Two More Articles on Unity in AW This Month

Got my copy of Adventist World today. It contained two more articles on church "unity" and "authority" of the leadership today. It saddens me that leadership feels it needs to remind us that they are in charge. 

The decision on women's ordination, unpopular in many parts of Adventism, that was made at last GC was made. End of story till next time. I know of no great wave of people storming out of the churches over it. I know of no mass renunciation of memberships. It seems we got through it and got on with it, save for a few vocal critics, whom AW editor Bill Knott has suggested in one editorial that we marginalize.

I fail to see the good in beating the proverbial dead horse. Flogging the issue does more harm than good, I think. If they want us to get on with the true mission of the church, should not the leadership be the first ones to do so. I mean they are supposed to be leading after all. Hanging back at HQ telling us we have to follow their seems to send the wrong message, not to mention that it's counterproductive.

If you read the New Testament carefully, you will see that even some of the original church "leaders" had disagreements among themselves. Paul thought James and the other Jewish Christian leaders emphasized works too much. James seemed to think Paul was a little loosey-goosey on the subject of works. Peter, meanwhile, thought Paul was a little too deep in his writing for general consumption. John, on the other hand, simply loved his Lord and it was he who turned the focus back to Christ and His promise to return. So, by example of the original leaders of the Christian church, we may not all agree on the finer points of theology, but we can disagree and still be one in Jesus.

I love my church but I think Satan is stirring up trouble amongst us. I'm sure he would prefer we were divided over some side issue rather than united in the work of saving souls.  And just observing from the sidelines, I think Old Scratch seems to be working with some success in keeping people on both sides of the aisle stirred up and at loggerheads over this whole thing.

And why would he not be stirring up the ideological purity debate? It's working so well in Washington DC. I sometimes wonder whether the folks at Silver Springs have absorbed some of the same contentious spirit leaking out of nearby DC.

Christ is our king. It seems to me that it should be a very short chain of command linking believers to their Lord. I figure if we serve him first and foremost, the rest of it will take care of itself. If we are focused on Christ and His soon coming, instead of who has authority over what, that we could finish up our business here on Earth and go on home.

© 2017 by Tom King