Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Today's “Christians” are broken down into thousands of different denominations, divisions within divisions, separate buildings, and some even use their own versions of the Bible! How did things ever get this way? It didn't happen by loving one another as Jesus commanded. Most often it happens because people operate by the flesh and not by the Spirit.
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jas 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Groups split up into smaller groups, perhaps one of the group has a strong personality and draws others to follow, and then of course, there's the natural inclination to laziness: “why should I study if so and so will do it for me?”
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Other reasons are more appropriate sounding, a division over interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, a refusal of one or more to heed the warnings of the elders, and on and on it goes. Generally speaking, the lusts of the flesh draw away brothers and sisters from one another. Of course there are valid reasons for casting out former brethren, or for leaving a group of believers that won't heed a call to repent. But I assert here, and I've been guilty of it, that most division comes from fleshly behavior, acting like the Pagans we're called out of, and refusing to reason through the scriptures in love and mutual respect for each other, and with proper humility, e.g. it's possible for even the most learned among us to be wrong occasionally!
In the current times we live in, most of us agree we are in what the Bible refers to as the end times, but that's about where the agreements end. Some groups believe that they'll be raptured out before the “Great day of his wrath” is come (Rev 6:17). I don't agree with that belief, but for anyone who wants to reason through the Bible regarding it, I will. The Lord help me to act in love as He has called me to do. If we come together as humble and loving disciples of Jesus Christ, and pray for understanding, for unity, and for truth, the Holy Spirit will guide us “into all truth” (Joh 16:13). Keep in mind, if we are still in disagreement, or inconclusive, after praying and reasoning , we are all still on a need to know basis, it may be the Lord chooses not to reveal certain things yet:
Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
This doesn't mean we should stop seeking truth, but it's the Lord's way of telling us, stop, regroup, gather together what you've been shown, and be sure you understand, all of you, and soon He'll reveal more as needed. If we don't act this way, again, divisions will occur, our part of the body of Christ will splinter apart, some will go in opposite directions, one leading this group and another that group, before you know it we're a dozen groups, each sure the others are wrong, and some convinced the rest are on there way to Hell!
This reminds me of a thought, or a dream I had, can't remember which now. I'll have to quickly give you some background so you'll understand. My in-laws and I met a little over 10 years ago, our first meeting was memorable for the fact that it quickly established the rest of our relationship. We had a disagreement on what it means to be a “Christian”, and who might be a good example. They were still jubilant at George W. Bush's “election” and quite pleased that a real “Christian” would now occupy the White house. When I informed them of my opinion of Bush Jr, that pretty much set the stage for the rest of our relationship. Was I wrong to inform them? No. Did I do it from love? No. If I had taken the time to get to know them better, to build on the things we shared, then later in mutual respect and love we could have possibly come to the obvious conclusion about Bush, as now we (almost) all see the bad fruit he bore.
Instead we went from possibly being part of the body of Christ, being more than a family, but actually being brothers and sisters in Christ, to adversaries. Looking back at it, what does it matter really? I was right, they were wrong, they rejected the truth, I tore down their idol Bush Jr., they don't love the truth, they're probably going to Hell anyways, whatever! Right!? Wrong.
Back to that dream, I was in a new place, wasn't sure where, but I knew it had something to with the afterlife. I was dead and was trying to figure out where and what was happening. I looked around and saw people I knew vaguely, not well, then I saw my father-in-law … my heart sank, I had to be in Hell if he was there too! I looked at him, he looked at me, from the way the blood had run out of his face, white as a ghost, he obviously had the same thought!
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
I've tried really hard to turn things around, to show them the true Gospel, but it may be that they will never receive from me that which God has given me, because of my error in our first meeting. I've forgiven them, shouldn't they have forgiven me too? Yes. But the fact is I played a part in their continued deception by the great Whore AKA the “Church”. I was, and am apparently still, a stumbling block to them. That hurts. The message here is to think before you speak, be careful to not offend if it can be avoided. Act in love and gently correct and reproof, you'll probably get better results than to attack their idols right off.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jas 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Look at the groups on the Internet, listen to the podcasts, the message I'm hearing the loudest is we have received the hidden knowledge of the Lord, we're the Remnant, the 144,000, the Chosen ones whom God has revealed this to, listen to us, don't question us, if you disagree you're obviously not one of us, you don't love the truth, and numerous other unpleasant implications, etc.. Groups of people formed into little cliques, usually led by dominant personalities, that mock and/or predict terrible things for those that disagree with their interpretations. This isn't my idea of fellowship.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
The wisest among us must remain humble, must remember that without the Holy Spirit guiding us we would all be deceived. Furthermore, we were all deceived by false doctrines at some point weren't we? It would do us all well to remember the Lord's Words concerning how we want to be treated:
Luk 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
If you are in error you would want someone to gently correct you, not make you feel like an idiot, or an unsaved wretch.
Surely there are circumstances where reasoning through the scriptures, no matter how gently and lovingly, will be of any use. You'll know when you're dealing with unreasonable people, whose aim is not to learn, but to confuse the truth, or to continue the merchandizing of the people. The Pharisees at the time of Jesus' first coming were good examples. Look how our Lord dealt with them, He knew their hearts were evil, but He still spoke the true Gospel to them, and when they refused it He harshly condemned them:
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
He wasn't gentle, He wasn't loving, their actions had proven they weren't seeking truth, but ways to trick Him and to get rid of Him. But, when Nicodemus, also a Pharisee, came to Him, He was gentle and patiently explained the Gospel to him (see John CH 3). And when the rich young ruler came to Him and sincerely sought of Him, Jesus replied:
Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
The Lord knows the hearts of men, we don't, so we'll have to exercise extreme caution before we brand someone as an enemy of the Gospel and unworthy to hear the truth. We are not alone in this world though, we have the Holy Spirit of God to aid us in our work:
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
There are many things that the Lord will reveal to us, in His time, and we have to be patiently studying our Bibles and earnestly and faithfully seeking the truth. Along the way we'll encounter those whom we're counseled to not “cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (Mat 7:6)” And we'll meet our brethren, who also seek the truth, as we do. To honestly know the difference we'll have to continually seek God the Father through His Holy Spirit:
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
If we find ourselves becoming unloving towards others, extraordinarily harsh in our responses, or too pious and haughty in our responses to the honest truth seeker, then it is time for us to repent and begin again. If we no longer have the patience to defend our beliefs in a fair and respectful manner, then it's time to judge ourselves and seek the Lord, not for new and exciting revelations, but for to create again within us a true love for our brethren, a pure heart and for a renewing of a right Spirit within us (Psa 51:10). In this condition, no matter how much we know or think we know, we are of little use to anyone, because we are such bad examples of the love of Christ that we'll turn away far more than we'll turn to Him:
1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Daniel Mark
2 comments:
Good word, brother! Thank you for the exhortation! When someone sins in front of us, for example, blasphemes, we will very possibly feel convicted to (hopefully lovingly) correct them, but your experience with your inlaws is unfortunately not rare among your readers. What's the saying? ... "I'm always right - you can ask any of my ex-friends."
Important! Family is ultra important and family feelings of bitterness should be feared as much or more than cancer - After I blow it with my wife or children, correcting with the wrong spirit, I HAVE TO go back and make it right, and SHOULD make amends of some kind, whenever possible. We are all mutually submitted - guys want to take that position of power, the "head of the family" and run with it, bashing our loved ones upside their heads and always defending/excusing our stinking rotten abusive controlling behavior. (sorry, wordy)
Thanks again.
See you then, Harvey
Thank you for sharing this wisdom. May we love the brethren with the love of Christ.
love,
Loretta
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