Just when people started coming back to church… Omicron. How many more Greek letters will we go through? As a pastor of a local Church, I’m concerned about the social implications on fellowship. Since the beginning of the pandemic, through technology, we can be close while keeping our distances. If we miss the worship service, we can fill our homes with an atmosphere of positivity by streaming albums or videos produced by world-class musicians. Also, there are millions of podcasts, e-books, audiobooks, and sermon audios and videos to keep our minds occupied with wholesome thoughts. What a blessing for those who are quarantined, who have a newborn at home, or are immunocompromised.

That being said, the effects are not all positive, as the studies of increased loneliness¹ and statistics on violence² can attest. It would appear that our generation has been granted a view into the effects of a technological Church over against a live meeting of the sanctified imperfect. The new situation has provided the type of experience where no one has to be offended, where the illusion of closeness lasts the length of a video that I can pause or choose not to show my face. It’s reminiscent of the pure, sharp, cold lines of modern architecture. Or to quote French Philosopher Jacques Ellul: “All this not only sterilises the intervention, but institutes a false relationship to a false real. I take for reality what is shown to me, and reality fades away.”³ This to me seems to be one of the more silent dangers, a loss of what’s real to what’s pictured, presented, and downloaded. A sterilised or homogenised version of what should be life changing—meeting God in the assembly.

So I’d like to ask myself and my readers, why do we need community? Is it truly necessary for our Christian experience? Before I begin to worry those who know me, I’ll state bluntly my position. Yes! I believe in the Church. I believe in fellowship and the need to meet in person with other believers, and I’ll limit my arguments to only five.

Community is part of Creation.

To begin, we need community because it is part of Creation. As God placed man in the garden to cultivate it and have dominion over creation (Gn 1:26-27; 2:18-20), He said, “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gn 2.18). The Lord then proceeded to create the woman as a helper. This was to be the beginning of culture, a series of relationships that was destined to be “a place of human flourishing.”⁴ It can be argued that God’s intention to meet man’s need was found in the marriage relationship in Genesis 2:18 and not the Church. Certainly, the immediate text would support this, as would the fact that no New Testament author cites this as a reason for community. But I would respond that within the Cultural Mandate to cultivate wholesome relationships through a generous stewardship of what God created for man’s care is an implicit design that humans aren’t made to live alone. I would also point to the fact that the English word we use for “church” is our translation for ἐκκλησία, “an assembly or gathering of people.”

Community helps us understand biblical covenantal relationships.

Closely tied to the last point, we need community because it helps us understand biblical, covenantal relationships. In our day, the word “friend” has come to mean anything from an acquaintance, to a marriage partner, to a digital name I can block whenever I no longer agree with their opinion. I’m convinced that most understand the varying degrees of friendship and commitment, but I wonder what the devaluation of the term has produced in relationships. When we consider the covenantal ceremonies in the Bible, like the one the Lord celebrated with Abram in Genesis 15:9-21, or the Lord’s supper in Matthew 26:20-29, we can read a permanence lasting throughout a lifetime. Although these are covenants concluded between God and man, the impact outlasted the lifetime of those men with whom God interacted. In both cases, the men involved were called friends (Gn 15:6; 2Chr 20:7; Is 41:8; Jn 15:15).

Before I get too far off subject, let me underline two observations: a friendship involves cooperation and togetherness. In the covenantal relationships, each one has a part. God gave blessings and promises, while Abraham believed and received. The Lord Jesus laid down His life, while we believe and receive today. Cooperation.

As for togetherness, both covenants involve two parties closely knit together. Is this not what we see in Paul’s description of the Church and its use of Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14? The Church made of members so tight that Paul describes them as parts of a same body, working in harmony, and in a sense, the many become one. This is impossible to learn alone watching a screen or singing with Siri or Alexa. Although the nearness of God can be experienced, the full sense of community cannot.

Community helps us understand ourselves.

In a very similar way, we need community because it helps us understand ourselves. C.S Lewis spoke of this in The Four Loves. He wrote: “In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets.”⁵ His idea was that as we get to know another person, we find common interests and loves, perhaps discover new ones. We enter a conversation that becomes unique to the relationship that is felt as a true loss when the person is gone. In the same way, someone with a spiritual gift of administration needs a community of people with organisational needs, a teacher must have students, and someone who speaks in tongues during the service needs an interpreter. It’s much like a dance. As we move our feet to the music, we discover if we can feel the rhythm. As we hold our partner’s hand, we learn if we can lead fluidly or tend to step on toes. In this way, as applied to using our spiritual gifts in fellowship, we discover our unique place in the body of Christ.

Community helps us know God.

This brings me to another idea—we need community because it helps us know God. Church isn’t only about the sermon or the worship. We learn about God as we eat the bread and drink the cup, just as we do while watching a new believer baptised. But there are some things we can only learn about God while we are in relationship with other believers. It’s part of being created in His image and having that image restored through the New Birth. As I serve with a sister who has a different gift than I, she shows me how God works in ways I wouldn’t otherwise have known. It’s in her response, her gifts that I don’t posses. In the same way, I learn about God as a brother ministers to me or prays for my needs. More that just a perspective, it’s God working through him, so that if given eyes to see, I learn more about God than a simple transfer of information I can read in a book. I’m speaking of an experiential knowledge: observable, palpable or, to borrow a phrase from theologian John Frame, “to know God is friendship.”

The Bible imperatively demands community.

Lastly, we need community because the Bible imperatively demands it. Hebrews 10:25, probably one of the most quoted verses on the subject, says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” As far as a lexical prooftext, we almost have an airtight case with this one. Note that the word translated “the assembling of ourselves,” ἐπισυναγωγή (a word composed of ἐπι—on + συν—with + αγω—to bring or lead), is the same word used in “the gathering together to the Lord” at His return in 1 Thessalonians 2:1.

