In Romans 15:14, the Apostle Paul tells us “I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” When it comes to our growing in Christ, it is the intention of God that we be a people who learn from one another. And really the only thing that we have to give one another is Jesus. Jesus is what separates us from everyone else. He’s the one thing, the best thing that we have. and we are meant to give Him. There are lots of non-profits and charitable groups that can inspire us to good deeds. There are Mental Health Organizations and support groups that can help carry our burdens and encourage us. There are all kinds of groups and seminars we can sign up for to learn how to handle finances, or homes or careers. But the family of God is meant to be a place where we not only serve one another, but where we teach and build one another up in Jesus.
The Bible calls us together the priesthood, which is to say that we are all ministers. If you are in Christ than you are a minister called to bring Jesus—and you can!
Full of goodness
Probably one of the most common excuses we have for not doing things is “I’m not good enough.”
We know ourselves right? We know that God’s still working things out in us and that we don’t have it all together. So who are we to instruct someone else? We cite passages like Romans 3:10, which says, “no one is righteous, no, not one.” Isaiah 64:6 tells us that “all our good deeds are but filthy rags.” We can’t do good enough to be called good. But goodness is applied to us through what Christ has done for us.
Paul tells us in Romans 3:22-24 that “righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” That “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Our goodness is not earned—it is bestowed. It’s the fact that we aren’t good in and of ourselves that makes the gospel so great! We may have traded goodness for sin – but we receive it once again because of God’s grace in Jesus. Goodness is applied to us through Christ. So if you are in Christ: YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH!
Filled with knowledge
Another common excuse we tend to make for keeping quiet is: “I don’t know enough”.
Have you ever said that? We tend to think that in order to share something with someone in the church we have to be biblical scholars. But we know Jesus, and according to the Apostle Paul we are full of goodness through faith in Jesus Christ and are “filled with knowledge.” Now this does not mean that we know all things about everything, but as 2 Peter 1:3 makes clear, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to his own glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3).
The Church is filled with all the knowledge required for life and godliness through the work of the Holy Spirit and the testimony of the Holy Scriptures. Paul wrote to Timothy saying, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17). This means that as Christians we have everything we need to help one another grow and change in order to become more like Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29). So if a person is having a problem in their marriage, with their children, at home, at work, or all of the above; the Church is able to help because we know the One who can provide the best help. We know the Spirit who leads us into all truth and the Scripture that teaches us.
Our knowledge isn’t just some good idea we or someone else has had, it comes through the Holy Spirit and is rooted in the Word of God.
Able to instruct
Proverbs 19:27 says to us: "Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge." In Christ, you are full of goodness and knowledge so that you are able to instruct. In fact, it’s essential for our life in Christ. Think about this: When your car breaks down, where do you go? You would never take it to your doctor’s office, no matter how good of a doctor they are. Why? Because you know they won’t be able to give you the kind of help you really need. What you really need is a good mechanic who knows cars.
The same principle is true in our spiritual life. When you need help in your life and your walk with Christ where do you go? You probably have a number of different options: friends, co-workers, classmates, neighbors, etc.—but wouldn’t it make the most sense to go to those who are full of goodness and filled with knowledge in Christ?
If we are going to grow in Christ and His fullness, then we need to be instructed in Christ; in who He is, what He has done, what He says about Himself and about us; His promises, His truth, His ways. God has given us a community, a family of brothers and sisters who know Him! And He is what we really need.
Here’s the deal
We as the people of God are not people who have it all figured out, but a people in process that God is maturing and completing. In spite of our imperfections, God has chosen to use each of us in one another’s lives to help make that happen. At the end of the day, we are in this together, and we need each other! So let’s make one another a priority! Let’s put away fear and perfectionism; let’s humble ourselves and be open to receiving from one another and let’s dare to open up our mouths and instruct one another, pointing one another towards Jesus and the full life He has for us in Him!