For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. Gal. 5:14-15 (NIV)
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 1 Cor. 13:9-10 (ESV)
Heavenly Father, there are so many reasons I’m looking forward to life in the new heaven and new earth. And though it’s not at the top of my list, theological agreement and unity among your children is right up there. Surely you must grieve when we “bite and devour” one another, because we disagree on the best understanding of a passage in the Bible. Robust dialogue is one thing; mean-spirited diatribe is quite another. Defending the gospel is one thing; being arrogant and argumentative is never okay. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
On this Lord’s Day, the color of our skin, the address of our church buildings, and our denominational differences will separate us. O for the Day when we will no longer know in part or love in part—the Day when we will no longer label, dismiss, or marginalize one another, because we don’t cross every theological “t” the same way. When I think about it, Father, it’s quite sad (and tragic) that we, who’ve been saved by grace alone, should ever resort to condescending, judgmental, dismissive attitudes.
Father, have mercy on me. Please forgive me for leading with my rightness over my kindness. Forgive me for loving my theological tribe in clan-ish, club-like ways. Forgive me for defending sovereign grace ungraciously.
Forgive me for thinking to myself, “I get the gospel so much more than they do.” Forgive me for using Biblical knowledge to put up walls, rather than build bridges. Teach me more about Jesus and the gospel through those who are quite different from me, Father. Forgive me and free me to live and love for your glory. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.