Right relationships with God are far more important than buildings, budgets, programs, methods, church personnel, size, or anything else.

The problem is that all too often church members look at these things and think that they’re appropriate metrics to determine what God thinks of a church.

God tells us all we need to know to properly relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

• He tells us that we should accept those that are of weak faith, stop judging them and don’t cause them to stumble¹.
• He tells us that we need to seek other’s good².
• Only speak words that are helpful to others³.
• Remove all things that are between you and your brother/sister and be like Christ⁴.
• Give thanks to the Lord with music⁵.
• Consider others better than ourselves⁶.
• Practice forgiveness and love toward each other⁷

How many churches that you have been in have actually done these things?  Preached on these things?  Have put these things as their priority?

I can tell you that there have been a lot of times that I’ve witnessed that “self” has gotten priority over “others.”  And I would think that this is also where I would believe that cliques are wrong.

How do I get that?  Because if we’re truly seeing other’s good we won’t be shutting others out.  I’m not saying that you need to be everyone’s friend—but I am saying that you have to love one another.

The Bible tells us that if we says that if we say we love God and hate our brother the love of God is not in us⁸.  So the next time you see a brother that you do not like—think about God’s love for you and what that should mean in your heart.

1. Romans 14:1, 12-13 [↩]
2. 1 Corinthians 10:24 [↩]
3. Ephesians 4:29 [↩]
4. Ephesians 4:31-32 [↩]
5. Ephesians 5:19-20 [↩]
6. Ephesians 5:21 [↩]
7. Colossians 3:13-14 [↩]
8. 1 John 4:20 [↩]