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Chrunemyr's Chronicles - The adventures of a spiritual vagabond.
Ramblings

Diversity is not Division

In too many churches, there seems to be an unspoken prohibition of free inquiry, and an unspoken obligation of conformity. Yet, according to the Bible, great diversity in the Church is a necessary part of God's plan.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul compares the Church to a body. The parts of the body are diverse and must all function for the purpose to which they were created. If your kidneys were to cease functioning as kidneys and attempt to function as ears, how long do you suppose your body would last?

Each part cannot exist alone, and the entire body is weakened when just one ceases to function.

We are all created very different, as different as kidneys and ears. But some churches post a sign on the door saying, "Ears Only." Such churches teach that diversity means division, that tolerance means concession, or that unity means conformity.

Not Jesus. He took great pains to make the leading characters of his parables those least esteemed by the society of his audience, Samaritans or sore-covered beggars. He socialized with sinners. Traditionally, Mary Magdalene is reputed to have been a prostitute.

Much has been made of the harsh words of judgment and condemnation Jesus spoke, yet those words are rarely taken in context. Jesus did not condemn the woman taken in adultery. He condemned the Pharisees and lawyers, the religious elite. He even became violent with the money-changers in the temple, those pertinacious fundaments who sought to turn a profit from the simple faith of the poor.

And it was that same religious elite, the 'church people' of the day, who had Him killed.


Copyright © 2004 Scott Cruse