Continuing the message, Pastor Obie asks, what should we do about disagreements and disappointments in the church body of Christ when they happen, so that it doesn’t end in division? The answer: Live in harmony. But, how do we live in harmony when individuals have different preferences and opinions? Pastor Obie gave us five tips on how. (1) live in harmony by following the four-step process of “the Matthew 18:15-20 Principe” of conflict resolution. Matthew 18:15-20 says, “if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Do not pass over the first three steps, not avoiding jumping to the fourth step and cancelling them out. Resolve and restore is the goal, not division. Working and getting through conflict and out the other side makes a relationship stronger.
(2) Live in harmony by diving deeper to discover the underlying reason “why” people think what they thought, said what they said or did what they did. What motivated them to get to that point? Understand this allows you to get a deeper understanding of who that person is. Division is the last resort. There is a cancer in society today called the “Cancel Culture”. This current ideology has made it acceptable that to silence the conflicting opposing opinion or view be the first default reaction, rather than the last. Cancel Culture kills any and all disagreeing outlook or belief. It kills relationships because it divides. It kills opportunities to grow also. Cancel Culture is one of the most damaging and destructive things that you can do. We need to cancel “Cancel Culture” from our lives. Do not run from conflicts because it is through them the uncomfortable and hard times that we grow and get stronger in our mind, will and emotions (aka our soul). Running from conflicts and trials robs us from that opportunity, so dive deeper to discover the underlying “Why”. Listen, learn and love. Listen to what others have to say. Open up your mind to learn more about them as a person. It turns your heart and gives you a greater capacity to love and have grace for them. People are so much more complicated than their preferences.
(3) Live in harmony by majoring in the major issues not majoring in the minors. Being so consumed by your minor issue preferences you can lose total focus of the major purpose of the church. The Apostle Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 1:13, “Is Christ divided? … of course not.” Do not fight over non-essential items. Christ is the main thing that unifies the church. We’ll be losing our focus on the major items of the faith because we are focusing on the non-essential items of the faith. There are primary issues of Christian doctrine (teachings) and there are secondary issues of doctrine. Make sure that the main thing remains the main thing. It’s okay to have preferences and enjoy one style over another, but when your preferences take priority and starts pulling people apart, then there is a big problem. Secondary preferences shouldn’t divide, because the church is a family of brothers and sisters in Christ. To leave a church family should be as painful and difficult as leaving your biological family. Church is not a Country Club or an Entertainment Venue but like a hospital where your spiritual needs are revealed, healed, and fulfilled and you serve to nurse others. Major in the core doctrinal issues and maintain them. The church is to be perfectly joined in one thought, mind and purpose. Objective truth must be tested against the Word of God because as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Let's conclude Pastor Obie's message on Harmony in the Christian church on the next post.
In Christ, Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment