On My Mind...
What are we to do when we disagree? How are we to handle problems that arise within the church? Is every issue the same? Is there “a” way to approach every situation? What is “the” governing issue? Is it truth? Is it love? Is it the integrity or wholeness of the gospel or is it fellowship and harmony among the members? These are not merely rhetorical questions. I don’t know if you are aware of this, but Baptists have a reputation for well, “spirited” disagreement. If you put three Baptists together in a room, you will have 5 different opinions! It is no surprise that the number one means of starting new Baptist church is the church split. This group gets upset and goes down the street and starts a new work “to the glory of God.” I know Baptists who think it a badge of honor to stand over the bruised and bleeding body of some misinformed brother whom they have just bludgeoned with the truth. I know others who would never rise in opposition to any wrong for fear they might disrupt the fellowship. Both these extremes are patently unbiblical. They are both unbiblical for the same reason. They have created a false dichotomy. They believe you must choose either truth or love. But the two are not mutually exclusive. The two go together. We are told in John chapter 1 that grace and truth have their being in Jesus Christ who is the Word made flesh. Our Lord was full of both grace and truth. Biblical truth is grounded in the love of God and genuine love is firmly rooted in biblical truth.
We find ourselves in an ever-changing culture. As our culture becomes increasingly secular in its outlook, biblical faith is pushed further and further aside. In an attempt to regain territory, some are willing to adjust faith to make it more palatable. Others refuse to budge, even on non-doctrinal issues. How should we respond? It might be wise to consider Paul’s approach found in Galatians. The churches of Galatia had been infiltrated by false teachers who are distorting the gospel. They are preaching a Jesus plus gospel. In doing so they are endangering the whole church because if not stopped the gospel itself would be lost. It is both Paul’s passion for the truth and his love of the brethren that inspired him to respond. His language is strong and direct but inflamed by his love for Christ, the gospel, and those for whom Christ died. Paul cannot and will not stand idly by while the church is enslaved to a false gospel. Christ has set us free, and we must stand firm in that freedom. The whole of his letter to the Galatians is about gospel freedom. What is clear from Paul’s response to the crisis at Galatia is that a biblical response seeks a balance between a passion for the truth and a genuine love for the brethren. Both truth and love are essential to our life together and the work of the Gospel. Such a balance is not easy and demands we walk a fine line. Yes, we must be concerned about unity but not unity at any cost. We are concerned with but unity and truth. Thus, we must not compromise truth for the sake of unity. But we must also understand unity is not uniformity. Gospel faithfulness does not demand lock-step agreement on every issue. Good and godly people may disagree on non-essentials. As we move away from core doctrinal issues, there is room for greater and greater freedom. We may disagree and disagree strongly but in love as brothers and sisters in Christ. Read Paul’s letters. He wrote to some very mixed-up congregations and yet addressed them as “saints,” as brothers in Christ.
I think this is something worth pondering in such a time as this. Have a blessed week and I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod
We find ourselves in an ever-changing culture. As our culture becomes increasingly secular in its outlook, biblical faith is pushed further and further aside. In an attempt to regain territory, some are willing to adjust faith to make it more palatable. Others refuse to budge, even on non-doctrinal issues. How should we respond? It might be wise to consider Paul’s approach found in Galatians. The churches of Galatia had been infiltrated by false teachers who are distorting the gospel. They are preaching a Jesus plus gospel. In doing so they are endangering the whole church because if not stopped the gospel itself would be lost. It is both Paul’s passion for the truth and his love of the brethren that inspired him to respond. His language is strong and direct but inflamed by his love for Christ, the gospel, and those for whom Christ died. Paul cannot and will not stand idly by while the church is enslaved to a false gospel. Christ has set us free, and we must stand firm in that freedom. The whole of his letter to the Galatians is about gospel freedom. What is clear from Paul’s response to the crisis at Galatia is that a biblical response seeks a balance between a passion for the truth and a genuine love for the brethren. Both truth and love are essential to our life together and the work of the Gospel. Such a balance is not easy and demands we walk a fine line. Yes, we must be concerned about unity but not unity at any cost. We are concerned with but unity and truth. Thus, we must not compromise truth for the sake of unity. But we must also understand unity is not uniformity. Gospel faithfulness does not demand lock-step agreement on every issue. Good and godly people may disagree on non-essentials. As we move away from core doctrinal issues, there is room for greater and greater freedom. We may disagree and disagree strongly but in love as brothers and sisters in Christ. Read Paul’s letters. He wrote to some very mixed-up congregations and yet addressed them as “saints,” as brothers in Christ.
I think this is something worth pondering in such a time as this. Have a blessed week and I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod