A recent
Pew Forum article that reported about the religious composition of the US Congress got me wondering why people need to identify themselves as anything other than Christian. The Pew report made a big separation of Christians who are "Protestant" vs those who are "Catholic". Does that seem strange to anyone else. In my thinking Protestant groups like Episcopalians are way more like Catholics when you look at their Sunday Services. And Catholics are probably more like Evangelicals with regard to social issues like abortion. And does anyone believe that groups like Baptists and Lutherans hold identical theological views? It makes me wonder why we do not just identify ourselves as Christian or, if you are hip, Christ Follower? Why not focus on that which unites us rather than what divides us?
Our failure to focus on what unites Christians is attributed to the daily conflict/lack of harmony in my view. So thank you Bob for allowing readers to share with you.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that have been floating through my mind in recent days is the realisation that the Biblical family households of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) - they where all divided families and yet they were all households who were blessed by God.
This reinforced the idea that man (the individual) is a divided creature; he/she more often than otherwise is at war with him or herself simply because we daily deal with conflict (physically, spiritually, or both simultaneously).
Because of this it is not surprising that we find conflict in the community/assembly. This forces choice of 3 options. (a)Being pro (b) being anti and (c) being neutral or undecided. Being undecided is a state that is addressed by Our Saviour when he remarked "He that is not for us is against us". So for the Jesus follower the neutral camp should included in that which is "anti". If we do not have "agape" then we can not have unity. While the truth remains absent our concept of unity remains Utopian in nature.
They eye of Evil abhors harmony. Until there is harmony there is no real unity. The dictum of "Love one another just as I have loved you by this all the world will know that you are my disciples" remains the bench mark for a cohesive force in and outside the arena of the 'Christian World'.
"Until there is harmony there is no real unity."
DeleteGreat thought John. Thanks so much for sharing.
I don't think it was ever meant to be so splintered, but then again, why can't we agree on Love and then let everything else just be a secondary issue?
ReplyDeleteI agree Ma. Love is what binds us together.
DeleteI meant to add (and this is off topic), I like your new template. I had to abandon the dynamic on my photo blog some time ago, it was just too buggy. I loved look of it, though, sigh.:)
DeleteThanks Ma. The Dynamic View template broke on me and I went with this. Please let me know if you have any problems with this one. I liked Dynamic Views and may try it again when it is fixed?
DeleteAt the risk of being rejected and rebuffed, let me say, especially to Ma that the reason we "can't agree on Love and then let everything else just be a secondary issue" is that it is anti-biblical and leads to deception, destruction, and damnation. We were never commanded to hold to a "loving mind" but we are to hold to a "sound mind." We are to hold to sound doctrine. We are to hold to the truth. Yes, in love. Even Paul prayed that the Colossian, Philippian, and Ephesians believer would increase or grow in love - but he always conditioned with increasing wisdom, discernment, and/or knowledge. We can only increase and "hold to love" when we holding it in and with sound biblical teaching. Yes, teaching, doctrine, and biblical truth divides. That should surprise no one nor be a problem. Even Christ said he didn't come to bring peace but to that households, families, Et cetera would be divided. When Jesus said he was the only way, he was the truth, the life, and John recorded for us that there was no other name under heaven given whereby men would be saved that was pretty exclusive and divisive.
ReplyDeleteThe issue isn't why can't we agree on love and let everything else be secondary. That isn't love, That is the opposite of love. If I with hold truth from you I demonstrate I don't love you. Paul repeatedly said to note those who hold bad doctrine or practices and avoid them - to reject them.
Let's get the truth right and be loving as we do. Biblical Christianity is not splintered. Religion is splintered. Religion is man made. Local congregations and denominations are splintered. Christianity is totally unified. We must study as those who show themselves approved and discover the truth and present it lovingly.
Thanks for sharing that Gregg. So true that pure Christianity is not splintered. Yet history speaks to how people splintered this purity into religious sects which they deemed to be purer than the ones they broke off from. The quest for doctrinal purity often splinters and rarely unites. So I might say that pure Christianity is not splintered but the quest for doctrinal purity often splinters.
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