Why is it that a lot of us who call ourselves Christians want to defend our beliefs so much? We do it not only to non-believers, but even to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We know how Jesus lived, loved others, accepted those who the religious crowd did not like. He was kind, loving, forgiving, and caring to all he came in contact (except for the ‘religious’ self-righteous leaders). Then we go out and want to argue with those who interpret the Bible differently, or who don’t believe the same as we do.
It seems to me rather than fight and argue over doctrine, interpretation and belief we would do better to love, accept and show compassion.
This certainly does not mean we have to agree with everyone, or tell others anything goes, but we do not have to fight and defend our way of thinking. Many of us think we have it all figured out and our way of faith is the only way. We think we have to persuade others to come to our way of thinking or they are doomed to hell.
I’m not sure any of us have it all figured out, in fact I know none of us do. We all have room to question, learn and change. I know my wife and I are doing more questioning than we ever did, and we are finding new truths as we walk in the Spirit daily.
When it comes down to it, I feel we should be open to accept others no matter what their way of thinking. People want to be loved and accepted, they want to be happy and get along with others. When we get all religious and defend our point of view, it does more harm and drives people apart more than anything.
My wife and I have been asking God for strength to accept and love everyone. No matter what they believe, what their faith or doctrine is, no matter their religion, nationality, sexual preference or color, we want to see them as Jesus sees them. This is a type of love we cannot do on our own. It is only possible by the love of God within us. We want to love, accept and care for people. Naturally we will not always agree, but we want to look past those areas and love them in Christ. We feel this is the way that others will come to see the love of God, not through condemning and bashing them. Not in trying to prove we are right and they are wrong. Love doesn’t mean seeing eye-to-eye, it doesn’t mean we agree or even like some of the things people do, but it does mean we look past the differences and love them as Christ loves them.
Let’s try to look past the labels and see people who have feelings, who want love and friendship, people we can get to know, learn from, share thoughts and ideas with, and accept as human beings who were created in the image of God.
i love this so much, my thoughts exactly, thanks for saying it
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Great piece! I think if I was forced to present a belief statement, it would go something like:
I serve you, you serve me, we serve God, we live in optimal peace.
I think a lot of the division of Christians by their belief differences that we see today boils down to one concept that plagues us all:
We just can’t believe that Jesus really meant that we have to love EVERYBODY.
People simply don’t want to give up their right to hate certain people. But what they fail to realize is that by feeling this way, you are exhibiting an obvious LACK OF FAITH. If you really had faith in God’s existence and his status as a champion of good, you would believe that the fate of murder, or oppression, or child molestation lies in his hands. But so few people on this Earth truly feel such way. They not only feel justification in their hatred of sinners, they feel their hatred is a NECESSARY reaction.
People seem in denial of the fact that Jesus presented us with a reasonable way of being that both pleases God and creates a condition of optimal peaceful social order. They seem so hung up on the idea that “well Jesus was perfect, so we surely can’t live up to that standard”, yet I read the New Testament and see nothing but clear instruction on how to build a perspective and a corresponding model of behavior that the sinning man is fully capable of. And I think the first step is, stop hating! God will handle it!
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Thanks Mitch, so true. I appreciate your comment.
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Mike, you bring up in this article how Christians seem intent on finding and emphasizing their differences doctrinally speaking. This is so true. I remember while I was a “church member” of being introduce to someone in another church and within the first three sentence the questions would start, “What church do YOU go attend?” “Who is YOUR pastor?” Then we would say to ourselves, “Oh, you are one of THOSE!” and the doctrinal hair-splitting would start.
I often wondered why the second or third sentence could not have been, “Isn’t Jesus wonderful!” or “What a great God we serve in that HE could save a wretch like me!” But this never happened. It became obvious that we as church members had a greater identity with our organizations pastors and doctrines than we did with Jesus as our Savior and Lord, for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.
Along this same line, I just had something happen that was a lesson from the Lord. I got an anonymous letter on my blog in which the person (probably a pastor) was dressing me down for something I wrote last May. Here is part of what I wrote back…
“How would you feel if some total stranger walked up to you on the street and started dressing you down about what you preach on Sunday? I am not sure why you have decided to come at me with your accusations without even introducing yourself or making any attempt to establish a relationship with me in which you could actually “speak the truth in love.” For this to happen a bond of love between two members of the body of Christ must exist. If you had, I am sure that I would have found it easier to take your words to heart.”
God was showing the errors of my OWN past as I wrote the above. The true functioning body of Christ (not an institution) is first a family and we treat one another like family, not accusatory strangers. We are admonished to “speak the truth in love” with one another. Love is all about enduring relationships not some on-cue scripted hand shake during the middle of the church service where we are told to “greet the person that is there in the pew next to you.” In this love bond as brothers and sisters IN Christ, we bear one another burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. This takes intimate knowing and heart felt concern for one another and you don’t get that in a once a week church service.
