Trap 3 Christians Fall Into: Majoring on the Minors

(This is the third in a series entitled: "8 Traps Christians Fall Into.")

TRAP 3 CHRISTIANS FALL INTO: MAJORING ON THE MINORS

Do you know anyone that "majors on the minors"?

Many believers in Jesus Christ do it. They take what was meant to be a proverbial "mole hill" (a "mole hill" represents small) and they turn it into a "mountain" (something big).

Have you ever been in a church where that happened? (It even happens between the ministry staff.)

Maybe it was over the color of the carpet in the sanctuary (/ meeting place) ~ maybe that was the mole hill turned into a mountain. Or maybe it was over the song selection for the worship service (/ gathering) ~ maybe some people preferred the contemplative songs while others wanted more upbeat choruses used ~ and this mole hill was turned into a mountain. Or maybe it was over the use of money. ("They're always asking for money." Have you ever thought that before yourself? Be honest.)

There are just a ton of things in the church where this can happen ~ where minor issues can be made major.

MAJOR ISSUES THAT NEED TO REMAIN MAJOR

Now don't get me wrong. There are certainly major issues that need to remain major in the church. I'm talking about issues like the authority of Scripture (the Bible is the final rule of faith and practice), the doctrine of the Virgin Birth and Christ's deity (how many of you understand that Jesus was and is God? ~ this is a major issue in the church ~ it is vital).

And then there's the death and resurrection of our Lord, His second coming, the necessity of the new birth experience (being "born again") ~ issues like these are major issues that need to be stood up for. They need to be defended. There can be no compromise in these areas. Ever.

But then there are the minor issues ~ most often they're "man-made" without any explicit Bible verse behind them. These "man-made" issues need to be left in the minor category. They need to not be divided over. They need to not be fought over.

WHAT IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO IS THE HEART

And I guess what it really boils down to is the heart. That's what God is really concerned about. He's not concerned about the color of the church carpet. He's not concerned about the songs that we sing in the worship service. He's not concerned about the minor issues that we can so easily get caught up with. What God's concerned with is what's going on on the inside.

You can have the right color carpet. You can sing the right songs. You can do and have everything "right" on the outside. But on the inside you can be a mess ~ harboring bitterness and anger and a propensity to gossip, backbite, criticize, undermine ~ and on and on and on.

The truth is I wonder if those who major on the minors ~ if it isn't the sign of something wrong in their own hearts?

You might also be interested in:

• Trap 2 Christians Fall Into: Having a False View of Oneself
• Trap 1 Christians Fall Into: Thinking God is Angry With Them