My dear readers,

Answering Remaining Questions from Calvary Pandan Church Camp 2023 (1)

Question 1: When we serve in a ministry, there may be some areas of the ministry guidelines that we may not agree with, or they may differ from our own convictions. Should we then stop serving in that ministry?

Answer 1: Serving with convictions is the only biblical way to serve our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Without convictions, we are like a boat without a rudder drifting aimlessly in a wide ocean. With convictions in our hearts, we serve with joy and peace.

However, we need to anchor our convictions in the solid foundation of the Holy Scriptures; otherwise, our service will be wrong no matter how sincere we are. The ministry guidelines have to be Bible-based so as to have a church that brings blessing to God’s people and glory to God. Therefore, the disagreement one has with the guidelines of a ministry will be a disagreement with God. If the guidelines are wrong and not according to the Bible’s teachings, then it is every believer’s duty to make it known to the church leaders so that the guidelines can be corrected.

If the believer remains unhappy with the biblical guidelines, he must reflect on his calling to serve. How important is his unhappiness with the guidelines due to his convictions? For example, the guidelines say that all male pianists and organists must wear long sleeved, pastel-coloured shirts when serving the Lord during Morning Worship Service. The intent is to minimise distraction as the pianist will be visible to the congregation. If the believer is unhappy with the guidelines because he likes and feels more comfortable to wear short sleeved shirts, then he needs to ask himself how convicted he is regarding his calling to serve the Lord. To stop serving is to stop serving the LORD, not the church or any man.

The apostle Paul shared with us his biblical, God-ordained principle for service, which we all need to take heed of and obey. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”

When it came to his personal preferences, Paul surrendered them all to Christ to serve his Lord as a slave serving his Master faithfully. He knew that serving Christ is to serve man. Therefore, he was a slave to all the people God sent into his life. Paul did not compromise his Christian ethics and morals when it came to service. He held on to the truth of God’s Word in doctrine and life. But as for his likes and dislikes, he put them aside for the sake of the gospel and the spiritual well-being of others. This is the spirit of humility we need to have in order to serve the Lord together in harmony and unity of the spirit. Philippians 2:2-4: “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Question 2: Preserving peace and harmony is important in a church. That seems to breed the attitude of "live and let live." Relationship between brethren becomes superficial. Is that how harmony and peace should be maintained?

Answer 2: “Live and let live” means to tolerate the opinions and behaviour of others so that they will also tolerate yours. In a world with no absolutes and everything is relative, this is the way of life to co-exist with a semblance of orderliness and harmony. Differences are all swept aside and not brought to light; otherwise, problems will arise. But without the resolution of differences, harmony and peace cannot exist. If both parties do not resolve issues, fights and killings will occur as is happening in many parts of our troubled world. Differences and arguments remain in such an environment.

However, in the Christian context, we have the Bible as the absolute truth to guide our lives together as God’s blood-bought children. All of us possess the same mind, i.e. the mind of Christ. We can understand and obey the Bible and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. It is wrong to practise “live and let live” in the Christian’s world. Believers are to live in harmony and enjoy real peace with one another in Christ. Children of God can experience real peace, unless there are among them wolves in sheep’s clothing whose agenda is to sow seeds of discord.

Ephesians 4:1-6: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 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. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” We are to guard the unity we received from God in Christ at all costs. “Live and let live” or “agree to disagree” are solutions commonly adopted in the sinful world, but they must not be accepted at all in our Christian homes and church because it is a sin to do so.

Brotherly love and the life of togetherness are blessings from God in Christ to all His children as they serve and worship Him on earth. The world is supposed to experience and witness such pleasant and good relationships. Peace and harmony within a Christian home and church should be the norm. Disunity is a sin. David shared his personal experiences with us in Psalm 133:1-3: “A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Living together in harmony is precious and life-giving. We must guard it by expressing a loving and forgiving heart toward all men, women and children. It must begin with a personal, close walk with God in Christ. When we are right with God in Christ, we will be right with all men, even our enemies.

God hates anyone who will destroy unity and harmony in His children’s life. Proverbs 6:16-19: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

Relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ must be genuine and transparent. If there is a misunderstanding, we must resolve it instead of harbouring a surly disposition. Do not share it with others, as this will result in murmuring and disputings. Rebuke those who spread rumours or “tell tales,” for these are the ones God hates. Help them to stop so that God will not hate them.