Reality Check

"You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?"
 1 Corinthians 3:3

Yes, it is time for a reality check among the brethren. In this scripture, the apostle Paul is bringing a needed, but difficult message to the Corinthian church. They were quarreling among themselves. Factions had developed as some proclaimed they were followers of Paul, others followed Apollos, and still others followed Peter. Later in the letter to the Corinthians, Paul challenged them because they were bringing lawsuits against each other in public courts. His point was this: If they were Christians, they should start acting like Christians, not like people of the world.
    I think we need to be challenging ourselves about these same things today. I recently heard a notable Christian artist say that the only time he had ever had a lawsuit brought against him, was by a Christian. The times he had been the most personally attacked, were by Christians. The most pain and hurt he had ever experienced, was at the hands of Christians. It seems that there is something wrong with this picture. Christianity has been marred by quarreling and division for centuries. Churches split over differences of opinion and ideas about the way things should be done. In the end, these things are absolutely meaningless. We have forgotten that we have all been purchased by the blood of Christ. The cost for our lives is so great that we have no right to dishonor God by quarreling, arguing, and discrediting each other.
    You see, these are the ways of the world, not the ways of Christ. The central theme of Christianity is love. Arguing, dissension, and quarreling are not founded on love, they are based in selfishness and pride. The Bible tells us that humility is esteeming others above ourselves. Humility flows from the deep conviction to love others. If we are acting in love and humility, we cannot participate in quarreling and the like.
    Sometimes it is denomination against denomination. Sometimes it is church against church. Sometimes it is one part of a church against another part of the same church. And sometimes it is brother against brother, sister against sister. Of all the things that may make God weep, this must be the greatest. It is time for a reality check. Is this the way we Christians are to live? God's answer to us is a resounding, "no." "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13). This is not the time to be petty. It is not the time to be condescending to our brothers and sisters. It is time to become mature. It is time to grow up...into the fullness of Christ!