This clear exhortation to persevere in meeting together is actually part of a much bigger thought. It’s the imperative to a powerful indicative statement, meaning it’s the application of what we’ve been given in Jesus (Hb 10:19-21). Because we have boldness to enter into the Holy Place (v19a), because Christ was the sacrifice that opened the way (v19b-20), and because He is the Great High Priest over the house of God (v21), we should not abandon the assembly. So in the end, meeting together is a vibrant and life-giving privilege that comes from above. It originates in what Jesus accomplished for us and translates into an act of worship.

_NOTES

_{¹ Hwang, Tzung-Jeng, Kiran Rabheru, Carmelle Peisah, William Reichman, and Manabu Ikeda. “Loneliness and Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: International Psychogeriatrics.” Cambridge Core. Cambridge University Press, May 26, 2020.}

_{² Stripe, Nick. “Domestic Abuse during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, England and Wales: November 2020.” Domestic abuse during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, England and Wales – Office for National Statistics. Office for National Statistics, November 25, 2020.}

_{³ Jacques Ellul, La parole humiliée, (Paris: La Table Ronde, 1981, réédition 2020), 229.}

_{Personal translation of the original: “Tout cet ensemble non seulement stérilise l’intervention, mais institue une fausse relation à un faux réel. Je prends pour réalité ce qui m’est montré, et le réel s’efface.”}

_{⁴ I borrow this phrase from Andy Crouch who uses it often in his written work.}

_{⁵ C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves, (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1960), 92, Digital Copy.}

We live in America, in a land where our rights are cherished and valued beyond anything else. They are embedded in our DNA as free people who secured these rights through violent revolution against a European superpower, fought a civil war, engaged in two world wars and witnessed the civil rights movement rise in the 1960s under the leadership of Martin Luther King. After all, our national birth certificate prominently displays the phrase “all men are created equal” and that we are “endowed” by our “Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” For many, too much blood, sweat and tears have been invested in securing these rights to allow them to be destroyed. The ability to protest is viewed as a sacred right in the U.S.

Understandably, many protestors are furious with the recent handling of the arrest of a black man at the hands of white police officers in Minneapolis. Such is the case with the recent killing of George Floyd. The ensuing protests, violent riots and destruction of property in protest of government abuse has spread across the country in recent days. This has caused many to consider when, if ever, is it justified to violate the law in civil disobedience, and whether disobedience should ever use violence. For Christians who seek to be obedient to God and His Word, these questions can challenge the best of us in light of the apostle Paul’s statement on the relationship between God, government and its citizenry in Romans 13:1-7.

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience” (Romans 13:1-5).

Despite this passage, many Christians are deeply patriotic and yet recognize that our country was founded on violent rebellion to established laws! We also understand that government was established by God for the good of the people and to resist government would be tantamount to resisting God Himself. So, when is it justified to disobey government, and should it be violent or non-violent?

Three Views of Civil Disobedience

Though the question posed above can be a thorny one to navigate, especially with so many differing perspectives and emotions on the matter, the Scriptures and common sense give us guidance.

There are three basic positions on civil disobedience: 1) anarchy, the belief it’s always right to disobey government since they reject governmental authority, 2) radical patriotism, it’s never right to disobey, and 3) Biblical submissionism, sometimes right to engage in civil disobedience.

The anarchist position may be attractive to some young people seeking to remove the bonds of government accountability and promote change through violence against those with whom they disagree. But upon a closer look, this view appears self-defeating and unsustainable on the “might makes right” mentality. Obviously, Nazi Germany was arguably the most powerful nation in the world by 1939, yet its Final Solution policy of genocide cannot be condoned as virtuous by any society, whether anarchist or otherwise. It is not difficult, especially in light of Romans 13, to see why Christians reject anarchy as a plausible approach to civil disobedience.

Radical patriotism, which claims we ought to obey government right or wrong, may be a more popular position among the Christian community due to Paul’s strong language in Romans 13 and our founding fathers’ statements concerning God and government.

George Washington says:

“No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand [of God] which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency” (First Inaugural Address, 1789).

James Madison writes:

“Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe” (Memorial & Remonstrance, 1785).

John Jay said:

“Providence [God] has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers” (President of Continental Congress, 1778-1779).

Many Christians see America as a “Christian nation” from its founding, which means to them that God and government are nearly synonymous, prompting unflinching obedience to obey government as we would obey God. However, this viewpoint has several problems.

First, many passages describe God’s people as approvingly disobeying government officials and policy. Daniel’s three friends, while in Babylonian captivity, disobeyed the government command to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s image (Daniel 3:1-30). In addition, Peter and John refused to obey the command by the Sanhedrin to stop preaching in public (Acts 4:13-22).

Second, despite the fact there were many fine Christians involved in founding our country, it would not be accurate to characterize America as an official “Christian nation.” Though the Declaration of Independence appeals to God and His providence, it would be more accurately posited that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and the concept of natural law ethics in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson, John Locke and William Blackstone (cf. Romans 2:15).

Third, the founders did not want another religious government, they just left this type of rule in England. They correctly recognized that civil society ought to be governed by natural law and common sense, not religious dogma. For natural law was given to all men by God (Romans 2:15), while scriptural revelation was given to God’s people to govern the church. It simply would be inappropriate and perhaps immoral, much like forced Islamic law, to impose religious doctrine upon an unbelieving public. In their genius, the fathers utilized man’s innate understanding of right and wrong (natural law) as the basis to form public policy, all of which is consistent with Scripture. An example of its implementation is found in the Nuremberg trials following WWII as international prosecutors used the charge of “crimes against humanity” to convict captured high ranking Nazis for war crimes.

