Food for Thought
By Byron Howell on 2/23/2010
Are you a Christian that persecutes other Christians? Are you actually causing strife and disunity within the Body of Christ? You might be without even realizing it. Some people persecute the true children of God, and they even think they are doing God service. The Bible never said that these mistaken people wouldn't also call themselves Christians.
As I write this blog I'm looking at myself more and more to decide what I love and what I hate. When you look at Proverbs 8:13 and Proverbs 9:10, and use a little algebra (if a=b and b=c then a=c), you find that the beginning of wisdom is the hatred of evil. I believe we have an evil in the body of Christ that I've grown to hate, and that is Christians persecuting Christians.
Now it just so happens that I'm a fan of several big ministries. I physically sat in the church of Dr. Creflo Dollar for three years. There I also fell in love with the ministry of Kenneth Copeland. Recently I have partnered with Joyce Meyer's ministry, for her straightforward Biblical teachings and undeniable service to the world's needy. If you google those three names (or the name of any other well known preacher) you'll find more sites bashing them then honoring them. And it's not like muslims or atheists of just regular folks are doing the bashing - it's Christians!
Now the fact that I like those ministries doesn't entitle me to dishonor your church or your favorite preachers. I don't feel released by the Holy Spirit to bad mouth any Christian denomination, from Latin loving Catholics to snake handling Pentecostals. (Hey, at least the snake handlers have a verse, don't they!) Those preachers that you defame, do they preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Do they do good for the world's needy? Do they use God's Word when they preach? They probably all do. In fact, the vast majority of well known preachers do, especially the ones receiving the most criticism.
Here's my point - God wants us to come into the unity of the faith. There is ONE BODY. God doesn't want us in strife with each other. Read Psalm 133, God wants to bless the Body of Christ, and the commanded blessing comes with unity. Are you an agent for unity? Or are you fostering disunity within the Body?
If you take any two Christians in the world you won't find complete agreement on every single subject (unless they specifically decide to be in unity with each other). Christianity has so many subjects and facets. You shouldn't expect perfect intellectual unity on everything with everyone. We need to elevate unity as the goal, and work for it, not against it. Make allowances for people's misguided opinions if they have them. But support your fellow Christians in areas of agreement.
If the vigorous haters spent as much time winning the lost as they do blogging about their disagreements we'd have millions of additional Christians added to the Body daily. I know there is a place for exposing heretics and ungodly fakes, but can you judge someone who openly calls Jesus Lord and wins souls. 1 Corinthians 12:3 says no man can say Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Ghost. I wouldn't judge anyone in that category, and I wouldn't speak against them. Let us love one another, not bad mouth each other. Put down the voice of contention, and pick up the banners of love and unity. Remember, touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm!
erplexed
