The church struggles to reach effectiveness. We seem to have to fight for it. Distraction is a satanic maneuver and we are often systematically caught in the snare.
From day one in the church, for me, there has been an edge among us. We have been pressed to determine where we stand. This was especially true in preaching school. The legalists thrived on issues. I wanted to thrive there; but could not get a hang of the rules. It was both bewildering and bizarre to me to go figure.
One such case was the campaign regarding Mothers Day Out programs. The legalists were against them because they weren't in the Bible. Being a new convert I wanted to get that one right; would review scripture and then felt guilty for not being able to be stand worthy as seemed my very vocal classmates. I was an obvious church dud.
A decade, since, does not go by without issues. Championing goes on both for as well as against. The division often is not a line; but rather a chasm.
Here's what I think I've learned over these four decades of preaching. The success/failure, truth/falsehood of any matter is solved when determining one important question; is this issue being championed for a cause or for Christ? If Jesus is in the conversation, this tells us something important. If he is not, this is a powerful signal.
Championing major and minor issues is nothing new. We must sort between the call of God and the pleasure of the culture. These are serious agendas and one is right and the other is destined for another way to experience injurious division of the body.
Championing new church causes is often Pharisaism in reverse; the desire to press the church into a new standard of a man's selfish desires. Championing Christ, on the other hand, will bear a strong and faithful kind of fruit day by day.
So how are we to know? Hear what God says in the Word. Keep all eyes on Jesus. Move accordingly. That's not just ideal. It is Life in the Kingdom. Be it. See it. Do it.
No comments:
Post a Comment