WHERE THERE IS LOVE, THERE IS ACCEPTANCE
“Thank God! We don’t have to like everybody! But we are supposed to love everybody!” Thus spoke a minister whose sermon had to do with the love relationship Christ taught us to cultivate with persons whose scruples (little trivial things we become obsessed with) are different from ours!
This was the pastor of whom I spoke when I told you about visiting a church in view of a “call”, and I asked the minister of music to tell me what kind of person the pastor was. His reply was, “He’s peculiar!” And I said, “Well - sounds like someone I could work with.”
We all have peculiarities, different personalities, personal preferences . . . opinions . . . points of view. In other words, we all have differences which make us likable to some and unlikable to others.
The question we face is: “Given our Lord’s teaching that love is the decisive factor in Christian living, “What does love require of us when we have to deal with a certain person, situation, or circumstance?”
Anytime Christians assemble for worship . . . Bible study . . . organize into churches and denominations . . . gather, or disperse, to enjoy fellowship and have fun – guess what? There are going to be differences of opinion!
We all would agree that unity is the way it was when we started out as an organized Body of believers, or at least unity has been our goal from the start, but what we have to understand is: unity does not presuppose unanimity! Thus, the strength of any “community” can be jeopardized by differences in points of view.
We Christians are called “Christians” because of our saving relationship to God, made possible by the redemptive work of Christ . . . brothers and sisters in Christ . . . children of God.
Yet, within the Family of God, some are stronger than others in their faith (their personal convictions about what freedom in Christ allows them to do ). Some feel confident while some lack confidence in the power of Christ’s atoning sacrifice to completely save them.
The weakness of doubters renders them hesitant . . . reluctant . . . resistant to the notion that Christ has set them free from legalistic practices as a means of salvation; this lack of assurance compels them to establish a type of “merit system” in order to enhance their chance of being saved.
The basic concept of Christian liberty was stated by John: “If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed”, it was reinforced by Paul when he spoke of “the glorious freedom of the children of God”, but it was tempered by this warning: “Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature.” Which raises the question: What is or is not sinful? Now that’s where the rub comes . . . water hits the wheel . . . sparks to fly! Okay then, since love is the decisive factor in maintaining positive Christian relationships:
Paul addresses the issue of differences in terms of how to deal in love with Christians whose attitudes and behaviors you do not like – Romans 14:1-4 . . . 14:13-19 . . .
Paul obviously considered himself to be among the “strong” (the more mature) and is concerned about immature Christians who have not yet grasped the full meaning of Christian liberty - those who feel the need to supplement what God has already done for their salvation with what they think they have to do to “help God out ”via their meticulous fulfillment of all kinds of rules and regulations - some handed down by the ecclesiastical systems of old, some based on current personal preferences or points of view, and who furthermore feel that everyone else should comply with their personal agendas. A formula for conflict within any society!
Folks, there are indeed absolutes with respect to Christianity. We find them in the teachings of Jesus . . . Ten Commandments . . . two greatest commandments . . . basic Christian doctrines that have to do with salvation and sanctification - never to be compromised!
Take the Beatitudes, for example; there is no quarrel as to the absolute value of those principles of happiness taught by Jesus. Practical applications may vary – Christian to Christian, Church to Church, Minister to Minister, and Denomination to Denomination - but the basic principles as epitomized in the life of the One who taught them remain constant and consistent throughout time and eternity.
Being human as we are, however, personal points of view and preferences with regard to secondary matters vary widely. But there are basics which mature Christians stick with – love, encouragement, forgiveness, service, humility, and now, acceptance!
Conflicts over acceptance of others arise due to convictions of conscience which some Christians grew up with (considered by Paul as “weaknesses”) versus spiritually harmless choices their fellow Christians make - contrary to what they grew up with (considered by Paul as “strengths”) . . .
Granted, there is a lot of “casual Christianity” out there, but don’t confuse personal preference with Biblical principle.
Respect the right of others to decide for themselves what they consider to be allowed or disallowed insofar as they personally are concerned - inasmuch as each of us is accountable to God for our own attitudes and behaviors. Do this, even if the “weak” are slow to “get it” . . . to “catch on” and eventually learn the hard way.
Heard about a shoplifter with a guilty conscience who sent a letter to a department store and enclosed $100. The letter explained, “I have just become a Christian, and can’t sleep at night because I feel guilty. Here is the $100 I owe you.” He signed the letter, and at the bottom added this postscript, “If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest.” Would you agree he still has a lot of growing in Christ to do? Maybe at the expense of having to spend time in jail!
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Cowardice asks the question: Is it safe? Consensus asks: Is it popular? Conscience asks: Is it right?”
One thing I admired about Truett Cathy was that, even though closing on Sunday was, for him, the right thing to do for his employees, he never crusaded for others to do likewise.
Some people say they can have nothing to do with a person whose beliefs are different! Still others say we ought to accept them but also embrace those differences! “Nonsense”, says Paul! Believers can accept one another without walking in lock step on every issue!
After all, there are a lot of gray areas out there. With regard to the basics, no! With regard to non-essentials, yes! And it’s up to the more mature Christians to see that they hold their tongue and refrain from a critical spirit so that those who come from diverse backgrounds or undesirable situations will feel accepted in the sense that they are received and welcomed into the Fellowship of Believers, not shunned and shied away from! After all, has not God accepted us?
Acceptance of a sinner saved by grace presents to the more mature Christian the opportunity to become a stepping stone not a stumbling block – by putting the needs of another ahead of one’s own and doing nothing that would cause a weaker brother or sister to stumble, even if it means sacrificing one’s personal desires and wants of the kind that there is absolutely nothing wrong with - in and of itself.
It’s on this point that I have a hard time refraining from taking a selfish stance by saying to myself, “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, so those who don’t like it can “just get over it.” Yet, I have to remind myself that it’s not always about me, except that my attitudes and behaviors ought to model as best I can the attitude and behavior of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I must consider the impact my choices could have on fellow Christians!
Thus, I am the one who must “get over it” and then get on with my priority of promoting peace and practicing principles that build up my brothers and sisters in Christ and. in the process, becomes an acceptable offering unto God.
Major on what matters most, not on what matters least - and stick with it - so as to preserve relationships and keep the focus on Christ, not ourselves.
Folks: We all are persons for whom Christ died; we talk a lot about accepting Jesus as our Savior; but don’t lose sight of the fact that salvation, which we receive by the grace of God, begins with Jesus accepting us! And making Jesus the Lord of our lives is our grateful response to His acceptance of us.
Having been accepted by Jesus, how can we not accept, welcome, receive into the Christian Fellowship seekers of good will and good intentions – who may be weak to start with but who, with God’s help and ours, become strong like Paul was and we aspire to be!
Acceptance in the name of Jesus is a mark of Christian maturity and makes a significant difference in the lives of both the giver and the recipient of this genuine act of love. Amen.
