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Unity in Diversity Romans 14:1-23 |
November 7, 2004 Pastor Tom Marcum |
Last Sunday I told you that I went through an extended period of culture shock when I moved to Texas to go seminary nearly 29 years ago. In fact, my culture shock lasted the entire 13 years that I lived in Texas.
One of my first experiences with culture shock occurred during an interview that I had with a small, country church seeking someone to lead their music and youth ministries. I sensed that the interview had gone very well, but just before it came to a close Elmo threw me a curve ball by asking, "Tom, what do you think about mixed bathing?"
"Mixed bathing." I had literally no clue what he was talking about, but as I looked at the faces of the committee members I could clearly see that they thought it was a very bad thing, indeed. So, in a burst of bad judgment, weak character and immaturity I cautiously replied, "Well, I'm against it." And, with that, the committee members let out a collective sigh of relief and offered me the position. And shortly thereafter I discovered that I had just taken a bold stand against boys and girls swimming together. A rather awkward position considering that I had grown up on the beaches of Southern California.
In the church in which I grew up, coed beach parties were far and away the most popular of all our church youth group activities. I had no idea that many Christians in the southern portions of our country thought it was shameful for boys and girls swim together. The whole idea was mind-boggling to me. But it was also instructive, because it was the one of the first times that I had realized that what one group of Christians finds perfectly acceptable another group of Christians may find completely unacceptable. And, in the ensuing years, I came to discover that the range of subjects over which sincere, Christians may differ is actually rather extensive.
--Is it OK for Christians to dance?
--Is it OK for Christians to go to the movies?
--Is it OK for Christians to smoke?
--Is it OK for Christians to drink alcohol?
--Is it OK for Christians wear make up?
--Is it OK for Christians to get tattoos?
--Is it OK for Christians to participate in Halloween activities?
--Is it OK for Christians to gamble?
--Is it OK for Christians to be cremated?
--Should the American flag be displayed in church?
--Which version of the Bible is the correct version?
--What style of music is appropriate for worship?
--When we worship, is it OK to raise our hands in the air and, if so, is one hand preferable to two hands and how far exactly is it OK to raise them?
And on and on it goes. There is, in fact, a wide-range of topics over which sincere, devout, Bible-believing Christians may hold differing opinions. The question naturally arises then, How should we respond when we discover that our view of a particular issue or practice is different from that of one of our fellow brothers or sisters in Christ? How do we maintain a spirit of unity in the midst of all of this diversity? Well, folks, that is precisely the question that is on Paul's mind as we come to the 14th chapter of the book of Romans. Paul is going to offer us some very important and very practical lessons to help us deal with all of this diversity without destroying the abiding sense of unity that God so desires for us.
And Paul's first lesson calls us to OFFER EACH OTHER WHOLE-HEARTED ACCEPTANCE IN SPITE OF OUR DIFFERENCES.
We see this lesson clearly stated in VERSE 1 where Paul writes, "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters." There are three key points to notice in this opening verse. To begin with, notice that Paul acknowledges the existence of "disputable matters." In other words, it's OK for Christians to disagree about some things. It OK for some things to be perpetually in dispute. We don't have to resolve all of our differences. Folks, how liberating is that? What a wonderful blessing God has given us with this gift of "disputable matters."
Secondly, we also learn here that we can maintain both our differences and our spirit of unity if we will "accept" the Christian brother or sister with whom we disagree, "without passing judgment." And that means that the acceptance that we offer those who differ with us is to be unconditional. We don't accept them so that we can launch a secret plan designed to eventually convert them to our way of thinking. We accept and welcome them whole-heartedly, differences and all.
Finally, the third point to note here is that Paul introduces the idea of "weak faith" and "strong faith." And in the verses that follow he explains what he means. In verses 2-4 he writes, "One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand."
Now, folks, it's important that we don't miss the larger point by getting lost in the details surrounding this discussion about whether or not Christians should eat meat. That particular issue is rooted in the culture of the church in Rome in the first century. So, while that particular issue is not one that concerns us today, there are other similar issues that are very real to us today. Issues like those I mentioned a few moments ago.
The point that Paul is making is this--within any church there will always be some people who feel free to do certain things and other people in that same church who do not feel free to do those very same things. And Paul describes those who live with less freedom and more restrictions as people with a weaker faith. It's not a pejorative statement. It just means that they feel a greater burden to abstain from practices that other believers feel free to enjoy.
So, what Paul wants us to understand is that the natural tendency of those who feel a greater sense of freedom is to look down on those whose faith is more constraining while the natural tendency of those who feel that they should abstain from certain things is to be judgmental of those who don't abstain. And Paul's point is that both groups need to resist their natural tendencies and just lovingly and wholeheartedly accept one another differences and all.
Now, as we move ahead Paul offers us a second lesson, namely, that EVERYONE MUST BE TRUE TO THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE. In verses 5-6 Paul writes, "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers everyday alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God."
The key phrase is there in verse 5 where Paul says, "Each one should be convinced in his own mind." Now again, folks, keep in mind that we're not talking about sin. He's not suggesting that we can come to our church family and gleefully announce, "Well, I've prayed about it and the Holy Spirit told me that it's OK for me to gossip and tell lies." Folks, it doesn't work like that. We're not talking about things expressly forbidden by God's word. We're talking about "disputable matters." Matters over which sincere Christians can honestly disagree. And Paul's word to us here is that when it comes to "disputable matters" each of us is to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and then be true to our own conscience. And, in practice, that means that what is right for you may very well be wrong for me and vice versa. Our goal, then, is not consensus. We're not trying to get everyone to think alike and act alike. Our goal is to be true to our own conscience and to nurture the kind of church fellowship that can handle that.