The remaining option, biblical submissionism (sometimes is right to disobey government), appears to offer Christians two approaches to disobey government – either antipromulgationist or the anticompulsionist positions. The former supports disobedience when the government promulgates laws that are incompatible with Bible doctrine. According to this view, in the event of immoral public policy, the government is seen as abdicating its God-given authority and the immoral policy should be viewed as null and void. Meaning that antipromulgationists view American government as a De Jura institution, directly linking governmental authority to the consistency of policy with Bible doctrine. Thus, breaking the law is justified in order to change unbiblical laws or to preserve a greater good. According to this was of thinking, trespassing or vandalism is acceptable when protesting an abortion clinic. This view is articulated in Samuel Rutherford’s Lex Rex: The Law is King (1644) and adopted in recent times by Francis Schaeffer in his Christian Manifesto (1980).

Unlike the former, the anticompulsionist justifies civil disobedience only when the government compels (mandates) its citizens to do what is immoral. In other words, anticompulsionists don’t believe Christians have the right to disobey when government simply permits immoral behavior through its laws (e.g. abortion), but only when citizens are commanded to obey immoral laws (e.g. mandating abortion vs. permitting abortions).

It appears that the first option (anarchy) supporting civil disobedience does not have biblical support and lacks common sense to operate a functioning society. Even the anarchist must be governed by its own laws or rules, which makes it self-defeating in its hard form. Radical Patriotism supports blind obedience to governmental authorities, which history shows can be dangerous (e.g. Nazi fascism). It also appears to contradict biblical examples of approved disobedience. But does the Biblical submission position have biblical support?

There are at least eight cases of civil disobedience in Scripture that are explicitly or implicitly approved by God.

1) Exodus 1:15-21 – Hebrew Midwives disobeyed Pharaoh’s command to kill newborn

Hebrew male babies.

2) Exodus 5:1-2; 7-14 – Disobey Pharaoh’s command to make bricks without straw.

3) Joshua 2:3-4; 6:25; Heb 11:31 – Rahab disobeyed the government officials’ command

to disclose the location of Israelite spies.

4) 1 Kings 18:3-15 – Obadiah hid 100 prophets from Queen Jezebel despite her command.

5) Daniel 3:5, 18 – Daniel’s three friends refused to worship the golden image

(cf. 3:25-30)

6) Daniel 6: 7, 10, 22 – Daniel prayed against the law.

7) Acts 4:17-19, 21 – Peter and John disobeyed the Sanhedrin’s command to not teach

in the name of Jesus.

8) Revelation 13:16-17; 14:9-12 – Anti-Christ causes/commands all to take a mark,

those who obey will be lost.

In each of these cases, there was a command by authorities to do evil; an act of disobedience to that command; an implicit or explicit approval by God; the disobedience was non-violent; some fled and others accepted the authorities’ punishment. These examples give Christians precedence on how to respond to oppressive governments.

First, obey the laws of the land, even if they permit evil (abortion). Work within the law to change these permissive immoral laws.

Second, it is acceptable to disobey the government’s immoral laws if they command Christians to do evil. God’s law is higher than earthly governments, so when the two come into conflict, choose the higher law. Essentially, you are choosing the greater good.

Third, patiently endure suffering and expect prosecution if you disobey. Be ready to accept the punishment.

Fourth, civil disobedience should be non-violent. God gave authority to the government to use arms to punish unruly citizens and to protect its citizens from hostile foreign governments (war). Unlike government authority, God did not authorize the people to take up arms against the government personnel. There are other non-violent means to actively and passively resist oppressive government, such as protest, legislation, publishing, fleeing and hiding. Non-violent civil disobedience brings up an apparent conundrum for those Christians who patriotically wave the flag each fourth of July in celebration of our country’s founding, in spite of the violent rebellion against Britain to achieve nationhood. However, one can simply enjoy the end result and still reject the means by which it arrived, much like a baby born from rape. We can be a patriotic American and celebrate the “baby” without endorsing the way in which the country was conceived. Granted, national change may take longer without violence, but Canada, through patience and negotiation, finally received independence from European powers without a revolution.

Conclusion

For the Christian, justified civil disobedience requires government to issue a command to do evil. In such cases, the believer has not only a right but a duty to disobey. The violent riots in the name of George Floyd do not meet these criteria. Though government forces were involved in the unjust and tragic death of Floyd, they are not commanding the public or its officers to do the same to others. Namely, the officer’s arrest tactics were an aberration of normal protocol in such instances, not the fulfillment of mandated procedure. Rather, they are punishing the officers involved in the tragedy. Peaceful protest within the confines of the law is acceptable, but violence is not. Ultimately, proper civil disobedience begins with submission to God’s Word and recognizing the government’s God-given authority. This way we can properly honor the memory of George Floyd and begin the discussion of how to improve public policy, administration and enforcement.

I have a four-year-old nephew. He’s gregarious. He’s fun-loving. He’s black.

He doesn’t yet realize color. He’s not yet saddled with the weighty history of race in this country. He is blissfully unaware as he plays with his best friend, who is also four years old and who also happens to be white.

I pray for this little guy often. I particularly pray that, like the prophet Samuel, he hears and responds to the voice of the Lord while still young. That is my earnest hope for him; but these days, I am also asking the Lord to protect him from skewed perceptions by others that could ultimately hurt him.

My fear for him mirrors my own and is compounded as I watch the recent news reports.

• In Florida, a mother allegedly drowns her autistic son, but reportedly tells authorities he was kidnapped by two black men.

• In New York’s Central Park, a woman calls police saying she and her dog were being threatened by an African American man.

• Then there are the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, the former shot while jogging near his home in Georgia, the latter dying after being arrested in Minneapolis.

We now look to the legal system “hoping” that a dispassionate review of the criminal cases will render fair verdicts. But for many of us, even a “correct” verdict may do little to disquiet the growing fear gripping many black men in this country.

