June 22, 2009
Splinters
Our paper reported that two weeks ago a local congregation split off from their denomination. While many people of faith are saddened when congregations divide, God may very well view the situation as an opportunity - for both the old and the new congregations. Normally we wouldn’t consider church-division as being church-planting, but that’s exactly what is taking place. If the splinter group were to walk away from the Lord and abandoned worship altogether, then believers everywhere should indeed grieve the loss. In reality however, those who’ve split are starting another church and simply multiplying the Kingdom of God. This is a time of rejoicing, not grieving.
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Gail;
-----Any rejoicing in the division of a body must also be accompanied by some remorse. The reason a split happens is because the human nature to disagree with one another has defeated the godly nature to agree with one another. Even though a new church is started, a division will be perpetuated between it and the old. Then, in order for the division to continue, Scripture must be denied, for division is unscriptural.
-----It is the combination of egocentrism, impatience, and the lack of spiritual vision that entreats division to resolve issues. The Bible teaches us to look to the interests of others as well as those of our own, but the egocentrism of human nature looks to our own interests. The Bible teaches us not to demand our own way, but egocentrism insists our own way is correct. It focuses upon the necessity to hold well defined and particular ideas, although the Bible assures that we only see dimly as in a mirror.
-----In the incompleteness of this life is opportunity. The tough issue seems to have no resolution, yet it always has one. It is merely incomplete in our knowledge. God always knows the solution immediately, but man must discover and understand it over time. So, the Bible teaches patience, while human nature wants it now. Instead of setting the problem aside and waiting in unity for a solution to emerge from wisdom and knowledge, impatience sets unity aside, and the opportunity for something new and more mature is missed.
-----What has been forgotten is that the power, strength, and solutions Jesus Christ delivers to us are found in the kingdom for which we must first search. Paul was emphatic that the kingdom is not food or drink, that is, it is not whether you should eat or drink this or do or not do that, but it is doing right, having peace, and being joyful in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14:17) The nature of the new life is love, which is about the well being of the one loved. Since the one loved also has a personal life with the Lord, love will not seek to interject our own ways and definitions into it. Love will simply look to do what is right for the one loved in the light of his relationship with the Lord, not in that of our own. So when we can see spiritually enough to know we can not demand our own ways from or for another, we can then see spiritually enough to do right to another in ways that will serve him. This effort is what makes for peace. And this peace is real because it is from neither the defeat of another nor the departure from another, but rather from serving the other. When getting back to the basics of love has brought this peace, there is great joy.
-----But in the meantime, before our wisdom and understanding can mature enough to find solutions providing unity, we must remember that unity is more important than problems, peace is more important than being victorious in a dispute, and there is plenty of joy in our eternal destiny. Never does a problem so need a solution today that division must be the answer. This only averts the search for the kingdom. We must remember that the basics of our love are in serving one another. And if we hold to those basics, we will always do right by one another, and thereby, will always be assured that we are on the path to finding the kingdom and truly pleasing the Lord.
-----If there were any rejoicing in the division of His people, it is only in the immeasurable depth of His mercy to overlook our failures to patiently find the real solutions and impatiently grasp the false ones. Although He would rather have everyone doing right, being peaceful, and having joy together, He will mercifully take these doing it here and those doing it over there, even as shameful as it is.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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