Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Strife and Fighting

I don't like fighting, yet I am naturally a fighter. I don't like arguing, yet I am naturally a debater. A spirit of contention is so contrary to Christ's will for our lives. Even, and especially, in regard to Bible truth, I find myself fighting and arguing. It shouldn't be so! Who am I that I should defend God? It's like a flea trying to defend a lion! My attitude should simply be one of submission to Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Philippians 2:3-8, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Here is the heart of the matter. If I argue against someone, even regarding truth, am I not placing myself above them? I can present truth, but when presenting truth turns into contending about truth, I need to turn my eyes back to Christ. "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."

Galatians 5:22-26, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Notice the fruit of the Spirit is not compelling others to obey God, nor is it arguing skillfully for truth. "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." If we esteem ourselves better than others, is that not a clear manifestation of our uncrucified flesh rising up? "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

It is my intention to bear fruit, not to force truth on others. The question is, "How am I to bear fruit? Am I to try with all my strength?" Christ, in His last discourse with His disciples before being crucified, revealed the secret to bearing fruit.

After the last supper, while on the way from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ said, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ... Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:1, 4-5)

So we see it's only be abiding in Him that we bear fruit. But how do we abide in Him? What does it mean to abide in Him? That's the million dollar question. Luckily, Jesus gave us some clues. In verse 9 He says, "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love." So we see some connection between abiding and love. So how do we abide in His love? Well, in verse 10 He answers that clearly, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love." OK, so to abide in His love we follow His commandments...but what are His commandments? In verse 12 He lets us know, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." To make sure we get it, He says again in verse 17, "These things I command you, that you love one another."

Christ mentioned "abiding" 10 times in 7 verses (4-10). This is obviously something we should spend much time contemplating. He mentions us abiding in Him, Him abiding in us, His words abiding in us, us abiding in His love as He abides in His Father's love.

I have a tendency to wander during these posts and studies. But my point was something about how we should treat each other, how we should talk to each other. I guess, like everything else, it all boils down to love.

4 comments:

  1. I appreciate your thoughts very much. My brother and I have been discussing some very similar thoughts. So many of our present 'definitions' are 'tainted' by either counterfeit meanings or out and out lies that it takes time to get a real picture of what God means in the arena of 'armor' and 'war' and such. Might it be that we forget that we are to be the channels and not the decision maker when it comes to 'who', 'what', 'where', or even 'when' is time for an encounter.

    Also, God says we are not wrestling against 'flesh and blood'. When I am arguing with a person, as you mentioned, maybe I am aiming the wrong 'way'.

    In reality might most of the 'real' battles be in the spiritual realm involving our minds rather than 'with' other humans? I am becoming more and more convinced of that as a fact.


    Thanks again for sharing.

    Olive

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  2. That is my thought exactly! The battle we fight is a battle of the mind, a battle of who we'll choose to serve. Our only enemy is Self and Satan. I think if we fight against other people, we have already lost the true battle. Praise God who forgives so graciously and accepts us back into His arms when we repent. When I spend a little time contemplating His amazing love for us, I always come away with a feeling of "everything is going to be ok"...like the feeling of safety a little child feels in their Dad's arms.

    Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts and comment, i really appreciate it.

    God bless you and keep you!

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  3. We sure can't argue someone into accepting truth, but loving them is something we can will to do--and by this I mean loving them where they are, as they are right now. Not in the hopes of changing them, but simply because we are commanded to love as Christ has loved us.

    Thanks for this thought provoking post.

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  4. Yeah Deb, you're exactly right, and that's what I am shifting my focus to in my own life. Loving. A saying I have coming up on one of the scheduled posts is
    "a person convinced against their will,
    is of the same opinion still"

    and "people have to know that you care before they care what you know"

    So true! I think the only thing we can teach people that is of any saving value is what we teach them by example. Doctrine and theology has its place in the grand scheme of things, but I believe love is the only thing that can truly draw someone to Christ.

    Thank you for always visiting my little corner of the blogosphere, I appreciate you very much.

    God bless you and keep you!

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