Christianity Oasis Forum

[freerangeloon]

I wasn't sure where to post this so picked this place! (wasn't the bit I was looking for today but I was nudged to post it anyway
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Life Aboard the Fellow-Ship

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do.
Romans 14:1 MSG

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring
praise to God. Romans 15:7 NIV

Grace makes three proclamations.
First, only God can forgive my godlessness. "Only God can forgive sins"
(Mark 2:7) Dealing with my sins is God's responsibility. I repent, I
confess, but only God can forgive. (And He does)
Second, only God can judge my neighbor. "You cannot judge another person's
servant. The master decides if the servant is doing well or not" (Rom 4:4)
dealing with my neighbor is God's responsibility. I must speak; I must
pray. But only God can convict (convince) (And He does).
Third, I must accept who God accepts. "Christ accepted you, so you should
accept each other, which will bring glory to God"(Rom 15:7) God loves me
and makes me his child. GOd loves my neighbor and makes him my brother. My
privilege is to complete the triangle, to close the circuit by loving who
God loves.
Easier said then done. "To live above with those we love, oh, how that will
be glory. To live below with those we know, now that's another story."
Best I can figure the situation read something like this...

Rocking the Boat
God has enlisted us in his navy and placed us on his ship. The boat has one
purpose--to carry us safely to the other shore.
This is no cruise ship; it's a battleship. We aren't called to a life of
leisure; we are called to a life of service. Each of us has a different
task. Some, concerned with those who are drowning, are snatching people
from the water. Others are occupied with the enemy, so they man the cannons
of prayer and worship. Still others devote themselves to the crew, feeding
and training the crew members.
Though different, we are the same. Each can tell of a personal encounter
with the captain, for each has received a personal call. he found us among
the shanties of the seaport and invited us to follow him. Our faith was
born at the sight of his fondness, and so we went.
We each followed him across the gangplank of his grace onto the same boat.
There is one captain and one destination. Though the battle is fierce the
boat is safe, for our captain is God. The ship will not sink. For that,
there is no concern.
There is concern however, regarding the disharmony of the crew. When we
first boarded we assumed the crew was made up of others like us. But as
we've wandered these decks, we've encountered curious converts with curious
appearances. Some wear uniforms we've never seen, sporting styles we've
never witnessed. "Why do you look the way you do?" we ask them.
"Funny," they reply. "We were about to ask the same of you."
The variety of dress is not nearly as disturbing as the plethora of
opinions. There is a group, for example, who clusters every morning for
serious study. They promote rigid discipline and somber expressions.
"Serving the captain is serious business," they explain. It's no
coincidence that they tend to congregate around the stern.
There is another regiment deeply deovted to prayer. Not only do they
believe in prayer, they believe in prayer by kneeling. For that reason you
always know where to locate them; they are at the bow of the ship.
An then there are a few who staunchly believe real wine should be used in
the Lord's Supper. You'll find them on the port side.
Still another group has positioned themselves near the engine. They spend
hours examining the nuts and bolts of the boat. They've been known to go
below deck and not come up for days. They are occasionally criticized by
those who linger on the top deck, feeling the wind in their hair and the sun
on their face. "It's not what you learn," those topside argue. "It's what
you feel that matters."
And, oh, how we tend to cluster.
Some think once you're on the boat, you can't get off. Others say you'd be
foolish to go overboard, but the choice is yours.
Some believe you volunteer for service; others believe you were destined for
the service before the ship was ever built.
Some predict a storm of great tribulation will strike before we dock;
others say it won't hit until we are safely ashore.
There are those who speak to the captain in a personal lauguage. There are
those who think such languages are extinct.
There are those who think the officers should wear robes, there are those
who think there should be no officers at all, and there are those who think
we are all officers and should all wear robes.
And, oh, how we tend to cluster.
And then there is the issue of the weekly meeting at which the captain is
thanked and his words are read. All agree on its importance, but few agree
on it's nature. Some want it loud, others quiet. Some want ritual, others
spontaneity. Some want to celebrate so they can meditate; others meditate
so they can celebrate. Some want a meeting for those who've gone overboard.
Others want to reach those overboard but without going overboard and
neglecting those onboard.
And, oh, how we tend to cluster.
The consequence is a rocky boat. There is trouble on deck. Fights have
broken out. Sailors have refused to speak to each other. There have even
been times when one group refused to acknowledge the presence of others on
the ship. Most tragically, some adrift at sea have chosen not to board the
boat because of the quarreling of the sailors.
"What do we do?" we'd like to ask the captain. "How can there be harmony
on the ship?" We don't have to go far to find the answer.
On the last night of his life Jesus prayed a prayer that stands as a citadel
for all Christians:

I pray for these followers, but I am also praying for all those who will
believe in me because of their teaching. Father, I pray that they can be
one. As you are in me and I am in you, I pray that they can also be one in
us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. (John 17:20)

How precious are these words. Jesus, knowing the end is near, prays one
final time for his followers. Striking, isn't it, that he prayed not for
their success, their safety, or their happiness. He prayed for their unity.
He prayed that they would love each other.
As he prayed for them, he also prayed for "those who will believe because of
their teaching." That means us! In his last prayer Jesus prayed that you
and I be one.

Of all the lessons we can draw from this verse, don't miss the most
important. Unity matters to God. The Father does not want his kids to
squabble. Disunity disturbs him. Why? Because "all people will know that
you are my followers if you love each other" (John 13:35) Unity creates
belief. How will the world believe that Jesus was sent by God? Not if we
agree with each other. Not if we solve every controversy. Not if we are
unanimous on each vote. Not if we never make a doctrinal error. But if we
love one another.
Unity creates belief. Disunity fosters disbelief. Who wants to board a
ship of bickering sailors? Life on the ocean may be rough, but at least the
waves don't call us names.

Paul Billheimer may very well be right when he says:
The continous and widespread fragementation of the Church has been the
scandal of the ages. It has been Satan's master strategy. The sin of
disunity probably has caused more souls to be lost then all other sins
combined."

"All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other."
Stop and think about this verse for a moment. Could it be that unity is the
key to reaching the world for Christ?
If unity is the key to evangelism, shouldn't it have precedence in our
prayers? Shouldn't we, as Paul said, "make every effort to keep the unity
of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph 4:3 NIV) If unity matters to
God, then shouldn't unity matter to us? If unity is a priority in heaven,
then shouldn't it be a priority on earth?
Nowhere, by the way, are we told to build unity. We are told simply to keep
unity. From God's perspective there is but "one flock and one shepherd"
(John 10:16) Unity does not need to be created, it simply needs to be
protected.
How do we do that? How do we make every effort to keep the unity? Does
that mean we compromise our convictions? No. Does that mean we abandon the
truths we cherish? No. But it does mean we look long and hard at the
attitudes we carry.

(exercpt from In the Grip of Grace)

[clark thompson]

unity is something most believers lack in. There are churches that are not united with others in doing God's will and there are churches that are divided themselves.

[Mackenaw]

Thanks for sharing FreeRange

God is so very Good!!! \o/ \o/ \o/

God bless and keep you.
Love,
Mack