We Can Differ, & Still Be Friends In Fellowship

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ (1 Peter 3:12); ‘<Jesus said,> “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.’”(Matthew 12:30)

Last Saturday, I watched Penn State’s defeat at the hands of Ohio State (again). Being a Pennsylvania boy growing up, before leaving the polluted waters of the Ohio River and abandoned mills and factories for the clean tropical paradise that is Florida (with some stops in between), I still have an attachment to the Nittany Lions and of course the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The thought that kept coming in my mind during the game is that while I am praying for the Nittany Lions to pull off the victory, someone from Ohio is praying for the same with the Buckeyes. This thought brought to mind the account of an American POW in the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ praying in his cell (after being tortured), and to his surprise the North Vietnamese guard watching him made the sign of the cross in the dirt, before erasing it with his boot as other guards were coming into the hall. 

There were Christians in the Allied Army in World War II as there were Christians within the Axis powers (including Japan, which had Christian missions evangelizing in their nation throughout the war).  We know there are Christians across the political spectrum in both major political parties in the US.   How can two polar opposites of opinion or state can be of the same God?

The easiest explanation is that each of us to a degree have opinions that vary based upon our personal worldly influences throughout our lives.  A person raised in Ohio vice Pennsylvania is more likely to favor Ohio-based things (like the Browns or Buckeyes over the Steelers or Nittany Lions). A North Vietnamese Christian is going to be patriotic for his nation and be more sympathetic to his nation, as opposed to the American Christian who will stand and fight for the United States. 

We all have a worldly viewpoint that is unique to our background, our heritage, the way we were raised as children, our experiences, etc.  We are in that sense all different. The key in handling our differences as Christians is to agree in how we need to be as Christians, first and foremost.  There can be room for opposing viewpoints on subjects and maintain Christian values for both.  Competition is good and healthy up to the point where we begin to compromise God’s precepts for personal gain or outcome. 

We see this in the political arena a lot; last night I saw ‘victory speeches’ by Senators- and Representatives-elect from both sides of the political spectrum who opened their statements with giving what seemed to be their heartfelt praise and glory to Jesus. Some unfortunately compromise their Faith to side with a non-Christian worldview to gain ‘likes’ among their constituents, as each side has grown in their extremism to the point where common sense no longer applies. That stated, the hope is that through the power of Christ, if they are truly sincere, the politicians from both sides can find commonality in their Faith and return our nation to a God-based form of governance.

We can disagree and have ‘favorites’ for our home teams and our preferences, but when it come to Christ, His Gospel and His precepts we must ensure there is unity.  Can a North Vietnamese guard be a Christian and yet hold an American Christian prisoner?  Yes, if that guard holds true to God and His precepts; likewise the Republican and Democrat Christians in Congress can disagree about policy as long as they do not falter from Scriptural truths.  I can even root against the Buckeyes but still come together who root for them, and love them under God’s Love. Realize in eternity those who proclaim Jesus as our Lord will all be on the same side in His Prescence.