Prejudices and racism are stains of a world rocked by sin. Paul tells the Galatians that the acts of the flesh are obvious and include hatred, dissensions, and factions (Galatians 5:19–20). For me, the solution can only start and end with the liberating promise of the Gospel. The spotlight of divine truth needs to shine on all areas of our society, especially where atrocities occur. But is the church failing in this area?

When I speak of the church, in this case, I’m narrowly defining it as the dominant Anglo-Saxon evangelical movement.

I’ve been part of this tribe for more than 30 years. I love these people. I am deeply indebted to the many who have invested in me and grateful for how, collectively, the church has faithfully served the kingdom. Therefore it is with love that I call upon leaders within the evangelical world to speak honestly and openly about these atrocities. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are all important vehicles, but pastors shouldn’t neglect to address these travesties from the pulpit.

Pastor and leaders, it is from your platform that many will hear your passion about the issues. How you biblically frame God’s heart for injustice will be a powerful lesson for those you shepherd (Malachi 2:6, NKJV). But even as you do so, may you be sure that your house is in order.

“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17, ESV).

I believe this verse truly applies and that it’s time to ask some hard questions. Are we doing all we can as churches to foster racial reconciliation in our own institutions? My intention is not to place blame, but my sincere belief is that if we get the issue of race right, the church can and will set an example for our society.

With this in mind, I want to suggest some action points.

Encourage Diverse Teams

Encourage diversity in all aspects of ministry. From the board of elders to the worship teams, the pastoral staff to ministers working with kids and youth, diversity should be one of the hallmarks as church leaders prayerfully install people into ministry positions. A diverse background brings different perspectives and a greater ability to learn from others.

Assemble Diverse Leadership

Pay particular attention to assemble a diverse leadership team. Those men and women whom God has called to steer the church all bring their unique life experiences to the table. The cultural cacophony that results could be challenging, but the result will likely yield a rich tapestry that will only benefit any church seeking to reflect the community around it.

Celebrate Cultural Differences

Look for opportunities to incorporate cultural variety into services and programs. Whether it’s bilingual worship songs, cultural observances, ethnically diverse speakers, or accommodating language differences, these all go a long way to signal to the minorities in your church that they are valued and welcomed. Tolerance and understanding will then have the opportunity to take root as we serve alongside each other in the house of God.

Ask and Listen

To go the next step means engaging minorities in your churches about their life experiences. This best comes after a time of getting to know them, even just a little. Here is a little secret about black people—we talk about race to each other all the time. And if approached in a spirit of sincere curiosity, most people of color would gladly share their personal stories. Create opportunities for meaningful connections with minorities, and when appropriate, ask the hard questions to gain a better understanding of the things that have shaped their lives. Ask away, but also remember the importance of listening with openness.

Foster Genuine Integration

Once in a while, someone will say to me that the white evangelical movement is without cultural definition. That may be a sincere belief by some, but for others, the dominant church culture is itself a culture, and for many minorities, it’s a culture they’re often not used to. In tone and style, there are variations between churches, but the Anglo-American Protestant movement brings with it some of the same cultural expressions and predilections seen in wider society. Knowing and understanding that is important and necessary if we are to navigate the challenges of integration.

Be Intentional

None of the above happens accidentally. In fact, none of it will happen if you are not intentional in orchestrating it. For the most part, our natural tendency is to be surrounded by people with whom we culturally identify. Seeking to diversify services, programs, and staff goes against the grain for many of us, so it’s important to recognize our default tendencies and push for ethnic and cultural inclusion.

Be Sincere

Of course, none of this works if there is not an underpinning of sincerity. There is a saying, “people can smell a fake a mile away.” It can also be true with a church’s push for inclusion. It can be perceived as just lip service if not birthed from an earnest desire for true integration. Talking about it with no resulting action can be harmful and will leave many minorities in your congregation questioning if you care.

Minorities Must Play Their Part

Coming to grips cross-culturally is not just the responsibility of the white church. Minorities within these communities must also realize they have an important role to play on the road to racial harmony. They must be willing to engage and overcome any internal fears or prejudices that may be holding them back. They must also find constructive ways to channel and voice concerns to their peer groups and church leadership. It will take discernment to know what to accept and a reliance on the Spirit to be able to forgive as needed. We must be patient, knowing that the process of reconciliation is more like a marathon than a sprint. It will not go smoothly at times, but with the best of efforts and intentions and the willingness to be led by the Spirit, unity is achievable.

I’m realistic enough to know that on this side of heaven, the thorny issue of race will never really go away. But I’m encouraged by the Bible and the call for the church to walk together in unity and love. If we get it right, wouldn’t it be a model to a hurting world? What would it look like if we saw each other as image-bearers of God?

Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 NKJV). The love of Jesus, working in and through the church and demonstrated to the world, is our only hope. Proclaiming unity through Christ is the only solution that can stop what has been a spate of racially-charged deaths and accusations.

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands.”

Revelation 7:9 paints a beautiful picture of the harmonious diversity that will only be seen in heaven. But let us strive, here and now, to replicate that imagery in our churches. In doing so, we will set a higher standard for our communities and the nation.

I’m willing to commit to it in obedience to God for the sake of the church, for the sake of society, and for the sake of my nephew and his generation. Will you join me?

As much of the world is now on lockdown, meaning that voluntary physical distancing became physical distancing through a government order, I wanted us as believers all over the world to consider the difference between “social distancing” and “physical distancing.”

Social Distancing vs. Physical Distancing

Rather than term what we are all doing as “social distancing,” would it not be better to refer to this as “physical distancing?”

Here’s why this is important:

• Social distancing means that we are isolated socially, not in touch with anybody, alone, feeling abandoned and definitely not part of a loving and living body of people (1 Corinthians 12:12).

