It has become very apparent over these last few days that there are deeply entrenched camps within the Christian world. If you didn’t already know this it should have been obvious with the reaction over recent issues. Not looking to rehash any of that. But I am going to pose a few questions and thoughts that I hope would help all of us.
In the dialog of debate it is very common for both sides to get passionate. Religion strikes to the core of what most of us hold dear. So obviously when topics involving our strongest convictions get discussed we rally to our cause. Which is a good thing! I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m always leery of someone who waffles. In certain areas of my life I waffle for fear of upsetting the apple cart. It is the part of me that I most detest but not for the reason many would think. I wish in certain areas I would choose a hill to die on.
During the dialog of recent debate everything from “you’re unregenerate” to “repent and get saved” got thrown around with impunity. These are phrases that really, again, strike at many of our deepest held convictions. Both sides were guilty. I was guilty, maybe not in word, but certainly in thought. It was often in the flurry of comments when I most desperately wanted my way. And that’s where the spiritual battle was lost. It’s never about “my way” and the only “hill to die” on is Golgotha.
Recently I had a conversation with my daughters about us adopting a child. Wanting to gauge where my kids were at I asked them both “What would you think?”. My youngest (6) looked up from lunch and said “I would love someone else to play with”. My oldest (9) looked over at her sister with a grimaced look and then back to me and said “I don’t want to hear anybody else call you Daddy or tell you that they love you”. Isn’t this the way we are in our relationship with God. We sometimes get very selfish with who we allow to interact with our Father. We stubbornly close the door and say “You don’t know how to love him like I do. You’re not allowed in. I don’t want to share him.” I wonder how much we miss out on by not allowing others to show us the richness of their relationship.
In my life I’ve learned things in the most unlikely of situations. With people I absolutely despised I learned to give grace. With people who frustrated me beyond pale I learned patience. With people who made me fearful I learned trust. I suspect that if we all evaluated what God used to craft us we would have similar stories. So in the dialog of debate let’s not assume that the person on the other side of the internet connection is not being used by God to form us.
What if…
We committed to trusting that God was really in control of all of this? Even the stuff we don’t like.
We committed to learning before teaching? Even with the stuff we think is wrong.
We committed to praying before preaching? Even when someone slams our opinion.
We committed to unity before critique? Even when we think their is no common ground between us.
Some may say this is another slick way of saying “Can’t we all just get along?”. To which I respond “Yep”. In scripture disunity was one of things that characterized being far from God and was proof that the enemy was winning. I suspect the world is the watching.
Grace and Peace.
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17 Comments(+Add)
Amen, brother!
I continue to assert that I have much to learn…so much.
Lord, evermore give me a teachable spirit.
Amen, Chris.
Perhaps this is why Jesus stressed the virtue of humility so often. Humility, I think, is something many Christians could learn to practice.
On a different note, I couldn’t help but notice you say you are thinking about adoption. How cool! I am continually amazed at how God is raising up families to care for the orphans of our world. If you need to chat with someone please drop me a line anytime. As you may know that is a topic I am passionate about.
peace,
Chad
Amen, Chris.
I agree with you about the thought thing. My thoughts were full of anger towards so many people during these last few days. May God have mercy on me!
What bothers me still is the meagre response I got when asking everybody to pitch in to bring reconciliation. I think I am not that surprised but still… it is an issue for me. I sent both Richard and Ken emails asking them to reconcile and suggesting a way to it but got no response thus far. Perhaps my emails got lost in all the other 1000’s that probably clogg their inboxes. I am still hopeful and praying. Richard did give an indication that he would be willing to have a conversation with Ken on the other thread (Of Poxes and Houses… comment #125) after I made an appeal to reconciliation (comment #119).
P.S. Can somebody help! I cannot post any comments when my laptop is connected to the internet at the office, but it works fine when connected through my mobile phone modem. Email me at eugene@impetus.co.za if you can help. Dankie. Julle is ‘n klomp bakgat ouens!
