Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4
So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Romans 14:19
You know you’ve nailed this one (substitute your current this one). Maybe you’ve believed this way your whole life.
You’ve studied every scripture on it, listened to others, prayed it out.
So when someone comes along believing the opposite, you know they’re wrong.
They couldn’t possibly have studied it as much as you, or listened to as wisely counsel as you did, or talked to God as much about it.
Really?
Please.
Listen.
What if, just if, the others really do respect the Bible as much as you, have sincerely sought God’s wisdom in interpreting it, and still come up with a different interpretation than yours?
What do you do then?
Sadly, here’s what we often do:
- We accuse them of rationalizing, justifying, compromising the Bible to say
what they want to believe. - We think they’re ignorant and stubborn and refuse to see the truth.
- We pity them and hate their “sin” and tell them we’ll pray they see the
light as we so rightly do.
Do we even consider they could be right and we could be wrong?
Do we attempt to fully listen to why they believe as they do?
Do we still respect their character and Christianity even if we continue to
disagree?
Stop eating your own, church.
It leaves a bad taste in our mouth.
And it looks cannibalistic to the world.
Of all the things Jesus wanted us to do, it was to show the world what love
is, who God is.
Don’t confuse being biblical with being right when being godly is being
loving.
The Bible is true and God is love.
But none of us understand it perfectly.
We get things wrong. A lot.
- So let’s quit thinking we’re the only ones who know enough or care enough to perfectly interpret God. Others may be equally sincere and smart. And saved.
It’s the righteousness of Jesus that saves us, not mine, not yours.
- Let’s give each other the benefit of the doubt as we try to love right
instead of picking each other off, one hot issue at a time.
It’s by our fruit that others will know us; is ours juicy or is it repulsive?
- Let’s trust the Father to teach our brothers and sisters what they need to know as he teaches us what we need to know.
If his grace is big enough for you, it’s big enough for everybody else in the family.
- Let’s ease up on judging motives. Help more; harm less. Glorify God above all else.
His sacrifice is complete, his grace is sufficient, his love is eternal.
That’s a mouthful.
Chew on that instead of each other.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
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