Unity

Unity or Conformity?

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I’m different.  I know I’m different.  Why?  Because I consider all of God’s words to be living, active, and relevant to today, and I don’t think that we should add to His words, or take away from them.

But why should that make someone different?  Don’t we all think that what I just said is okay?  Unfortunately, though most will agree with that statement, when it comes to real life, actions don’t follow.

I’d been attending a Christian Bible study for the last year.  I wanted both the fellowship and the opportunity to discuss God’s word with others who follow Yeshua (Jesus).   About a week ago, before the study started up again, the leader of the study came to visit me.  We had a good chat, but his visit was not about anything good.  I was being asked to not come back to the study as there were some in the study that did not want me there.

Odd.  This is the same study where, when the topic of unity in the church came up, a couple of the people stated that they don’t see any disunity.  How can the same group then ask someone to leave?  I have ‘confessed’ Yeshua (Jesus) as Lord and salvation and have done nothing ‘wrong’, yet am asked to leave.  This got me to thinking.

Yeshua (Jesus) prayed, as recorded in the book of John, and asked the Father to ‘make us one as he and the Father are one.’  In other words, he prayed for ‘unity’ for his followers.

I realized that many confuse ‘unity’ and ‘conformity’.  Those in that group that didn’t want fellowship with me are looking for conformity.  Because I didn’t have all the same beliefs that they have, they felt justified in asking me to leave.  Very sad – for them!

Unity is not conformity!

When we restrict ourselves to only fellowshipping with those we completely (or almost completely) agree with, we deny ourselves of chances to grow; opportunities of practicing love and unity; and missing out on God’s presence.

Churches want to see themselves as unique (I don’t know why), and come up with sets of their own rules and ‘statements of belief.’  Why isn’t the Bible the statement of belief?  Why do we have to believe in one doctrine or the other to belong to a church?  I’m quite glad that, at the gates of heaven, there won’t be any questions as to what doctrine we believe (save possibly for teachers, as they are held to higher standards).

Rather, our life will be judged by and through Yeshua (Jesus).  When our lives show that we are following him, and we confess that he came in the flesh and is our Lord, that is enough.

So why isn’t that enough to warrant fellowship with one another?  What do you think?

– Yosef

P.S.: By the way, I’m used to not fitting into groups.  Christian groups don’t accept me because I’m Jewish – not Christian.  Jewish groups don’t accept me because I follow Yeshua (Jesus) as the promised messiah and my salvation.  There are exceptions.

Knowledge vs Thankfulness

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This is the first posting after the “official” launch of the blog, so I thought I’d keep it upbeat.

In our world we are inundated with all the woes of life and our society.  It is often so much that we simply want to retreat and block it all out.  But what should our response be?  God’s answer is for us to be thankful.   Take a look at Psalm 100 or 1 Chronicles 16 or 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which are a small sampling of the places we are encouraged to give thanks.

I often run into people who are down or overwhelmed.  Actually, it happens to me quite a bit.  I remind them (and myself) to remember the things God has done and thank Him for them.  Remembering God’s deeds is even in the “10 commandments” (see Deuteronomy 4:15).  By the way, did you know that the “10 commandments” are not called “commandments” in the Bible, and that they are listed in two places with some very seemingly minor, but important differences?  (See this posting, or the blog tag, “commandments”).

But what about knowledge?  The author of the blog “Help Me Believe” makes an interesting point about knowledge (see his posting about apologetics).  Knowledge is important and of great benefit.  But knowledge alone doesn’t bridge the gap to faith.  Consider the apostle Peter and the others when they were in the boat crossing the lake and a storm came up (see Mark chapter 6).  The disciples of Yeshua (Jesus) ‘knew’ about the recent miracle of the loaves and the fish but they didn’t remember about it or, apparently, give thanks about it.  If they had, perhaps more of them would have “stepped out of the boat!”).

This blog is about knowledge and faith.  The two go together.

To sum up, here is what Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, “Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”  (ESV – English Standard Version – emphasis mine).

  • Yosef