Maybe a Little More Ranting...

"Christians, we're all afraid of fire.
We prefer to suck on pacifiers. Baby pacifists, we're throwing fits.
We don't shake hands, we shake our fists.
We're cannibals. We watch our brothers fall. We eat our own, the bones and all.
Finally fell asleep on the plane. To wake up and see we're going down in flames.
We're going down, down, down in flames. We're gonna drown, drown, drown insane.
We see the problem and the risk, but nothing's solved. We just say, "Tisk, tisk, tisk." and "Shame, shame, shame." Finally fell asleep on the plane. To wake to see we're going down in flames.

Christians, we mourn, the thorn is stuck in the side of the body. Watch it self-destruct.
The enemy is much ignored when we fight this Christian civil war. We're cannibals, We watch our brothers fall. We eat our own, the bones and all. Finally fell asleep on the plane. To wake to see we're going down in flames. Let me pause to clarify ('cause I'm sure you're asking, "Why?").
I stand before you, and proudly claim to belong to what this song complains. I'm part of the problem I confess, but I got to get this off my chest.
Let's extinguish the anguish for which we're to blame, and save the world from going down in flames."
~ Relient K


You know what the saddest thing in the world is, to me?

There are a lot of sad things in the world: hunger; pain...but there is something far sadder, in my humble opinion, and that is when Christians fight their brothers and sisters in Christ.

This goes on all too often. I have heard of people all my life (and I have sometimes been a part of that people) who are bickering over some small, personal issue. (By personal I mean something that is not specifically outlined in the Bible - like levels of modesty and education, etc.)

It is heartbreaking to see Christian people attack others over some small issue such as this.

What is wrong with us? Are we so blind to our Lord and Saviour that we immediately turn from what He has commanded and attack? We are supposed to be SHEEP! We are supposed to meekly follow our Shepherd, knowing that without Him we would be goners.

John 15:11-14: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you."

Yikes. Does this not make you shiver? Jesus commands us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER as HE LOVED US!! And how did He love us?

Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Christ loved us so much He gave Himself for us - completely, unto death.

John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

1 John 4:9-11: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

Christ tells us to love one another as He loved us. We had better be careful when we come to the point where we feel the need to speak out about someone's wrongs.

I am not saying a Christian should never seek to correct another Christian's wrong behaviour. This is of course necessary. What I am saying is, we had better be absolutely certain that they ARE wrong.

1 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

Ephesians 4:29-31: "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."

When we seek to correct, we ought to do it in a way that "fits the occasion" and "gives grace to those who hear" even while being for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness!

This is not something people in general come by easily. We all absolutely know that we are in the right. We all carry the "Holier Than Thou" disease. It is so easy for pride to take over!

Jude 1:19-21: "It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life."

People who know they do not deserve mercy and yet receive it are less likely to "bicker and argue" about superfluous things than those whose eyes are turned away from all the grace they've received. Too often we look instead to what we've done for ourselves - how many great books we've read - how often we do good works - how many hours we read our Bible in a day. We need to get a huge sign that we can stick on our foreheads that says :

"God did it all, and you are a horrible, horrible sinner saved by His grace, and only by His grace. What right have you to take any step up the ladder of Pride? Of Righteousness? Whose garment are you wearing, anyway? Did you forget so quickly Who it was that suffered for your sake? Don't forget. Ever."

The sheep have grown fangs and are turning on their fellow woolly creatures. Or perhaps the sheep have always had the fangs.

We can only hope that the Shepherd is slowly filing them away, but in order for Him to do so we must stand quietly, without bleating, and keep our mouths open for Him to reach in.

I'm sure there is one thing every Christian can agree with every other Christian about: That Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour, Who died for sinners and saved them by His grace. Every part of our lives belongs to Him. He has a right to it as our Redeemer. He sanctifies us, and gives us meekness and patience, and wisdom.

I think that if we all began on this point, there would be a lot less arguing among ourselves. There would be less "Christian Civil War." And I think that is something that ought to be done, if we are to shine as Lights in the World.

File away my fangs, Lord!