A. Definition. Blessing by association is the overflow of divine blessing imparted to the mature believer. It is one of the categories of blessing which go through the grace pipeline to the mature believer. Every mature believer has people associated with him, believers or unbelievers, who receive blessing as a result of their association with him. This is one of the reasons why the wicked prosper.
B. The Source of Blessing by Association.
1. Direct blessing from God goes to the person in association with the mature believer.
2. Indirect blessing from God occurs because the mature believer provides the blessing from his own prosperity. In fulfillment of Rom 12:13, he “contributes to the needs of the saints.” The mature believer gives of his time, wealth, success, love, personality, and whatever the category of his prosperity might be.
C. The Peripheries of Blessing by Association.
1. The spiritual periphery is the local church.
a. A local church can make or break you. If the pastor is a jackass, you’ve had it. Local churches and Christian service organizations are destroying the objective of the Christian way of life, and have done more to distract believers than anything else.
b. Programs are distractions and do not cause spiritual growth. You are blessed by Bible doctrine communicated from the pastor. You are also blessed by association with someone else in the congregation.
c. When you get sucked into “improving the world,” “social action,” or “getting involved,” then you lose out on being a blessing by association to others. Stay away from reform movements. You only save the country by taking in doctrine and reaching maturity.
2. Loved ones are a periphery of blessing, to include your husband or wife, children, mother or father. One mature family member blesses the entire family. You coast uphill when someone in your periphery cracks the maturity barrier. Any relative in your family can be blessed by your advance to maturity.
3. Professional life periphery includes your school system, coaches, teachers, students, administrators; hospital system; business associates; military organization; or any service organization.
4. Business association periphery includes a partnership, corporation, an investor, labor, or management.
5. Social periphery includes friends. However, be careful that you don’t run around with the wrong crowd and get led astray. You will find your friends among like-minded believers. Stick with them. Watch out; don’t run with unbelievers, because they are going in a different direction.
6. Geographical periphery includes your neighborhood, city, county, state, or nation.
D. The Heritage Aspect of Blessing by Association. When the mature believer dies,he is still a blessing by association to those left behind after his death. Those left behind are taken care of throughout their lifetime by God, even if they are antagonistic to Bible doctrine or are unbelievers. God continues to bless the bereaved loved ones, friends, and relatives.
E. Blessing by association overflows into historical impact. See the doctrine of the Pivot.
F. Blessing by association overflows into objectivity of the Christian life. Rom 12:14, “Keep on speaking well of those who persecute you and do not curse them.”
G. Blessing by association is related to the rapport of the royal family of God, Rom 12:15.
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© 1989, by R. B. Thieme, Jr. All rights reserved.
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