Wisdom's Corner
Do Not Be Out of Joint

Most of your bones are connected by joints. These joints have muscles and tendons that hold the bones in place. And the bones fit together the way God designed them to do.

Sometimes a bone will get forced out of joint. Instead of fitting nicely with the bone it is supposed to fit with, it ends up being pulled away in a different direction. The muscles and tendons get stretched too far and sometimes may tear. This is a very painful problem. And the joint no longer works as God designed it to do. In fact, the joint is useless.

If this joint is involved with an arm or a leg, the arm or leg is useless. The arm may hang at a strange angle. Unless it is put back into joint, it will remain useless.

God says that there are some in the church who will become out of joint. In Titus 3:10-11, we read, "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." The words "being condemned" are from the word used by the greeks for having a limb out of joint.

But God says that the heretick forced himself out of joint. What a silly thing for a person to do -- force his own joint out of joint. Yet, this is what the heretick has done spiritually. He forces himself into a very painful and useless condition. If he had a physical joint out of place, he would be seeking a doctor to repair it. But it is his spiritual joint out of place and he did this on purpose. He is not looking to the spiritual Physician for help.

The church is to give him a first and second admonition to fix his joint. If he does not, he is to be rejected. He is no longer to be considered a part of the congregation of God.

I want to be in joint. I know you want to be in joint. You must learn God's word and always obey it. You must not try to cause trouble in the church.

Until next time, get God's wisdom. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 1999

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)