Today’s
scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:13b-16
We could learn a lot from the early church and its members. They were unified
and supportive, comforting and affectionate.
They didn’t have denominational conflicts—mainly because there were no
denominations. They were a group of people dedicated to one thing, and one
thing only: proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ.
Today, we’re so focused on our traditions, our rituals, our interpretation of
non-essential biblical elements that we’ve forgotten the one thing that
matters: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that
whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And
if we “confess our sin, He is just and faithful to forgive our sin and cleanse
us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Somehow, some of us have come to the mistaken conclusion that only those who
attend our church or belong to our denomination are “chosen.” Or if someone
believes differently than we do about baptism or communion, they’re wrong and
we’re right.
Instead of loving each other as Christ loves us, we hate each other just as the
world hates us.
I can picture Paul and Peter or Timothy and Titus observing our modern church
members and shaking their heads in despair. We’re so far from where we should
be.
And how can we love unbelievers when we can’t love those in our own “family”? How
can we bring unity to a fallen world when we’re so divided?
Maybe it’s time to go back to the basics: loving God—heart, soul, mind, and
strength—and loving others as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). And then drawing
unbelievers to the truth of God’s love for them.
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