Who do you quote most often: your pastor, your favorite denominational teacher, or God?
There's nothing wrong with loving our church or favoring certain doctrines. But Scripture tells us to be "like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind" (Philippians 2:2).
This means being more excited about the Body of Christ than our specific denomination. It means quoting Scripture more than pastors or teachers. It means being more interested in our common beliefs as Christians than in our doctrinal differences.
It's essential that we have the same beliefs in regard to biblical moral laws, the inerrancy of Scripture, the character and deity of Christ, and the biblical doctrines of salvation. But we need not have the same beliefs in regard to things such as the gifts of the Spirit, the doctrines describing how God's sovereignty and man's freewill intersect, the methods of baptism, etc.*
Paul dealt with disunity in the early Church and said: "For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? … when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' … no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (See 1 Corinthians 3; vv. 3-4 and 11 quoted).
Let's aim at being Christ-followers, not man-followers.
* There are areas of mystery in our faith. God has given us all the knowledge and power we need to live godly lives (2 Peter 1:3), but He has not explained everything to us (Deuteronomy 29:29; 1 Corinthians 13:12). When we agree on the essentials of our faith, we shouldn't let the non-essentials hinder our fellowship with other genuine believers.
Paul dealt with disunity in the early Church and said: "For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? … when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' … no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." (See 1 Corinthians 3; vv. 3-4 and 11 quoted).
Let's aim at being Christ-followers, not man-followers.
💙💙💙
* There are areas of mystery in our faith. God has given us all the knowledge and power we need to live godly lives (2 Peter 1:3), but He has not explained everything to us (Deuteronomy 29:29; 1 Corinthians 13:12). When we agree on the essentials of our faith, we shouldn't let the non-essentials hinder our fellowship with other genuine believers.
Click the image below to find out more about Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks.
Bible Love Notes
No comments:
Post a Comment