GENERATIONAL CONFLICT

A wise preacher once said, “Church fights are ten percent doctrine and ninety percent personality.” Another variation on this perceptive slogan is “Church fights are ten percent doctrine and ninety percent generational.” Generational conflict could be at the source of numerous disagreements in congregations. This age-generated dispute might be cloaked as doctrinal, traditional, or personal, but the root problem is foundational differences between the generations. In fact, William Strauss and Neil Howe published a landmark book, “Generations: The History of America’s Future from 1584 to 2069, “highlighting four different generations in America.” These authors clarified the patterns and roles that each of these four distinct generations play. Strauss and Howe spotlighted which generations function well together and which generations constantly contend with each other. Understanding the trends in generations can help Christians today maintain the bond of unity in the church.

The Younger Generation

There is a certain sense of rebellion with the younger generation in the church. Many young people are boldly seeking to cast off traditions of the past and replace them with modern patterns. There seems to be disrespect for the old paths of yesterday. Some young people are willing to retire many of the older songs and replace them with the more modern devotional songs. This behavior manifests a lack of sensitivity because these older songs edify the generation before and are comforting to them. Instead of being sensitive to the feelings and concerns of the older members, the younger generation is attempting to bully change within the church. This attitude of rampant change demonstrates disrespect for the accomplishments of the past generation. Instead of brushing the older members to the side, younger Christians should honor the mature saints for their contribution to the church.

The younger generation must refrain from seeing the older members of the church as worn out and fragile. Instead, the mature members must be treated with respect for the contribution they make to the betterment of the church. Older men in the church model Christian living to the younger members. “Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance” (Titus 2:2NASV). While the older women have the important role of teaching the younger ladies to be strong Christian women: “Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored” (Titus 2:3-5). Without the older members of the church, the church of Christ would lack the wisdom and patience that experience through age can bring.

The Older Generation

The older saints in the congregation are many times the backbone of the church. This generation provides instruction, leadership, wisdom, and encouragement to the future generation. Unfortunately, sometimes this powerful role can lead to stubborn pride. In 3 John, the Apostle had to deal with entrenched leadership in the congregation. “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and he forbids those who desire to do so, and puts them out of the church” (3 John 9-10). Diotrephes used his prominent position as an occasion for power and pride.

The older generation must be sensitive to the younger generations needs. Since the older generation typically holds the leadership positions in the congregation, there needs to be a desire to adapt to non-doctrinal preferences of the coming generation. The older members do not have to accommodate every whim but should be open to improvements in the congregation. The problem arises between the generations where there is resistance to change in matters of opinion based not on doctrinal truth but on personal pride which leads to stubborn behavior (1 John 2:16). A sad commentary is written in the pages of history when the older generation refuses to sing some of the scriptural modern devotional songs. This attitude demonstrates a lack of love for the future leaders of the church. This mindset states that the older generation cares more for its needs than for the needs of the younger generation.

Regardless of which generation one occupies, the same biblical instruction is given to both generations to maintain the bond of unity (Col. 3:14). Each generation must possess an attitude of deference toward the other generation. Will-wars and power struggles are of the flesh and are opposed to the mindset of Christ. The Spirit states, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:3-5).

GOD’S SOLUTION TO HOLINESS

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts” (Isa 6:3NASB). This verse creates a formidable problem for humanity. How does a perfectly holy God interact with profane humans? Profane means the opposite of sacred or holy. There seems to be an issue of the sinless “Holy One of Israel” being relational with a “sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, and offspring of evildoers (Isa 1:4).” Though it seems improbable for holiness and profanity to dwell in a relationship, nevertheless God has provided the solution for man to enter into God’s divine presence.

The Problem for Holiness

The root meaning of “holiness” is “separate.” The first time the verb form of holiness is used it refers to the creation account. The term is used to designate the Sabbath as a day distinct from the six previous days of creation. The first six days focus on the human world with all of its complexities while the seventh day dwells on the realm of God. From the beginning there has been the separation between the profane, the world of man and the holy, the realm of God.

