There is Diversity in the Body of Christ

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on March 6, 2012 at 4:21pm

Amanda, 

This is the selection of verses that I refer to and the type of judgment to which I refer........

7 ^r“Judge not, that you be not judged. ^{2 s}For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and ^twith the measure you use it will be measured to you. ³ Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but ^udo not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

I think we are to discern the actions and motives of another as to whether they are righteous or not. I don't believe I have the right to judge another's actions because I am not walking in their shoes.

We can't and shouldn't judge by what we see.

Blessings...

Rita

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 6, 2012 at 4:46pm

You see, we can have even diverse opinions about judging. The Scriptures you have pointed out refer to making self-righteous and hypocritical judgments. We can make righteous judgments however. Otherwise Jesus has said different statements which contradict one another and cancel out one another.

Question: "What does the Bible mean that we are not to judge others?"

Answer: This is an issue that has confused many people. On one hand, we are commanded by the Lord Jesus, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1). On the other hand, the Bible also exhorts us to beware of evildoers and false prophets and to avoid those who practice all kinds of evil. How are we to discern who these people are if we do not make some kind of judgment about them?

Christians are often accused of "judging" whenever they speak out against a sinful activity. However, that is not the meaning of the Scripture verses that state, "Do not judge." There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise—with careful discernment (John 7:24). When Jesus told us not to judge (Matthew 7:1), He was telling us not to judge hypocritically. Matthew 7:2-5 declares, "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." What Jesus was condemning here was hypocritical, self-righteous judgments of others.

In Matthew 7:2-5, Jesus warns against judging someone else for his sin when you yourself are sinning even worse. That is the kind of judging Jesus commanded us not to do. If a believer sees another believer sinning, it is his Christian duty to lovingly and respectfully confront the person with his sin (Matthew 18:15-17). This is not judging, but rather pointing out the truth in hope—and with the ultimate goal—of bringing repentance in the other person (James 5:20) and restoration to the fellowship. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We are to proclaim what God's Word says about sin. 2 Timothy 4:2 instructs us, "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction." We are to "judge" sin, but always with the goal of presenting the solution for sin and its consequences—the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

Recommended Resource: Hard Sayings of the Bible by Kaiser, Davids, & Brauch.

http://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-judge.html

You said:

I don't believe I have the right to judge another's actions because I am not walking in their shoes.

You can still help your brother see clearly...but only after you see clearly. You can judge the sin (the actions).

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 6, 2012 at 5:07pm

We can't always see the motivation or the intention behind the actions and God will judge that. We can know what is sin and what is not sin and judge if someone's actions are sinful.

Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 5, 2012 at 7:06am

Carla, you asked:

How can you encourage someone else to effectively embrace how God made them....and grow into who He wants them to be? This is a big question. I mean.. REALLY BIG!

Yes, it is big.

I mentioned wanting to be accepted, warts and all. I don't have any real warts but figuratively speaking I have something right now that many people consider very ugly. It's called depression and it is like a person can never be a depressed Christian. One must be either depressed, or Christian--but not both. That is very alienating and in fact at least one person has left this site that I personally know about who could not accept that other Christians have differing points of view about healing as well as about depression. She seemed to be no longer teachable regarding the matter.  

If we are born with the genetics that predispose us to becoming depressed and if things happen in our environment that bring out this predisposition, then wouldn't that be part of how we are made? If, for whatever reason, God chooses not to heal someone instantly, then could that be part of God allowing the person to grow into what He wants them to be?

 

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Permalink Reply by Carla on March 5, 2012 at 7:26am

Amanda,

 

It is heartbreaking when we go thru things that aren't healed immediately...or when we see others go thru them. 

Our vision is so limited...I'm gonna call it 'near sighted'.  We just can't see past it as it blinds us.

I'm not sure why some people are healed from depression and others are not.  I could say a variety of my opinions on the matter...but if I start to spew them off, they will likely hurt someone..because I'm not in that persons predicament, and I don't know the full story.  Any judgement or conclusion I come to would simply be 'my opinion'.. which doesn't count for much of anything.

 

Here is something I am absolutely certain of:

God is Love.  God is Holy.  God is faithful.  God wants to wipe away every tear from our eyes.  Life here on this earth is a blink of an eye...it's a wave on a seashore.

 

Beloved, you asked me this question:

 

If, for whatever reason, God chooses not to heal someone instantly, then could that be part of God allowing the person to grow into what He wants them to be? 

 

I would say yes with confidence.  God will use the bad things in our lives and turn them to good.  He can and does use (allow)  trials and difficulties to grow us into the person He wants us to be.

 

Bless you Amanda.  God has not left you.  He will never leave you.  He promises it.

**hugs**

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 5, 2012 at 3:26pm

Carla,

 

Good questions and well stated. If the last part of the title were not included, "In the Body", it would create a problem. For diversity without boundries would lead to pluralism.

 

Regarding the basic premise here there is an old statement that I think fits well. I don't remember who said it, but the comment is:

 

In the essentials ... Unity. In everything else ... Grace.

 

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Carla on March 5, 2012 at 3:32pm

Thank you LT.  I agree.  :-)

 

Blessings, Carla

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Permalink Reply by Carla on March 5, 2012 at 6:53pm

Hi Everyone,

 

The diversity I am speaking of in this case, is the difference and unique talents within the body of Christ.

