Hello, Salman.

Thanks for the note, which highlights the importance of both love and sound doctrine, of speaking the truth in love. May the world know that we are Christ’s disciples (John 13:35)!

Paul

Am glad we still have agents of peace and true descipleship out there.of what importance is doctrine if it draws u further away from from God! Christians should accomodate each other at all times and their core responsibility is to respect God’s work which includes diversity in the way humans think and react to situations.i should be at liberty to feel that my glass is half empty while u are at liberty to feel that yours is half full,we both mean 50% at the end of the day! I dont think its fair for christ to have died such a painful death on our account,only for us to start fighting ourselves instead of helping him fight for ourselves and save souls for him.lets seriously humble ourselves,pride in our love for each other as we learn to be better christians everyday rather than working so hard to amplify each other’s faults and weakneses.i believe its the love that matters most if its really about christ,he taught that himself.

Thanks, Lionel, for a word from your own experience that helps reinforce some of the points I’ve made. May the Lord deliver us all from a spirit of arrogance!

Best wishes,

Paul

I am a black male who ran to religion after a rough inner city lifee. I was “saved” in an Apostolic church and later through many struggles with legalism and the Charismatic movement I was introduced to McArthur, Piper and Tom Nelson and now I bleong to a plant church of Deton Bible. What I have seen over the past few years are those who are more Bible oriented (I am talking about black folk here) have a lot of jokes such as tongue mocking, expressive worship jokes, and other Charismatic jokes that end up being really degrading to our Charismatic brothers and sisters. The other is a sense of arrogance (I too was guilty once I was introduced to reformed doctrine and the Doctrines of Grace). There should be a Christian Warning label on some material because of the arrogance that can come with knowledge. Just my thoughts. I have been intentianally bstarted to build relationships with those I don’t agree with, to get a better understanding on what makes them click and hopefully to introduce them to some of the great doctrines of the Faith. God bless.

“Yes, Felicity, I’m aware of the glitch (I pointed it out to Michael!). ”

He was probably just trying to take credit for a great post! –but you caught him!

Thanks for the responses!

Yes, Felicity, I’m aware of the glitch (I pointed it out to Michael!).

I’ll let Michael address the “necessary evil” question!!

All best,

Paul

Sorry Paul–I swear it said Michael wrote it….:) Anyway…

Michael–what is “necessary evil”? Disunity? I don’t understand your point.

Felicity

Sorry Felicity, this was Paul Copan’s post. It was a mistake that my name was initially attached to it.

Paul, good points. I think that we often look at all the bad that comes from denominationalism, but you have made a good point that it could be a necessary evil in a fallen world (like your blog on depression).

I find that in those denominations where there may be disagreements, yet there is a gracious recognition and genuine humility that there is a sense of iron sharpening iron.

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Good points!

***From MCP:
“I’m a Christian,” she replied.
He said, “Me, too! Small world! Protestant or Catholic?”
“Protestant.”………

………She said, “Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”
He then shouted, “DIE, HERETIC!”, and pushed her over the rail. (1)

RESPOSE:
I think your story demonstrates that the further you get from Jesus, the more division there is. The Christian Church was one holy and apostolic Church for 1500 years.

***From MCP:
This incident illustrates how having certain denominational label doesn’t guarantee a spirit of unity. A Christian can affirm the faith of fellow-Christians from other denominations with charity and grace.
This is ABSOLUTELY true! 1Cor13:13~ But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Thanks,
Felicity