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A Dialogue on Division*

Lightchild: So, what do you think about the denominations in the church?

Selah: I think denominations don't really matter. I learned that from my campus ministry. As long as the church is preaching the truth and you feel comfortable worshipping there, who cares? I think alot of times the differences are very minor - not always the case, but sometimes.

Lightchild: you are both correct and wrong at the same time.
1)Denominations are manifestations of divisions in the Body of Christ, which the bible expressely condemns.
2)Most denominations are, on the most part, fighting over pesky little details--which the bible also expressly condemns.
3)We christians are called to be united: see Ephesians 4:3-16

You are right in the fact that we have more in common than we do not. If only more of us focused on what we have in common! Then perhaps these divisions/denominations wouldn't exist to begin with, except for the false teachers. That is the problem, not all "christian" sects are created equal, some of them are littered with unbiblical teaching. I do agree, though, that the best way to overcome our own denominational biases is to entrench ourselves in all of the major divisions, by incorporating all of the traditions into our philosophy, we are then in a position to decide between the different tenants, and come up with some new ones.

AbundantJoy: Division and divisisiness is bad and unity is good Even though you have different demonations, each has one or more parts that is vital to the body of christ.

Lightchild: Exactly. Lets go back to the body metaphor of the Church. What does the finger have in common with the femur? Do they look a like? Do they have the same purpose? No and no. The finger and the femur are different, they have a different job to do in the body. A finger is a finger and a femur is a femur. However, this particular finger and this particular femur DO have one thing in common: they are each a member of the same body, their jobs may rarely bring them to work side by side, but they each are vital to the Body, and they respect their differences and allow each other to each do their own job in peace and harmony. Right? WRONG! The femur, boast of how it is more important and how it is in fact the TRUE Body and that all the other body cells

must change and become femur cells if they want to be a part of the body. And the hand, which the finger is a part of, makes the very same claim about itself! Instead of respecting their differences and focusing on their commmonalities, they become competetive and petty, they are soo busy boasting and pecking at each other, they cease to do their job. And it is even worse--the thumb gripes with the index finger, and the index finger with the pinky!
And here is the problem. The femur has an abnormal growth on it that is preventing it from doing its duty correctly. The finger sees this and tries to tell the femur about the problem, but the femur is blind to the problem, in fact, it defends it and chides the finger and the hand to which it belongs for NOT having the abnormal growth. Because of the divisions that already exist between them, the femur refuses to listen to the very important warning the finger is trying to give it.
Do you understand my point yet?

Adam: Well, I tend to think that complete unity won't come until Jesus gets back. There are too many irreconcilable differences to have one body with no denomiations.

Lightchild: You are right, there won't be complete unity until the Church meets her Maker, just like you and I won't see perfection until we see our Maker. Unity is a goal for the Church to be striving towards, it is a road She takes one step at a time a road that comes to completion in Heaven, just as we as individuals are on a road we walk every day, step by step. We need to begin by getting the fingers to reattach themselves to the hand, the hand to the wrist, the wrist to the forearm, the forearm to the elbow.... but first you need to get the fingers to reattach themselves to the hand :-)

Adam: I think no body should declare itself as infallable or absolutely right, or that all the other churches are going to Hell. We need to respect that even if you don't agree with me, you are my brother or sister in Christ if you accept him as your personal saviour."

Lightchild: Exactly, that was one of the big points I was trying to make with my former illustration. If we follow this, and focus on what we have in common and not our petty differences, we will make the body function properly again. We first need to respect each other as christians, then we can begin dialoging.
Anything that prevents the Body from functioning as single entity needs dealt with: unimportant disputables need put aside, and vital arguments solved. But it begins with respect, remembering what Paul himself said, "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism." The passage I quoted before contains a good reminder of what we christians should ALL have in common.
The divisions and bickering has gone on long enough! Its time the Church stopped acting like children and began dealing with our problems like rational adults.

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*Adapted from conversations I had on Youths4christ Email: webmaster@allforchrist.zzn.com
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