• Physical distancing is simply just that; you don’t get too close to people. This is a small difference in choice of words, but a huge difference in understanding, acceptance, and consequently, practice.

For the sake of others, let us practice physical distancing willingly and obediently. Let us be the model citizens the Word calls us to be (Romans 13:1) and exemplify those who put into practice the instructions of our respective national governments that are given for the good of all.

The church is still the church despite physical distance. Nothing will stop the church being the church. Nothing. Jesus said that, on the bedrock truth that He is the Son of God, nothing would ever prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18), and being physically distant from each other for a fixed period of time will certainly not. So, valuing others more highly than ourselves, let us willingly practice physical distancing.

During this unprecedented time, we have a wonderful opportunity to see if the church is really the church.

We will see if this body of people is self-supporting, self-sustaining and self-supplicating (James 5:16).

• Is the church reaching out to the community?
• Is the church meeting the needs found therein?
• Is the church bathing its members in prayer?

We will see if this body of people is Kingdom focused or kingdom-focused (Matthew 6:24).

Is the church focused on God’s plans and purposes during this time, or is the church focused on the things that have been postponed or cancelled. Is the church focused on the programmes or the people?

We will see if the church is filling its God-given mandate to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

On any given Sunday (or Friday for me), the actual work of the church is usually done by a select few, those “on staff” maybe, or the faithful few who understand that serving the Lord through serving His people is not optional for the believer. Now that this physically cannot be the case, we will see whether the church family at large will spring into action and be the hands and feet of our Lord.

We will see if there is fruit and a root (James 2:14-26).

What we do always shows what we believe, so this time of enforced change will quickly bring to the surface through our actions what we hold dear and where we are willing to invest our time, talent and treasure. Does our fruit match what we claim to be our root?

Simply, we will see if this called-out-of-the-world group of people really are fully regenerate born again believers, part of the living body of Christ, or just a group of consumers who turn up to watch a religious TEDTalk once a week.

This is going to sting for some; this is going to turn some away (John 6:60), but for those truly part of the body, this is going to be a defining period of time, a call to action, a call to take up arms, a call to show that, yes, we are the church. We aren’t going anywhere; we are here for each other and for the world.

Brother, sisters, in a spirit of deferential love, let us willingly practice physical distancing, but let us not now nor ever be a church that is comfortable with social distancing. Let us come together, socially and spiritually, and show the world that we are the church today, tomorrow and every day.

All of us who occupy a pastoral leadership position in a church, will at some point in time be faced with a very critical question:

Who is the head of your church?

It will be asked by people seeking to talk with the “guy in charge,” “the senior or lead” pastor, “the guy who makes the decisions”– and 100 other ways. It is in that moment we have a choice—and the choice is critical. The answer to this question will actually set the course of everything that follows—the words, the counsel, the plans, the purposes.

So I ask again, who really is the head of your church? Who is the captain of the ship? Who is the master? Who calls the shots?

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15-18).

Short answer: Who is in charge of your church? Hopefully not you, or any other human with spiritual gifting.

Whoever is on the throne, that person is the head.

“In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross, he remains on the throne. Death to Self brings life in Christ…We remain king within the little kingdom of Mankind and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.” – C.H. Spurgeon, Lectures to my Students (1897-1963)

Let’s unpack this issue. The greatest problem I see consistently is that I lose sight of who Jesus is as Lord of my life–First and foremost—Master—Head—And my need for Grace is just as great as anybody and everybody else on this earth—the one answering our question is the one who also is a sheep!

Sure, I teach and preach, counsel, yes, solve problems, of course, build stuff for God, yep—My life is full of stuff I am doing for the Lord, and hopefully, my motivation is His glory alone…but…

Do I personally give Him devotion and worship to Him as Lord??

Do you ever reach the place where the answer to this dilemma is—“If I have time in my busy schedule, perhaps after I take care of problems He has me handling”—How often are we a one person show!

We are NOT supposed to do this alone!—We are one body.

We need to make sure He is first in our lives, and then we will have all the help we need and not be over tasked shepherds who are out of patience, stressed out and ready to blow up if the next sheep we see says, “BAHHHHHHHHHHHH,” the wrong way.

The plain and simple truth is that on many days I am struggling just like every last person sitting in the pews, my life needs the power of grace to rain down on it. I am frail and fragile, and I need somebody to speak into my life.

We actually need each other! And your success and my success are inextricably linked!—If you fail to some degree, so do I!

“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…” (Romans 12:4-6).

No group, organization or denomination can claim to be “the exclusive body of Christ,” for the body is composed of all true believers. Each Christian is a member of this spiritual body, and Jesus Christ is the head. We should be complementing…not competing with each other.

In Greek usage, the word “head” meant “source” and “origin” as well as “leader, ruler.”

Jesus Christ is the source of the church, His body and the leader—We all take orders from Him!

Paul called Him “the Beginning,” which tells us that Jesus Christ has priority in time as far as His church is concerned.

The term beginning can be translated “originator.”

• No matter which name you select for your building, it should affirm the preeminence of Jesus Christ.
• The church had its origin in Him, and today it has its operation in Him.
• As the Head of the church, Jesus Christ supplies it with life, vision, instruction and direction through His Spirit.
• He gives gifts to men, and then places these gifted people in His church that they might serve Him where they are needed.
• Through His Word, Jesus Christ nourishes and cleanses the church (Ephesians 5:25-30).

No believer, pastor, teacher, administrator on earth is the head of the church, because we all need Jesus to lead each of us.

This position is reserved exclusively for Jesus Christ:

• Various religious leaders may have founded churches, or denominations; but only Jesus Christ is the founder of the church, which is His body.
• This church is composed of all true believers, and it was born at Pentecost. It was then that the Holy Spirit came and baptized the believers into one spiritual body.
• The fact that there is “one body” in this world (Ephesians 4:4) does not eliminate or minimize the need for local bodies of believers.

