The football team

[apothanein kerdos]

A few years ago there was a football team in Western Texas that was basically unbeatable. Every team they went up against they not only beat, but they slaughtered. No one could even put up a fight against them. Then, one day, someone decided to try a different play. He wasn't asking for a different game plan, to change the uniforms, to change their name, or rid themselves of their coach, he simply said they should consider another play to run, to add to the play book. Some of the players thought that this was the best idea they had ever heard of. Others, however, hated the idea. It got to a point to where on the football field, each game kept getting closer, and closer, and closer...until they lost their first game. The players who were for the "new play" blamed the players against them, saying because they didn't adapt the new play they had no choice but to lose. The players who were against the "new play" blamed the players for it, saying they spent so much time arguing for the "new play" that the team didn't have time to practice properly. Eventually, all this bickering lead to the football team splitting up. The players who wanted the "new play" went and formed their own football team, and the ones who wanted the old way of playing stayed. The next season rolled around and an amazing thing happened, both teams kept losing. They'd win a game here and there, but they were far from being a power house. As time went on, more divions occured on both sides, until many of the teams could only play one quarter before having to forfiet due to the embrassment. It got to the point where the old rivalries, between the original team and the other teams were never played because the smaller teams would only play against each other. The teams that use to be dominated now dominated because no one was there to challenge them.

We as Christians are too focused on our prefrences. Those who are Calvinist will not fellowship with anyone who is not a Calvinist. Those that speak in tongues will not fellowship with someone who does not speak in tongues. Those that are pre-tribulation beleivers will cut down their post-tribulation brothers. Divisions even come down to where to put the lights in the parking lot (I attended a church that almost split over that issue).

People, how effective can we be if we isolate ourselves from each other? How effective can Christians be against a world when we're fighting each other?

In ancient armies colors and flags use to show the purpose of a certain person within the army. While some had different colors and flags, all served the same purpose. How many battles would those armies had one had the colors foughts against each other simply because they had a different color?

Then how can we expect to win when we do the same thing? This board is ncie for discussion, but do you not realize how far to the extreme we go sometimes? We so often are more willing to condemn our brethren for speaking the words of Satan than simply accepting that they might have a different opinion than us. We throw the terms "heresy", "words of Satan", and "false" around way too much. Instead of saying, "I see that is your opinion, how did you come to this conclusion" we instead attack them for holding this oppinion. I am no better for I probably do it the most.

How can we honestly win the lost if we are more concerned with if the world is 6,000 years old or 60,000 years old? While there is no problem in discussing this issue (or any other issue for that matter), it is absolutely absurd to seperate ourselves or focus all our energy on these matters. Does it matter how old the earth is as long as we believe in the One who created it? Stephen C. Meyer said it best when he said, "The reason satan has such a stronghold on this world is because Christians have been too busy fighting each other."

People, we need to drop our pride and our arrogance and realize that our theology isn't always going to be correct. I know that many of the things I believe will be proven false when I'm in heaven. Some things I think are essential, however those things generally pertain to salvation and God. Yet even I can be the most divisive of all Christians. We need to focus on what really matters and if we debate heatedly let it be about who we will reach next for the kingdom of heaven!

[ayin jade]

I hope you dont mind, but this chapter comes to mind, and has many times lately in here.

Romans 14

1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.

2One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.

3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.

4Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.

7For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.

8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

9For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

10You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

11It is written:

" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,

'every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will confess to God.' "

12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.

16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.

17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

22So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

23But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

[Kabowd]

Very relevent post that has sadly, gone largely ignored. Here were some good points you made:

We as Christians are too focused on our prefrences. Those who are Calvinist will not fellowship with anyone who is not a Calvinist. Those that speak in tongues will not fellowship with someone who does not speak in tongues. Those that are pre-tribulation beleivers will cut down their post-tribulation brothers. Divisions even come down to where to put the lights in the parking lot (I attended a church that almost split over that issue).

People, how effective can we be if we isolate ourselves from each other? How effective can Christians be against a world when we're fighting each other?

This board is ncie for discussion, but do you not realize how far to the extreme we go sometimes? We so often are more willing to condemn our brethren for speaking the words of Satan than simply accepting that they might have a different opinion than us. We throw the terms "heresy", "words of Satan", and "false" around way too much. Instead of saying, "I see that is your opinion, how did you come to this conclusion" we instead attack them for holding this oppinion.

People, we need to drop our pride and our arrogance and realize that our theology isn't always going to be correct. I know that many of the things I believe will be proven false when I'm in heaven. Some things I think are essential, however those things generally pertain to salvation and God. Yet even I can be the most divisive of all Christians. We need to focus on what really matters and if we debate heatedly let it be about who we will reach next for the kingdom of heaven!

I don't really have anything to add, except some words that Nik (ScientificAtheist) had to say regarding his view of Christians...this should be our wake-up call:

You see, the Christian community from what I've seen of it is intensely judgemental, and riddled with backbiting and gossip. This of course, as far as I can tell, is totally against the spirit of the bible and the New Testament - but it would seem that many believers treat each other far worse than anyone else. I see all sorts of accusations flying about concerning who is and isn't a Christian - who does and doesn't qualify to get into heavan - and behind closed doors, in private conversations, I hear a lot of quite nasty gossip about people.

So people in the Christian community can become very paranoid about their peers, and that makes them start to care more about what other Christians think about them than what God thinks about them. What they ought to remember is that only God knows their heart - and that no matter how stupid or misled they might seem to the outside world, the real test is whether or not they are right with God.

Truly sad that this is the reputation we have.

[apothanein kerdos]

I'm sure others have something to add

[Kabowd]

I guess if ppl can't argue they just don't respond. It's a good post though, bro.

[Trinity]

We throw the terms "heresy", "words of Satan", and "false" around way too much. Instead of saying, "I see that is your opinion, how did you come to this conclusion" we instead attack them for holding this oppinion.

You couldn't me more right with this statement. I have never called some-one a heretic or anything lie that BUT! i know people who have called me that before. In life not everyone will agree with each other but to call some one some of those names you named is wrong so again i will say, You couldn't be any more right on that statement. :t: