We are in the Days of Awe--the 10 days starting at Rosh Hashana (Yom Teruah--Feast of Trumpets) to the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. This is a time of introspection, repentance, reconciliation. Something we forget but still all know is that when we have no peace with people we have no peace with God. So preparing to come before our Maker always involves straightening things out with people.
We betray our priorities by what "hill" we are willing to die on. In 155 CE, Polycarp the bishop of Smyrna traveled to Rome to meet with Anicetus the bishop of Rome to resolve an important controversy. Polycarp, who said he was following his mentor the apostle John, believed the resurrection should be celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan. Anicetus believed that since the resurrection occurred on Sunday that the resurrection should always be celebrated on the Sunday during the Passover week. They discussed and debated at length but neither could convince the other of the error of their position. To display what their top priority was, they celebrated the "Lord's Supper" together publicly to show their unity in the Messiah and parted in peace. Sadly a few decades later Victor excommunicated Polycrates for his Quartodeciman (Polycarp's) views. This exemplifies a trend that grew in the early church--hating and separating from "heretics" and finally killing them. The Jews bore the brunt of this misguided zeal. In the 5th century a group of Christians burned down a synagogue. The emperor Theodosius ordered the Christians to rebuild the synagogue out of their own funds. The Roman bishop of the time rebuked Theodosius and refused to allow him to take Communion until he had rescinded his order. Most of us are aware of the barbarity of the Inquisition and the murderous treatment of Jews, infidels and Protestants. But we don't look for the root. Can there be a worse heresy than a willingness to kill those we disagree with? Augustine called for the death of heretics, as did Calvin, Luther, Cromwell and other reformers. Perhaps it's time to admit that there is no worse heresy than the willingness to destroy our opponents and wipe out our opponents. That's the way the world operates--not the Kingdom. These 10 days afford us an opportunity to look deeply inside ourselves and ask "Do my actions reveal me as a follower of Yeshua (Jesus)? While I think doctrine, liturgy, dogma, ceremony are all vital they are not the most important aspect of the Christian life. "By this will ALL men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another." There may be a reason the world doesn't know who we are yet.
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