"Disagreeing, Agreeably"

"Disagreeing, Agreeably"       

     

     "Be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind" (Philippians 2:2).

    

     "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).

    Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can and must disagree agreeably.  We rightly seek consensus in all matters of Biblical truth and doctrine.  However, we presently live in a world wherein perfect response to God and His Truth is not possible.  "If any man knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" (I Corinthians 8:2).  Thus, we will sometimes see matters differently.  I may be wrong and you may be right.  Or vice versa.  Or we may both be wrong. As those called to hold strong beliefs and convictions, such divergence of perspective presents a great challenge.  "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3).  Again, God's perfect standards mean that we must all seek to know the Scriptures well enough to walk with our brothers and sisters in the unity "of one accord, of one mind."  The reality of our present experience in a fallen world, however, means that at times conviction and humility will be required to journey on parallel tracks in our hearts regarding one another.

   While holding to the same fundamental truths of grace in the Lord Jesus, born again believers in the Lord Jesus do disagree at times on important matters of doctrine and practice.  The day will come when such challenge melts away in the pure and holy light of our Lord's direct presence in the Heavenlies.  We will ultimately "come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).  As of this writing, that day has not yet arrived.  So, we must all read and ponder the Scriptures enough to justifiably have an opinion about matters of God's grace and truth.  We must seek to avail ourselves of communicators devoted to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus and His Word.  And when we disagree, we must do so agreeably, realizing that conviction without humility means that regardless of how right we may be in perspective, we can be wrong in attitude.  We do well to remember that "the Lord looketh on the heart" (I Samuel 16:7).  I can be correct in my opinion, but grievously wayward in my motive and disposition.  Such possibility should keep us much in God's Word to better know the Truth that illuminates and informs our thinking, and the Heart that inspires and infuses our attitude toward each other with the love of the Lord Jesus.

"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves."

 (I Timothy 2:24-25)

Memory Verse

      "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

 (Romans 8:6).