Evaluating 40 Days of Community

[*NOTE: Quotes from the 40 Days of Community Workbook are blockquoted.]

"We're Chosen to Fellowship Together...By Getting Along With Each Other."

"I beg you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be real harmony so that there won't be splits in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose" (1 Cor 1:10, LB).

Arguing certainly can become counter-productive if not done in the right spirit. It would be best to have discussion (even if it is heated because both sides believe strongly in their views) where both sides listen to each other, but also where truth is being sought and not simply support for each parties' differing world views. We are told by Jude "...I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 3, NASB). However, when it comes to our interactions with others, Paul reminds us through his exhortation to Timothy that:

"The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will" (2 Tim 2:24-26, NASB).

Those that know the truth can actually feel so right that they become proud and therefore not communicate with the love and grace that Jesus had shown them all those years that they themselves were in error and in the clutches of the devil. We need to continue to keep Jesus' words to the church of Ephesus in the forefront of our minds as we earnestly contend for the faith:

"I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent" (Rev 2:2-5, NASB).

Jesus' command to those of the church of Ephesus is close to my heart, and I pray that it always remains that way. I never want to lose my first love, which is in the person and work of Jesus Christ and His mercy for others. I find that reminding myself that I once believed the same errors for so many years before I came to repentance helps me to interact with people as Jesus would have me to do. I must constantly remember that I am a sinner who has many times violated all of God's commandments and have not followed in His will, yet God had patience with me, knowing that I would come to repentance. I have this same hope for others, the hope described of love in 1 Cor 13:7, yet I am acutely aware of the ramifications of continuing in error and unrepentance and pray that God would accomplish His perfect will through the Word that is spoken. Speaking the truth in love is a balancing act, but it comes out of a heart of love for others. It is not the kind of love that fails to speak where necessary, but it also knows when to allow the person to walk away. We cannot force people to believe the truth, but we can only warn them and try to help them to see. If we are also in error, wouldn't we want others to warn us and help us to see also?

"I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see" (Rev 3:18, NASB).

Concerning the Living Bible paraphrase that Rick Warren has chosen for 1 Cor 1:10, it unfortunately distorts the true meaning of this passage and makes it sound like it is supporting the works-based unity that Rick Warren is promoting and not the unity of the Spirit which is based upon sound doctrine. In the NASB, we see that Paul says "that you all agree" and that we "be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment." Is it possible that we could all agree and not just agree to disagree? I believe that this is what Paul is actually stating here. If we all loved the truth and desired to be freed from the false doctrines we have been taught in the past through the renewing of our minds by the washing of the Word, then we could all come to agreement. However, there are those who of their own choice are blinded and do not seek to know the truth and be made free. This is why Paul says a little later:

"For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you" (1 Cor 11:19, NASB).

Yes, Paul says "must." The word translated factions actually means heresies in the Greek. It is false doctrine that divides, and unfortunately the false teachings being spread by Rick Warren are dividing the church and creating a false unity centered around works instead of the truth of God's living and active Word.

Stop trying to win arguments.

How, then, am I to earnestly contend for the faith? We don't contend for the sake of winning an argument, but rather for the sake of sharing the truth since the Bible says that "the truth will set you free" (John 8:32b, NASB). Debate and holding forth the truth is to tear down speculations and imaginations that prevent people from knowing God as He has revealed Himself to be (2 Cor 10:5).

Argument:

1. A discussion in which disagreement is expressed.
2. A course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating truth or falsehood.

Contend:

1. To strive in opposition or against difficulties; struggle.
2. To strive in controversy or debate; dispute.

When you find yourself in an argument with other believers ... Let mercy guide your response (Prov 3:3-6). In a conflict, most of us say we only want what's fair, but God's approach isn't about being fair. It's about grace and mercy (Rom 5:8).

Surely, we must respond with mercy in the same way that God had mercy on us: "Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?" (Matt 18:33, NASB). When the slave who owed much to his master asked for mercy and his master forgave him completely, should this slave not also have offered the same grace to the one who owed him a much lesser amount when he asked for mercy? Proverbs 3:3 in the NASB says "Do not let kindness and truth leave you." We read in John 1:17b (NASB): "...grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." While we must be gracious to one another, there must be truth. If there is not truth, can you have just grace?

When you find yourself in an argument with other believers ... Let God determine the truth (2 Cor 13:8). ... Truth is what God says it is; he is the lone authority for interpreting any situation (2 Cor 10:5).

I concur with Rick's statement above, although I'm not sure how he is trying to apply 2 Cor 13:8 here and he is misapplying 2 Cor 10:5 (although this is an excellent scripture). In 2 Cor 13, the apostle Paul is urging the Corinthians to do what is right even though it may appear that Paul and the apostles have failed the test by correcting them (referring to the test of true faith, 2 Cor 13:5: is Jesus Christ in you?). Perhaps the Corinthians thought that Paul should only have mercy on them... Then Paul says in the 10th verse that he writes these things while he is absent so that they might have time to repent so that when he arrives he might not have to deal harshly with them. Remember the merciful master in Matt 18:23-35 who forgave the large debt of the first slave? That same merciful master threw the first slave into prison to be tortured until he repaid back all he owed. The moral of the story is in Matt 18:35 (NET): "So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart."

2 Cor 10:5-6 (NASB) says: "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete." Wow! Paul makes some strong statements here. Rick applied this as "[God] is the lone authority for interpreting any situation" yet Paul here is so convinced of the truth that he destroys speculations and lofty things, and is ready to punish all disobedience! Part of the job of the Christian is to tear down speculations and imaginations that prevent people from knowing and understanding God as He has revealed Himself to be. We are to renew our minds so that we are depending upon Him and not on the ways of people. Interesting also how Paul says that he is ready to punish all disobedience for those who have profess to repent and believe the gospel. Paul is calling us to a serious faith.

Concerning Jesus who came in mercy and truth, we also see something instructive for us in how Jesus responded to the Pharisees who were offended when Jesus rebuked them. When the disciples asked Jesus if He knew that the Pharisees were offended by His statements, He replied "Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit" (Matt 15:12-14, NASB). Those who listened received mercy; but to those who consistently refused to acknowledge the truth, Jesus rebuked and left alone.

(... continued in the post for Day 19b)