Unity

 This week's verses are Romans 15:1-7:

But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself, but just as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope. Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory.  

These verses follow a long discussion by Paul the Apostle about doctrinal disputes in the early church. People had differing views of what it meant to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. This was meat that was processed in a way that represented a covenant with demonic forces. Some people were vehemently against it, for good reasons, and some people were vehemently for it, also for good reasons. (Does this remind anyone of the mask debate?)

People who abstained from this questionable meat accused those who ate it of being in danger of becoming satanists, while those who ate it accused those who did not of denying God's power and grace in favor of superstition. Things were really quite tense! The community was divided, and people were slandering each other and even ending relationships over it.

Paul's position was that, unless the church has a clear position on it based in holy scripture, we should accommodate the opposing viewpoint as best we can. To be clear, he's not talking about clear unrepentant sin. Instead he is addressing those cases where the other person is acting in good faith, even if their conclusion is completely opposite to what you feel is the truth.

For instance, if you know your neighbor is a devil-burger fan, don't throw holy water on him at a barbecue and try exorcising his grill. Conversely, if you're that neighbor, don't serve meat at your barbecue if you're on a budget and the meat you can afford comes from a butcher who wears eye shadow and plays 80s death metal. You should not forget your love for one another, love that God himself has told us we must have.

Interestingly, Paul's position is not just standard moral relativism. He's not saying that every one of us has our own truth that must be honored.  He's saying that if you feel you are right and your neighbor is not, you shouldn't look down on him for being weak or try to force him to accept the truth as you see it. The relationship is more important than displays of doctrinal dominance.

If you make an issue of someone else's weak faith, you're not being a good Christian. Paul makes that clear by saying we should accept each other as Christ accepted us. Jesus did not wait for us to be perfect, or to have great faith.  He began a relationship with us, while we were (are?) still sinners. The relationship comes first, and as the relationship grows, our faith matures and becomes stronger.

At the same time, Jesus was treated really badly by those with weak faith. They could not accept his strong faith and zeal. So even a bad attitude on the part of those we differ with should not be a reason to be that way ourselves. Jesus even showed love for mankind during and after when they were trying to torture him to death.

Paul says we should treat each other well regardless of our disagreements. We should be patient with one another, and do what we can to build each other up. In so doing, we glorify God and are acting towards each other the way that Christ is acting towards us. 

We are accepted by Jesus at the stage we are at. He supports us as we grow, not in a coddling shapeless way, but like a good coach supports us. He doesn't put us in impossible situations where we have no choice but to fail, and he doesn't cut us out of his life when we don't reach his standards.

So when you find yourself disagreeing with someone on lifestyle issues, ask yourself if you are treating them as Jesus treated you. Because if that disagreement is more important to you than being Christlike, you're probably the one with the bigger problem.