Well, it’s that time of year again when
the hockey teams vie for the ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup. It’s down to the last few teams, and everyone
is starting to pick their favorites. The
teams have been putting in lots of practice, fighting battles on the ice
(literally and figuratively) for months, trying their best to win each game in
order to secure a spot in the much desired play-offs. The competition will be fierce for each team
wants the bragging rights as being the best team out there with the ability to
bring home the coveted Stanley Cup.
There are times we bring that same
competitive spirit into the body of Christ.
I’m not talking about out on the baseball or soccer field where it is
appropriate, but into the other part where it does not belong. There is the ‘we’re the best church on the
planet’ or the ‘way we do _____ is better than how they do it’ mentality. What does God say? “Do not act out of selfish ambition or
conceit, but with humility think of
others as being better than yourselves.” (Php 2:3 ISV)
Then there is the competitive part that
asks (especially the leadership), ‘how many people attend your church, how many
staff do you have, do you have one or two services on Sunday, do you tape your
sermons for online viewing?’ kind of questions like any of that matters or
proves God’s will is being done.
According to the Word, we are not to think more highly of ourselves (Rom.
12:3) and that would mean individually and collectively. “Do not let the wise glory in his wisdom, nor
let the mighty glory in his might; do not let the rich glory in his riches; but
let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me… (Jer.
9:23,24)
But the one competitive attitude I
dislike the most in the body is the ‘my denomination is better than yours’
mentality. There are actually some
people who dare say (as if they are God and know all men’s hearts) that no one
from this or that denomination can be saved.
“…For You, You only, know the hearts of all the sons of Adam.” (1Kn. 8:39)
Now, if you are speaking of
denominations that negate the Godhead of Jesus, salvation through His blood,
the resurrection or other important doctrines, that is one thing, but just because
a denomination has some practices we disapprove of doesn’t mean there are no
saved souls there. We can’t condemn a
man for praying to saints when we ‘bow’ at the altar of ipod, Facebook,
intellectualism or television for “…God shall judge the secrets of men…” (Rom. 2:16), not us.
I myself stayed in a church with some false practices for a year after
my salvation and when I left there were several born again women that remained.
And there are just as many 'Christians in name only' or idolaters in
the seats of all our denominations as the one’s we consider ‘bad’.
The best thing is, the prize at the end
for born again believers isn’t the corruptible Stanley Cup, but pure and
perfect eternal life with our God; a prize reserved for those who know the Lord
and whom He knows*. “…but then I shall
fully know even as I also am fully known.” (1Cor. 13:12) Remember:
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter
the kingdom of Heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Mt. 7:21
This knowledge is not head knowledge, but rather intimate knowing like a husband and wife. We have to remember, none of us have bragging
rights for all the good things in life are from God (Jm. 1:17), and though we
can practice all we want, unless we belong to God’s team (adopted into His
family Eph. 1:5) we cannot make it to the playoffs (Jh. 3:5) for we can do
nothing without Him (Jh. 15:5).
- - - - - - -
*…I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in
their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they
shall no more teach each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying,
Know Jehovah; for they shall all know Me...
Jer. 31:33,34
…increasing in the knowledge of God,
Col. 1:10
…and He
has given us an understanding so that we may know Him who is true… 1Jh. 5:20