Today I’m taking a short break from Romans (to be continued tomorrow) to touch an the subject of conflict within the Church.  It is inevitable that there will be conflict.  While Christ has washed us clean from the wrather of God, the judgment of sin, we nevertheless have indwelling sin in our bodies.  Many people have walked away from the church due to conflict, and that is a tragedy.  We among all people are called to reconcile and love one another.  Further, we are not unwise, but wise.  We are at war with a common enemy, and his schemes are known to us.  There is almost no greater joy for our enemy than to create conflict within the body of believers.  We are therefore encouraged to have our eyes open, and prepare ourselves.

Ephesians 6:11-12 – “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Galatians 5:17-24 – “the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

We are called at all times to strive for unity.  A good gut-check question to ask when presented with conflict is “Would I rather be proved just or see those around me grow in Christ?”  Is your heart primarily burdened by your own situation or the hearts of those around you?

Ephesians 4:1-3 – “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Before we go on with stories about how difficult that is, especially when wronged, let me cut that off and tell you; you can’t do it.  You can’t do it.  Every ounce of your flesh is going to want to attack back at someone either with words or action.  The only way you can love someone with humility, gentleness and patience is Jesus Christ.  Our long suffering Savior was acquainted with grief and sorrows, denied three times by his friend, abandoned by those who had followed Him for years when He was on trial for His life.  Not only did our Savior Jesus not seek retribution against those persons, those were the very people He went to the cross, shed His blood, and died for.  No, our flesh is weak and frail, unable to muster any amount of love for our brothers or sisters, but where we are weak, Jesus Christ is strong.  If we have been joined to Him through faith, Jesus Christ dwells in us.  For the sake of His name, and as an overflow of the great love with He showed us, reconciling a people to Himself, we love and seek to reconcile in the same way.

My exhortation today is to let the love of Christ control you always.  When accused, remember that regardless of the accusation, there is a measure of sin in each of us, so there is some truth in every accusation.  Remember that sometimes (often) a rebuke is from the Lord – “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” (Prov 27:5-6) Remember that God reproves and disciplines those whom He loves (Rev 3:19) Remember that at every moment, even during times of difficult strife, God is at work, able to work all things towards good. (Rom 8:28)  Remember that suffering has a good place in the life of a believer, for your sanctification. (Jam 1:2-4) Remember that God delights in those who endure suffering in order to do good (1 Pet 2:20)

There will always be conflict within a body of believers.  Although saved by Christ’s blood, we are ALL still sinners in need of grace.  Let us look forward to the day when as believers there is perfect unity in the presence of God without sin, there will be no conflict, no division, only perfect selfless love.  As much as we can, through prayer and out of our delight in the name of our Risen Lord, let us live to see that perfect unity manifested amongst us.  May we all have greater humility, gentleness, and patience working through love, so that the world would see our love for one another and say – your God is great!

Grace and Peace,
Adam