Being One

I recently read something on Facebook, which said, "Not going to church because there are hypocrites there is like not going to a gym because out of shape people go there."  I agree with the sentiment but I don't agree with the premise that hypocrites in the church are what really turns people away. I believe it is the hypocrisy of the churches themselves. 

What I mean is that churches advocate the first priority of love and then draw lines of fellowship between themselves and other churches. Unity in the Spirit is a major doctrine of churches across the board but then churches divine themselves by their distinctiveness or their points of division. 

Jesus, as he prepared to leave this world, prayed that not only his disciple at the time, but that all who called on him would be one so that we might be effective in carrying out the mission of the Gospel:  "...that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me" (John 17:23).  

And the unifying factor that would convince the world we are followers of Christ is the one thing not evidenced so much between churches and sometimes lacking within individual congregations is love. While we engage in "worship wars" and stand in judgment against other churches, Jesus says, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).

Love and unity of the Spirit are what will bring us together in Christ, not uniformity in doctrines or traditions or worship styles. We are not called to separate the wheat from the weeds (Matt 13:24-30).  We are not called to judge the faith of others at all: "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister" (Rom 14:13).

Perhaps we should stop trying to be spiritual judges and lawyers and policemen, and instead be witnesses as called. Jus' Sayn.