A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13:34 (KJV)
Christians should never argue with one another for their particular “church” of choice. I’ve been party to so many disparaging comments being hurled among people of faith, each side accusing the other of “the wrong way of worshipping” or “interpreting” the Father’s Word.
Most recently, I was inadvertently pulled into a “heated discussion” by two friends. I listened to both and found myself within the circle of both voices shouting, to the point of escalating into an all-out adversarial camping ground of viperous like behavior towards each other!
It was awful, contentious, and highly uncomfortable to be witness to such outlandish behavior by “two supposedly Christian” people.
They eventually insisted on pulling me in, “What do you think? Who is right? Isn’t it ridiculous what she/he believes? What do you say?
I always ask for guidance from the Spirit before responding to any given situation, especially one in which there seemingly didn’t appear to be any way they would acquiesce or back down, holding their stance like two bulls circling each other.
After a long pause I answered, “Yes, I have something to say…and the answer is Jesus. And Jesus no doubt might say something like, Ye of little faith…have you any thoughts of what I feel, say, or think? Don’t you realize we are all one body? And one church?”
The two squawkers grew silent, waiting for more. So, I obliged.
Jesus is the head of all of us, and we are part of a many membered bodies in Christ. So, fighting one another for incidentals, or maligning each other’s churches is not the solution. The solution is our love of Christ. And being born again and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. When we recompense and align with our “inner belief” with the Word, we are all one, and on the same team. Don’t you see that?”
Ears, eyes, mouths, lips, legs, arms, all are part of our bodies. One doesn’t necessarily work without the other, it’s all part of the body. So, believing in Christ, and doing His work, following His Gospel and commandments, we are part of the body of Christ. We become a cohesive orchestra demonstrating and solidifying Christ’s purpose for all of us. The orchestra becomes a smooth flowing and beautiful crescendo of His Word, ways, and love.
Yelling at each other with a “spirit of condemnation” and trying to “guilt” someone into accepting terms of another “so called religion” is not Christ like at all.
If someone is against Christ and doesn’t believe, that is an entirely different story. And there are many who are “anti-Christ” in and around each of us. We my friends are believers who attend different physical buildings/churches. But the Church of Christ is within, and we are all one.
The Light of the LORD is prolific and shines into darkness of the world.
Is the world not “dark enough” without our condescending and lambasting of each other’s churches? Are we not all believers? Are we not all lovers of Christ? Why then do we fight and exhort one another when we are all of one body?
My friends agreed and actually offered each other their mutual abject apologies, and then hugged.
Sometimes it takes a “voice of reason” guided solely by the Holy Spirit to bring unity to opposing parties. It takes disciples of Christ to bring order and love into what can be a “hateful” gathering of individuals, who unknowingly bring a separation of power in His name, into what becomes a glorifying of the enemy. And that is not something we should aspire to do. In fact, we are to glorify Christ and set the enemy running due to our unity and love and His Word!
Because when Christians and those of Christ fight each other, are they not bringing joy to the very “darkness” and the “enemy?”
Voices and bodies unite as one in Christ, and glory His Word in actions, in thoughts of heart.
“Love one another as I have loved you…” is this not a familiar commandment?
Remember it the next time a blatant disparity of Spirit shows up to try and destroy unity.
Listen to His commandment and rejoice!
“Father, guide me and lead me all the days of my life, may I do all according to Your will and commandments, may the Spirit teach and direct me through all kinds of scenarios, predicaments, and situations, and to remember that we are all one body in Jesus Christ name, Amen.”
