Unnecessary Dividing Lines
What should a Christian look like?
Too many times we answer this question by evaluating our doctrinal leanings, evangelical circles, or by the pastor’s who we listen to. We can be so influenced by the surrounding Christian culture that we begin to look more like other believers who think like we do and less like the spiritual marks of a Christ follower that we see in scripture.
Sadly, I am beginning to see more and more division among believers than unity. Granted there are times that we should distance ourselves from others who call themselves Christian when it comes down to doctrinal differences over primary issues such as the deity of Christ, the Gospel, the virgin birth, the Trinity. Issues such as these are non-negotiable bedrocks of our faith.
However, I also see a lot of Christians dividing over trivial matters. Christian internet chat rooms are filled with professing believers who are ready to draw their swords and engage in verbal battles over why their personal conviction should be raised to the level of preeminence. And anyone who disagrees with them is either looked down upon, or excommunicated from having fellowship with them. I am not talking about ecumenism. There are those such as Mormons, Catholics or Jehovah’s Witnesses who profess the name of Christ, but worship a false version of Him. Therefore they are not truly Christians, and we must have lines of separation.
If a fellow brother in Christ does not share the same eschatological views, lines are drawn. If we have different views on worship music, lines are draw. If believers have different views on the topic of where they choose to educate their children, lines are drawn. Let me say again, if someone is touting a view that is clearly heretical, we should engage in loving correction and if they are unrepentant, separate from them. But Im not talking about people who hold heretical views. Im talking about Christians who hold differing views on certain issues within the realm of orthodoxy.
When it comes to issues such as the study of end times, contemporary vs. traditional music, soteriology, or where children are educated, these are secondary issues and by no means grounds for brothers and sisters in Christ to draw lines of separation. Can we discuss our differences? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, Christians should respect the secondary views of others and still be able to come together.
Are there secondary issues that would prevent believers from worshiping together in the same church? Yes there are. Take for example modes of baptism. Credobaptism, which baptist hold to, is the act of baptizing a person by submersion under water. On the other hand paedobaptism, which the presbyterian church holds to, is the act of sprinkling a person or an infant. It would be difficult to worship together in a church where the leadership was divided on how a person were to be baptized.
But even this issue is not one that separates Christians from non-believers. My two favorite pastors are the late R.C. Sproul and John MacArthur. R.C. was a presbyterian pastor and therefore, believed in paedobaptism. MacArthur is a baptist pastor and believed in credo baptism. They had their differences on important matters of doctrine. But they were best friends and very often preached at the same conferences. Their differences were never became a fellowship breaker.
I have grown so weary of hearing about brothers in Christ looking for any opportunity to critically and maliciously nit pick each other to death over their trivial little differences in matters of doctrine. I recently read article about a pastor who viciously attacked John MacArthur for his decision to invite Dr. John Piper to speak at his Shepherd’s Conference. When it comes to the topic of signs and wonders, Piper is a continuationist, meaning he believes certain spiritual gifts such as tongues are still active. MacArthur is a cessationist, meaning that he believes these gifts have now ceased. These men have differences in their theology. And they probably could not serve in leadership at the same church due to these differences. But they can still come together in brotherhood, fellowship and friendship. Because they are unified by their love for the Biblical Christ.
Shortly after Pentecost in the book of Acts, we read in chapter 2 that the early church was composed of believers who “had all things in common (Acts 2:44).” Now we know that they literally did not have all things in common. They most likely did not all have the same taste in foods. They did not all have the same hobbies. And with the incorporation of Gentiles into the church, they surely had doctrinal differences. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8 that there were some that believed that if you ate meat that had been sacrificed to an idol, you were in sin, even though it was not sinful. But Paul instructed the church to be careful when exercising their Christian liberties like this, because it could lead others astray. In Paul’s words, ‘Everything is permissible, but is it beneficial?” (1 Corinthians 10:23).
This is just one proof that people in the early church did have differences, even in matters of doctrine. So why did Acts 2 say that they had all things in common. Simply put, they had all things in common because their one commonality in Christ made all the secondary issues trivial in comparison. They did not look for reasons to divide unless their views were heretical. They looked to Christ to find their bond, and in Him, that was more than enough to bring them together despite other trivial differences.
So what does a Christian look like?
Well, Christians don’t all believe the same way when it comes to the non-primary doctrines of our faith. You cannot determine if a person is a follower of Christ based on if they share the same secondary views as you do. But the true Christian looks to Christ. They look for their commonality in His death, burial and resurrection. They find their commonality in their belief in His deity and Lordship. And like the early church, they may discuss their differences in an iron sharpening iron kind of way, but they do not divide over them. True Christians have all things in common, because in the light of Christ, secondary differences are seen as trivial in the light of His great glory.
Too many times we answer this question by evaluating our doctrinal leanings, evangelical circles, or by the pastor’s who we listen to. We can be so influenced by the surrounding Christian culture that we begin to look more like other believers who think like we do and less like the spiritual marks of a Christ follower that we see in scripture.
