Troubling Exclusiveness
By Mike Rule

For the last few years I have been involved with several "Deeper Life" ministries. One pervading attitude that I receive in most every circle is one of exclusiveness, demanding that people meet them on their terms before they enter into discussion or relationship. Here is an example that happened recently.

I am involved in an authors group that writes devotional articles for distribution to thousands of homes via e-mail . As part of that there is a discussion group exclusively for the authors. One fellow wrote some things that came across as a bit more behavior oriented than I think any of us were comfortable with. Some responded by basically telling this fellow he was wrong and that his thoughts were not welcome there. Others went into lengthy dissertations on why he was wrong. I asked a few questions regarding why people reacted so strongly to it because I felt the attitudes of the responders were not necessarily Christ like. The response from the group host was very enlightening. I quote part of it -

"The simple answer to your good question is that [what was taught through this fellows writing] is not the gospel. The effect of [writings] like this or any performance based teaching is to lead people away from faith and to lead people away from Christ. I stubbornly make it clear: Performance based teachings have no place in [our group]. I don't have time for it and neither do most of the authors in here who donate their time and talents (with no monetary compensation) because they want to share the gospel. [Our group] is a topic-specific group, there are plenty of chat groups and discussion groups and plenty of people who love to go back and forth and round and round on the topic with anyone who is seeking and genuinely interested in believing God's truth."

I was then invited to another group where this topic would be happily bandied about.

I understand the need to be focused on a purpose in specific contexts, but it was the spirit behind these words that I found so troubling. In essence it said we will meet on our terms, so long as it does not go against our purpose. I think of Jesus words in Matthew 25:41-46,

41"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' 44"Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45"Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

I admit that this is not a passage that we usually reference in matters of "deeper life," however I find it poignant in light of the above situation because we are often rejecting Him and we don't even know it. Let me say I am NOT using this to pass judgment on anyone but I believe this ties into what He said in John 1:11-14

11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Did Jesus ever demand that people meet Him on His terms? No, He willing let people come to Him on their own terms and He loved them. He became flesh and dwelt among US! When we are born of God and have Christ's indwelling life, should we then demand people meet us on our terms? I believe everyone of us blew a prime opportunity to reach out in LOVE to this fellow who was hungry and thirsty. We missed seeing him for who he was because we were so stuck in our own narrow views. We have made the grace of God another law to be attained or another standard to be lived up to for acceptance. I also believe we did more to alienate him than to draw him in. Nobody took the time to probe into this fellows heart before they tried to rebuke or correct his "poor" theology.

I thank God that Jesus did not demand we meet him on His terms. I thank God that He accepts us and meets us where we are no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient it may be to Him. My prayer is that His life flow through me and that His LOVE be manifested to ALL people, even if it is not in a place or way that I would prefer.