I've Seen It Before...Now Once More
 

It is so sad...but for what cause? Could it be that one group is just a little more holy or a little more special in God's eyes than the other group? I think not. But what is really a tear jerker is to see the bitterness that always seem to follow.

A group of preachers with their congregations pull out of fellowship with the UPC. Congregations that were intertwined with extended blood famlies, marriage, children and grandchildren are ripped apart by indoctrinated suspicions of each by preachers on either side. Suspicions and subsequent division grows in the families.

Yes, I've seen it all before. Family reunions that used to be so sweet and special are no longer. Famlies are told not to associate with the other members of families on the other side of the divide. Church members and yes even close blood relatives will not speak to each other. I've seen them meet in grocery stores, malls and various places. When they spy each other, they grow cold, not even acknowledging the presence of the other church or family member. Yes, I've seen it all before.

Preachers who at once had sweet and blessed fellowship are no longer speaking to each other and scarcely have little to say complimentary of the other. Sometimes titanic intercity struggle errupts to carry away church members on the other side of the divide. Family members are enlisted to help in the pursuit. Two preachers who at once had great fellowship will ignore each other when face to face in a familiar restaurant. I have seen it before.

It now saddens me as I look upon the Apostolic landscape to see it all unfolding again as before. I grieve over the families that will be broken up. I grieve over the bitterness that will fester among the people of God. I grieve over the broken trust and fellowship. I grieve over the lost souls who will be lost to eterity...perhaps millions extrapulated over a hundred years or more Yes, millions of souls lost, directly as a result of this terrible, diabolical division that is now erupting among us. I can substantiate that number.

If there be someone reading this that is swept up by this heat wave of carnality and psuedo-holiness stand, I appeal to you on behalf of the body of Christ that shall not be divided to consider not following after the pathway of division, distrust, bitterness and destruction.

Indeed, I've seen it all before. It is not pretty. The consequences are not worth the obstinance of the fool's glory. I plead that you will reconsider for the sake of Christ, families, the church and the Spirit and bond of Peace.

Apprehended -- well written and well put. The sad part is the consequences are always than what could be imagined. I have seen it on several occasions.

Raven, Fab...

For me, it has also struck close to home...in my own extended family. One cousin and his family got so holy that they could not even bear to look at another saint on the other side of the divide. They got so super-holy that they would no longer have anything to do with the rest of us.

I've seen women with long hair, long dresses that would drag out their own tracks just GLARE at each other in Wal-Mart bristling with contempt.

I think there are many of us who are grieved.

It has become so easy in our quest for whose right and whose wrong, even as groups, to forget that holiness in an inward attribute that is seen outwardly. The dress and the facade are in place, but the heart is so far gone. We need to remember, holiness sets us apart, not above.

Wow!

The quote of the day...

"Holiness sets us apart, not above."

Apprehended...

If only tolerance and compromise were STILL interpreted as good things!

tol·er·ate (verb)(used with object)

1. to allow the existence, presence, practice, or act of without prohibition or hindrance; permit.
2. to endure without repugnance; put up with

com·pro·mise (verb)(used with object)

1. to agree to settle
2. to agree, when complete agreement is not possible, to an alternative solution
3. to reach a common accord, position or agreement instead of alienation
4. to bind by bargain or agreement mutually beneficial to both sides

We tolerate our loved ones and family...and still love them
We compromise in our marriage...and still love each other
We tolerate coworkers on the job...but stay employed
We compromise on the thermostat setting...but don't leave the room
We tolerate the red light...but wait until it turns green
We compromise on the price of a used car...but don't steal it

:stirpot

We SHOULD tolerate the convictions of others...without demonizing them
We SHOULD compromise on a nonbiblical issues...without denigrating each other
We SHOULD tolerate our brother...without disowning him
We SHOULD compromise on service style...without losing truth
We SHOULD tolerate a different approach...without questioning motives
We SHOULD compromise our opinions...without breaking principles

Tolerance is an attribute of the Child of God...
And Compromise is often, but not always, the preferred alternative to Battle...

How big is this phenomenon? Do you have percentages of relationships that have been ripped or are being ripped apart? Our little corners of the world aren't necessarily representative of the whole, no matter how much you portray them as such.

When things cool down, people will be fine. Thanks to the internet and forums to inflame issues that used to die down in a timely manner.

tell that to the families involved when the AMF guys pulled out in the 60's. nothing timely about how that calmed down.