Monday, Nov. 26

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Monday

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  - James 4:1-3

Did you know that there are 82 different kinds of Baptist churches in North America?  (I think that is more than enough don’t you?)  Have you ever wondered why we have so many different churches and denominations in Christianity?   Now not every division is necessarily a bad thing.  Malcom Muggeridge once said that the wonderful diversity of Christian communities is like one army with many regiments.  Perhaps he has a point, but I have a hard time believing that all of the separations and divisions in the church are quite what Christ envisioned when He said that He would build His church (Matt. 18).

I remember reading a story about how one such division got started.  R.C. Horner was a Methodist minister in Canada during the late 19th century.  He was part of the Pentecostal, holiness movement in that denomination and was known for his bold and demonstrative sermons.  One evening, Rev. Horner was enthusiastically preaching at a revival meeting when his tie became wrapped around his hand. He concluded that the devil was trying to bind him in his preaching.  So he tore off his tie, threw it on the ground, stomped on it, and said that ties were from the devil.  From then on he taught that Christians ought never to wear ties, because they bound them in their Christian lives. Others disagreed, which led to quarrels, which led to division. Today in Canada, there is still a tieless sect of this  group called the “Hornerites.”

While I might personally sign a petition to ban neckties, I find it ridiculous and tragic that Christians would quarrel over such a trivial matter.  Sometimes, when serious doctrinal issues are at stake, division among professing Christians is demanded. If we compromise the gospel, we are no longer Christian in any meaningful sense of the word. But, sadly, all too often our divisions and quarrels are over trivial issues and petty disputes, not essentials.

In John 13:35, Jesus says, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  Notice that Jesus does not say the world will recognize us as His disciples if we obey Him, or talk about Him, and He certainly doesn’t say that the world will know we belong to Him if we will divide ourselves up! 

Think about that for just a moment...Jesus says (in effect) that one of the most important things we can do to communicate His love to the world is to love each other well!  Have you ever considered that the way you treat other Christians is actually a witness to the world?    This is what James is addressing in his letter to first century Christians.  James is showing them (and us) that when we fight, quarrel, and divide within the family of God, we are doing damage to ourselves, and to the reputation of the gospel!

Jeff Frazier