 

I'm not refering to actions that are inconsiderate and/or not well thought out (ie:strobe lights in a church service).

 

I don't see how diversity causes conflict.  What I do see as causing conflict is when we reject the differences and giftings that we each have.  We all want and need encouragement and to be edified.

 

This is an important discussion because that diversity is often not celebrated, but rather, it is stomped upon by other 'believers'.  This is what must change...  Do you think it can?  Is there hope?

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 5, 2012 at 8:33pm

Carla,

Diversity is multi-faceted. If you are zeroing in on talents and gifts, then, yes, the Spirit hands out diverse gifts. Is that all you want to talk about as far as the ways in which we are diverse? There are cultural diversities within the Body, and there is diversity in education, jobs, backgrounds, personalities, physical appearances. Some people have illnesses and disabilities, either mental or physical or learning disabilities... There is so much that can be included as far as diversity goes. To say that there is diversity in the Body of Christ is a true statement. There is conflict in diversity even when it comes to the spiritual gifts and individual talents. We only have to look at the church in Corinth to see this conflict. It can change. You said:

Each of us has been given a gift from the Holy Spirit.  What is yours?

I know that one of mine is mercy. One that I do not have is tongues. I have found that there are people in the Body who say if you do not have the gift of tongues, you are not part of the Body. That, IMO, poses conflict.

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Carla on March 6, 2012 at 2:24am

Amanda,

 

I see your point.. point taken. :-)

 

To say that there is diversity in the Body of Christ is a true statement. There is conflict in diversity even when it comes to the spiritual gifts and individual talents. We only have to look at the church in Corinth to see this conflict. It can change.

I do agree that conflict of these sorts arise... people get upset and leave.  That's why I posted this discussion.

I want us to appreciate eachother, value one another, encourage one another, edify one another.  Celebrate our own gifts, and celebrate the gifts of others.  That's also why I posted this discussion.

...Just to make a point for clarity (for anyone reading)...  I'm not referring to false or wrong teachings that go against scripture, or (for example) as LT mentioned earlier...pluralism.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 6, 2012 at 8:48am

Carla,

I am thinking with positivity this morning :)  

The long article I posted contained a paragraph of Scriptures that help us accept diversity in each other:

We are repeatedly instructed to love one another (John 13:34; Romans 12:10), to live in peace and harmony with one another (Romans 15:5; Hebrews 12:14), to settle our differences among ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:11), to be patient, kind and tenderhearted toward one another (1 Corinthians 13:4), to consider others before ourselves (Philippians 2:3), to bear one another’s burdens (Ephesians 4:2), and to rejoice in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).

Pluralism is another word with a meaning that is muti-faceted.  There is religious pluralism, political pluralism, cultural pluralism, legal pluralism, etc...

Pluralism by definition is just a state or quality of being plural.

World English Dictionary

pluralism (ˈplʊərəˌlɪzəm)
— n
1. the holding by a single person of more than one ecclesiastical benefice or office

2. sociol a theory of society as several autonomous but interdependent groups which either share power or continuously compete for power

3. the existence in a society of groups having distinctive ethnic origin, cultural forms, religions, etc

4. a theory that views the power of employers as being balanced by the power of trade unions in industrial relations such that the interests of both sides can be catered for

5. philosophy
a. monism Compare dualism the metaphysical doctrine that reality consists of more than two basic types of substance
b. monism Compare absolutism the metaphysical doctrine that reality consists of independent entities rather than one unchanging whole

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pluralism

Even religious pluralism has a diversity of meanings. We know Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We know in the Body there is no religious inclusivism-- or saying there are other religions that will lead people to heaven apart from Christ. We know our society has religious diversity in it--mutiple religions exist together. When religious pluralism means religious ecumenism, it not only includes working towards unity among these diverse religions (which is not possible in the true Body--for it is exclusive) but it includes working towards unity between the denominations and groups in Christianity, too.

I think LT is likely referring to religious pluralism that is religious inclusivism but I'll let him clarify.  

When we meet someone of another faith, say a Buddhist, we know they have not found the Savior. We can't just tell them they are OK. The fact that religious pluralism exists in our society is a good thing for us as Christains really, because it allows us to adhere to our faith in Christ but at the same time we want to bring others away from their wrong beliefs so that they will know the Truth. Yet, even those who will not accept Christ as the Messiah--we are to still love them and tolerate them as individuals but not agree with them in their doctrines.

Plurality is just diversity. But as LT said, you put the words "in the Body" in your statement. So that narrows pluralism down quite a bit but we are still going to have it within the Body--as you said, there is diversity in the Body.

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Permalink Reply by Lina on March 5, 2012 at 8:59pm

Well said Carla, I share your view on the diversity in us.  There can be no two persons who are the same, even if they are twins.  We should be glad that this diversity exist to complement one another.  The Lord, in His intelligence created us this way so that we may lack in nothing. 

We sometimes forget that whatever we are, whatever differences exist in us, we were all created in His image.  If we can accept this fact, then we can live and appreciate one another no matter who we are, where we come from, what abilities we have and what stand we take in society.

Whatever abitlities we have should be used to the glory of God and for the good of mankind .  We need this discussion to wake us up from our ego and to stop concentrating on self.

Thank you and God bless you Carla.

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