The Process of Completeness

“Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”– 1 Corinthians 1:10 

Tom Cruise is an iconic movie actor that is very quotable.  This quote comes from the movie, Jerry McGuire.  It is this: “I love you.  You complete me.”  You complete me has become the title of a hit song, the label of many memes, and a sarcastic punchline for jokes.

The truth is, most people go through seasons of feeling incomplete.  That’s why this quote, decades old, lives on. 

Can you remember the times when you have felt this way?  What were you wanting that you lacked?

The church at Corinth was located in a very colorful, prosperous, and influential city.  The Christians there were a mixed bag of converted Jews and Gentiles.  Many of the Gentiles had backgrounds of worship of Greek or Roman gods.  Each group brought with them their unique cultural hang-ups and prejudices.  As a result, there was confusion about the role of men and women, if Jewish dietary laws were to be enforced, etc.  The enemy used the confusion to create sharp division in the Body.

The Apostle uses strong language to get our attention.  We are urged in Jesus’ name to be in agreement with each other.  That is, we are to look to Christ’s example of Oneness with the Father and the Spirit to bind ourselves to one another despite our different traditions, culture and life experiences.

Our judgment in any and all things must be true to the Holy Scriptures above all else.  We must not condemn those who are made in His image.  We must remember that God made us uniquely gifted as a blessing to the entire Body.  This is why we are commanded to take the gospel to every part of the world… not our traditions or culture.

With humility, and love, let us intentionally come together to be of the same mind.  This is the process of becoming complete.

Pastor George