Issue 1560 – Different – September 26, 2024
Canada geese were everywhere, and the flock was huge. One lonely exception was visible among the hundreds of Canadas. It was a white-fronted goose. That lone goose had opted to travel with a flock of different species and seemed entirely accepted by them.
In a similar way, no matter where we travel in the world, no matter how great the outward appearances, we can find a fellowship of Christians to worship with and celebrate with. We might look different, our languages might be different, and our form of worship very different, but we all have true fellowship with the Holy Spirit in common.
The presence of the Holy Spirit can enable us to worship together even if we don’t speak the same language. Many years ago, I was blessed to worship with an underground church in a country that had outlawed Christianity. We had some common ground because of an interpreter. Our group sang praise songs in English, and the small church sang other songs in their local dialect. We did not understand their words, nor they ours, but we still managed to worship together.
A similar thing happened in South Africa in the summer of 2004. We listened to a group of Zulu people worshipping and singing in their own language. We did not understand then, but the presence of the Spirit connected us.
Christ made each of us different, and we can celebrate those differences. Yet, when we become His, we can still connect in a supernatural way. The true body of believers is the true church. God’s Word has given us some pretty clear instructions about living holy lives and about how we should interact with others in the body.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:5-17
We are called to be peacemakers in the body. That does not mean we are called to fellowship with churches that teach another gospel (and there are many of those), although we must love the people in those churches and share the truth with them.
It means we must tear down the walls between reformed, evangelical, charismatic, and other churches of various denominations (and non-denominational groups). Most of our differences are on non-essential things.
We are one church seeking to serve one God and bring His good news to a hurting world. We can best accomplish this when we celebrate our differences and work together.
Until next time, may you be a peacemaker and a bridge builder in the kingdom of Christ.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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