I just returned from a trip to see some family and friends and I got to spend time with a very thoughtful friend who suggested I write down this bit of one of our conversations.
We were discussing the problems that occur when Christians spend too much time struggling with small issues, fighting the battles and ignoring the war. Behaviors such as running around telling everyone what they should and should not do, or insisting that every Christian or non-Christian have the same standards and preferences as we do, distracts us from concentrating on the most important tasks we've been left here to complete. Probably one of the best tools the devil has is to get us to play favorites with pet causes and issues, rending the body of believers and making us completely ineffective or worse, making us saboteurs of God's purposes!
Christians, particularly, based on my observations, the "Indy-Fundy" types (a new favorite term, thanks to the originator whoever you might be), want to run around telling people how long or short their hair should be, how loud or soft their music should be, how old or new their translation should be, how serious or frivolous their services should be! The idea that the Holy Spirit Who moves in lives to bring us to salvation isn't capable of moving in our lives to conform us to Christ's image is blasphemy! Why should we concern ourselves with work that is only doable by the omnipotence and omniscience of a Holy and Righteous God? What arrogance we display when we blatantly ignore His commands and take it upon ourselves to "correct" our fellow believers, or even more foolish, non-believers!
I guess the whole thing boils down to this:
1. When speaking about Christians: In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty! Thank you St. Augustine.
2. What good is it trying to run around squishing the flies when the rotten banana is still in the basket? In other words, why do we spend so much time chasing after issues, when the root of the cause is still there? If someone is unconverted, or someone is nursing sin in their life it does no good attacking the symptoms if the state of the heart needs help!
I aggree I think the biggest problem in Churches today is people try to insert there opinion in God's place "I think this, I think that etc." when If we all spent more time in God's word we would know His opinion of the matter and that is all that matters.
ReplyDeleteBrian
So true! Christians spend too much time being nit-picky about what their fellow believers "should" be doing. Besides, who are we to judge anyone else?
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