The problem is that unregulated contact with holiness results in death to humans. Moses prays to the Lord to let him witness His glory. God grants Moses this request, but Moses cannot see the fullness of God’s holiness because "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" God has to cover Moses’ face and only reveal a glimpse of His backside to protect Moses from His overwhelming holiness (Exod 33:18-23). Uzzah does not have the privilege of regulated contact with holiness and reaps a tragic consequence. Uzzah is killed by God when he attempts to steady the ark, which is a symbol of God’s holy presence among the people (2 Sam. 6:6-11). Even Manoah believes that death is imminent because he has seen God. "We shall surely die, for we have seen God," he said (Judges 13:22). Fortunately for Manoah, he has only witnessed the appearance of the Angel of the Lord and not the face of the Lord. Also, Moses’ contact with God’s holiness in the form of the burning bush has to be regulated by removing his footwear (Exod 3:5). The Apostle John understands that no one has seen God because this would be detrimental to a person’s life (John 1:18).

The separation between God and humans results in an interesting paradox. God’s holiness is a two-edged sword. Humans need holiness for sanctification, but too much exposure to God’s holiness results in death. Therefore, how is God able to overcome the need for separation inherent in holiness and establish a relationship with man?

The Provision for Holiness

Fortunately God has made provisions to regulate His holiness to mankind. The first provision God made was establishing the priesthood. At the end of the book of Exodus, God separates out a group to mediate holiness to the people through religious rituals. The role of priest is described in Exodus 28-30, but the ordination ritual does not happen until Leviticus 8-9. In Exodus 28:1 God separates Aaron and his sons to serve as priests to the people. In order for them to fulfill the role of priest, Aaron and his sons are required to go through a process of purification, a process which takes these men even closer to the powerful nature of God’s holiness.

In becoming a priest, one must forsake some of the freedoms of the profane world to act as a mediator between God and man. Instead of assuming the priesthood as privilege-- the priesthood is characterized by sacrifice. Christ the High Priest voluntarily emptied Himself for the sake of humanity (Phil. 2:1-11). The priesthood does not bestow honor but rather calls for submission, obedience, and suffering (Heb. 5:8). When one enters the priesthood, he or she must count the cost of giving up some earthly freedoms. God has chosen to separate for Himself a “particular people” to mediate His holiness to the profane aspects of humanity. God has to temper his holiness through the priesthood to bridge the gap between Him and the whole of humanity.

The human priesthood can only usher in a limited level of relationship with God. The Lord has even made provisions for Christians to enter deeper into communion with him. The human priesthood had flaws, so God established Jesus Christ for Christians as a high priest. In the book of Hebrews, the author elaborates on the supremacy of Christ over the Jewish high priest. Through Christ’s priesthood, Christians are invited in to experience a deeper measure of God’s holiness.

The Proposal for Holiness

God established the priesthood to mediate holiness between the sacred world of God and the profane world of humans. This is the role of Christians as declared in 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” God has commissioned Christians to perform the mediatory work of dispensing holiness to a corrupt world. Christians who have been influenced by the cleansing power of God’s holiness are to travel out into the world to leaven sinful society. This ethical mission of being “the light of the world” is to transform wickedness into righteousness. Christians know that this holiness is infiltrating the larger world when people are purged of malice and envy (1 Pet. 2) and when people live and interact with others through love and not hate (1 Pet. 3). As Christians are transformed into closer images of God’s holiness through the practice of godliness, then believers are able to positively influence those that are farther away from experiencing God’s holiness.

The holy influencing the unholy is God’s system of evangelism. Since God’s holy light is too powerful for those accustomed to darkness, God has ordained Christian priests to mediate the nature of God to a profane society. God’s presence would be too overwhelming and harmful for those living in sin. Paul encountered Christ and was blinded for three days (Acts 9:8). God regulates His holiness through Christians to draw all nations to Him. Man has a measure of holiness but still has imperfections which make bridging the expanse between God and the unredeemed easier. God invites sinners into His holiness through a Christian’s evangelism.

The complete presence of God’s holiness is too perfect for imperfection to bear. God has to regulate His holiness to a profane world to refrain from destroying all that is wicked. God had to devise a plan to mediate His holiness to his created world, so he established the priesthood of believers and placed His Son in the position of high priest. Through the tainted holy influence of God’s people, God calls others into relationship so that he can impart a measure of His holiness to them.

