As a mom, I frequently have the opportunity to serve in high-risk negotiations in the prevention of “hostile takeovers.” Nearly 3 years apart, my children are as different as night and day. Though things can change at any given moment, they often play very well together. But when they disagree, it usually takes a third party for them to see any side other than their own. Because I love them both—and both bear my image—I don’t enjoy their arguments or hurtful words.
In the body of Christ, we sometimes don’t think twice before tearing down fellow believers. Whether it’s someone within our local church who has frustrated us or other believers who espouse nonessential beliefs different from our own, we are quick to draw territorial lines. Sadly, some cities can trace their church histories not through church planting but in divisional splits.
Like a parent mediating between two fighting children, the Holy Spirit is grieved when we speak harsh and critical words about other believers. While there is a time and place to denounce those who bring a false doctrine of salvation (Romans 16:17-18; Philippians 3:2; 2 Timothy 3:1-7), and though our disagreements with others can sharpen our understanding of the Word, our assessment of others’ doctrine must be based firmly on the Word and not our personal experience or preference.
Without Christ, we all stand accused (Ephesians 2:3). We didn’t earn His favor, nor did we earn our salvation. And in Him lies no distinction between denominations, family heritage, or liturgical structure (Galatians 3:28).
When it comes to bridging the differences in the body of Christ, Jesus is our Mediator, and we find common ground through His Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3-6,12-13). After all, He’s returning for a whole bride, not a collection of body parts.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Isaiah 6:1-13
More:
Read John 13:34-35 and Galatians 6:10 to see what God’s Word tells us about how we should interact within the body of Christ.
Next:
In what ways have you minimized the importance of other churches in your area? What can you do to change the way you talk about other believers (either within your church or other churches)?
dekim1 on May 22, 2011 at 12:00 pm
great post. With the pastor from Cali. Saying the rapture was coming on 5/21/11 & it’s now 5/22/11, I was quick to judge & ridicule. But my pastor made a good poit along with this post I should not feel good b/c he failed in his prediction, I should have compassion. The only thing he did was make it look like all christion are crazy in our belief. Thank you for reinforcing something I learned yesterday
joo_sg on May 22, 2011 at 7:37 pm
My senior pastor preached a sermon yesterday on John 4:34-38 and shared the importance of being able to discern the needs of people around us. He gave a testimony about himself failing to discern the need of a petshop owner whom he patronised for years and always made it a point to pray for before leaving the shop. One day he discovered the man had turned to a certain faith but it was not Christianity, because of group of people from other faith that walked in to his shop one day and offered to pray for him and they discerned his need…
I was quite disturbed by the testimony. On the one hand, I appreciate him being honest and truthful about himself – that his own preoccupation with his hobby of pet-keeping stopped him from discerning the need of the petshop owner. On the other hand, I am sad about the delivery of the testimony, that there seemed to be a lack of contriteness in the sharing. Yet he is the senior pastor. This leads to further ponder upon church leadership. It seems some leaders have breadth but lack the depth.
This can be frustrating for the flock below him, esp the middle management I can imagine who have to work closely with him. But yet perhaps an effective leader cannot afford to dwell too deep into any particular issue or else he will not be able to address the breadth of issues the church faces. Hence there will be this tension between breadth and depth….
But the beautiful thing I see in my church is that the team of executive pastors are men and women who seem to have more depth and yet are able to bear with and complement the senior pastor’s lack of depth. The spirit of humilty and forbearance is evident to me. In the midst of the tension, each one is able to exercise restraint and magnanimity to complement and not compete, to achieve balance between breadth and depth. I believe such is the work of the Holy Spirit…
mike wittmer on May 23, 2011 at 11:35 am
That’s a great line, Regina–“He’s returning for a whole bride, not a collection of body parts.” I know that in America anyway, we have become so individualized that we often fail to see the big picture–that Jesus is saving his church, not merely individual Christians. Thanks for reminding me that my love for my fellow Christians is how I show love to Jesus.
regina franklin on June 22, 2011 at 1:51 pm
I’m trying to learn that place between letting God speak order in my life as I let the truth sitr my love for Him and still wondering how to respond to others with love and grace (both of which also rest upon truth). Not an easy place to figure out.
It is hard when we encounter believers who leave us longing to see more of God’s Word evident in their lives, even those in leadership.
For me, I want to learn how to choose order and choose love as I don’t believe they should be antithetical to one another. Rather, I think they work together.