There are No Greeks, No Jews, etc (Part 3)

But more than that, my family in Christ will bless the goodness that I bestow by my allegiance, by my obedience, by my faith. God has given me a good family in Christ, He has given me brethren the world round so that I am never lonesome. There are no politics in this family, the basis of friendship is pure love. That is why totally different people can join hands and be friends and brethren, because of the one mouth and one heart they have in Christ.(Rom 15:5,6,1,23). God is the God of glory, of peace, of harmony and He and He alone can make me one with my brethren. It is He who gives me the heart to say “Grace be to you…” (1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:2; 2 Tim 1:1; Philemon 3; Rom 1:7). I can stand with my congregation in this blessing from God and the eldership, as the people of Israel did in 2 Chronicles 6:3 and in 1 Kings 8:14. I can truly walk with Jesus with my brethren and accept his blessings on all of us. (Luke 24:50)

With that grace, with that blessings on myself and my brethren, perhaps it becomes easier to heed the admonishment of Romans 14 and 15 because I am told to be like-minded to my brethren. By His patience and understanding I can do this. Where I work, it is often harder to get along with those in my office than out in the poultry plant we are supposed to regulate. Why? Because of politics. There are those who want to run the office differently and who want to impose regulations differently and therefore don’t understand how I can do what I do. But the plant personnel understand that my intention is not that they go down the hard way, but that they run what they wish to run while following the regulations that were not ordained by me but by the law set forth by Congress and the federal government. The church is the same way. Why don’t I get along with my brethren? When I am least likely to get along with them is the time that I am not willing to accept their differences and so have a political division with them. My theme: if you want to be like that fine, just don’t expect me to sanction it, and don’t expect me to do as you will. While there are some behaviors that Christ certainly does and doesn’t expect me to do, and while I am free to proceed whatever way I feel carries forth the cause of Christ and God the best, that is the key: it is how I feel or have considered which is the best course. There is a lot left up to opinion. And when I start imposing this on anyone, then I am as wrong as the Pharisees and am using the law as the be-all and end-all. --