Noisy Gongs and Clanging Cymbals

The other day, I watched a video that mocked and criticized the way that some churches practice worship.  While I thought that the video was mildly entertaining, I couldn't help but be turned off by the video's method of criticizing the church.  This is likely because it seems that Christians criticizing Christians has become the norm these days.

If we are so vehement on criticizing our brothers, then we are surely unloving to those without Christ.  This unloving attitude is the polar opposite of what Paul had in mind in his letters to the Corinthians.

In his first letter to Corinth, Paul discussed progressive sanctification and the continuing development of holiness of character.  That is, he wrote to a church who needed guidance on how to act as Christians.  As he drew near the end of his first letter, Paul began talking about the need for love in the Christian life and wrote,

"If I... do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1).

1 Corinthians 13 is renowned for its expression and plea for love.  Throughout the course of the chapter, Paul says that if he "spoke with the tongues of men, had the gift of prophecy, knew all mysteries, had all knowledge, had all faith, gave all of his possessions to the poor, or sacrificed his body but did not have love, then he "is nothing."

The word "nothing" conveys the idea of worthlessness.  In effect, Paul is saying that he could spend his entire life accomplishing great things, but if he accomplishes them without love, then he really hasn't accomplished anything. 

It seems to me that Paul is offering a better--and godlier--way of edifying the church than by relentless, malevolent criticism.

Granted, Paul didn't have the vitriolic temptation of the internet back in his day (or technology for that matter), but his approach toward the church was always out of love, in order that she may grow deeper in the grace of Christ.  When he did criticize the church, it was always founded in Scripture, and the inherent motivation was holiness, not mockery.  The type of criticism found in the aforementioned video--and the recent fury of other internet venues--includes no Scriptural criticism, but unloving buffoonery at best.

As Christians, perhaps it is time for us to turn down the sound of noisy gongs and clanging cymbals by way of critical youtube videos, twitter updates, and facebook posts, and turn up the beautiful melody of love.