What should we do with debatable items? How do we maintain unity in a Church , Class, or Community with differing opinions about different things?
In John 17 Jesus prays that the Church will be one!(vs 9,20) He asks that His church is Unified! Many times (i think 10) in the book of Acts it says they were of one accord, which means there was unity they were unified! The Question that pops in my head is, Why is this sooooooooo hard for people to practice this! Why do so many divide, debate and split over issues that in light of eternity don't really matter! Now do not misunderstand me, I am not talking about things like, salvation, the virgin birth ect... What I have found is people (within a local church) very rarely divide over these type issues but more over those things that one is passionate about those personal preferences or personal standards.
Something we need to understand is, that ALL CHRISTIANS ARE NOT THE SAME!!! I love how our Pastor puts it: "Christ never demanded UNIFORMITY but he did demand UNITY!" Uniformity means to put on a uniform. Unity is living in harmony in spite of Uniforms that are not exactly, perfectly the same.
I want to encourage you today to understand that it is ok if others are different than you are! I want to encourage you today to LOVE those that are different than you! Accept those that are different that you! CHRIST DID! He accepts, Loves, us.
Passages for reading with this: Matthew 7:1-6; John 17:9,20; Romans 14:1-13;
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1 comment:
Like I said on the YASM blog... "Amen, brother!" If God wanted us all to be exactly the same, He'd have created us that way. But I think the lack of uniformity shows the diversity of His power and love.
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