I Love the Body of Christ! ... I love the blood bought Church, one body, One Lord, One head ruling over all, and I dream of the day we will begin to function as One body, the Beloved of Jesus, His Bride as Jesus prayed in John 17.

Several years ago, when I first signed online, I had some experiences in "Christian" chatrooms. If any of you have been there, you know what I mean. Many, believers, perhaps with the best intentions, gather together and attack one another's personal beliefs often resulting in hurling insults back and forth. I have even witnessed the gathering of atheists and Gnostics trying to spark these fights. Then they stand back and watch the "Christians" devour one another.

This behavior happens outside the doors of our churches, as well. No sooner is church over on any given Sunday than we see Johnny fighting with Sam, and wonder what Fran is doing on the worship team if she can't control her own kids. I'm sure you know what I mean.

To my mind, this is little more than the age old struggle between the Law and grace. The purpose of the Law was is demonstrate our inability to meet God's standards alone, yet today, we continue to throw the Law at one another instead of learning how to extend grace. We argue over the translation of the Bible we read, the method of baptism, pre, mid, post or no tribulation, the place of women in the Body, and how about homosexuals, drunks, addicts, prostitutes ...? Is there a place for sinners in the Body Christ? Is there not a place for ALL in the Body of Christ? Didn't Jesus come to save that which was lost and restore us to fellowship with Father? Aren't we ALL sinners, conceived in iniquity and without hope, but for the free gift of God ... grace ???

I am of the opinion, and yes, it is my opinion, that we, as believers have a responsibility first to love God, and second, to love our neighbor ... hmmmm I think I read that someplace. Now, some would argue that it is LOVE that motivates one believer to shout another down in an effort to correct some apparent misconception. That is not what I read in 1 Corinthians 13 or 1 John 4 ... or ... anyplace else for that matter. The love that is meant to flow from the Father through His kids is His perfect love, selfless love, empowering love. When we learn to walk in this LOVE, the world will truly see Jesus, because it is His love, and because we cannot love that way on our own.

Beloved Believers, in a day and time that is so full of evil, hatred, fear and disappointment, I believe we, as followers of Jesus, need to be working overtime to encourage one another ... building up one another in the bonds of love. After all, the Holy Spirit is big enough to make the necessary corrections. There are so many disillusioned believers out there right now ... so many who have lost their vision, so many who have been trampled by those pounding their Bibles to prove they alone have the correct interpretation. Why it is so hard for us to fathom that we have only a limited understanding of the Bible, and the things of God ... and God Himself? The Law imprisons; grace sets free. God's thoughts are higher than ours ... And that includes His Word. It grows in us, right? It's a LIVING WORD. If we have a limited understanding AND that understanding is subject to misunderstanding because we are imperfect flesh, then how is it we have the audacity to attack the beliefs of another?

I believe we misrepresent Jesus to millions of people ... to generations of people. In our arrogance, we read a Bible verse or even the entire Bible once, declare it as the infallible Word of God, then proceed to attack our brother or sister who has studied just as earnestly insisting that OUR interpretation or what we've been taught is correct. There is no love or grace in that. Is that how Jesus taught?

When will we learn how to build one another up in faith? When will we begin to unconditionally love one another looking for Jesus, rather than faults? Oh Believers! It just breaks my heart to see the bickering and backbiting. The world is so needy, so desperate for a righteous example of love and community. Many Believers are praying for a great revival in these days, but what will become of these "fish" once they are caught? Will they be judged and condemned or embraced and equipped?

There must be an embracing of our differences. We are not all hands, but the Body needs hands. We are not all legs, but the Body needs legs. Believers, every denomination, including Roman Catholics must learn to embrace one another without picking on those issues that separate us. We must grow up! The Body of Christ NEEDS Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Presyterians . . . Every blood bought child of the Living God is needed to carry Him to the lost and dying world. Who has a perfect spouse or friend? None of us, yet we love them, right? We choose to look past those things that separate us and accentuate those things that unite us. Well, ... can't we use that same principle for our extended family in the Body of Christ? Isn't the Holy Spirit big enough to correct doctrinal issues? I'm not asking us all to give up our differences, but to embrace them Agree on the tenants of our faith i.e. The Apostles' Creed, etc, and learn how to live as a comunity of believers who know that Jesus died for each one of them and live like it!

I am sorry if this comes across as being harsh. God, I am sorry for the arrogance of the Church and for the damage it has done. I am sorry for my part in that, Father. Father, forgive us and help us learn to walk in Your unconditional love ... Help us to be willing to risk ourselves in LOVE, loving every person we meet the way You love them.

How can we ever hope to evangelize the world, if we cannot demonstrate the Love of God among us ... they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they'll know we are Christians, by our love ... Can we rise to the occasion?