Church Fights

For several years now I've been bothered by the ongoing wars between the Reformed Calvinists and the "Un-Reformed" Arminians...the charismatics and the non-charismatics...the classic Pentecostals and the lunatic fringe charismatics (sorry if I offended anyone with that last classification)...the Roman Catholics and the non-Catholics...the cessationsists and the continuationists.  How's that for a run-on sentence?  

Seems like an overly large percentage of the Body of Christ is currently engaged in fruitless arguments and mudslinging within God's church.

You may brand me as a heretic but the older I get the more I ask, "What does Jesus really think of all this infighting?"  Why can't we got on with what we're really here for?

Cyberspace is plugged up with forums and discussion groups filled with would-be theologians debating their positions.  Recently I added my own two cents worth with a comment regarding John MacArthur's recent Strange Fire conference.  I won't reveal my bias here other than to say that I've witnessed and read about some pretty weird "strange fires" recently.

Why can't we get back to the simplicity of the gospel?  God loved me enough to send His Son to pay the penalty for my sin.  Was I elected?  Was I one of the chosen few?  Will my back and knees get healed?  I don't know.  All I know is what former slave trader John Newton realized and stated after his conversion, “Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” 

So, what do I believe?  I believe that a lot of the "stuff" we're spending our time arguing about doesn't really matter in the final analysis.

I'm a follower of Jesus (with all my mistakes and foibles) and He loves me and gives me the strength to live each day...hopefully for His glory.

Let's call a time out!