A God Reflection on Cross-Church
This is one of seven posts I am bringing back to the light of day from a former series of exploration I titled Cross-Church. You can find more of these posts at GodReflection.org under the heading Gary’s Reflections.
I like the fruits.
The letter to first century Galatian Christians lists faithfulness as a fruit of the Spirit along with the eight fruits of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.
Place these along side of love the Lord God, love your neighbor, while caring for widows and orphans, and I have a great mantra for living the values of Jesus.
If I could confine myself to eat only these fruits, my witness would be in line with Jesus’ desire for my life.
If each one of us as members of Jesus’ church would only eat from the fruit tree, our witness to the world would not be problematic. Others could look at us and easily see Jesus.
Paul warns Christians in Galatia to refrain from tasting Satan’s vine. Satan is not a reliable gardener. We always get into trouble when we eat his fruit.
I didn’t give him permission, but he assumes he can store eight poison gourds from his vine in my pantry. Like a closet alcoholic, I sneak to the pantry for a taste of hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissension, faction, and envy.
It is not a solid part of my diet. I just sneak enough to keep me from being like Jesus.
Here is what I notice.
When I fall into the mode of defending my “true church,” or defending, the “soundest,” of my church or claiming, “only my church is the Lord’s church,” I do so by going to Satan’s vine and eating from his poison gourds.
Why is it that outsiders often see the projection of church through the lens of hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissension, faction, and envy, RATHER THAN seeing love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control?
It is far too easy to baptize Satan’s gourds and use them when wanting not to relate to fellow believers.
For church to look more like the cross and less like Satan’s vine should always be my concern as a member of Christ’s body.
Faithfulness comes from fruit, not from gourds.
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on Cross-Church.
God Reflection 