiven; and when I say must, I mean as though forgiving them is the thing I need to do that I might be made whole; because it is!!! Thirdly, and here is where many of us part ways; but the real proof of being filled with the Spirit of God is not in tongues, or in performing signs and wonders, but in love for God and each other. When the Holy Spirit lives in us, we are governed by the love of God; which is not something which we can control, but is rather something which must be lived out. However; we have made controlling God's love a part of our reasoning in matters that pertain to the church and in matters that pertain to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Say, Rich, this is hard to swallow! You are right, and I have not given it the justice that it deserves in sharing it the way that I have; but, we must understand something about our heart: "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." (1 John 3:11 & 12)