We have heard and probably said ourselves that there are two sides to every story and that there is even a third side. When it comes to problems between a husband and wife, for example, we have heard said that there is his side, her side, and then what actually happened, or the right side. We take or choose sides in everything we say, do, believe, etc. There is what is known as the "us" and "them" attitude. All who agree with our point of view are on the "us" side and all who do not agree with us are on the "them" side. The "us" and "them" attitude is a destructive spirit that, instead of edifying, destroys. The gifts God gave to men were "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12) We take what is said in Amos 3:3 ("Can two walk together, except they be agreed?") far beyond its meaning and purpose and use it as justification of ways and attitudes that are unjustifiable and destructive. This is more of a problem in the church than it is anywhere else. Why is this more of a problem in the church than anywhere else? It is the people of God who influence the way God deals with the world. That is evident by what we see in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

The church is the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We know this because it is written in the part of Scripture known as "The Sermon On The Mount" (Matthew 5) and is the place where we find what is called the "be attitudes". The verses that state that the church is the salt of the earth and the light of the world is Matthew 5:13-14. It is more of a problem when something in the church is not right than it is for the same problem elsewhere because when something is wrong in the church the light and salt cannot be that for which it is intended and doesn't have the effective influence it should have on the world.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: It also says to prevent this from happening we should not be ignorant of his devices, (Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11) but we are sometimes blinded by our personal feelings to some of those devices and, in so doing, we allow the Devil to get an adavantage of us and we can become an assistant to the devouring of others by the Devil. Knowing this, we should be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:21)

For the particular passage of Scripture that I would like to focus on as an example of the "us" and "them" attitude and the destructive spirit it produces is Luke 9:49-56. We will view verse 49 and verses 51 through 54 for the "two sides to every story" viewpoint. Then for the "third side" or the right side, we will focus on verses 50, 55 and 56.

Luke 9:49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
Luke 9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfasty set his face to go to Jerusalem,
Luke 9:52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
Luke 9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
Luke 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
Luke 9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Luke 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

King James Version  

We have two different cases of the "us" and "them" destructive attitude and we have the third side presented in both. In both instances the "two sides to every story" was the wrong one. In both instances the third side was the right side. We don't consider the third side when it comes to ourelves and the situations we have. We usually only consider the third side when it comes to the situations of others or situations that we have no part in. So many times we read the Bible and only look at the surface and not what is really being said. Not only do we just see the surface, but we inject our own thoughts into it. The end result is a wresting of the Scriptures to mean what we want it to mean and make the true meaning of none effect. (Mark 7:13) We need to remember, Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." and what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

We have the tendency to demonize other denominations that do things differently and the other denominations are put in the "them" category. I do not include the ones that lead people away from Christ. Verse 50 makes it plain that both criticizing others in our denomination as well as the other denominations and leading people astray is wrong when Jesus said, "For he that is not against us is for us." It is when we put our ways as being the only way and the only truth that this comes into the position this article is addressing. When we criticize and speak of other denominations as being wrong, we have to remember that the other denominations may be saying the same about "us" or the denomination that we are a part of. We have determined that a "Bible believing church" is a church that believes and interprets Scripture the particular way that we do, including the parts that are controversial. There are fundamental truths that all New Testament churches must agree on, but these truths are not what is implied in this article when it comes to what we believe and how Scripture is interpreted.

In verses 49 and 51 through 54 we find that dividing spirit of "us" and "them" when we look into what these verses are talking about. I realize that there are many things that can be said of the Samaritans, but this article is addressing a particular point and we will not be getting into that. We can learn from these Scriptures:

1. That people wish all the teachers of religion to fall in with their own views.
2. That if a doctrine does not accord with their selfish desires, they are very apt to reject it.
3. That if a religious teacher or a doctrine favors a rival sect, it is commonly rejected without examination. And,
4. That people, from a regard to their own views and selfishness, often reject the true religion, as the Samaritans did the Son of God, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

What is wrong with the "us" and "them" attitude? It is a destructive attitude. We are quick to forget what manner of spirit we should be and are ready and willing to destroy people's lives when their views differ from ours. This is especially true when it comes to the pastors and teachers, the leadership of the church who use their positions of influence. Not only pastors and teachers, but others who have this destructive spirit, poison people's minds with untruths by insinuating that this could be this or that could be that. They, however, go on to say that they are not saying that whatever they are saying is the way it really is, but only that it could be this way or that way. In so doing, they leave the hearers with the understanding that what they are saying could be is really true. They pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and omit the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith. In other words, they interpret rigidly the law as to what should be done. This would include giving money, how you should dress, how long your hair should be, working at the church in upkeep, filling positions, and such like things. They even include the way others should be treated and how you should love others. When it comes to the way you should treat others, these are things that they themselves do not do unless, of course, the "others" are ranking members of the "us" crowd.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." and in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-7 "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;" Those with the "us" and "them" attitude are quick to withdraw from someone and make sure that others do as well, but leave off the behaving not ourselves disorderly part for themselves. When the "us" and "them" attitude prevails, the love of God does not preside.

The only time that "us" and "them" is rightly used is when the "us" are those who are with Christ, born-again, and the "them" are those without Christ, lost. It is only rightly used then when those who are born-again are concerned enough about the lost as to reach out to them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they too might be saved. Even then, the third side comes into effect as we realize what manner of spirit we are of, not being destructive, but with the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)