Christian Unity in the Midst of a Divided Society

      Christian Unity in the Midst of a Divided Society

Apparently St. Paul had heard rumors from “Chloe’s people” that there were some quarrels within the Christian Community in Corinth. Based on these stories, he writes them a letter of “encouragement.”

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and same purpose.(1 Cor. 1:10)

It seems they had been arguing about whose baptism was better and perhaps more valid:

What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ been divided? (1Cor 1:12-13)

Paul ends by reminding us that, “the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”(1 Cor. 1:18) I see this as a reminder to all of us, then and now that our power comes from God and not from any human being, and that we are to “pick up our cross and follow Jesus.”

And yes, there are divisions in the church, certainly divisions over whose baptism is better or more valid: how much water should we use, how deep should it be, do we baptize infants, adults or both. Oh, and by the way, “my church is better than your church.”

But, the biggest divisions in the church relate to “how we interpret the scripture, and how we see the World and politics. Any reflection on our faith must include the world and politics. The world and politics, how we interact with all other human beings in the world, are the reasons God sent Jesus into the world in the first place. If this were not the case we would all have been created as spirits living in eternal bliss with God.

Therefore, as faithful Christians, as the People St. Paul calls brothers and sisters, we must, for Christ’s sake, reflect on the inauguration of the forty-fifth President of the United States. But, as Paul also implies, we must do this through the Lens of the Cross.

I believe this is what Paul means when he says, “now I appeal to you brothers and sisters by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” And that purpose is not that we think alike or act alike or even believe alike, but that we proclaim the gospel of Jesus to the world.

With this in mind, I share my reflections on the inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the United States. On Friday, January 20, many of us watched the inauguration with tears in our eyes. Some tears were tears of joy for the new direction of our country. Some were tears of fear and sorrow for the new direction of our country. Both sets of tears are legitament and important. As the body of Christ united by the Cross we do not magically understand another person’s beliefs or opinions. That in some cases may even be impossible-But-because of the Cross that unites us and unites Heaven and Earth; we are called by God to try.

All of us have very strong feelings about what we believe and why we believe it. Our beliefs are part of who we are. I may never understand why some of you are so excited about President Trump and his plans, but I am willing to listen. Some of you may never understand why I and others are so afraid of what he might do to our nation and the world. I hope you will listen to us as well.

I believe that Jesus and Paul would want us to talk and listen to one another without calling each other horrible names and without questioning one another’s legitimacy  as a Christian or even as a human being.

It breaks my heart to hear and see people proclaim their faith in and love for Jesus in one breath and in the next breath say or write the most unchristian things about those who disagree with them. It also breaks my heart to know the things I want to say and sometimes do say to others.

The truth is, I know I am correct! The truth is, you know you are correct. The real truth is, “to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” It is seeing the world and others through the lens of the Cross.