"Paranoid Trend"

Luke 9:49
"John said to Jesus, "Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't in our group."


Today's religious society is so paranoid towards other churches/organizations due to fear of losing current attendees to them. Instead of networking and growing together fear tries to harness them out. In doing so, just like Jesus' disciples they try to stop them and make others think what they are doing is not for God because it is not of them and what they are doing.

It is a "paranoid trend".  We may deny this just as even Jesus' disciples probably would have, but the fact is it's there.  However, if believers will start to see themselves as "believers" and not individual groups or clicks and understand that we will all be with each other in one place at the end, then there is no need for this paranoia.  

Paul writes a letter to one of the churches addressing this issue and he said as long as the name of Jesus is being preached then let them continue.  In Luke, we read that others were stepping up in faith and casting out demons in Jesus' name  aside from His disciples and they became paranoid.But was it really a big deal?

 

As long as Jesus is being proclaimed, people are being saved, and lives are being changed for the Glory of God then there is no need for this "Paranoid Trend".