God has given us a masterly plan to get along from all walks of life.
- The local church
While even within the local church, there are some spiritual disagreements, the whole point of the local church is that it is made of people who fit together.
Sometimes we fit people in too quickly. They are not fit to be a member in this particular body. All of us need to be fitted, that can take some time. But some people just don’t fit. Their personal doctrinal persuasions, are not compatible, they may be false professors.
Given that none of us are perfect and so neither is any local church, still the local church aides us in getting along.
- The teaching of forgiveness
In Luke 17:3-4 Jesus placed the responsibility upon those who have been trespassed against NOT to become offended. He deals with the offender too, but God gave us this marvelous tool to get along with each other - called forgiveness. One of the best reasons to be quick to forgive is because, well, we need others to quickly forgive our own trespasses against them.
- The promise of future reparations
It would be completely unChrist-like for Christians to hold a grudge against our offenders and look forward to the day that God will get vengeance upon them. Really we ought to pray for them and ask God to bring them to repentance, knowing that, if it were not for Jesus’ grace, we too would be awaiting God’s wrath. That said, the very truth that there is a day of judgment coming frees us from having to hold a grudge. God will in His time and way, make all things right. We can trust Him in that.
Our God has given us every reason to get along. And every tool to do so.
In the fields
Marvin McKenzie
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