Viewpoints Within the Churches of Christ
Thanks to Phil Spadaro at the Restoration Unity blog for pointing out some interesting poll results published by the Christian Chronicle, an international newspaper of the Churches of Christ. In a recent article they listed the ten most-voted polls for 2006. Three of the top four were related to unity:
Opinions among those responding are quite divided on these topics. Therefore it is crucial that the two sides proceed wisely. Human nature wants to quarrel and "win" by bringing everyone over to "our side". Unfortunately that is extremely unlikely to succeed. Instead, the biblical approach is to accept one another without passing judgment on disputable matters, and to avoid putting a stumbling block in anyone's way. The non-instrumental brethren need to accept their instrumental brethren without passing judgment over instruments. And the instrumental group need to lay down the instruments whenever their non-instrumental brothers and sisters are present, to avoid being the cause of conflict and sin. However important the issue of instruments may be, it cannot compare to the importance of loving all who have been adopted as sons by God.
Sometimes all this reminds me of my college days at OCC. Conversations seemed to go off on odd tangents re this issue or other. To which, at some point, someone usually said "Is it essential to my salvation?". I guess, then the question is if acapella only, or one cup or UPs or whatever are essential to my or anyone else's salvation. If so, then we need to talk. If not, we can still talk but we don't have to agree.
ttk
# posted by toeteaknow : 8:00 AM, December 13, 2006
I believe we should be interested in unity more than our opinions and preferences.
Thanks for the good you do here brother.
Shalom, Bobby Valentine http://stoned-campbelldisciple.blogspot.com/
Name: Alan Rouse Home: Georgia, United States About Me: I've been a Christian since being baptized in 1976 at the Brooks Avenue Church of Christ in Raleigh, NC. I currently serve as an elder in the Atlanta Church of Christ in Gwinnett.
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