This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
Why do people in a church fight each other? For that matter, why do churches or denominations quarrel among themselves? We know that these things shouldn't happen, certainly not if the one and same Spirit of Christ is in both parties to a fight, so why does it happen? James explains that fights and quarrels erupt among God's people because of unfulfilled desires, that is people not getting what they want. What do people want that they don't have? The primary desires are standard human failings: power, wealth, and sex. Far too many church disputes, even violence, has revolved around the desire for these. Churches have been split in two over fights for power or money or because of illicit sex between members. We need to understand that these desires are a danger if we are to avoid their destructive influence.
In addition to these, misplaced zeal for a religious belief is also a cause of disputes and divisions. Beyond the core beliefs of the Gospel (the Virgin Birth, Resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, the authority of the Scriptures, etc.) there are innumerable other things that well meaning and God honoring Christians will not always agree upon. What do we do then? Do we let a desire for uniformity close our hearts to others, or do we let grace abound and let God be the judge as he has told us that he is.
In the end, the Church doesn't need uniformity of opinion, we need to be one in Spirit and one in purpose. Our task is monumental, we cannot afford to allow fighting and quarreling to disrupt God's work, whether that be locally or in the Church as a whole.
As Christians, should we be in conflict with our culture as part of our effort to be salt and light as Jesus commanded, or should we be trying to live in peace, "If it is possible, as far as it depends upon you"? (Romans 12:18) The question is an important one because our mission of bringing the light of the Gospel to a world living in darkness is far too crucial to be squandered or impaired by our own mistakes. The example of Daniel is useful for us because he was part of a distinct minority in the culture of Babylon. Daniel didn't choose to live in Babylon, but he did choose to make the best of his life in Babylon. Daniel worked hard and was straightforward in his honesty and integrity even though he was working for the government that had destroyed Jerusalem (the Babylonians, who were in turn conquered by the Medes-Persians during Daniel's tenure in Babylon). He was a man who recognized his dependence upon the grace of God, but at the same time did not go out of his way to cause conflict that would have required God's intervention. When Darius was tricked into issuing a decree that was in clear violation of Daniel's ability to worship and obey the God of Abraham, Daniel did the only thing he believed he could as a man whose first allegiance was to God. He did exactly the same thing he had done the day before. Notice, Daniel didn't go out on the street corner to protest this unjust law, even though it clearly was unjust, nor did Daniel hide his disobedience behind closed doors. It was not rebellion against authority that Daniel craved, but obedience to God. Until the moment of this decree, Daniel had lived in peace with his neighbors and the government of Babylon. The consequences of choosing to disobey the king were well known to Daniel, but his trust was in God as the judge of both the living and the dead.
Do we, as Christians in America, a nation where we have the right to vote and protest, follow the example of Daniel? Should we? To seek out conflict with our culture or our government simply to prove ourselves as passionate Christians would be a self-serving motive more in tune with our own pride than with our witness. At the same time, to shrink back before potential hardship would be to abandon the faith that saved you for the sake of convenience. In reality, nobody in America is being threatened with death if they follow Jesus Christ. Nobody in America is being told they cannot proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in person, by print media, audio or visual media, or anything else. It is not laws that stop Christians in America from being true to their faith, but apathy, cowardice, or simply too much wealth and comfort. It is not the outside world that we must be in conflict with in order to bear witness to our Savior, but rather our own sin natures that we must continue to battle. What was the real reason why Daniel disobeyed the law against praying to God? He was already in the habit of praying long before it was illegal.
