Beyond Our Differences
Well, I've been around to a few different message boards. There have been many a discussions that turned into "who's right "debates (with me included at times) and I just wanted to bring up some things that take us beyond our differences.
One is our personal relationship with the Lord, which is more important than anything else. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26 That realization that we are sinners ("For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23) doomed fo hell because of our sins, then the repentence of our sins ("That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10) and our adoption into the fmaily of God. ("For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.") Romans 8:15 That realization led repentence is the most important spiritual decision we can make, More important than dress, religion, movies, books, and much more. So I pray that each and every one of you have done that. If you haven't, I pray you will and if you have, we have that common bond in Christ.
Second is this. While there are many many areas of life that are clearly defined in the Bible as to what we should do, there are still those "gray" areas that the Lord doesn't say an obvious "yes" or even "no" to in His Word. THose are the ones that we are to, each on our own, search the scriptures for wisdom and spend time with the Lord to make that decision on our own. " Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." Romans 14:22 Those little things which we allow in our own lives. There are little thins that someone else might do that I would say "Duh! You're not supposed to do that." But there are thins that I allow in my life that someone else might not do.
Let me restate one thing before I close. We mustn't use this as an excuse for some things that we allow in our lives that are very clearly spoken of in His Word. "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11 The Lord does speak very clearly about much of our life decisions and we mustn't assume one way or the other, or even call it "gray", but search His scriptures for His way.