I am continually thankful that I am "accepted" by God because HE chose ME (Ephesians 1:3-5). That He is at work in me and will finish what He has started (Phil.1:6). I can't deny that I get frustrated with the 'battle for the truth' and how unloving and outright mean that 'Christians' are to one another, as well as unbelievers. How we can be self-righteous in the name of Jesus Christ....is this even possible? It is a battle that rages from one side of the spectrum to the other. Do we remember that we are only able to see because HE opened our eyes? Do we remember that we understand because GOD gave us this understanding? Do we realize that we could be this one or that one that is self-righteously titled by us "the blind leading the blind"? How can we sit up on our high horses looking down on others when we are supposedly so humble? Doesn't this seem like a contradiction?
If we look at scripture, Truth is important, but love is equally as important. "If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love,"(1 Cor.13:2)....what am I? NOTHING. I am not speaking for the heretic. I am not speaking for the false prophet. I am speaking for the God who saved me in HIS mercy and grace and I am called to be like HIM. I have not come across any scriptures that excuse me from being loving or gentle or merciful. I have come across many that have called me to stand up for truth....contend for the faith...fight the good fight, etc. but never, never with a mean or haughty or unkind, unloving, etc., spirit. I believe the statement applies, if you can't say it in a nice way, a gentle and kind way, then don't say it at all. It is better to walk away, or log out then 'ruin the hearers' (2 Tim.2:14).
If we are not displaying the Fruit of the Spirit when speaking our Lord's own words...this is the most ludicrous thing!! Can we really argue this? I have heard the whole gamut of arguments for actual rudeness and so on when speaking to the atheist, Wiccan, etc. I cannot believe that we would even open our mouths and argue against being kind, gentle and loving towards anyone. There is never an exception, NEVER! Yes, truth is important, yes, we should be studying to show ourselves approved and not ashamed...correctly dividing the word of truth but we are also to exhibit, at all times, the Fruit of the Spirit. The Word of God is offensive without our haughty and self-righteous attitude. I have asked myself so many times, "would I like someone to speak to me in this way?" Well, would you? Don't tell me that you would appreciate it! Truth can and should be spoken in love, and telling someone there head is screwed on crooked is not loving....and has nothing to do with the Word of God. That is your own self-righteous opinion. I have seen 'Christians' say all kinds of crude, rude and mean things, calling names and belittling, all in Jesus Christ's holy name!! Please listen. Read those verses that speak of love and the Fruits of the Spirit...also what is says about being above reproach and God judging every idle word.....
I have seen many seem to glory over 'unfriending' but I would rather err on the side of loving someone in spite of our differences in theology than to unfriend them. I have hidden different ones because I do not want to see/read what they post but I pray that God would continue to use me to speak into their lives. I have been forced to unfriend because of someone going to extreme measures to belittle me and right-fight on other's walls....making demeaning comments on my posts and so on....I unfriended them with much agony. It would not have been my first choice but with the advice of godly council, I severed all contact with him....this person happened to be a personal friend and it was a loss of him and his entire family....it was a loss for my kids as well as they were friends with his kids. I have also unfriended someone for calling a solid preacher a heretic while defending a known false preacher. When I commented to them about this with scripture and evidence of said preacher's denial of Christ, they deleted comments. I felt this was a case of this person choosing to not hear and felt it best for both our sakes to unfriend her. Even then, it was not an easy decision.
I know my views on this may not agree with yours. I have prayed about this, agonized over this and spoken to others about this and I always come away with the same views: we should always be loving and never offensive with our attitude. There is Christ's holy name to be considered and we need to walk our lives out in the Fruit of the Spirit at all times, we will be above reproach....as the scriptures say 'against such things there is NO law'. No one is able to question you for being gentle, loving, kind, patient, but they can question you for being un-Christlike. Please consider all this.
~In love~
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