FBC 10-24-10 Romans 14
At first glance we might think that this chapter of Romans doesn’t have much to say to us today. After all Pastor Paul seems to be dealing with the issue of whether or not to eat meat, specifically meat that has been sacrificed to idols, and on what day of the week to keep holy. But if we dig a little we will find that this text is just as applicable for us today as it was 2000 years ago when Pastor Paul first wrote it.
Paul is writing about things that are causing divisions in the church, things that could very well split the church, and that is the last thing Pastor Paul wants.
Ever since the Reformation and the birth of Protestantism, the church has created new congregations and new denominations. The list of divisive topics that have given rise to new communions runs the gamut. Early Reformation schisms were usually based on scholarly theological disputes over lofty points of interpretation, points often incomprehensible to the uneducated parishioners. Later divisions tended to be based on cultural, political or behavioral differences. Some reasons strike us as profound - such as the congregational commitments first to freedom (1860s) then to civil rights (1960s) for African Americans. But consider some other disagreements that have recently wrenched congregations and denominations apart - card playing, jewelry wearing, dancing, drinking, movie going, TV watching the use of electricity…
Would Paul have felt that these reasons justified pulling apart the body of Christ? What about some of the really hot button topics that stop or start conversations today - abortion, gay rights, economic vitality vs. environmental health, the governments role in health care? Does Paul's advice call us to find a place for an array of "Christian" convictions on these issues? Or are there some simply inarguable points of truth?
Paul does seem to have his bottom line - but it is hardly one that would bring any of us much satisfaction when arguing for our particular point of view on one of these issues. What Paul insists is that all believers are united by Christ's death and resurrection. Accepting Christ's Lordship is Paul's indisputable starting point. With the simple confession of a God-breathed, Christ-centered, Spirit-driven life, we all are welcomed into God's household, and we all share in the same humble rank as "slaves" or "servants" in that household.
Now there are some who use this passage of scripture to argue that the church should be diverse, and should accept every belief of every person who claims to be a believer regardless of what that belief is, there are those who believe that tolerance is what Jesus taught and that Paul is reinforcing that idea here. But I don’t believe that is exactly what Pastor Paul is talking about.
As Christians can we agree to disagree? This is a very tough question and the issue that this text raises is a very tough issue, and one that has plagued the church since its very beginnings, as we can see in this very passage.
Our foundation is that Jesus is God’s Son and that he died and rose again to bring us into right relationship with God. Paul says that this is the absolute bed rock the one thing that marks a true believer. And as every house must have a solid foundation so must our faith and that is it. Now some would argue that if you have a good foundation it doesn’t matter then what materials you use or how you build on that foundation. But anyone who has ever built anything or been through a flood and seen a house float off its foundation knows this is not true. As followers of Christ what we need to know then and what Pastor Paul is trying to help the Romans and everyone who reads this passage understand is that in every building there is a foundation and then there are the structural components and then there are the window dressings.
The foundation and the structural components cannot be compromised they cannot be diverse. When I worked at Airparts there was this regular customer who had plans to build an airplane. It was an aluminum airframe and he would come in from time to pick up materials. He would have the copies of the plans with the sizes and type of aluminum extrusion he was needing. On occasion we would not carry the exact type or size of something that his plans called for. Often his plans called for 2024 aluminum alloy and we would only have it in the 6061 alloy. When informed of this his standard answer was that’s okay just give me the 6061. Now the 6061 alloy has about ½ the strength of the 2024 so while they are both structural aluminum alloys there is a big difference between the two and swapping them can prove disastrous.
We must remember that when Pastor Paul wrote Romans the Romans where facing some specific problems the two main ones being the eating of meat and what day they should worship, neither of which I might add are moral issues. Pastor Paul points out that these two issues at their core are merely window dressings and boil down to a matter of taste. He stresses that it is important for us to first remember that we are all servants of Christ who died and rose again. Then he points out that in our discussions we must hold in sight love of the Lord and love of our neighbors. Then he tells us our solutions must keep in mind our love for God and for one another.
But how does this relate to the hot button topics I mentioned earlier and to ones I may not have mentioned? Does this passage speak to these issues? How should we proceed? First and foremost our love of the Lord God with all our hearts, minds, soul and strength and loving our neighbors as ourselves must prevail. We must be able to discuss these issues without anger, hatred or shouting. We must be able to state our stand on them without bringing undue pain. Remember the woman caught in adultery who was brought to Jesus? Jesus condemned the act without condemning the woman. Showing up at the funerals of our soldiers with signs saying how much God hates homosexuals does nothing to help the debate, nor does it show God’s love for us sinners. Standing outside abortion clinics with pictures of aborted unborn young does nothing to show God’s love.
Second we must pray and ask the Spirit to guide our thoughts and discussions. Third we must look at the issues and decide are these moral issues? Do they affect our ability to live out the foundation of our faith? Which is ultimately to glorify God. To examine that we must examine the ramifications of these issues. Do they edify people? Do they edify the body of Christ or do they bring destruction and desolation in their wake? We also must look at the history of the issues at hand and the motives of the people promoting the issues and that can give us insight into the nature of the issues whether they be foundational or window dressing and how we as believers should proceed on them.
If we find ourselves becoming angry in the discussion, angry at why others don’t think, or feel or believe the same way that we do we must stop and analyze our positions. If at anytime we are debating out of anger, if we harbor anger towards those who don’t believe the way we do then it is my belief that Satan has found a foot hold in our discussion and maybe even in our belief. We must carefully follow Jesus’ example in these issues and never show anger or hatred towards those who don’t feel the same way. It is my firm belief that homosexuality and abortion are both sins. But they are no worse sins then stealing, or adultery. And while we must label them sins we must allow those who struggle with those sins to come and fall at the cross with us. For we are all sinners, we all stand in the need of the loving grace of God that has been poured out on us through the Spirit because of Jesus’ death and resurrection and at that end day when we stand before Jesus and are judged we are only found not guilty because of our faith and trust in Jesus and no other reason.
I don’t know what sins you struggle with; I only know this that Jesus is able and willing to forgive us our sins if we will simply ask. If you have already done that then I rejoice with you in the knowledge of knowing that you are forgiven. And I remind you that you are forgiven because of what Jesus has done for you and therefore not to be angry with your brother or sister who has yet to receive the forgiveness Jesus has to offer but instead pray for them and show the love of God that that has been shown to you.
If you have not accepted the forgiveness that is offered to us through Jesus, I ask you why not? What are you waiting for? Why do you still carry the heavy burden of it around? Come forward as we sing confess that you are a sinner seek God’s forgiveness and receive it through Jesus Christ.
