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The Gospel, Friendships and Theological differences

How theologically diverse would you say your friendships are? 

As I even start to write this article, I am reminded of a discussion I had going downstairs at Tripple C (a coffee shop in Kigali). I was bragging to my friend about how diverse theologically my friendship circle is and boasting of how I have an orthodox priest for a friend. 

But I also know that sometimes, as Christians, our friendships can be so tribal in that we have friends only from our denominations, only those with our theological persuasions, or only from our church. On some extremes, we can even stop our hearts from embracing the beauty in the body of Christ and different styles of worship. 

Although uniformity is the easiest way to “supposedly” pursue unity but its not the picture of unity given in the scriptures. the bible describes each of us as a member of the body, just like our bodies with eyes, ears, tongue, and many other parts all differently but perfectly connected to the head and working together for the well-being of the body and so should we be. 

To be honest the pursuit of friendship we brethren we don’t share can be a pain-inducing one. It is even more hard when we don’t fully understand the Gospel and keep the Gospel as the core of everything. I was once told that I needed to get saved because I agreed with my brother on the issue of how a church should be run. Honestly, Is church politics a marker of salvation? 

But as long as put anything on the pedestal and allow it to obstruct the Gospel, then true Christian communion won’t happen. I was once told of a church that was divided over whether the church should sing hymns only or add some contemporary Christian music. Unfortunately, in this case,  the issue was not the content of the songs was not even but the style. 

We can bond with those who have read more books produced by Rick Warren, Billy Graham, John Calvin, and Spurgeon, or songs by Hillsong, Getty Music, Nathaniel Bassey, Don Moen, and so forth. But Once we divide ourselves and show no grace to others as Christians because of thoughts by those who never gave their lives for our redemption, we lose the opportunity to be united in our focus on the Gospel.

When I look closely at my life, I can see the beauty of having many friends from different theological backgrounds. My fellow charismatic friends have magnified for me the dependency on the Holy Spirit, and my reformed have shown me how beautiful it is to emphasize scriptures, Wesleyan friends have never stopped talking about holiness and I can’t fully describe how I have been built in my Christian philosophy by Molinists or understanding Christian spirituality through the works of anabaptists writers.   

Besides, my not-so-huge life has pleased God to allow Christianity to be lived and practiced in different ways and styles. My question to you and you reading this is, who are we not to embrace what God has permitted? 

In fact, there is so much good in the body of Christ, so many blessings that God has commanded in our unity, but as long as we remove the Gospel as the main unifying object of our communion and friendships, every other unifying factor will fail to achieve the unity God has intended for us. Through the Gospel, Christ has brought the Jews and Gentiles together, he has made foes to be friends.