10/9/07 - Life Journal - Brothers in Unity

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

What an awesome verse. It speaks into my heart with joy, but also with sadness for it seems that is the farthest thing from the truth. Seems that all the various denominations within the Protestant church and different sects within all seem to be battling more with each other than against our common foe. It is true that we are in the midst of a "Truth War" but the war should be focused on the basic doctrine's of belief that we MUST follow, not the peripheral bickering.

The Holy Trinity (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit),

The virgin birth,

The deity of Jesus,

Jesus' bodily resurrection,

The atonement of our sins as a result of the life, and particularly the death, of Jesus,

Personal salvation by faith alone (though without works our faith is dead),

The inerrancy of the Bible,

God's inspiration of the Bible's authors (and the men that compiled the canonical scripture),

The anticipated second coming of Jesus.

Number one is Love! I truly love my Savior. From this all else will spring and, vica versa, faith in the above truth's blossomed my love in the first place. Strip me of my unfounded prejudice's, if a church uses corny drama, so be it, if they're charismatic and speak tongues and prophecy, so be it, if they hang with gang bangers and use rap music to reach their flock, so be it, if they're a multi-million dollar mega church or a network of home churches, so be it. If they love the Lord and adher to the basic statement of faith, they are for Him, not against Him.

Lord, make us Brothers (and sisters) in Unity! We can't do this alone.