I'm part of the problem,
I confess,
But I gotta get this off my chest.
Let's extinguish the anguish
for which we're to blame,
and save the world
from going down in flames.
- Down in Flames, Relient K
Until recently I didn't understand how big fights and splits could happen in churches. It seems that I've been educated. How do you resolve such differences? How does God see these differences?
I know that in my particular case, both sides of the dis-agreement prayed for resolution. As far as I'm aware, both sides even prayed for conviction if what they where saying wasn't what God would want. Yet despite this prayer and many hours of face-to-face conversation a resolution could not be found. All we managed to do was barely 'agree-to-disagree'. Agreeing to disagree is fine if discussing politics or football, but in situations that are closer to home it doesn't solve anything.
Taking a step back from the situation, clearly one or both parties are acting in a way that isn't Godly. Clearly after prayer and discussion neither party believed that it was them. This has been taking up alot of my thinking time recently. Can good come out of these situations where no-one wins?
1 comments:
Hey mate, I've been caught in the middle of numerous church splits throughout my life.
Have a look at these two scriptures, both are titled "Christ brings division in the church"
Matthew 10
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’[e] 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 12
49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Actually, both of those chapters are really packed with good stuff.. Especially v54 onwards in Luke 12 it talks about discerning these times.
Make of it what you will
Blessings
Sammy
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