----1) Because we’re all different
Romans 14:1-12 1 Corinthians 12
Different rights & wrongs
Different gifts
Different burdens
Different journeys
----2) Because we’re not to judge
Romans 2: 1-16
we judge by the wrong standard
Romans 2:1-2
we judge by externals
Colossians 2:16
----3) Because God accepts all of us
2Corinthians 5:16-17 Colossians 3:10-11
This is the second sermon in a series about important characteristics Christians should have if we are to live vital and fulfilling Christian lives. We must be accepting people. If we do not have a spirit of acceptance, then the odds on us growing more and more rigid and narrow are great. If we don’t have a spirit of acceptance we will grow old believing that everyone must be like me and that if everyone had the same type of experience I have then the world would be ok. That’s not a biblical position to take. Also, it sure is not a winsome type of personality that draws unbelievers to us.
We must accept others because of all the reasons that are stated above under point #1. May I make sure you don’t miss understand what I say about different rights and wrongs. I’m not speaking about "thus saith the Lord." But I am talking about the many gray areas of scripture where God seems to allow us to make up our own mind. Movies, cards, dress, mixed bathing, eating out on Sunday, tobacco usage and also the growing of tobacco, Sunday night and Wednesday night church attendance, wine or grape juice for communion, abstaining from alcohol, tithing on the gross or the net, tithing itself, versions of the Bible, music preferences, we could go on and on. These are the right and wrongs I speak of. We must accept that all people don’t think alike and where the Bible has remained silent we should as well. Let’s not impose our own personal convictions about non-scriptural areas on others. Different gifts and different burdens is self-explanatory but may I say a word about different journeys. We all are on our own walk with God. We all all not at the same point in our journeys. God brings us along as He knows we need to be brought along. Let’s let the Holy Spirit led our people. It’s the Holy Spirit job to convict of sin, not ours.
Points 2 and 3 are self explanatory and are very simple to preach. Go at it!