Conflicting countercultural living

Christians live in conflict because we are attempting to find the proper balance between life in the world and separation from the world. The Bible is completely clear that Christians are not of the world. John 15:19 states “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you (NASB).” There is a gap between the standards of the world and the ideals for Christians. While on the other hand the Bible teachings Christians to live in the present world. Matthew 5:14 commands “You are the light of the world.” Also, Paul implored the Corinthians to not reject association with all the unrighteous people in the world because “for then you would have to go out of the world” (1 Cor. 5:10). These verses that teach, separation as well as attachment to the world, leads us back to the common slogan “in the world but not of the world.” But this slogan is easier said than lived. There is the constant conflict within Christians to discover the balance in becoming a “particular people” (Titus 2:14).

Our history in the churches of Christ bears out this struggle of locating the proper balance between living in two worlds. Many Restoration leaders were against getting entangled with the affairs of this world. In David Lipscomb’s book “Civil Government”, he argues against Christians even voting. Also, there was a strong sense of pacifism in the Restoration Movement. Christians were encouraged to avoid the current political affairs of the world. But as time elapsed, this anti-world basis began to shift to a stance that embraced influencing the present reality of the world’s affairs. Now young Christians are encouraged to seek positions that can persuade others to embrace Christian values. It is now desirable for Christians to hold political offices in government. Even through our history has the conflict of living counter-culturally been presence.

Since this conflict of living with the “elementary principles of the world” and maintaining our “heavenly citizenship” is a constant concern to grapple with, how can we live in balance with these seemingly contradictory principles (Col. 2:20; Phil. 3:20)? There are three earthly realms Christians must maintain balance with to fulfill God’s desire for us to be “in the world but not of the world.”

A Christian must live between the worlds. Paul was torn between existing in two worlds. He says in Philippians 1:22-25 “But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith.” Christians may be tempted like Paul to left the struggles of this evil world but are committed to fulfilling the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18). Without the leavening influence of faithful Christians the world will only continue to slide into the wicked hands of Satan. Christians cannot flee from the streets of sin for the holy sanctuaries of the monasteries. Disciples of Christ are the living lights for the current world.

A Christian must live between the extremes. Christians must manage the extremes of complete separation from the world and complete acceptance of the world. A good example of extreme separation from the world is the Amish people. The Amish people of America have removed themselves from mainstream culture. They have rejected all modern technology and movements. With this choice, the Amish people have eliminated their influence upon culture. Their genuine desire to please God has lead them to forsake the command to be “the light of the world.” On the other hand, some Christians tie their happiness to the affairs of this world. Some Christians falsely rely on every new philosophy and deceptive tradition of man, which ultimately causes their destruction (Col. 2:8). Christians must not embrace the declining debauchery in the world (Eph. 5:11), but rather judge the changing events according to the eternal principles in the Word of God. All Christians must follow the timeless example of Christ: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).

A Christian must live between the times. A constant certainty in the world is change. The world, America, and the times are changing. Culture will never became stagnant. Members of the church may desire the “good old days” but these are a thing of the past. Therefore, the church must offer a redemptive message for the present age. This message is derived from the eternal principles of the Holy Scriptures. The conflict arises when Christians must discern between Biblical precedent and cultural customs. This exercise has happened in two places in the Bible—the custom of women wearing veils and the holy kiss as a greeting (1 Cor. 11:1-16; 1 Pet. 5:14). The solution to the cultural conflict is wisely discerning between the morally neutral customs of the times and sin. It would be erroneous for Christians to replace the message of the cross with merely a derogatory campaign against morally neutral changes. There is a huge difference in amoral actions of culture that some Christians may dislike and downright sin. Christians must save their redemptive message for cultural battles worth fighting or their message will become ineffectual. A harping on amoral dislikes will drive others to tune out the message of Christians. But when sinful destructive behavior begins to sweep through society, Christians need to rally to defeat the increasing presence of Satan on earth.

The struggle to find the balance between “being the light of the world” and “not being of the world” is a constant conflict for the Christian. Christians cope with maintaining an influence in society while also avoiding being unspotted from the world. At all times disciples must “therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves” when it comes to dealing with the world’s affairs (Matt. 10:16).