Disagreements in Christian Life

[Greg Gordon]

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. - Galatians 5:15

It is unbelievable at times to see how even believers can disagree. One side sticks their feet in and the other side does also. No one is budging or willing to say they are wrong, both are right! Or so they think. Disagreements also happen in marriages, Churches and ministries.

The world is helplessly divided as people have strong opinions on so many different topics and choices in life. These strong beliefs people have even come to the place where hurtful actions are taken against each other because of our desires to be right and have our own way (James 4:1).

Many people are divided and hurt over differences in the body of Christ also as the Apostle James wrote to believers who were "warring" against each other. All these differences result in hurt lives, divided believers and the world looking on in shock and amazement at this scene. When we can claim to believe in the greatest news in the world that men can be freed from their sins and point to this life-giving Saviour but in the same breath speak evil of our other brethren that have been redeemed we bring a reproach to the world.

The beautiful opposite of disagreements is agreement and unity. Our Lord says: That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:21). St. Clement of Rome in AD 90 said, "“Love admits no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony.”

Christ is not divided neither is his body should be divided. When we humble ourselves and pick up our crosses we choose the low way below disagreements. It takes 2 brothers to argue and debate, but a humble brother will not answer back. Choose today to be an agent of peace and humility, this is pleasing to the Lord and allows His body to be beautiful to Him and the on looking world.

 

[Goatee]

Easily said I guess.

We are human after all and have many weaknesses. God made us so He knows how we tick. Some, are stronger than others. Very few, myself included are humble.

 

[Hidden In Him]

It takes 2 brothers to argue and debate, but a humble brother will not answer back. Choose today to be an agent of peace and humility, this is pleasing to the Lord and allows His body to be beautiful to Him and the on looking world.

Wonderful piece, written in a Spirit of love. Now please understand, I'm not taking away from anything you've said, and what you've said needs to be repeated often. But I think the trouble here is that according to scripture differences in doctrines DO have to be worked out and this can't be avoided (1 Corinthians 11:19). But I would agree that they should not be worked out in a spirit of strife. That is where things go wrong. And you are correct that things especially get tense one one or both sides refuse to listen or acknowledge the points made by the other. This demonstrates a lack of humility in that it reveals a deficiency in someone's theology that they are unwilling to admit even exists.

So yes, humility is the key to keeping the unity of the faith, and letting the Spirit of God arbitrate among our hearts. Yet discussions over doctrine are something that need to and must be allowed to take place. It cannot be avoided.

 

[WannaWitness]

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. - Galatians 5:15

It is unbelievable at times to see how even believers can disagree. One side sticks their feet in and the other side does also. No one is budging or willing to say they are wrong, both are right! Or so they think. Disagreements also happen in marriages, Churches and ministries.

The world is helplessly divided as people have strong opinions on so many different topics and choices in life. These strong beliefs people have even come to the place where hurtful actions are taken against each other because of our desires to be right and have our own way (James 4:1).

Many people are divided and hurt over differences in the body of Christ also as the Apostle James wrote to believers who were "warring" against each other. All these differences result in hurt lives, divided believers and the world looking on in shock and amazement at this scene. When we can claim to believe in the greatest news in the world that men can be freed from their sins and point to this life-giving Saviour but in the same breath speak evil of our other brethren that have been redeemed we bring a reproach to the world.

The beautiful opposite of disagreements is agreement and unity. Our Lord says: That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:21). St. Clement of Rome in AD 90 said, "“Love admits no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony.”

Christ is not divided neither is his body should be divided. When we humble ourselves and pick up our crosses we choose the low way below disagreements. It takes 2 brothers to argue and debate, but a humble brother will not answer back. Choose today to be an agent of peace and humility, this is pleasing to the Lord and allows His body to be beautiful to Him and the on looking world.

This is a well-written devotional, Greg, and truth from start to finish. Every Christian should read this. I myself wish that more believers would agree to get along and be at peace with one another, as stated in Hebrews 12:14 and Romans 12:18. The problem doesn't lie in the disagreeing, actually, but not respecting others whose opinions/convictions differ from our own even in the slightest. I mean, it is because we are all different that there are bound to be some disagreements. However, it's sad to see this "oneupmanship" between believers, with the common bond of having Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, just over the wide variety of issues that have nothing to do with what Scripture says, or conclusions that have been drawn based on how certain Scriptures might stand out to any given individual. People argue endlessly about Bible translations, women wearing pants and cutting their hair, what kinds of music Christians should or shouldn't be listening to, watching TV and movies, political affiliation, eating meat, and almost every topic one could imagine (or so it seems). It's great to have personal convictions, but not okay to down a brother or sister just because their convictions differ (and Romans 14 touches on this in further detail). What it ultimately boils down to is this: that the one thing that should bind all Christians together in love and unity is faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and now is the time, as unique as we all are in many ways, to try our best get along with one another; after all, we are going to be spending an eternity together in Heaven someday where the things we might have disagreed about here on Earth will no longer matter one bit, and we will be in true unity as we worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to infinity! And what a wonderful time that will be!

God bless all of you!!

 

[Christsfreeservant]

May I add a word of caution here? There are two basic ways we can look at the subject of unity. One way is through the eyes of humans, and the other is through God's eyes, from his perspective. Yes, the Bible has much to say about unity, but we need to emphasize that this is unity with Christ, with his Word, with his teachings, and with his ways.

So many people in the church and in the government are talking about unity these days, and in many cases are even forcing this unity, or are pressuring people into unifying with them, but it is unity with humans, with humanistic philosophy, and with human business marketing schemes, goals and objectives, and not necessarily with Christ or his teachings at all, or very little.

In fact, much of it is pressuring people into compromising their faith in Jesus Christ and their strong biblical convictions in order to join hands with the people of the world in singing "Kumbaya." And, this has been permeating much of today's modern church movement for some time. We are being taught to "stay in your own lane," and to not say anything that would offend anyone, including not teach the whole counsel of God, but to soft-pedal the gospel to make it more comfortable and acceptable to the people of the world. But, the Bible says the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.

Anyway, when someone talks about unity, just make sure that they are talking about unity with Christ, and not with human thinking, reasoning, values, or morals, etc. There is a big move underway right now by world powers, even within the church, to bring about a one-world religion where we accept all religions as viable, that all religions worship the same God, and that we accept sinful lifestyles as normal and good (moral). They want us to break down everything which divides us so that we all live at peace and harmony with each other. Well, the gospel divides, so according to them, it has to go.

So, we need to stand strong on the Word of Truth, and not compromise with the world or with worldly Christians who want to "make nice" with the world. We live in a time in history when we are being called to stand with Christ and with His Word or to compromise our faith for the sake of harmony and unity with all people. So, we need to follow Jesus' example here. He stood for what was right, and they killed him for it. We have to be willing to be hated, rejected, cast aside, falsely accused and even killed for the sake of Christ and his gospel message, and to follow Christ even if no one else does.