I may not minister to the whole global church, but I can strengthen and build that church by ministering to God’s people right where he has me and let Him lead His church.

Jesus Christ is the head of the church.

“Strive together for the sake of the Gospel” (Philippians 1:27). “This is My command; Love each other” (John 15:17).

God is love, but he doesn’t love everything. In fact, in Proverbs 6:16-19, King Solomon compiled a list of those things God hates. The list concludes with a stated hatred for discord in a family. God loves unity. God hates division between those who should be loving one another. Anyone who grew up in a family of more than one child or raised a quiver full of kids understands David’s sentiment here when he says, “Behold how good and pleasant when the kids get along” (my paraphrase).

When you have a family, you have the potential for conflict. You don’t even need a child in the home to prove that point. A husband and wife or even a couple friends can experience conflict all on their own.

Bottom line: Unity is Rare

Any way we look at it, it really is wonderful when we get along with one another, especially in a family of brothers and sisters gathered together around a common faith.

The Bible makes it clear that David knew all to well the pain of a divided house. The battles between David’s children were epic. They were fueled by lust, jealousy, revenge and ambition. His royal children left a wake of destruction as they battled one another.

It’s impossible to know when David wrote Psalm 133 or what scene he had in mind. Did he look around at an uncharacteristically tranquil home? Or was he looking back at a more peaceful time of family harmony?

Whatever the inspiration for this song, there is no doubt its placement here, just before our “finish line,” is meant to give us a view of the assembly of worshipers gathered for the purpose of a yearly celebration in Jerusalem. There was no temple in David’s day, so any gathering might likely have been around the Tabernacle, God’s “mobile home” that led the way through the wilderness as His visible presence went before the children of Israel for 40 years. Perhaps David enjoyed and marveled at the unity of the large company of singers and dancers who accompanied the Ark of the Covenant as it was brought into Jerusalem and then into the new tent David had built for God.

My favorite scene to imagine at this point is in the temple of Solomon, during one of the mandatory festivals: Passover, Pentecost or Tabernacles. David’s passion was to see that beautiful worship center built and filled with loyal, adoring worshipers of Yahweh. This psalm typifies what he longed to see.

In later years, after the construction of the temple, the priestly leader of the carefully planned liturgy would begin at the bottom of a flight of 15 stairs, leading from the court of the women, into the inner courts, reciting a different Psalm on each step as he moved toward the top. He would have begun with Psalm 120 as he took that first step, then 121, 122, etc. Now on step 14, the priest had a panoramic view of all those gathered for worship, including even the Gentiles gathered in their outer courtyard.

On that step, with a breath-taking view, it must have been emotional and thrilling to see those from every tribe of Israel, as well as worshipers from many other nations. But think about the factions within those tribes: the rich with the poor, the educated with the unschooled, the servant and the master. The Pharisee, Sadducee, Essene, Zealot, Scribe and all those foreigners, gathered together for that moment. After the festival, they would potentially go back to their cliques. Yes, there were more than enough points of disagreement to start a civil war in those gatherings. There are in our assemblies too, but for that moment, they were on the same page. They were … “together in unity.” David describes the profound impact of such unity:

Unity is like oil. The oil described is that which would have been poured upon the priest to prepare him to stand between God in intercession for His people.

Unity is like dew. Think of that morning dew on your lawn or garden. Dew is life-giving and refreshing.

Unity is that place where the Lord commands the blessing of new life. When God finds a congregation that walks and stands together in unity, you can be sure He will bring those who are looking for life to that “good and pleasant place.”

Yes, unity is good and pleasant, but unity is rare.

At times it seems we are born for battle. The Church is notorious for that. Even though we have every reason to stand together and no reason to divide, even though we have each found the same perfect grace, even though Jesus prayed for us to experience “perfect unity” and begged us to love one another, we often stand at arms length from one another, apparently to get a good shot at our brother as we assume opposite sides of a battlefield.

God won’t force us to be saved, and He won’t force us to love each other. He will, however, pour down the “oil and the dew” and bring new life among us as we walk together in unity and fight for one another. May God find us laying aside petty differences and see us “practicing for heaven,” as we strive together for the sake of the Gospel. Let’s lift one voice with one passion and give praise to the One True God who made us one in Jesus Christ.

We sang a song in my early days in the family of God that declared:

We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity
Will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love

Yes, indeed they will.

In Acts 2 we learn some very important things about Authentic Christianity and Authentic Church. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter proclaimed the Gospel (the record of what God has done for us in the sending of His Son). 3,000 men and women believed the Gospel! The moment they repented of their sin and believed the Gospel, they were transformed on every level. Repent = change of thinking. They changed they way they thought about Jesus. Only 50 days earlier they thought He was nobody, worthy of the utterly excruciating and utterly humiliating death of crucifixion.

But now they saw Jesus as the Son of God who was worthy of their trust, their love, their worship and their service because He loved them and died in their place for their sins and had risen from the grave, conquering death! There was another radical transformation that transpired. Prior to that moment, those 3,000 men and women were living in the sphere of sin and death. But the instant they believed the Gospel, they were placed into Jesus, and in Jesus, they experienced genuine life, joy and peace because Jesus is life, and Jesus is our peace.

Prior to that moment, those 3,000 men and women were wholeheartedly a part of this world that, since Genesis 3, has been organizing itself without God and against God. But the moment they believed with their heart on the Lord Jesus, they were taken out of that kingdom and placed into the Kingdom of God’s Son. The Bible calls that collection of people the Church. The Greek word is ekklesia, “those who are called out” — “called together.”

The ekklesia is a people who are no longer trying to organize themselves without God and against God.

