Romans 14:3 (ESV)
When did being a Christian become
about preserving and defending my rights? Following Christ is about setting
aside our rights for the good of others. But somehow we have moved away from
that perspective. Jesus set aside his right to stay with the Father in order to
take on flesh, die, and be resurrected. He set aside his right to be recognized
and honored, in order to become lower than the angels for our sake. Following
Christ is about is about taking up our cross and dying to self in order to
serve others.
Apparently even the early Christians had trouble getting this right. Those
who felt free to eat meat were apparently looking down on those who felt they
could only eat vegetables in order to avoid sinful behavior. Those who
refrained from eating were judging those who ate. Today is no different. The
anti-vaccination crowd accuse those receiving vaccinations of selling out to
fear and manipulation. Those who are vaccinated judge those who are against
vaccinations of being unloving, uncaring, or foolish. Those refusing to wear
masks accuse those masking of giving in to an ungodly, manipulative movement
designed to control the masses. Those wearing masks judge those not wearing
masks of being unloving, and promoting dangerous behavior.
Our world is no different than that of the early Roman believers. Paul calls
us to set aside our rights for others, and to stop judging each other. There is
a story told about D.L. Moody and Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon loved his cigars.
Moody was overweight. Moody confronted Spurgeon about his smoking, to which Spurgeon
replied that he would quit smoking when Moody quit eating. I have no idea
whether the story is true. I have heard different versions of it. But it
illustrates a truth. As believers, what one Christian views as dangerous and obviously
unbiblical, another views as harmless, perhaps even honoring to God.
How many sermons have we heard over the years about the dangers of some activity or another that should have been left to Christian charity? One preacher hammers on the unbiblical vice of drinking alcohol, while another uses wine for communion and thinks nothing of drinking a nightcap. A preacher expounds on the evils of Rock and Roll music while another sees it as a way to communicate the gospel with a crowd who would never listen to a gospel quartet. One Christian adamantly believes that if we are truly caring Christians then we will be vaccinated and wear masks, while another believes that masking hinders good health and vaccinations are dangerous. Each can quote verses and health experts to support their position, but is that really what Romans 14 is asking of us? If we really want the world to believe our message of Good News then it is time that we stop judging one another and learn what it means to truly love as Christ loved. “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him” (Rom. 14:3).
Comments
Post a Comment