By Reverend Don Boucher
UNITED IN LOVE
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The making of a universal Body of Christ is the hearts cry of God.
Paul said, "There is one body one Spirit, just as you are called to the
one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God
and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all." When
we look at the church today we can see lots of denomination or what I
call tribes in Christianity. There is a good deal of unity within each
one of these tribes. It is pretty easy to get together a bunch of
Charismatic types; it is not very hard to bring together folks from a
traditional Evangelical background, (Baptist, and Calvinistic kind of
folk). It is not even hard to bring together a Roman Catholic and an
Episcopalian today. Is this unity? Well, it is unity in kind. Birds of a
feather sticking together kind of thing.
Chuck Swindoll points out that people are inclined to universalize their
experiences. Everybody should speak in tongues! Everybody should
believe in the rapture of the church! Everybody should believe that
Jesus is present in the sacraments! These types of statements come
from people who want to take their spiritual experience and
universalize it for everyone. They may even be right about their
positions. However, if the church is going to be strong in the Lord and
his mighty power we are going to have to learn from each other. We
can only learn from each other if we Love each other.
There are three types of Christians as I see it. Beatitude kind of
Christians, Spiritual gifts kinds of Christians, and Doctrinal Christians.
Each of these parts of the Body reflect the Character of God. Each
evokes a certain type of image in our mind. Mother Theresa would be
characterized as a Beatitude kind of Christian, Pat Robertson of the
700 club could be characterized as a Spiritual Gifts kind of Christian,
and Jerry Farwell of Liberty University characterizes a doctrinal kind
of Christian. We need to have conferences where all three types come
together and love and appreciate each other.
It is not a new problem. In fact the tree of the gospels are written with
each of these in mind. Matthew for good works, Mark for powerful
spiritual gifts, and Luke to test the mind. Many people would be
surprised to learn that the church agrees on almost all the major
doctrines of faith. Especially the nature of God and the person of
Jesus Christ.
So why are we so loosely bound together? The problem is a Love
problem. We don't value the gift that we are to each other. The
church will continue to be adolescent in its approach to relationships
until we grow into the fullness of the faith. I Corinthians 12:25 says
God has so arranged the body, so "That there may be no dissensions
within the body, but the members may have care for one another, If
one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is
honored, all rejoice together with it."
Our failure to Love each other and appreciate each other's gifts leaves
us looking foolish and has a profound impact on people. People want
answers to their questions; they want answers to their prayers. I am
talking about real heart felt questions and heart felt prayer request.
They should also be able to anticipate a church that takes care of the
poor as a matter of routine and not as a matter of specialization.
I study Evangelical preachers so I can give an answer for the hope that
is within me with gentleness and meekness. Evangelical preachers are
good at providing these answers. People in my church routinely call
the 700 Club and many others are available to use the gifts that are
within them to pray great prayers full of faith on our behalf. It works,
we see God move and we appreciate that part of the Body. Mother
Theresa's work is reflected in the Sisters of Mercy and the Sister of
Charity who have risen up programs to take care of the homeless.
People's lives are affected by the Gospel because
of their work.
It excites me to access the wealth that is present in Christ's Church. It
is my personal desire to be a well-rounded mature Christian and to see
others come into that maturity as well. Recognizing our need for
others help is a good start, growing in Love for each other is the
ultimate reward.
1 Corinthians 13 says if I speak with tongues and have not Love I am
a clanging cymbal. That applies to the spiritual gifts people. It also
says that if understand mysteries and have all knowledge but have not
Love I am nothing. That applies to Evangelical teachers. If I give
away all my possessions to the poor I have not Love I continue to be
nothing. We need each other. We need each other in order to fully
understand the character of God. Being different is different from
being wrong. As one writer put it. "In essential unity, in non essential
liberty and in all things Love."
Paul said, "There is one body one Spirit, just as you are called to the
one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God
and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all." When
we look at the church today we can see lots of denomination or what I
call tribes in Christianity. There is a good deal of unity within each
one of these tribes. It is pretty easy to get together a bunch of
Charismatic types; it is not very hard to bring together folks from a
traditional Evangelical background, (Baptist, and Calvinistic kind of
folk). It is not even hard to bring together a Roman Catholic and an
Episcopalian today. Is this unity? Well, it is unity in kind. Birds of a
feather sticking together kind of thing.
Chuck Swindoll points out that people are inclined to universalize their
experiences. Everybody should speak in tongues! Everybody should
believe in the rapture of the church! Everybody should believe that
Jesus is present in the sacraments! These types of statements come
from people who want to take their spiritual experience and
universalize it for everyone. They may even be right about their
positions. However, if the church is going to be strong in the Lord and
his mighty power we are going to have to learn from each other. We
can only learn from each other if we Love each other.
There are three types of Christians as I see it. Beatitude kind of
Christians, Spiritual gifts kinds of Christians, and Doctrinal Christians.
Each of these parts of the Body reflect the Character of God. Each
evokes a certain type of image in our mind. Mother Theresa would be
characterized as a Beatitude kind of Christian, Pat Robertson of the
700 club could be characterized as a Spiritual Gifts kind of Christian,
and Jerry Farwell of Liberty University characterizes a doctrinal kind
of Christian. We need to have conferences where all three types come
together and love and appreciate each other.
It is not a new problem. In fact the tree of the gospels are written with
each of these in mind. Matthew for good works, Mark for powerful
spiritual gifts, and Luke to test the mind. Many people would be
surprised to learn that the church agrees on almost all the major
doctrines of faith. Especially the nature of God and the person of
Jesus Christ.
So why are we so loosely bound together? The problem is a Love
problem. We don't value the gift that we are to each other. The
church will continue to be adolescent in its approach to relationships
until we grow into the fullness of the faith. I Corinthians 12:25 says
God has so arranged the body, so "That there may be no dissensions
within the body, but the members may have care for one another, If
one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is
honored, all rejoice together with it."
Our failure to Love each other and appreciate each other's gifts leaves
us looking foolish and has a profound impact on people. People want
answers to their questions; they want answers to their prayers. I am
talking about real heart felt questions and heart felt prayer request.
They should also be able to anticipate a church that takes care of the
poor as a matter of routine and not as a matter of specialization.
I study Evangelical preachers so I can give an answer for the hope that
is within me with gentleness and meekness. Evangelical preachers are
good at providing these answers. People in my church routinely call
the 700 Club and many others are available to use the gifts that are
within them to pray great prayers full of faith on our behalf. It works,
we see God move and we appreciate that part of the Body. Mother
Theresa's work is reflected in the Sisters of Mercy and the Sister of
Charity who have risen up programs to take care of the homeless.
People's lives are affected by the Gospel because
of their work.
It excites me to access the wealth that is present in Christ's Church. It
is my personal desire to be a well-rounded mature Christian and to see
others come into that maturity as well. Recognizing our need for
others help is a good start, growing in Love for each other is the
ultimate reward.
1 Corinthians 13 says if I speak with tongues and have not Love I am
a clanging cymbal. That applies to the spiritual gifts people. It also
says that if understand mysteries and have all knowledge but have not
Love I am nothing. That applies to Evangelical teachers. If I give
away all my possessions to the poor I have not Love I continue to be
nothing. We need each other. We need each other in order to fully
understand the character of God. Being different is different from
being wrong. As one writer put it. "In essential unity, in non essential
liberty and in all things Love."