Everybody talks about the problem of tribalism, but nobody seems to do anything about it. I aim to try. I wish to begin, however, by identifying some of the members of my tribe. Some you may have heard of. My tribe includes Dr. Anthony Bradley, college professor and contributor at the Acton Institute. It also includes Robert E. Lee, former head of the army of the Confederate States of America. John Nelson Darby, along with Charles Scofield, W.A. Criswell, and Tommy Ice are with me. As are John Gerstner, Ken Gentry, Gary DeMar and Gary North. Sam Storms and Wayne Grudem are in my tribe, right beside John MacArthur and BB Warfield. My tribe includes Russell Moore, David Platt, Tim Keller, Ed Litton and John Piper. Also in my tribe are Doug Wilson, Al Mohler, Eric Metaxes, J. Gresham Machen, and David Bahnsen.
My tribe includes multiple men who had multiple wives, all while serving the living God. Some of them were adulterers and murderers. Some abused alcohol for a time, and some drugs. Some abused their station and their standing. Jim Bakker is in my tribe, as is Jimmy Swaggart. Jerry Falwell, Senior and Junior. My tribe includes Tullian Tchividjian, James MacDonald, King David, Peter, Gordon MacDonald, and me. I have some bad news for you as well. If you rest in Christ alone, you are in the same tribe.
Truth be told it’s not bad news but good. The tribe we are a part of is united by one simple truth, that Jesus died for our sins. Which happily means that whatever sins we have, whether those sins include embracing the wrong ideology, suffering from cultural blind spots, selfishness, goofy hermeneutics, intellectual pride, sexual sin, whatever my own sins and the sins of my brothers and sisters, they are covered by the same blood of the same Lamb.
When we begrudgingly admit that those in other “tribes” within the body of Christ will be in heaven we not only exhibit a foolish pride in thinking ourselves better, but we wickedly diminish the work of Christ. We are not called to tolerate those for whom Jesus gave Himself. He doesn’t tolerate those for whom He died who are wrong about CRT, gun control, charismatic gifts, eschatology. He loves them, fully, completely, immutably, just like us. He commands of us that we do the same.
That means leaving behind the snark. That means weeping for what we perceive to be their errors, rather than laughing at them. That means mourning with them when they go through hardship. That means speaking of them and to them gently. When, in the end, we enjoy our last and unending reunion, not a one of us will stop and wonder, “How did he get here?” We’ll be too busy rejoicing in the grace that allows us to be there. May God grant us mercy to see the mercy He has granted the whole of our tribe.