Feelings … nothing more than feelings

I once heard it said that the state of our nation is a direct reflection of the state of the corporate body of Christ. If we take a look around, we can see the same toxicity that has divided our country against itself has also infiltrated the church.

The toxicity to which I refer is offense. Offense is defined as something that causes anger, resentment, hurt, displeasure or humiliation. It is also defined as a cause of displeasure or anger. How will our nation look when the corporate body of Christ stops bickering and whining and makes a decision to stand together for God’s common purpose?

Let’s look at a natural situation and contemplate where we are and where we should be.

Have you ever attended a large event that was centered on something that invoked deep-seated emotions within you? Maybe you have seen this sort of thing on television and can picture a situation like that. Emotions can often elevate a relatively harmless gathering or situation to violent extremes. Picture yourself standing in a sea of people who have bowed down completely to their feelings, casting off all reason. Imagine they are feeding off the feelings of others as well as being held captive by their own.

When events such as these are planned, local law enforcement is prepared. They follow certain operating procedures in these situations, increasing the level of force they will use dependent upon circumstances as they transpire.

The first step is called a show of force. It is nothing more than the presence of a law enforcement official in uniform. They don’t have to say anything. The fact that there is a police officer present is a tool within itself. How would you or I react if five more police officers showed up? What thoughts would be racing through our minds if 30 more showed up? What if 30 more showed up wearing full riot gear? What statement are they making now and how is a mob of emotional train-wrecks going to react to it?

What makes these types of scenarios so dangerous is that you have two groups of people who are unified, intent on achieving a purpose and desired outcome. One group represents chaos, and the other order. We, as believers, need to make sure we are on the right side of the barricade. We have been commanded by our father to walk in love and to bring our flesh into submission. What are our emotions? They are part of our flesh. Emotions are what make us human. However, our humanity should not be submitting unto itself. It should be submitting to the word of God in our lives. Emotions were never meant to be our constant companion, captor or compass.

Here are a few questions to ask ourselves as believers. What is the body able to accomplish when it is divided against itself? How effectively are we ministering God’s love to one another as Christians? Is our lack of unity a good witness to nonbelievers? Why would an unsaved person want to join a bunch of sniveling, nit-picking complainers?

Here are a few questions to help us overcome our differences and create solidarity within the corporate body. What does the corporate body of Christ agree on? What fundamental truths do we have in common? Have we not all been directed to spread the gospel?

We all have the same mission statement. Jesus didn’t pay for the sins of one denomination, but not the other. He paid it all for everyone — forever. His work is done. Now it’s our turn.

When we stand before the almighty God, he will not ask us what denomination we are. He will not house all Baptists on the east side of heaven, while all Methodist reside in the northwest section. Our father will not give us a multiple-choice survey on how Bob the Lutheran interpreted 1 Peter 2:24 in comparison to Jim the Pentecostal. There is work to be done and we must not allow our feelings and opinions to interfere with our common goal. We are here to reach out to a lost and dying world with the love and compassion of Christ to spread the gospel, not gossip.

Imagine what could be accomplished in our community if the body came together whole-heartedly to pray, each in their own way, without anyone trying to convince the other that their way is wrong. What if the body labored together regularly and no one got into a heated debate over whose doctrine is “correct” and whose isn’t?

Think of how the fruits of that labor of love would minister to the rest of our state and, eventually, to the rest of our nation. If the whole body of Christ will choose to put on the whole armor of God, step out of the emotion-driven chaos of this world and form a solid wall with God’s word written across it, we could literally change the world. If we could link arms with one another forsaking all our own feelings and ideals and keep our eyes on common ground, we could tear down enemy strongholds.

It is imperative we do not allow offense to create strife and discord within the body of Christ. The local community has an opportunity to practice unity this month. We have been blessed with a chance to praise, worship, pray and receive the word as one body.

May 22 is One Lord Sunday at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla. Whether you are familiar with previous One Lord Sunday services or have politely declined in the past, consider attending. The service starts at 11 a.m. There will be exciting and educational activities for children and lively praise and worship. If you usually nap through the singing portion of service, you may want to bring a set of noise canceling headphones.

Hope to see you there!

Angela Kutzner is director of Children’s Ministries at Abundant Life Church in Wasilla.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications Co. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2268.