A Splitting Headache

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” 1 John 4:20

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13

 

Devastated.

Things tend to catch up to you after  bit and soon enough I found myself in court on the DUI charge. There’s mandatory jail sentences for that sort of thing unless you are famous and or wealthy in which case the rules don’t always apply the same way as they do to less affluent and well-known folks. So anyway, I got my 10 day jail stint. While I was there my pastor visited and told me that when I got out things might be different at the church. There were some people who were upset about some things. They wanted him to resign as pastor. He told me that he would let the people of the church decide and then he would abide by their wishes.

I was upset. I had known there were some tensions. Some things that didn’t seem right. Still though, I was as yet naïve enough to believe that people in my church were good people. People who loved one another and loved God above all else. This wasn’t the case. I wasn’t able to be there the evening of the meeting in which the decisions were made. Many stood up for the pastor, many made accusations against him. When all was over those who had accused him went through the church building removing items they had given to the church and they left. I really liked these people. I had believed in them. I found out that this was called a church split. I’d never known about such things, but it seemed unbelievable to me and yet there it was before. People who I cared for and loved and respected, just no longer part of my life.

It all seemed so very wrong. So completely against everything I had been learning about Jesus. I found out that this “splitting” stuff can be a regular event in a lot of churches. I learned that the folks who had left had done so in at least three other churches over the years. I didn’t understand, but I knew that if this could happen to them it could happen to me. I purposed that if that ever happened I would just go away. No fighting, no accusing, just disappear.

How is it that people can end up with so much anger and hatred toward those whom they had loved? In time I would come to learn about something known as the “doctrine of the Nicolaitanes.” In the ancient Greek the word Nicolaitanes means to conquer or control the laity or people. It is a doctrine which though not purposely taught it is nevertheless learned or “caught”. It is also something which God hates. In essence it’s the idea that everyone has to live just like “me”. They have to think just like me and act like me. Or else. If such people have enough power they can  exact a heavy toll on others. In fundamental churches you often find them in the background sowing discord among brethren until they have enough support to make their power grab. Absalom, the son of King David was one such man and he ended up causing so much heartache and sorrow.

You will find that I attribute much to the Nicolaitane doctrine. I future posts I will mention it again and again because it is such a pervasive evil. Such a troubling monster when it creeps into peoples lives.

In time I would learn this doctrine well enough that it caused me to suffer much. Caused me create some problems for others, though I can honestly say that I believe with all my heart that I never purposed to draw followers even though there were those who accused me of it. I answered when people called. I did what I believed God wanted and when I thought I had done what God wanted I stopped. I did end up leaving that little church, but I walked away pretty silently except to answer those who called after me and those who accused me behind my back.

But that is another story.