Why do Christians argue so violantly over trivial issues? If you really want to have a good laugh and be broken harted all at the same time go look at just about ANY youtube video that has something to do with Religion and there will be a whole slew of people ALLCAPS YELLING and slandering each other to prove thier point… This is most definately one of the top 10 most frusterating things I have delt with in the Christian church.
1Co 13:2 I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned —but if I have no love, this does me no good.
1Co 13:4 Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud;
1Co 13:5 love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs;
Jesus himself said this
Joh 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
I’ve always thought is was cool that he didn’t say things like: signs and wonders, abilty to move crowds with words, suits and ties, financial status, church status etc etc… But if I look a good portion of the church that I have delt with\ experienced I don’t really see love for one another or “always considering others better than yourselves.” Php 2:3
There are many many more scriptures to be used on the matter so feel free to post some more. Or disagree for that matter! BUT NO ALLCAPS YELLING ZOMG!?!
I’ll give an example here is a conversation between two people concerning a Bethel video on www.Youtube.com
Apologist117 says: The people at Bethel are worldly, materialistic and superficial. Modern Evangelicalism is marked by designer clothing and all forms of impiety. They live for themselves and are just looking for something to entertain them and make them feel good. They are not serious about God. The newer generation thinks this is normal and Christian because it’s all they’ve ever known. They have no sense of history and authentic otherworldly Christianity.
ibetheltv replys with: So you must know these people you are talking about since you talk with such authority and decisiveness. Since I do, I know one thing…. you don’t.
They are VERY serious about God, they live only to please Him. I pray that you become hungry for more, that God will fill the void with a genuine relationship with himself.
Apologist117 says: You are inpressed by people like this because you don’t know any better. These kind of people are not dead to the world, flesh and devil. We know how they are because of how they live (for themselves). You will never reach your full spiritual potential if you listen to people and pseudo-churches like Bethel. They are materialistic and know nothing about self-crucifiction and death to the lower carnal man.
That just screams love doesn’t it!! Oh wait, No It doesn’t….
Sometimes Love is willingness to be wrong without defense.
I Corinthians 13 is my favorite chapter in the whole Bible; it’s loaded with truth, purpose, explanation, and guidance. I like that you quoted from that chapter.
I wonder if you took a pole of how many people would actually think I was loving…probably not too many. Maybe the reason I like the Corinthians chapter is because it yells at me what I really lack and need in my life. It’s like the chapter is in All Caps, but not really. And in all my arrogance, I am striving to be willing to be wrong without defense, but that is definitely not my strong suit. I often feel like Peter who gets the occasional, “Get thee behind me Satan!” when I open my mouth. Still, as of recent God has shown me more and more how to “Put childish things behind me” regardless of how muddy the glass is. I fear that so often I take this great gift of Love that I have been given, and squander it. I pray the Lord continue to help me and never stop loving me with His crazy, stupid, abundant, ridiculous, passionate, never failing, etc… love.
I’m smiling and thinking SWEET in all caps….
I could be wrong but I think it was Wes King (Christian singer) who said (in reference to boycotting Disney’s Alladin way back in the day): “Let us show them we are Christians by our Love, not our boycotts.”
Lets show them by our love, not our yelling, infighting, pettiness, “muddy glass” (thanks Drew), limited vision, or unhealed wounds.
I know all about the unhealed wounds part. Unhealing makes you want love so bad that you destroy everyone around you trying to get it. Then out of your wounds you hate everyone for “letting you down” by not providing the love that you worked so hard to get. You cycle between relationships, churches, jobs, whatever… all being motivated by the Big Black Hole in your heart that only God could fill in the first place. Addictions begin to manifest out of deep-rooted rejection and eventually you become so full of guile that your own mother wouldn’t have you. At least that’s what I’ve heard anyway….
Galatians 5:14-16 (New Living Translation)
14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. 16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
There are many other versus about loving one another:
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=love%20one%20another&version1=51&searchtype=any&bookset=2&limit=bookset
and several versus about loving your enemies:
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=love+enemies&searchtype=all&version1=51&bookset=2
but Galatians 5:15 always comes to mind when I see the nasty comments at the bottom of a YouTube video….I think its the “biting and devouring” part that brings this verse to mind.
The problem is that we are all so tempted to join right in because of the cravings of our sinful nature. This is not typically a problem of the ‘church’ as an organization but it primarily is just a problem at the individual level…each member of the body of Christ has to do our part. Let us pray that God will help each of us to be responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit before we hit ‘Submit Comment’ and that our future comments would echo the love that we have experienced from God.
Blessings, BoB
PS – Even criticism and disagreement can be delivered in love…its mostly about the tone