Consider the Apostle Paul's words in Philippians 2. As he starts this passage, he says,
"Therefore if you have any encouragement with being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."
As I studied this passage last night, I thought to myself, "Do we, do I value unity as much as Paul did?" Too often, we let our own preferences get in the way of what God speaks to so clearly in this passage - unity. Here's a quote that might also summarize a Christian perspective on unity: in essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity.
I once heard Dr. Ravi Zacharias say that in our discussions we need to work on creating more light than heat. If the Body of Christ were to truly value one another and this notion of growing, learning, and (as noted above) 'the creation of light', I sense that we might look at fellow believers and realize that we are all wounded, all broken, and all seeking out truth by God's grace alone. When we disagreed, we would offer grace and patience with an attitude that says, "Only God sees perfectly". We would be slow to think that all the conclusions we have come to are without flaws. And all this would drive us to the Savior without whom there is no hope for humanity, both in the life to come and in this life.
How have we as the Church today caused division over non-essential issues? And better yet - how do we define essential issues? I would state it this way: if the doctrine over which we disagree will not condemn one to Hell or mislead one from Heaven, let us be slow to stand our ground and find out we are standing on another brother or sister.
Above all, be like minded.
- tC
I once heard Dr. Ravi Zacharias say that in our discussions we need to work on creating more light than heat. If the Body of Christ were to truly value one another and this notion of growing, learning, and (as noted above) 'the creation of light', I sense that we might look at fellow believers and realize that we are all wounded, all broken, and all seeking out truth by God's grace alone. When we disagreed, we would offer grace and patience with an attitude that says, "Only God sees perfectly". We would be slow to think that all the conclusions we have come to are without flaws. And all this would drive us to the Savior without whom there is no hope for humanity, both in the life to come and in this life.
How have we as the Church today caused division over non-essential issues? And better yet - how do we define essential issues? I would state it this way: if the doctrine over which we disagree will not condemn one to Hell or mislead one from Heaven, let us be slow to stand our ground and find out we are standing on another brother or sister.
Above all, be like minded.
- tC
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