In Which I Plan To Quell Disputes...

Today I came across a scripture verse I’m committing to memory: “Pursue the things which make peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19. In fact, I taught the verse to the Bug and the Pea who subsequently choreographed hand motions as a way to memorize it. (I plan on having them repeat the verse aloud, in unison, when they’re at each other’s throats, sorely tempted to utter ugly things.)
I’ve decided this shall be my new mantra. If my mind is pursuing things which make peace – then I’m not apt to stir up trouble for the sake of argument. When I concentrate on edifying others, I look for chances to encourage and not tear down with words. When Paul wrote this verse in the Bible, he was speaking to the fellowships of Christian believers in Rome – some with a Gentile heritage and some with a Jewish heritage. He was concerned that the early church – this eclectic bunch of people with extremely different religious backgrounds – become a community of believers so united that the Church itself acted as one fluid body.
He must have sensed potential red flags: if one segment were to become legalistic, this judgment would in essence place the other members in legalistic bondage. Quite the opposite of the gospel’s freedom. Thus the body of Christ could not work fluidly toward the purpose of glorifying God. So Paul stressed acceptance…far above the disputes over what the individuals considered personal convictions regarding non-gospel issues.
Two thousand years later, I can picture this scenario:
Sunday School Member #1: “I brought a casserole to her house after the funeral…and I was looking for foil in the pantry…and I came across a bottle of Chardonay!”
Sunday School Member #2: “What?? White wine? And I thought she was a Christian!” (eye roll)
Sunday School Member #1: “I know! Such a disappointment. We need to put her on our prayer list.”

Perhaps disputes arise (or should I say, especially arise?) concerning the ceremonial practice of sacraments. Take the Lord’s Supper for example. When Jesus broke the bread representing His body broken for us, I don’t recall Him listing an inventory number for the purchase of denomination-specific wafers. Nor do I recollect the brand name of grape juice to be used when remembering His blood shed for us. If discussions occur where we are arguing over the type of “bread” or “wine” that would be most appropriate, I think we’re missing the entire point.
I just can’t believe it was ever His intent for fellowships of believers to divide themselves over interpretations of issues that have little to do with the gospel – the Good News. And just to clarify, the way I interpret the Good News is:
• Jesus loves us and wants us to live abundantly in Him on earth and eternally with God in heaven.
• God is too holy to be near sin.
• Which becomes the ultimate problem for humans: we are all sinners who need to be forgiven.
• God solves this problem by giving us Jesus, who becomes the perfect sacrifice providing us access to forgiveness of sins…and thus access to the Holy Spirit, the Son and God.
• Those who believe in God’s Son, confess their sinfulness/ask for forgiveness and surrender their “old” ways in exchange for Jesus as Master - accept the gift of grace.
All faith, no strings attached. Free gift. We don’t deserve to be forgiven. (Think about it, we don’t.) It’s a gift and you can’t earn a gift, you must accept it. And once you accept it, you can’t help but be changed as a result of the grace. As you become transformed, your old self (the “before Jesus came into your life to lead you” self) doesn’t seem so wondrous after all. Your new self longs to be more like your new Savior. And the Savior is all about LOVE. For everyone. (Yes, even the annoying coworker who shares a cubicle with you and drives you insane. Even the guy who swerved in front of you during rush hour.)
Love and grace define Jesus, the revolutionary, who was and is and is to come. Every move Jesus made was clothed in love. Even when he was shooing the money changers from the temple, Jesus’ anger was motivated by His love for the people of Jerusalem and God, the Father. (John 2:13)
He tells us over and over again to love, share His grace with everyone – friends, family, enemies in our own backyard and beyond, to the lands far from home. Somehow, we find a way to ignore the greatest commands (commands we are told completely sum up the law…) Mark 12:30: You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. We then go directly to a minute detail we have personally felt convicted about, and, as such, have personally appointed ourselves as Lord and judge over our fellow neighbors (often our fellow Christian neighbors.) What would happen if, instead of focusing on judgment, we focused solely on glorifying God? (With every dispute, ask yourself, does this bickering glorify God and work toward His goal of bringing others into the Kingdom of Heaven? Or not?)
For what it’s worth, I believe in acceptance, fellowship, and love of other humans. I am accountable to God. Other Christians are accountable to God, they don’t answer to me. It is certainly not my job to be everyone’s Lord. (Thank goodness.) “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” Romans 14:12-13 (As a side note, I picture this accountability as God sitting beside a film projector while a film of my life unfolds in front of me…kind of like a “game tape” following an athletic match).
Call me crazy, but it seems as if Jesus talked a whole lot more about love and grace and not so much about hate and judgment. I wonder if He must throw His arms up in frustration after watching Sunday worship services around the world. (I choose this example, thinking most folks at least attempt the appearance of Christ-like behavior when they’re in a church building.) I wonder if He ever confides to His Father, “Daddy, you know I love them, but your children are missing the forest for the trees!”