Is This What We Look Like?
February 1st, 2008 | by tom |
I was reading an article today in which Former President Jimmy Carter was speaking to about 9000 people at the “New Baptist Convent Celebration” in Atlanta. He was speaking in reference to Baptist’s letting their differences go, over what I call “silly” theological differences. He makes a very strong statement, and something I am very passionate about. This is a quote from his speech…
“My wife Rosalynn and I have visited more than 125 different nations since we left the White House, and we and our hosts have had many discussions about religion,” Carter said. “Among the unsaved people on earth, what is the prevailing image of Christians today?
“It’s not the dedicated and inspired work of our missionaries. It’s not the great preaching of Billy Graham or others who inspire people. It’s the image of divisions among brothers and sisters in Christ as we struggle for authority or argue about the interpretation of individual verses in the Holy Scriptures.”
Ouch!…Unfortunately this is the world view of the “Church”. Aren’t we supposed to be different than the world? This reality seems to show that we are no different than the unsaved.
He goes on with these questions…
“How many believe that we are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ?” Carter asked. “How many believe that like the early Christians we should put aside our deeply felt personal differences and work in unity to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ? You see the distinction between those kinds of questions. We should remember which are the most important.”
Isn’t this what it’s all about? I think if we truly believe that we are saved by grace, and really realize the love that this gigantic God that we serve has for us, we would be so humbled that these differences over selfish opinions and ego building rif-raf would fade away. And at that point we could not help but to love others. And in loving others not only would we be less likely to argue over these differences in opinion on theology or what ever the issue may be. People would really be able to differentiate between what they have and what we have in Christ. After all, What is appealing about this bickering that is going on in our churches? How are we going to be able to show people who Christ is, if this is what they see? They can get that at home! They already have that! The only way people are going to come to know Christ, is to see it, firsthand. This starts with us, the “Church”.
What can we do to encourage this Christlike attitude? Can it be done? Or has it gone to far?
but this was an AWESOME post honey! And AMEN to all of it. I want so much...