It is a people being organized by God and for God, so that they might individually and collectively be the expression of the rule of God in a world that refuses to be ruled by Him.

By definition and essence there is a GREAT DIVISION between the ekklesia and the world! In Acts 4 the brand new, infant Church was beginning to experience the reality that they were living for Jesus, loving Jesus, worshipping Jesus and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus in a broken world that is irrational and unreasonable in its rejection of Jesus and the Gospel. That irrational and unreasonable rejection of Jesus would ultimately be expressed in persecution against them.

“So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.’ And when they had further threatened them, they let them go…”(Acts 4:18-21).

In a short while, the threats would turn to violence and these men would be beaten.

“ ‘…We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.’ When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them…And when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts 5:28-40).

What did these first believers do when they were faced with rejection, persecution and were threatened with violence? How did they view themselves in relationship to the Church? What did the Church mean to them? What did the Church do when the unbelieving world wanted to exterminate them? These are huge and crucial questions for us because the great, overarching theme of the Book of Acts is summed up in a single word — “Authentic.”

The entire book [Acts] is the account of what Authentic Christianity is — what its authentic mission and message is. It is the account of what Authentic Church is in its nature and its action.

The mere fact that we may think we are Christians does not prove that we are Christians. The Authenticity of our Christianity, the Authenticity of church can only be determined if we examine ourselves in the light of all that we are told about these men.

In the remainder of this chapter, we have another benchmark for what is Authentic Christianity and Authentic Church. Here’s the “acid test.”

Let’s look at what Peter and John did when they were faced with rejection, persecution and were threatened with violence. We’ll see how they viewed themselves in relationship to the rest of the believers in Jerusalem (a.k.a. the Church). We’re going to see in this moment and in the writings of the New Testament what the Church meant to them. It is in that light alone that we can measure what is Authentic about our own lives.

Paul wrote to a local gathering of believers in Philippi, whom he loved dearly. In that letter he told them. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). Some years after the events of Acts 4, this same Peter would write to other Christians who were suffering because of their faith in Jesus:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this (in your salvation) you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved (thrown into sorrow) by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:3-9).

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:8-11).

Words like “suffer,” “grief” and “trial” are not exactly the things sitting at the top of our MUST HAVE LIST! But Peter tells his readers that those are the very things that God uses to refine us and make us more like Jesus. Then — in the context of suffering, grief and trials — Peter calls the Authentic Christians to love one another. “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). KJV = Love one another with a pure heart fervently.

Peter was simply writing down what he had always been living out! THIS IS HUGE — From the beginning of the Book of Acts, Peter understood that his life in Jesus was never intended to be, and in reality, never could be autonomous. How do we know this? Luke tells us about the very first thing they did after they were threatened. “When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23).

“Friends” is a very important word. ἴδιος one’s own: (1) belonging to a particular thing or person private, one’s own, in contrast to public property (κοινός common) or what belongs to another.

We believe in the VERBAL, PLENARY INSPIRATION of the Bible. All of it is inspired. Not just in thought or idea but the very words. The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to use this word in describing the people Peter and John were going to because He wants to impress upon us how Peter and John viewed the other believers in Jerusalem. KJV = They went to their own company.

Yes — they understood that Jesus was sending them, even as the Father sent Him.

Like Jesus, they were on mission in culture — to be used by Jesus in His work of seeking and saving the lost.

But they understood that they had a special relationship with a special people. They made their way to the other men and women that they belonged to in a special way! In a very unique and personal way, to the exclusion of the rest of the world, they belonged to those who had come to saving faith in Jesus, and who were now being organized by God and for God.

What a change in atmosphere! Only a few minutes before they were in the midst of the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of ancient Israel, being interrogated and threatened. Now they were in the midst of their own company!

HUGE STUFF — This moment, along with the others like it in the Book of Acts and the writings of the New Testament, make it inescapably clear that Authentic Christians are not wired to live outside of the ekklesia (the people assembled by God in to this thing called the Church).

It is within the Church/ local church where the love of Jesus is expressed to the members of the Body of Christ.

Authentic Church is the place where God wants to comfort the person who is discouraged. It’s the place where God wants to strengthen the person who is weak. It’s the place where God wants to encourage the person who has no hope. It’s the place where God wants to come alongside the person who’s alone in and through the lives of other believers. Authentic Church is the place where God wants to give guidance to the person who has lost his way. It’s the place where God wants to warn the person who is beginning to wander. Bottom Line — Authentic Church is where God’s presence and love is expressed in and through His children. That’s why God WANTS us to be together.

“Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near”(Hebrews 10:25).

Do you see the Church — and in particular — the local church — as the people you belong to in a unique way — assembled by God to those ends?

Unity is a concept often discussed but rarely accomplished. Recently, I’ve seen it modeled well.

Earlier this month, I sat in a gathering with the leaders of Christian festivals from around the UK. They represent events with between 3,000 and 30,0000 in attendance. Our backgrounds are diverse: Pentecostal, Anglican, New Frontiers, Methodist, Calvary Chapel (that’s me, in case you were wondering), and more. Together, we are praying towards a John 17, Gospel-focused unity. This past weekend, I joined with church leaders from Wadebridge, Cornwall for the annual churches together service. We read from Matthew 5 and 1 Peter 2, spoke of the salt of the Gospel, sown into our communities, and the radiant light of the Gospel, reflected through His church. The joy of Christian fellowship was tangible.

