I was discussing earlier today with a good friend of mine some differences in church doctrines. It seems that we get so caught up on the little things that we allow walls to be built up between us as Christians. We forget the true tasks at hand: worship God and reach others for Jesus Christ. We must focus on these tasks that are of the utmost importance and agree to disagree on the things that are not (Phil. 1:27 ).
Are you a Christian? If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ then you are my brother or sister; we are united in one family. Now we may choose to worship different, we may listen to different music, we may even interpret some things in different ways; let us face it we are humans and we know in part (1Cor. 13:12) and we simply are not always going to get it right. The important thing is we have faith in Jesus Christ and His death, burial and resurrection. We get so caught up on the trivial things that we lose sight of the fact that people are dying and going to Hell all around us.
What would happen if we were unified as believers? I am not saying that we all go to the same church, or that we all hold to one set of doctrinal beliefs. I am saying what if we would all lay aside our differences and truly seek to reach the lost? What if we did not put so much emphasis on converting more people to our denomination and started winning souls for Jesus Christ? Just think if a whole city of churches worked together for this common goal of reaching people for Jesus and did not concern themselves with church numbers or affiliation, it would make such an impact for the kingdom of God in that City. Now what if we would all follow suite?
How many people would come to know Jesus if they saw the walls of denominations fall (not the destruction of denominations) and true Christian love ignited (John 13:35 ). What if our desire was to see people get saved no matter where they chose to go to church? We do not have to worship the same way, we do not have to sing the same songs, we do not have to follow traditions the same; we are different people. Sometimes I like to shout amen, some people do not and that is ok. We will express our worship differently; the important thing is we are worshiping Jesus Christ. Paul told the Corinthians that he determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1Cor. 2:2); what if we would do the same!
I am thankful that I fellowship and share prayer request often with Christians friends of many denominations. Some of my closest friends have different doctrinal beliefs then I do, but we serve the same Jesus; we do not concern ourselves with the little things. Even when we discuss our differences, we try to do so without arguments and anger; sometimes we just have to agree to disagree about the issues of less importance. God has begun to break down some of these walls in my life; I hope you will let Him do the same in yours.
Let us worship God together, let us pray together, let us lay aside our differences and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ together; so that we can make an impact on our world for Him. Then we can go home and spend eternity together; there Jesus will wipe away all of our earthly misconceptions.