“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their food with gladness and sincerity of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47 KJ2000). Isn’t it funny that the word “weekly” is not found anywhere in the New Testament while “daily” is found 14 times? Yet weekly gatherings is all that today’s church system is about? How long would your marriage have lasted if you met with your wife only once a week in a crowed room where only some hired professional is allowed to speak? Is it any wonder that people are leaving that system by the millions?
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Hi Michael, good comments. I’ve found the same to be true. People seem more interested in what denomination or church you attend, which pastor you follow etc. We determine how we feel about a person based on their answers to those questions. And your comment about being told to shake hands with the person next to you….that always bugged me. Really, what kind of real friendship and fellowship do we expect to find in a service once a week. It is an ongoing relationship of spending time, and getting involved in each others life. Thanks again for your comment.
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Michael D, and Susanne, what a great exchange! As I read it I was reminded of how the woman at the well who had three strikes against her in any good Jew’s mind (a Samaritan, a woman, and a woman that had many live-in boy friends and not accepted even among other Samaritan women)… YET Jesus never gave the slightest hint that she was below His “station in life.” She was treated with respect and when He started to speak to her heart about the REAL water that she could have flowing from within her, she wanted more! He “salted her oats!”
Well, he finally got around to her heart issue.. always needing a man to fill that hole in her heart…looking for love in all the wrong places. .. she decided to skirt the issue and start a debate about religious issues. “Is it right to worship God here in our holy mountain or do we have to go to the temple in Jerusalem like you Jews say?” It was a NON-heart issue to start a debate and get Him off the track… He was getting right down to where she needed to be healed and it was a bit painful.
We do this all the time. We want to talk head to head and keep people away from what is going on in our hearts and talking about religious doctrines is a great way to get drawn away from the REAL issues of life.. the heart issues that God wants to speak to. So, Michael, you are right. God want us to learn to hear HIS voice and speak what HE wants to say to each person He puts in front of us and not fall for the religious smoke screen of things that are in people’s heads.
Susanne.. you are God’s oasis in your neighborhood.. His vessel of love for hurting people who need to know how much our Daddy loves them. I love the way you describe this JW woman and the way you saw the hunger in her and responded to you it. You did not enter into a religious debate, but by loving her you showed her the Living Christ. She will NOT forget it.
God bless you both! You are both an inspiration to me.
Hugs from Idaho!
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Thank you Michael, good words. I certainly can’t add anything better to what you said. I appreciate your comment.
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Michael D., thanks for that affirmation, my brother…
Keep listening and posting…
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Excellent article and deep thoughts, Michael. Thanks so much for sharing these precious pearls. 🙂
Indeed, what you wrote on here matches with my current experience.
This afternoon, for example, the door bell rang and a woman whom I have known for some time stood there and wanted to talk. Actually, she is a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since I was not in the mood to discuss about theological differences, I let her talk whatever she wanted. I remained silent and tried to listen to her and God and the same time. God only said, “Listen to her HEART.”
Don’t we all want to be loved and accepted the way we are and the way we think/believe? So, although I will probably continue to disagree with her on certain points, I didn’t tell her about it today. Instead I decided to trust God to lead us all into the truth through His Spirit. And if He truly wants us to speak up, He will surely nudge us to do so, in LOVE, and while feeling His peace, too.
What I realized when I looked at that woman was that her heart really opened up to me BECAUSE she felt accepted exactly the way she is. Afterwards she said, “I love meeting you because you are always so kind.” Although I know my “black heart” 😉 whenever God searches my inside, it was good to hear that confirmation from the Lord through her mouth. By the way, God spoke through that woman more than once as well. I believe if we really want to always hear God’s voice through everyone, we ought to get rid of prejudice and the fear to be rejected. May God help us.
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So true Susanne. To often we feel the need to defend our interpretations and end up in heated debates and arguments, just to prove our point. It is better to listen and be slow to speak, and then under the guidance of the Spirit within us. Thanks for your comment.
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great thoughts
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Thank you.
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Yes Debbie, but the problem with that is that who gets to decide on the essential tenets of the faith. Religious folks fight over what is essential all the time.
For example – we are saved by faith alone. Easy right?
But what do we mean by saved, and what do we mean by faith?
All this leads to is straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel. It is less than useless.
I believe we have to exercise acceptance moreso on these things than the peripheral things, and listen to the voice of the Master and not the theologians or paid clergy.
A good word brother. Most will call you a liberal and reject it, but don’t worry about them. They have lots of narrow-minded company in their little walled religious camp.
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Yes, not always a popular view. Seems we all want to be right and expect everyone to agree with our way of thinking, It seems to me Jesus accepted and loved everyone, and although not agreeing with the sinful nature, he did not look at the sin or the label, but saw the person and loved them. Thanks for your thoughts.
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I have always heard (for Christians interacting with other Christians): “Agree on the essentials.” (Jesus Christ) and agree to disagree when necessary “on the non-essentials.”
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So true. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing, as long as we can do it in love. Thanks for your comment.
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