As I write this article, earlier this evening I sat with 8 believers from 7 towns and 8 churches, joining together to serve in the name of Jesus in the Calais refugee camp. These 8 represent a true spectrum: 3 countries, 1 lead pastor, 6 women, 2 men, 1 Saviour. Their prayers centered around the calling and leading of the Spirit in their own lives and for this trip. The meeting began with this quote shared by my friend, Edme Brink: “Don’t pat yourself on the back for making a difference in someone’s life, if the difference wasn’t eternal.” Stirring words. Together, these men and women gather around what is eternal. It is right and necessary to rejoice in these gatherings, to celebrate the good and rejoice in the ways the people of God are simply together…the people of God. As the Psalmist wrote:

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

Amen. At one of these gatherings, a simple statement arrested my attention: “There must, of course, be lines to our unity.” It caught me off guard. I was so overjoyed with my brothers and sisters, with the widening kingdom vision, with the flow of creative ideas around cups of tea… (It’s England. Everything happens around tea), that I slightly rebelled against the statement. I have been turning it over in my heart and my mind, and my realization is that there is truth and authority in this statement. Our unity can only come, truly and faithfully, around the one King we claim. It’s easy to quote this verse: “Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). And forget that the context is that the unity of the Spirit is found in the clear and recognized, biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). Our true unity is not so we can feel good about ourselves. It is not simply to rejoice in how glad we are that we love each other. True unity holds to the lines: of Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, of God, the only Father, of the Spirit, the only true Comforter, of the Word of God, the only truth. Period.

It is when we rest in these things that we discover a unity that can carry a continuing witness to the world around us. Unity is a beautiful thing. We are commanded to it for Christ’s sake, not our own. Let our lives be a witness to the unity that holds to a strength and anchoring lines. “That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).

Sometimes it seems like Christians have a particular knack for looking down on and judging one another. Often this has to do with differences in personal convictions over grey areas. These are areas where Scripture does not give an unequivocal “thou shalt not…” or “do this…”, requiring Christians to work out a of wise approach to the matter at hand as they navigate the issue through life. In Romans 14:9-23, Paul deals with how to approach the question of convictions in amoral areas in a way that honors Christ and our brothers and sisters in the process.

“19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeedare pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” (NKJV)

The passage contains four important principles for Christian unity:

Be Careful How You Define Sin

“All things indeed are pure.” In other words, if the Bible doesn’t say something is sin, you must not universally define it as sin. If the Bible is silent on a particular issue, or gives freedom in an area, or doesn’t set forth a specific stance, then no Christian, no matter how insightful and spiritual they think they are, has the right to declare it as sin or universally unacceptable. There are plenty of things the Bible does say are sin (which you would think would keep us busy enough as it is). Interestingly, spiritual pride is near the top of the list. As soon as you take any of your own, personal convictions and try to force it on others or turn it in to a blanket rule for all Christians, or simply quietly look down on others who don’t share your conviction, you have effectively become a Pharisee. These areas of conviction include things like moderate alcohol use (as opposed to drunkenness, which is clearly prohibited in Scripture), birth control, watching Harry Potter, eating bacon, playing cards, listening to secular music, using electricity, and on the list goes.

Follow Your Conscience

“Whatever is not from faith is sin.” This means that if you are personally convinced God doesn’t want you to do something, even though the Bible is silent on it, then don’t do it! For you it would be sin! The reason it would be sin is not because the thing or action itself is wrong, but because, in as far as you are convinced, it would be disobedience to God, and that is sin. So stick to your convictions. Live by them if you believe God is leading you to. Just don’t force them on others because then you’ll have a much bigger problem than eating bacon or watching Harry Potter.

Serve Your Brother, Not Yourself

“It is good not to do anything by which your brother stumbles.” That is, if the option is between using your freedom to do what you want and serving your brother, we should always go with the latter. Always. We are given great freedom in Christ not so we can do whatever we want, but so that in surrendering it for others we may become more like Jesus. The Cross of Jesus proves without a doubt that serving others is more important than standing on your rights. Those who have freedom in an area should be mature enough not to force their freedom on one who has more sensitive convictions. But does that mean we have to stop drinking coffee, eating bacon, watching TV and using electricity just cause it might stumble someone, somewhere in some hypothetical situation?

Wield Your Freedom in Love

“Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God.” To answer the previous question, no, to serve others with our freedom doesn’t mean that we become as strict in our convictions as they are. It does mean that we use our freedom with discretion and readiness to surrender it for others. The principle is not “if this might stumble someone, somewhere, I should never, ever do it.” Otherwise you’ll end up being a raw food vegan who doesn’t use electricity because “somewhere out there” is a vegan Amish person who might be stumbled by your freedom. But the thing is, love doesn’t exist in “theory”, only in practice. The principle Paul states here is this: “If my freedom in a given area does stumble the person I’m with right now, then in his presence I will refrain.” So enjoy the freedom God has given you, but use your freedom in places and ways it won’t stumble others. At the very least, you can enjoy your plate of bacon as you sit before God in solitude and thank Him for making pigs so delicious. Don’t worry, it won’t stumble Him. Understand, this principle does not mean we stop using freedom. But it does mean we surrender it at times for the good of those people we are actually serving and whom it would stumble at that moment.

If we as Christians would all apply these simple Scriptural principles, there would be a lot less petty fighting and contentions among the body of Christ.

Final Disclaimer

One disclaimer should be mentioned at this point: if a person is attempting to set up their own, personal convictions as a law for all other believers, it really means they are trying to set themselves up as God, since He is the only One who has the right to establish commands for all Christians. In that case, what we should do? We should do what Jesus did: contradict and break pharisaic pseudo-laws boldly. And if they are contradicting the will of God through their man-made convictions, we should ignore them and even be willing to rebuke them. Jesus often practiced this when the Pharisees attempted to thwart the work and will of God with their extra-biblical convictions. Jesus’ response was to boldly contradict them and continue on with the work His Father was doing. He even seemed to take delight in pressing the buttons of religious Pharisees at times. After all, He could’ve avoided offending their sensitivities if He wanted to, but He didn’t. Perhaps this was to show those upon whom the Pharisees had laid their burdens that one can truly love God without all the extra baggage of man-made restrictions.