"A person's soul
cannot prosper when it is inflamed with strife any more than a physical body
can enjoy a fever.
Are you not living
in the midst of enemies? The rivalry between Abraham's herdsmen and Lot's was
aggravated by the presence of neighboring heathens: "And there was a
strife between the herdsmen of Abraham's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's
cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land'" Genesis
13:7. For God's people to quarrel while idolaters look on provides vulgar
street talk which dishonors both them and their religion.
Now tell me-- who
are these people who have been in our land all the time God's men have been
scuffling among themselves? Satan's spies have curiously observed every shred
of uncomely behavior among Christians and have told the whole world about it.
And these carnal ones are equipped with plenty of malicious ability to use this
contention for their own ungodly purposes. They stand on tiptoes, in fact, to
get on with the work of completely disabling saints who have wounded one
another. They sincerely hope to undo us in this way; then they will cure us of
our own wounds by inflicting one so deep that it pierces the heart of our life,
Gospel and all.
O Christians, will
you let Herod and Pilate disgrace you? They joined forces in a facade of peace
to strengthen their hands against Christ. Are you unwilling to unite against
the common enemy of the Lord Jesus? It is a tragic time for shipmates to argue
when an enemy is drilling a hole in the bottom of the ship. Consider the
consequences of contention.
It is now time for
us to examine the major results of Christian contention. You put a stop to the
growth of grace. A person's soul cannot prosper when it is inflamed with strife
any more than a physical body can enjoy a fever. Just as this fire in the bones
must be quenched and brought down to a normal temperature again, so must the
unkindly fire among Christians be put out.”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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