I would like to introduce you to my allegory neighbor. I will call her, Martha. Martha is my neighbor and she is a Christian. She and I are quite chummy and it doesn’t matter to either one of us what doctrines we really believe. We both serve the same Lord, right? I’ve never “been to her church” and she’s never “been to mine” but that’s okay- we’re friends!
But imagine with me now, if I did "go" to Martha’s church. What if I began to go regularly? What if I committed to her church by attending all its prescribed meetings and served on its committees? Well, then we would really be close! We would take all those verses about unity, knitting hearts and being in one accord and we would apply them to ourselves! We would be the people who are really there for each other. And we would hope that the world would see that we are Christians by our love.
But imagine again, what would happen if I left Martha’s church? Let it sink in…. devastation, rejection, turmoil, deception, accusation - a severed cord...
If I did happen to see Martha afterward, we would smile and talk and try to pretend that everything was okay- but it’s NOT okay. And why isn’t it okay? Because the high place of right doctrine and “church” has come crashing down. I no longer worship at her altar therefore I no longer am embraced with an open heart.
Poor Martha. She tries to reach out. She tries to pretend that it’s okay; that it doesn’t matter, that we can still be friends. Something within her tells her that it should be so. But, because I made a commitment I could not keep, a silent vow, a hypocritical oath, I entered into marriage with her and her church instead of Christ and she is now a divorced woman.
Forgive me Lord. And please heal Martha.
But imagine with me now, if I did "go" to Martha’s church. What if I began to go regularly? What if I committed to her church by attending all its prescribed meetings and served on its committees? Well, then we would really be close! We would take all those verses about unity, knitting hearts and being in one accord and we would apply them to ourselves! We would be the people who are really there for each other. And we would hope that the world would see that we are Christians by our love.
But imagine again, what would happen if I left Martha’s church? Let it sink in…. devastation, rejection, turmoil, deception, accusation - a severed cord...
If I did happen to see Martha afterward, we would smile and talk and try to pretend that everything was okay- but it’s NOT okay. And why isn’t it okay? Because the high place of right doctrine and “church” has come crashing down. I no longer worship at her altar therefore I no longer am embraced with an open heart.
Poor Martha. She tries to reach out. She tries to pretend that it’s okay; that it doesn’t matter, that we can still be friends. Something within her tells her that it should be so. But, because I made a commitment I could not keep, a silent vow, a hypocritical oath, I entered into marriage with her and her church instead of Christ and she is now a divorced woman.
Forgive me Lord. And please heal Martha.
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