Are Some Believers BETTER than Others???

Some Christians are certainly more mature than others.

I also don't believe that most of what you quoted as Galatians 5:25 has anything to do with Galatians 5:25.

 

Well, certainly some believers are more faithful and serve the Lord more than others, as each will receive rewards for their service. The parable of the talents shows one believer earned more talents than another, and received a greater reward.

Nevertheless, we are not to compare ourselves with others, or be envious of others. We should be concerned about our own walk with the Lord.

 

yes...it is a horrendous paraphrase:

http://www.av1611.org/kjv/mess_bible.html

http://www.av1611.org/vance/message.html

 

Of course OP

Some women dress to make men want to sleep with them
Some women get male hair cuts and walk around the church with a permanent scowl on their face(who also dress immodestly) -- I've ran into both of these types of Christian women, both are a dangerous group(immodest women and male-hating / husband hating women)

Contrast that with women who're godly and who don't cause a man to lust, good parents and meek

So yes Christians are different in our knowledge and in our behavior -- Christians are different creatures from the world, but also in the church we are 'different creatures' to a degree

 

Brother, first off...The Message is a really BAD paraphrase. Why someone would take as simple a verse as Gal 5:25 " If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. " and turn it into something so twisting of an idea is beyond me.

However, I'm not a fan of the word, "better" here. More faithful? Yes. More studious in the Word? Yes. Constantly growing in the Lord? Yes. A stronger prayer warrior? Yes. However, "Better" is too subjective a term.

 

I just compared the King James "Galatians 5:25" with the paraphrase that the poster provided and to my great delight...found it to be EXCELANT. A very good rendering of Gods word.

What is the version?

 

That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse.

I look at this as not passing judgement onto one another. The whole I'm better than you. As we have pointed out in Sunday school with our youth boys, we have a man who all he does is serves tea at church dinners, that's it, that's how he serves the church now. Just looking at him, you would never know he was ordained in the 60's, taught Sunday school for 40+ yrs and probably knows the bible better than all of us. So with out knowing, you could see how someone could judge him as "all he does is serves tea while I'm teaching class, or singing in the choir, or I'm more active than he is so I'm better".

 

I look at this issue this way. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Any progress we have made towards being Christ like is because of what Christ did on the cross for us. We are no better or worse than anyone else.

There is no excuse for a saved person sitting on a pew for decades and never lifting a finger for the Lord except the fork at a pot luck, but the words better or worse are not the comparison. Maybe lazy and using the gifts God gave us.

 

Clearly many know there are some believers who are better than others. Those who are better can usually point themselves out out too.

 

Better is not the way to say it, but Some are more mature.

 

I was

 

The ground is "level" at the foot of the cross. All come to Christ the same way...God is no "respector" of persons in the salvation of souls. However, believers do not "grow in Christ" at the same rate. Some are more mature than others.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

 

Of course...everybody knows Cowboys fans are sub-species...LOL

 

First off, I'd get rid of 'The Message' 'translation.' Whenever someone quotes from or reads it I cringe. It is way off and to me is worthless. The bad thing is those who use it think it is a translation, and then it snowballs from there.

The OP should define 'better'. What is meant by 'better'?

I'll put it this way: some ARE 'holier than thou'.

Seriously.

 

This sounds like the pop-psychology that has infiltrated the church. Persons are told this, then asked to believe based upon their importance, worth and value.

I call it a false gospel.