January 21, 2011

Acts 15
The Great Controversy-How they handled conflict

“We decided, having come to complete agreement". . . .. “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” Acts 15:25, 28

Learn to differ differently from how “the world” differs

Pastor’s Reflections

"In essentials, unity.
In non-essentials, liberty.
In all things, charity"
Augustine (354-430 AD)

The Jerusalem Council of 49 AD pitted Christian against Christian. Some felt that to become Christian one needed to be circumcised. Others disagreed. It may have been a quite bitter dispute.

Conflict is an opportunity. It’s normal for people to differ. Since Christians are people, Christians differ. The difference that needs to made is that Christians need to differ differently. Talk Radio and Cable news shows feature differing people shouting, interrupting, insulting and smugly looking down their nose at each other. Ever wonder why these kinds of shows (both liberal and conservative) have high ratings (including most sports radio)?. It’s because we watch it! There’s something in us that wants in on the fight!

The circumcision dispute got settled. If you read chapter 15 attentively you will notice that they came to unanimity. That’s astonishing. When have you EVER seen unanimity before?

How did it happen? They consulted Scripture, they prayed, they debated, and did so over enough time that finally the Holy Spirit put them all on the same page. You’ll even notice that some compromise (in the non essentials) was involved. And make no mistake about it. The stakes in the debate were huge.

When you find yourself in conflict with another, it is your chance to demonstrate your faith while “your world” is watching! Can you listen, be strong yet gentle with your point of view, asking God to give you insight into the situation and respect for all those involved regardless of their demeanor? You don’t have to tell your adversary that you are seeking the guidance of scripture or the Holy Spirit. He or she will be influenced by how you handle the adversarial situation.

One more thing. If the dispute is between Christians, a great piece of advice is “seek unanimity”. It stands to reason that God will have the same direction for all involved in a decision if all are seeking him on the issue. If someone has a “check in the Spirit”, then keep seeking God until you get beyond it. That’s a great way to ensure that Jesus, not your personal bias is leading the way. Great advice for husbands and wives, too. “Until you are in unanimity, don’t.”