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  • You are here: Blogs Directory / Devotionals / Mel's Weekly Study / Comment List Welcome Guest

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    Still, there is much that can be said about the division in the Church.

    Mel
    2005-12-09 01:02:29 Posted by Mel ()

    Example 1:

    When I met my wife, I was going to the Church of Christ, the denomination. Now one of the things to know about the Church of Christ, is that they teach almost as doctrine that they will have no musical instruments or choir in their worship services. Now I won't go through the convolutions of trying to fully explain the reasoning, (mostly because it was too esoteric for me to follow completely) but I will say that for me it was always a matter of faith, no matter what the elders wer trying to convince me of. Personally, I saw nothing wrong with either -- I was not convinced, but it was not a matter I was willing to leave the body of believers that I was with. I took it along the lines of Paul saying that he would eat no meat if it would cause his brother to stumble.

    My wife went to a Baptist church with her grandparents, who were the only ones in the family to accept us being together, BTW, and that was for cause that the rest of her family chose to reject me. The matter was that we were living together as husband and wife, but were not legaly married. I am still amused by this today, because my attitude was that being married in the eyes of God was what was most central to me. I actually talked to my own father about this, and as a Methodist Lay Preacher, he had the wisdom to see that it may not be seen as best, but he did not fault me to the point of saying that I must immediately make it formal in the eyes of the law. Yes, this is a strange tangent, but since I have started it, I am compelled to finish it. I also see a way to tie this in to what I want to say.

    I was a college student. Financial Aid for two students living together as "room mates" in the eyes of the law and the system got far better financial aid than a married couple. (don't ever say that the system has no bias against being married -- sorry, but very wrong!) Because of the pressure put upon me by mainly her family, we did get married. There was some aspects of insecurity involved as well, but against what I thought was better judgement, we did marry. My finacial aid was severely messed up and I had to drop out. I took years to get back into school, and would not have made it had I not valued it so highly. So my judgement was correct in what I expected to happen. Should I have done it or not? Should I have expected help from those who laid this burden upon me?

    Some churches, notably the Catholic Church, will excommunicate a person for what we were doing. Me, I saw that not as a matter of doctrine, but one of faith. Some of you will feel one way on this and other will see it differently. I expect that this could get sidetracked (but not really -- since examining doctrine is what I desire) into dicussing whether I was right or wrong.

    Anyways, back to the main example. I convinced my wife to visit my church. The day that we did was the day that my church was splitting over the issue of musical instruments and choirs. I was saddened. My wife was repulsed. It may have been the right thing to do, if the issue was going to cause great discord. I cannot say that I have the wisdom to fathom whether those who broke off so that they could play musical instruments without persecution were right. In a way, I suppose I feel even that was a matter of faith. I know that some of the brothers and sisters kept in touch, even across that schizm. [sp]

    Personally, I think that the split was wrong in this case. But I was not a person who played a musical instrument and got great joy from doing that for the Lord. I do not stand in judgement on either side in this. I am simply saddened. Peace needed to be made. I think some people on both sides of the issue pushed matters to far, and were too stiff necked to consider the other position. I think that the body needed Peacemakers on this issue.

    Singing his Praises,

    Mel
    2005-12-09 01:35:52 Posted by Mel ()

    I guess I am still not done with this. I have other examples. I don't have other scriptures that come to mind, but I'll maybe find another. We'll see.

    In Love,

    Mel
    2005-12-09 01:40:51 Posted by Mel ()

    I really understand what you are saying,
    1) I have a dear friend who when attending University at St. Andrews Scotland, she shared a flat for economic reasons, the inevitable happened. Her parents were missionaries to the Phillipines & the young couple were forced to split. They were married five years later, I was so pleased when that happened.
    2) In the Brethren Assemblies, they do not have "Church" in their name, where they can split over the simplest disagreement. Everyone can quote a scripture to fit their arguement & tradition is rife.
    I have been saddened many times, when this happens, but our forgiving Father has used these splits to for his glory. A new place is planted & in the end the original heated discussion is usually forgotten. I find that there is usually a power struggle, mainly by the family of founders & others who wish to change the direction of the Assembly, sometimes for the benefit of the people.
    I think that when tempers are frayed & there seems to be little love, we need to take a step away & see the larger picture, if only we could. Hurts might be staved & attitudes might be changed. The world sees this & it puts them off from coming along. All the work of years ruined over a silly fallout. The evil one has his day.
    We are human & reality may overcome common sense, but I believe with all my heart that God's will be done.
    Thanks for sharing that
    Love in His Name Stuart
    2005-12-09 04:12:13 Posted by Stuart (stuart@sadrankin.com)

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