Enemies
Robert MORTON
The life of Jesus. Read Today: John's zeal without understanding; Mark
9:38-42; Luke 9:49-50
You know the old statement 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' But
is it really true. Sometimes, the person that you perceive to be the
enemy is actually the friend. Years ago after I first moved to
Oklahoma, and as a baby Christian I started going to a Baptist church.
My whole reason for going, they had the time that services met posted
on the sign in front. I did not understand the theology of the church
and I was just starting to make my way. Later, after I realized that
I leaned more towards a charismatic/pentecostal style of faith, I left
the church to attend a pentecostal one. We left on good terms, and
though they disagreed with my theology we both realized we were
Christians.
Now on the other hand, after I got settled in the new church, our
pastor got the men together to play in a men's softball league. The
church I had gone to before was in it, but another Baptist church in
town was not. Their reason, 'if we join with them we endorse what
they are doing.' What were we doing. Well, we were getting people
saved, helping families in need, and all the other stuff that a church
should do. So what was the problem, we were also talking in tongues
and preaching divine healing that they did not believe in. They could
not get passed the idea that we could be doing the Lord's work as well
as them.
Jesus had the same problems. As he walked the earth, people who were
not part of His group preached in his name. The disciples called Him
on it. What should we do about it? Jesus replied, do nothing.
Mark 9:40 ALT
(40) "For [the one] who is not against you* is for you*.
As Christians, unless there are obvious cult like qualities of a
church, or they say you have to do a work to be saved, then we need to
learn to accept one another. For just as the one who is not against
us is for us, our enemy may not be our enemy.
Read for next time: Warnings about stumbling blocks; Matthew 18:7-11;
Mark 9:43-50
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