The Gathering of Believers Part 7
Romans 7:14-25 paints a vivid picture of the believer's struggle with sin. Yet, amidst this conflict, a beacon of hope shines. Victory is not only possible but it is also guaranteed when we align ourselves with God's interpretation. This principle can transform our understanding of denominational differences and lead us towards unity. With this hope of victory fixed in our minds, let us consider the topic before us.
Church Traditions or God's Blessings
My interactions with fellow believers who profess to follow Jesus Christ often reveal a steadfast belief in the inevitability of defeat regarding denominational differences. This belief becomes apparent when I suggest that God's desire is for all His people to be of one accord, and the resistance I face is significant. The harmony within a denomination is often given precedence over the divisions between them. I believe the primary reason for this willing disobedience to God is the belief that everyone is entitled to their own interpretation.
Let us remember one of the darkest periods in Israel's history, the time of the judges. Their moral and spiritual decline, which ultimately led to the plea for a king like all the other nations, was rooted in the final verse of Judges 21:25. "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." This verse is a stark reminder of the consequences when everyone chooses their interpretation as if God were not the author of His book.
Church Traditions or God's Blessings result in rebellion or obedience.
A tradition or custom is a belief that results in action that forms a habit and, finally, a loyalty to that way of life. God's blessings result in character building. An example would be, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:3. The blessing of which Jesus speaks is a poverty of soul, which results from God giving men an accurate understanding of their spiritual condition. It is their character resulting from the grace of God that gives men the ability to live in God's kingdom.
The person who believes they have a right to their interpretation of God's word is not poor in spirit but proud. John further admonishes us in 1 John 2:15-17, "Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever."
The world's philosophy is that there is only one God, even though it is made up of many religions and beliefs, each with a different god. In other words, the world believes what it wants, whether reasonably or not. We are commanded to reject worldly philosophy by not loving it. The contrast is stark: The person who loves the world does not have a love for the Father within him; therefore, neither does the Father's love flow through him. The result of not loving the Father is to love one's lusts, desires, and selfish pride. The worldly philosophy of which John speaks can be found in church traditions as opposed to God's blessings.
Adherence to Church traditions or God's Blessings results from fleshly or spiritual living.
Paul contrasts these two very different ways of life by saying, "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" Galatians 5:13-16. Would we not call something that separates brethren so they will not worship together fleshly and worldly?
The person who places his beliefs above his brother places himself above his brother. Love is always humble; it is never proud. It always puts the other person first. In our context, the person who must be first is God. When we put him first, we will observe our errors, depart from them, and believe, like the brother who also believes what God meant by what He said. In this way, we will move from separation to willing gatherers for worship.
Lastly, spiritual living never fulfills the desires of the flesh; instead, it walks by the Spirit of the living God. The choice is yours! Fulfill your fleshly desires by following the teachings of men and their institutions, or receive God's blessing by making Him king and rejecting what is right in your own eyes. Church traditions or God's blessings, you choose.
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