Morning Musings

One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another says, "I follow Apollos"; another says, "I follow Peter"; and another says, "I follow Christ." Christ has been divided up into different groups! Did Paul die on the cross for you? No! Were you baptized in the name of Paul? No! 1 Corinthians 1:12-13

This passage always feels like a home run to me. I read it and I want to cheer. I hate labels. I feel they serve mostly to promote stereotypes and segregation. Why don't we keep it simple? Because we feel the need to make clear as much as possible what we believe to be right and proper? Because we want to distance or distinguish ourselves from those "other" groups that interpret scripture differently than we do? But do we really need to do that? Is it not enough to say "I'm a christian. I love Jesus, I want to know Him more and more and be like Him. I want to spend eternity with Him." We can all agree on that right? I'm talking mainstream christianity here, not beyond...

Okay, so striving to be like Him may look differently for many of us, but does that *really* matter? Are we not "dividing Christ up into different groups" just as Paul condemned? I hate it. Everytime I hear/see someone state "I'm ____________ (Baptist, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Calvinist, Mennonite....)." This passage comes to mind. Now for all my dear mennonite friends, don't get me wrong, I realize Mennonite has evolved into an equally cultural distinction as a doctrinal one over the years, after all, you can be "mennonite" and not give a hoot for Menno Simons or what he stood for, right? Just like in some cultures steeped in Catholicism you can be Catholic merely for being born into a Catholic family even if you only set foot in the church for baptism, first communion and your wedding.....

Anyway, I just wish that we didn't label ourselves so much and just pointed to Christ despite our differences. After all, no two people on earth are going to agree 100% about EVERY scriptural interpretation, not even with those we are closest to and in deepest fellowship with. That's not what it's about. It's about loving, encouraging, submitting, serving, practicing humility DESPITE our differences. My lifetime favorite passage Romans 14 and 15 outlines this better than anything I think.

I just love Christ. I love Christians. I love non-christians, I want peace on earth and look forward to the day we will have it, but think we should strive for it a bit more in the present :D

N.