So Paul writes a letter explaining salvation by faith in Jesus’ work on the cross, what a saved life looks like, why Jews and Gentiles belong in the same tree of faith, how very different views accept each other, and his future traveling plans. Jew and Gentile are guilty together, and we are saved together, neither gets any special “free-passes” from God. He spends chapters 12-15 talking about the church’s life together, and guess what the main theme of those chapters is . . . Acceptance.
We would prefer that everyone think like us, believe the same things, with the same intensity as us, and strive for our goals. We look to mates, encourage children, even pick churches so that we may get as close as we can to finding the like-minded with whom we may build a life . . . then the fly-in-the-ointment occurs. We have a disagreement or two, then a serious dissension, then a falling-out (and for those of us who hate conflict, a falling-away).
In any congregation we will have times when we disagree with the direction the majority or leadership wants to take. The majority may want crosses up front for a month, or the majority may want discussion groups to follow after the Sunday morning sermon. The majority may want old songs sung in worship, or the majority may want preaching every Sunday night. If we’re to accept each other as Jesus accepted us, then we have a responsibility to support the decisions of the leadership. If not, then we all play little gods, dispensing at our will or whim. I’m not talking about sinning, but many things we refuse to accept are based on 'preferences not references' (biblical, that is).
So let's save some heartache and learn to practice acceptance. No, others may not be everything you want them to be. The majority may not always do what you want, or even think they 'should', but they are gifted as God sees fit. Let's trust Him to work things out in His church as He ordains. Let us keep from branding our brothers and sisters as unacceptable because they don’t see things the same way we do.
Northside church of Christ
Shawn's Corner
Accepting One Another
In Romans 15:7 Paul writes, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” I’ve preached long enough to know how many times this verse gets ignored in our congregations. What does it mean to accept one another? How did Christ accept you? Why is acceptance offered?
The Roman Christians were comprised of two basic groups: Jewish and Gentile Christians who believed that keeping the Law of Moses was necessary for pleasing God; and Jewish and Gentile Christians who believed that they were free from keeping the Law of Moses anymore. These two and very real different ways of looking at things clashed in the churches of Rome.
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Shawn