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In our town, the pastors have a regular breakfast together. The pastor of the church I now belong to attends these breakfasts. Some pastors do not. See, not all churches share a common theology. There's all sorts of confusion about what Mary, the mother of Jesus knows and doesn't know about the prayers of present day human beings. There's confusion about the meaning of baptism and when it should occur. There's disagreement about the sacrament of communion, marriage after divorce, drinking alcoholic beverages even in moderation, women wearing pants, and on and on it goes.
So, some of the body of Christ chooses to not be "unequally yoked" with the other parts of the body. We've got headless torsos rolling around by the park, a spare leg by the court house, a finger behind the mall... and the Head. The HEAD of our body has to wonder how the New Testament Church can be so stupidly attached to the identity of Pharisees. Those who have the law, but not the love.
What is wrong with us? We're told to not hide our light under a bushel, but we're selective on who we allow to see the light? As if it belongs to us? It isn't OUR light... It's THE Light. So, Jesus ate with all sorts of people, while some of us feel we'll be soiled by eating with sinners within our own faith, or sinners of a certain flavor outside the faith. Is our faith so weak that it's endangered by the close proximity of sinners? If so, we'd best hide the light, guard the light, and shoot anyone who gets close to the light.
And when was it that WE stopped BEING sinners? Oh, that's right... we haven't. Gosh, this circle is getting awfully small - we can't even have "alone time."
What good can we do if we spend all our time with the membership of the Christian Country Club we call "Our" church?
We're ready to vote for a president in a few weeks. It's interesting that while I was one of the Pharisees, I had no problem with my political affiliation. I was perfectly comfortable with that alliance.
Who ARE we? What battles are we picking to fight? Are they battles we've been called to fight?
The reasons you've mentioned are the reasons I have problems with organized religion and religious affiliations. Personally, I don't think the good Lord meant for "man" to create things that "divide" us.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great point in such a "Godless" age as we move toward a "churchless" state. Satan is the master of lies, and one of those is that no one, but no one, should tell us who to be or what to do or how to live our lives except US. Moral relativism has taken hold and is the loudest voice. So what do we Christians impelled by a higher voice and a given set of moral tenants tend to do? We only talk to each other. We buy into the lie that if we tell anyone what to do or how to live, we'll be labeled as a religious nut who has no respect or 'toleration' for anyone. And we stay silent when it really matters. We hide our light, just like you said. I think the battle we need to fight is against so-called toleration. We've been given the gift of truth, the gift of freedom, the gift of love. We need to fight the battle of selfishness and figure out how to share it--even if it means putting truth in non-religious terms so others aren't driven away--before it's too late.
ReplyDeleteIf we (the body of Christ) do work we've been called to do - visit the sick & imprisoned, feeding the poor, clothing the naked, providing water to the thirsty, companionship to the lonely, spreading the good news that there is more than just "this" - because God loves the people calling out to Him in their need, and if we show love beyond our humanity to one another... we couldn't keep people AWAY from God. Because every human soul calls out for God, if only we would reveal Him to them.
ReplyDeleteHe always loved us first... while we were still in our messes... doing whatever it was that needed His grace in the first place.