One of the greatest gifts that God has given to believers is the church. In the church, hearing the Word of God can be the most special aspect; we also get the opportunity to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth; fellowship with other like-minded individuals is another incredible blessing. Churches should be hospitals rather than battlefields, but anytime opinionated humans gather together, there will be disagreements. With the human condition, if there are two people, there are three opinions. With so many different interpretations and philosophies, choosing the correct church is instrumental in the growth of a Christian. All Christians need food and it does not matter if you are a little lamb or a fat sheep, God desires to give you daily bread. Fat sheep still can die from starvation, though they might be able to stay healthy longer than the skinny sheep when there is a shortage of food.
God desires to feed His children. Sadly, there are not enough Christians willing to open the Bible and put in time studying alone. Because God has promised that He will teach us all things, we all should spend time in His Word. Would you rather have a pastor tell you what is in God’s Word, or would you rather hear from the One who wrote it? That does not mean that pastors cannot help us learn. Yet that never should be the only spiritual food that we eat, as all men make mistakes; all pastors misinterpret occasionally, based on their own life experiences, weaknesses and stumbling blocks; all of us have blind spots!
Certainly, one of the greatest points of emphasis to every believer is not to major in the minors. By choosing our battles wisely, a difference in opinion on a verse’s interpretation does not have to be discussed at length, especially with a person who does not like to be questioned. Does it really matter if we believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, a mid-tribulation rapture or a post-tribulation rapture? Will that belief affect our salvation? As Christians, we all believe that Jesus is coming back for us. Whenever that occurs will be in His perfect timing. God’s decision should be sufficient for all of us. When we finally get to heaven, surely each of us will find a doctrine we did not understand correctly.
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Corinthians 1:10-13
Through the unity of the Holy Spirit, we will become like-minded. Yet because each of us has a different path, we can see things very diversely. What if a group of individuals all were traveling to Chicago, Illinois, from different locations? One person might begin the journey to Chicago from the top of Mt. Everest; another, from Paris, France; another from Antarctica; and still another from St. Louis, Missouri. All four would have dissimilar ideas of what that journey entailed. In fact, each aspect of that journey would be different until arriving at the final destination.
Our Christian walks are much like that scenario, as the Holy Spirit speaks to us individually. He pulls us out of incredibly diverse walks of life and starts us on the path that leads to God. Our different life experiences, ministries, relationships and churches become a part of that diversity, but God already has promised to complete His work in us. If He will complete the work, then we must be incomplete! The unity in the body of Christ comes from the similar love that God has given us, in the midst of diverse people. An ex-Mormon who became a Christian wrote this in one of her books:
“It is useless to pour water into a cup that's already full. In the same way, it is useless to teach a person another perspective when they are absolutely sure that they are right and don't want to learn anything else. One way that Satan can deceive us is to make us so positive we have to be right that our minds become closed and we are no longer teachable. -- Ex-Mormon Carma Naylor
One of the greatest attributes of those seeking knowledge and understanding is an open mind. Along with that, each of us needs a humble heart, esteeming others above self. Both of those will help us to walk with love for those whose paths intersect ours on the journey that leads to God. Yes, those people will let us down and yes, we will let those people down, too. Yet our trust should remain steadfast in the Lord. When we approach any battle, we should attempt to be a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem. Would you rather be right or be happy? Appreciate the differences in others and hand any issue over to the Lord in prayer. There is nothing too big for Him to handle.
My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
Psalm 62:5
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