Passionate may be an understatement! Hey Chad, you’re still the best…
Chris,
Amen and Amen.
I had grown very weary of the whole KS and AM saga a long time ago.
Eugene-
Careful, you might make me blush.
It will go fine with your saffron robes…
LOL!
I think in light of recent discussions, this post articulates something we can all take a lesson from.
Thanks
It seems disingenious when you post something about unity when you stirred the pot more with your post:
IPOWER and Ken Silva
Where you throw out the “possibility” that Ken created the whole scenario himself and questioned his integrity in reporting that he had been contacted by IPower
Which resulted in 231 comments and people ungraciously arguing with each other and more grandstanding and posturing by both sides.
So excuse me if i question if you really desire unity between the two camps because of the nature and the circumstances that prompted the creation of this website.
I understand and know that we all have our own biases but it is clear where yours lay. In this situation with Ken, no one is without blame nor responsibility.
I will wait and see if you just speak of unity or your actions prove it as well
CHRIS: Religion strikes to the core of what most of us hold dear. So obviously when topics involving our strongest convictions get discussed we rally to our cause.
RA: Chris, thanks for the article. I agree 100%. I appreciated it.
At this point I simply want to make one thing PERFECTLY clear. To me, this was/is NOT about “religion.” I have no problems discussing religion — it’s what I do for a living.
To me this issue is about other problems within the Body of Christ. The article about which I complained was just an example, a catalyst for change. It had NOTHING to do with my religious, doctrinal, theological, or biblical views. An article dealing with such issues would have been completely acceptable. But in truth, the article was/is a personal attack. THAT was/is the issue. THAT was/is my complaint.
There is one thing, and one thing only, that such an article was/is designed to do — i.e., ruin my personal/professional reputation as a trustworthy Christian author. And THAT is not what apologetics/discernment, or even blogging, should be about.
I wanted to make thes clear so people would know that I am all for discussing religion, doing it calmly, lovingly, rationally, thoughtfully, respectfully, and with gentleness and love. There is no argument there from me.
R. Abanes
Well Sam it could be disingenious if you don’t look at from the perspective that 1) I was convicted of where my heart was during the whole conversation about RA and KS or 2) That accountability is not on the same line as unity.
My statements about my post were pretty clear. I’ve got a clean conscious about my motivations in posting that article. My thoughts about people who were commenting on that article were not edifying. Of which I repented to God for.
Hope that clears up my heart in the matter.
Eugene, I too find it sad that reconciliation is obviously not the first priority.
I also find it sad that articles like this don’t get very much response. This is the kind of article I appreciate the most.
It’s always good to remember that God does not play favorites. He loves the dirtiest criminal just as much as he loved Abraham or Joseph. So when it comes down to a huge “battle” between Christians, neither side is going to find more favor in God’s eyes than the other. The best way to go about finding favor with God is to be humble and put the other side first. “Blessed are the peacemakers . . .” I don’t think Jesus would be too impressed with battles between Zealots and Pharisees.
I have been privately emailed and asked to show on blogs I frequent, where/what I am doing now for God’s kingdom. I submit:
Eckhart Tolle and Oprah Winfrey (also see my blog posts on Oprah at http://richardabanes.wordpress.com/ ).
R. Abanes
Sam,
Not one person has questioned whether Ken was contacted… we question whether he needed to delete his old site… funny thing is the questionable post is not at the new site…
We see that Ken may have made much more an issue with this than he needed and used it to promote himself while claiming it was RIchard’s fault. Now, Richard did have a part in it… yet this whole thing was way overblown and Ken created something to be much bigger than it was.
I deleted a post on one of my sites just yesterday as the guy asked me to to since it was causing some issues… It was a post that was all in fun and not meant to be malicious… yet, since it was harming him, I deleted it.
Ken could have rewritten or deleted the one post and none of this would have been necessary.
iggy
Guys..don’t turn this forum in to another “Ken did this, Richard did this”. Let’s just bask in grace and forgiveness.
Love grace!!
Love forgiveness!!
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
RAbanes