What Sets You Apart

"It is not the differences between us that is sin but our condemnation of each other."

IF GOD speaks in every language, if He will go to the ends of the earth to reach that one lost sheep, if no one is too far gone when seen in the eyes of His love, then no other difference between us should become a hurdle. We erect barriers and try to force others to jump. God tore them down through Jesus Christ and united us together. It is not the differences between us that is sin but our condemnation of each other.

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17)

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)

How many ways can we say, “Love one another (John 13:34)”? And it goes further. We’re told to “pray for all men (1 Timothy 2:1)” and to “do good to our enemies (Luke 8:27).” So even if that one is directly opposed to all you believe in, you are to praise them, not to rail against them. Even if that one isn’t saved and doesn’t believe in Jesus, you are to love them, and it to be obvious by your behavior. By your silence. It is that you don’t say what the mind and the attitude want to say that sets you apart. God in you gives you the self-control, the meekness of heart, to keep your opinion to yourself (Galatians 5:22-23). He gives you wisdom.

“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3)

Through Jesus Christ, the Father and the Presence of the Holy Spirit, all believers are united – Jew and Gentile, men and women, ministry offices, manifestations of the Spirit (or ways He speaks to us). He, the Spirit, speaks so that we will hear. He speaks in whatever manner gets our attention. Whatever voice. A man once told me He believed in God because of Ecclesiastes. That made God truthful to him. I’ve heard God speak through unbelievers, through working men and politicians, clearer than those in the church. He spoke through the High Priest Caiaphas, prophesying why Jesus must die for the people (John 11:50-51).

The Spirit writes all genres (styles) of music. What some have said is “demonic” is simply a style choice. No type of music is of the devil. This is church theology/hogwash. Envy and jealousy cause strife, which brings in confusion and every evil work (James 3:16). Which version of the worship song “Oceans” offends you the most? The one sung in Arabic? The hard rock version? Or the bagpipes? Did you know a young woman took the song “Gratitude” by Brandon Lake and turned it into House Music? Do you even know what that is? It has no words but a steady, reflexive beat and an anointing that has drawn in listeners.

Let’s apply this to food. Should we make an argument out of gluten, lactose intolerance, the use of seed oils, or a preference for eating meat? Should we have these become issues between us where we cannot share the same table (Romans 14:3)? Or is it that the table is prepared in the face of our enemies, which ARE NOT PEOPLE (Psalm 23:5). We do not fight with flesh and blood, we fight with ideas that grow in the mind and become ungodliness in the heart, things which if thought on long enough, become strongholds that give evil room to work among us (Ephesians 6:12).

But “God SO LOVED the world.” And we’re back to that, the central truth of salvation. He SO LOVED WHOSOEVER, and that word isn’t limited by culture, skin color, worship styles, even incorrect vs. correct doctrines. God SO LOVED the outcast, the leper who no one was supposed to approach. When the ten lepers were cleansed, it is not that 9 were ungrateful but that the 1 who came back to say “thanks” was forbidden to enter the temple in the first place. Forbidden by the Law, or so they believed, when, in fact, he could have entered and worshiped amongst them. This is pictured in the series “The Chosen”, which despite some errors in the story, has caused millions to be saved. It has altered the way men view the Bible.

Nothing should become a sticking point between us. If a young man in fishing gear raps Psalm 18, more of God’s power to him. If another one sings a plaintive song to God with his guitar. God bless him. If a young lady writes worship songs to the Scriptures at the drop of a hat, well, you should listen. And then there’s a man from a different generation who took that same song “Gratitude” and made it country ….

“I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.” (Psalms 109:30)

“Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” (Psalms 150:3-4)

Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com