We fence people out.
jw
After carefully
contemplating all the risk, the neighbors decided that the chain link fence
around their yard inhibited and limited their children, so they took it down. When the
fence was up, the children played right up to the foot of the fence in safety, though a
busy street was on the other side. However, once the fence was removed, the children moved
back closer to the house and played. The fence had been their security. When we place
adults behind chain link fences often we refer to them as prisoners. What brings freedom
to one, brings imprisonment to another. To have freedom and to grant it to others is
always intimidating.
In the Churches of
God, our fences most often define us. I refer to them as our "identifying
doctrines." These distinctives are our primary source of self-definition and
identity. It's unfortunate that the outsider recognizes us by what we've emphasized in our
preaching and teaching ("You're the ones who don't believe in music" or
"Church of Christ! You're the only ones going to heaven." or "You're the
ones fleeing to Petra" You're the ones on Sunday Morning TV")
And not by what we have lived (fruits of the Spirit or the primary biblical
doctrine of Christ).
Our fences have spawned
more denominations than they have united in the 150 years of the American Restoration
movement. Will we ever learn that is wrong to disparage each other, to caricature those
who disagree with us as dishonest or stupid or both. Such arrogance has no place
among people who wear the name of Christ or the Father. Are we destined to forever
be a unity movement creating disunity?
Paul encouraged us to
"speak the same thing" as opposed to shouting our different party slogans
from across the fence. The phrase "speak the same thing" is a political term
describing "unity of allegiance." Our allegiance is not to a thought or a
doctrine. These are the materials that build fences. Our allegiance is to the Being of
Jesus Christ. He is the "rally pole."
He is the one unity is built upon... the Petra (the big Rock.) It is only
right that Christians "speak the same" slogans of allegiance to God and Jesus
alone. Jesus was crucified for all believers. God or Jesus is not divided.
Jesus is the common bond and He alone deserves our undivided allegiance.
Have you ever noticed? If someone seeks to dismantle any section of the fence, or to call for a different source of identification, they are either venerated or vilified