Now, as we move ahead, Paul offers us a third lesson, namely that OUR ULTIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY IS TO THE LORD, NOT TO ONE ANOTHER. In verses 7-12 Paul writes, "For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."
Paul's point here is that God has reserved the business of judging for Himself. That's His job, not ours. And that means two things. First, it means that we must always be more interested in pleasing God than in pleasing each other because ultimately it is God to whom we are accountable. And, second, it also means that each of us should actively resist the temptation to judge one another.
Now, again, we're not talking here about sin. If we see our brother sinning then, yes, it is absolutely our responsibility to lovingly but firmly correct them. But it is not our responsibility to judge one another or look down at one another over "disputable matters."
As we move further ahead, Paul offers us a fourth lesson saying that CHRISTIAN FREEDOM MUST BE GROUNDED IN LOVE. In verses 13-15 Paul writes, "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died."
The main point that Paul is making here is that ultimately love always trumps freedom. Yes, it's true that Christ has set us free from the law to live by the Spirit. Even so, the primary principle that guides our conduct as Christians is love, not freedom.
--Jesus didn't say that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart and enjoy your freedom with all your might. He said that the greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.
--Again, Jesus didn't say, "The world will know that you belong to me if you exercise your freedom without any regard to how your actions might effect those around you." What He said was, "The world will know that you belong to me if you love one another."
So the point here is that we need to be careful that in the exercising of our freedom we don't cause needless distress to other believers who do not feel similarly free. In certain circumstances even the freest of Christians will be moved to voluntarily and temporarily restrict their actions out of love for their weaker brother or sister.
Now, let me quickly add, however, that this does not mean that we have to surrender our freedom in every situation to the weakest Christian brother or sister who might possibly be present. We don't have to surrender our freedom in every situation to that immature brother or sister who is governed by the narrowest form of legalism. If that were true then none of us could ever exercise any degree of freedom whatsoever because it's always possible that some weak Christian might be watching us. So, ultimately, then, our strategy is to look to the Holy Spirit to guide our conduct in all situations.
Paul offers us a fifth lesson as we move further ahead challenging us to FOCUS ON RIGHTEOUSNESS RATHER THAN FREEDOM. In verses 16-18 Paul writes, "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men."
Folks, Paul's point here is that while it's perfectly appropriate for us to defend our positions to those who may differ with us, if we find ourselves getting bogged down in endless debates about whether or not it's OK to do this and not OK to do that then we need to recognize that somewhere along the way we took a wrong turn.
Why? Because the Kingdom of God is not about the things we eat or don't eat; the things we drink or don't drink; and whether or not we go to the movies or Las Vegas. The Kingdom of God is about the pursuit of righteousness. And that needs to be the focus of our attention. Bottom Line: When exercising our freedom or limiting someone else's freedom becomes more important to us than pursuing righteousness we have gone radically astray.
Now, in the next verses Paul is going to expand on a previous theme by introducing us to the principle of mutuality. His sixth lesson challenges us to PURSUE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL. In verses 19-21 he writes, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall."
In essence, here's what Paul is saying. "What a blessing it is for you that God has grown your faith to the point that you can, in good conscience, exercise your freedom in Christ to the fullest. But what a shame it would be if the price for your moment of joy was the wounded conscience of a weaker brother. How much better it would be to make a personal sacrifice for the benefit of all."
Why is that the "better" choice?
--It's better because it affirms that God's Kingdom is about things more important than food and drink.
--It's better because it maintains peace in God's family.
--It's better because it puts the greater emphasis on love rather than freedom.
Finally then, Paul concludes the chapter with one final lesson that is equally applicable to both the weak and the strong. Paul's seventh lesson is this; you will help protect the unity of God's family if you will remember that MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE ARE BEST KEPT TO YOURSELF. In verses 22-23 he writes, "So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin."
Paul's word to both the weak and the strong is this--when it comes to "disputable matters" seek God's guidance and then follow your conscience. If you feel free to do this thing, then do it. If you have any doubt about it then by all means avoid it. But to protect the unity of God's family, keep your convictions to yourself.
Does that mean you can never talk about your convictions? Of course not. Does that mean that if a younger Christian were to seek the counsel of a mature Christian about some "disputable matter" that the mature Christian has to say, "Well, we can't talk about that." Of course not. Paul is simply alerting us to the fact that, by their very nature, "disputable matters" highlight our differences. And any time Christians focus on our differences rather than our common bond in the Lord, the risk of disrupting the unity of our fellowship is increased.
So, embrace your differences. Discuss them when it's helpful. But do so cautiously, seldom and always with great wisdom.
One of the most helpful words of wisdom I have ever heard on the subject of money management were spoken by Mark Twain. The quote goes something like this, "It's amazing to consider all of the things that people would rather have than their money." Folks, I can't tell you how many times I have remembered those words as I was about to make a purchase, small or large. Just a momentary pause to remind myself that I can either leave with this new item or I can leave with my money, but I can't leave with both. And in that moment of reflection, I have often decided that I'd rather keep my money.
As we wrap up our reflection on what God's word has told us this morning about unity and diversity, I want to adapt Mark Twain's wise statement just a bit. Here's my adaptation, "It's amazing to consider all of the things that Christians would rather have than unity within their church family."
Folks, here's my plea--
--The next time you find yourself in some situation in which you have to choose between making a particular statement or keeping unity in the church…keep unity;
--The next time you find yourself in some situation in which you have to choose between getting your way or keeping unity in the church…keep unity;
--And the next time you find yourself in some situation in which you have to choose between doing this thing that you feel perfectly free to do or keeping unity in the church…keep unity.
© Copyright 2004 Pastor Tom Marcum