Sadly, I am beginning to see more and more division among believers than unity. Granted there are times that we should distance ourselves from others who call themselves Christian when it comes down to doctrinal differences over primary issues such as the deity of Christ, the Gospel, the virgin birth, the Trinity. Issues such as these are non-negotiable bedrocks of our faith.
However, I also see a lot of Christians dividing over trivial matters. Christian internet chat rooms are filled with professing believers who are ready to draw their swords and engage in verbal battles over why their personal conviction should be raised to the level of preeminence. And anyone who disagrees with them is either looked down upon, or excommunicated from having fellowship with them. I am not talking about ecumenism. There are those such as Mormons, Catholics or Jehovah’s Witnesses who profess the name of Christ, but worship a false version of Him. Therefore they are not truly Christians, and we must have lines of separation.
If a fellow brother in Christ does not share the same eschatological views, lines are drawn. If we have different views on worship music, lines are draw. If believers have different views on the topic of where they choose to educate their children, lines are drawn. Let me say again, if someone is touting a view that is clearly heretical, we should engage in loving correction and if they are unrepentant, separate from them. But Im not talking about people who hold heretical views. Im talking about Christians who hold differing views on certain issues within the realm of orthodoxy.
When it comes to issues such as the study of end times, contemporary vs. traditional music, soteriology, or where children are educated, these are secondary issues and by no means grounds for brothers and sisters in Christ to draw lines of separation. Can we discuss our differences? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, Christians should respect the secondary views of others and still be able to come together.
Are there secondary issues that would prevent believers from worshiping together in the same church? Yes there are. Take for example modes of baptism. Credobaptism, which baptist hold to, is the act of baptizing a person by submersion under water. On the other hand paedobaptism, which the presbyterian church holds to, is the act of sprinkling a person or an infant. It would be difficult to worship together in a church where the leadership was divided on how a person were to be baptized.
But even this issue is not one that separates Christians from non-believers. My two favorite pastors are the late R.C. Sproul and John MacArthur. R.C. was a presbyterian pastor and therefore, believed in paedobaptism. MacArthur is a baptist pastor and believed in credo baptism. They had their differences on important matters of doctrine. But they were best friends and very often preached at the same conferences. Their differences were never became a fellowship breaker.
I have grown so weary of hearing about brothers in Christ looking for any opportunity to critically and maliciously nit pick each other to death over their trivial little differences in matters of doctrine. I recently read article about a pastor who viciously attacked John MacArthur for his decision to invite Dr. John Piper to speak at his Shepherd’s Conference. When it comes to the topic of signs and wonders, Piper is a continuationist, meaning he believes certain spiritual gifts such as tongues are still active. MacArthur is a cessationist, meaning that he believes these gifts have now ceased. These men have differences in their theology. And they probably could not serve in leadership at the same church due to these differences. But they can still come together in brotherhood, fellowship and friendship. Because they are unified by their love for the Biblical Christ.
Shortly after Pentecost in the book of Acts, we read in chapter 2 that the early church was composed of believers who “had all things in common (Acts 2:44).” Now we know that they literally did not have all things in common. They most likely did not all have the same taste in foods. They did not all have the same hobbies. And with the incorporation of Gentiles into the church, they surely had doctrinal differences. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8 that there were some that believed that if you ate meat that had been sacrificed to an idol, you were in sin, even though it was not sinful. But Paul instructed the church to be careful when exercising their Christian liberties like this, because it could lead others astray. In Paul’s words, ‘Everything is permissible, but is it beneficial?” (1 Corinthians 10:23).
This is just one proof that people in the early church did have differences, even in matters of doctrine. So why did Acts 2 say that they had all things in common. Simply put, they had all things in common because their one commonality in Christ made all the secondary issues trivial in comparison. They did not look for reasons to divide unless their views were heretical. They looked to Christ to find their bond, and in Him, that was more than enough to bring them together despite other trivial differences.
So what does a Christian look like?
Well, Christians don’t all believe the same way when it comes to the non-primary doctrines of our faith. You cannot determine if a person is a follower of Christ based on if they share the same secondary views as you do. But the true Christian looks to Christ. They look for their commonality in His death, burial and resurrection. They find their commonality in their belief in His deity and Lordship. And like the early church, they may discuss their differences in an iron sharpening iron kind of way, but they do not divide over them. True Christians have all things in common, because in the light of Christ, secondary differences are seen as trivial in the light of His great glory.
Recent
Archive
2025
April
How To Boil a FrogGod Winks, Angel Wings, and Other Tall Tales of the FaithThe Idol of Youth SportsTheological SnobberyBeautiful ScarsThe Deception of Having it Your WayBumpersticker PhilosophiesDo You Truly Believe?The Sufficiency of Scripture in a Culture of SelfiesChildren's Ministries & Youth Groups; God's Will or Man's Design?Worldview InconsistenciesThe Beauty of GraceBlind to Our Traditions
Categories
no categories
No Comments