When Christians Fight Christians

When Christians Fight Christians

The Spirit unites, but the American church divides. Christian brothers divides, battlelines drawn. A field guide for discerning how to handle Christian controversy.

For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?" Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, and later commented: "The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?" 1 Cor. 3:3, 6:7.

"Worldly." "Completely defeated." Would the apostle Paul use similar words to describe the vital, innovative, quarreling Christians or churchs in America today?

Fighting among Christians is nothing new, of course; it dates from New Testament times. It's hard to say whether we fight more than Christians in previous periods. I suspect more, but I can't prove it. I do know that we fight differently.

We shouldn't be fighting one, another. We should be following Christ, as Jesus has each, and every person spreading the Lords word. The Lord has his way with each of us, no two ways are the same. This is the diveristy of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

There are five Greek words that can be translated as "fellowship." They are: Koinonia, koinonos, metoche, koinoneo, sugkoinoneo. I will not take up your time by defining each of these words. If you were to examine the various definitions and summarize them, here is what you would find. The basic idea of fellowship is to be in association of, to participate with someone in something, to share, to have in common, to partner with someone in something, and to join in something.

It is timefor ALL FIGHTING[/u] to stop. We as Christians have enough problems. Our Lord who is our Boss, say's Rom. 12:18 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men"

Christian response to fighting has been a spectrum ranging from absolute rejection of fighting and participation in war to full participation with the proclamation of divine blessing and authority. The spectrum has ranged from the pacifist words of the American folk hymn "Gonna lay down my sword and shield down by the riverside, ain't gonna study war no more" to the cry of the Crusaders of the Middle Ages "God wills it!" Several Christian perspectives on war have emerged over the centuries. The spectrum of Christian participation in war runs as follows: pacifism, nonresistance, just war, preventive war, and crusade. For each of these views there are secular as well as religious counterparts, i.e. pacifism and Christian pacifism, just war and Christian just war. Each view also has strengths and weaknesses as well as variations. At the two ends of the spectrum are pacifism and the crusade. The "just war" position is the moderating position in the spectrum and is the view that has been most prevalent throughout church history. It is also a view that was developed largely by Christians especially Ambrose, Augustine, and Thomas Aquinas.

Psalms 33:1-5 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a LOUD NOISE. For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
Psalms 95:1 O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Psalms 66:1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
Psalms 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Psalms 150 Let All Things Praise the LORD Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

I think these scriptures speak for themselves.
Finally at peace again.

Bob