Living This Life - Part 4

“Freedom”

Paul has spoken in these last chapters of Romans about a life completely devoted to God, devoted to others, and about a life that is well lived in the eyes of society. He then brings home in the last few chapters the importance of freedom and all that freedom entails, which is room to grow and the ability to love. Paul speaks about this throughout both chapters 14 and 15, and they are well worth the read.

A few things stood out to me in these chapters. One is the distinction that Paul makes between those whose faith is weak or strong and how he makes that distinction. I think most of us think that those who have more regulation and restriction on what they will or will not do would have a stronger faith, but Paul actually says the opposite, that those who have less freedom are the ones who are weak. “One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.” (14:2) Yay for eating everything!

This idea of eating meat or only vegetables may seem a bit out there, but it had huge implications for those in Rome at the time. You see, when you bought meat from one of the shambles (discount meat market of the day) you were buying meat that had most likely been sacrificed in some sort of pagan worship. This thought led some to not buy any meat at all because they did not want to be connected to idol worship or support those businesses. While on the other side of the aisle were those who believed that a false god is really no god at all, and so didn’t give it a second thought (cp. 1 Cor. 8). This also took place with the days a person would consider holy for worship, but it is important to understand that both these things were considered by Paul to be “disputable matters, doubtful things or opinions (14:1),” and that he is not talking about the rudiments of our faith or moral issues.

It’s strange how people feel compelled to impose their standards with these kinds of “disputable matters”. It’s not hard to see the same arguments raised about many similar things today in our places of worship. Drinking beer or wine, the music we like or even tattoos are a few things that come to mind and the compulsion to compare and rank ourselves to others happens all too often. It is worth remembering that the person who has more restrictions may actually be weaker in faith.

Now, it may surprise you to know that Paul never says that one view is right regarding these things and that the other is wrong, he does say that one’s faith is weak, but not that they are wrong. And instead of trying to declare who is right or wrong, Paul encourages both to be fully convinced in their own mind. (14:5)

Wow, imagine that; it’s ok to choose and make up your own mind and it can actually be different than someone else’s. HALLELUJAH! That little nugget can set a lot of people free if they give it some thought and let it sink in.

An important part of living this life of faith is to be persuaded with what we believe and the convictions we hold. For that to happen there needs to be communication between us and the Lord we are living for, the freedom to choose is a necessary part of growth and love in any relationship, including our relationship with God. Paul emphasizes the importance of this personal connection when he says, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (14:4) Powerful! What business do we have telling the Lord’s servant what to do in these disputable matters? This is why Paul spends the majority of these two chapters explaining why it is more important to love others than try and prove ourselves right when it comes to these things and why freedom must bow it’s knee to love, but then that's the point, only freedom can. Oh, that we would learn.

“Let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way .“ (14:13)

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. (14:19)

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (15:7)

Amen.

To think some will read this and miss the point, because all they see is the beer.

Living This Life Part 3

I wrote the last couple of times how living a life as a follower of Christ first begins with that relationship to Him. We then looked at how we not only belong to Him, but we belong to others as well, a community known as the church. Now, this third part of ‘Living This Life’ has to do with how we represent ourselves in the society around us and this seems to be an area in which we often fail to see the importance, until it shows up on the news in an ugly way.

Why This? Why Here?

Romans 13, at a glance, can seem to come from left field as Paul was talking in chapter 12 about …

• “Let love be genuine.” (Vs. 9)
• “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Vs. 10)
• “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Vs. 13)
• “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Vs. 14)
• “Repay no one evil for evil.” (Vs. 17)
• “Never avenge yourselves.” (Vs. 19)
• “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” (Vs. 20)
• “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Vs.21)

Then all of a sudden in chapter 13 he is talking about submitting to government authorities, paying taxes and not being in debt to anyone except when it comes to love, but really he is only continuing with love and concern for others, but in a very matter-of-fact kind of way. So, why are these things so essential?

There is a current story in the news that I believe makes the importance of these points very clear. A woman named Laura Silsby and a number of American missionaries were recently arrested while illegally taking 33 children out of Haiti into the Dominican Republic, apparently to start an orphanage. Now with the earthquake tragedy that has struck Haiti, the thought of rescuing children and starting an orphanage sounds like a noble thing to do, but add into the mix that Laura has a history of failing to pay her debts, has at least eight civil lawsuits and fourteen unpaid wage claims against her plus now the recognition that she did not go through proper channels to take these children. Well, whatever her intent may or may not have been, everything about her is now suspect.

Unfortunately, it’s easier to see just how important our conduct and character in life can be; from the bad examples than the good, because really, who cares how well you know the scriptures, how much you pray or how spiritual you claim to be if you take advantage of people and act like a jerk? That may seem like a harsh way of looking at this subject in chapter 13, but I really believe it is at the heart of what Paul is trying to convey.

It’s also worth remembering that in Acts 18 Luke wrote that Claudius (Caesar) ordered the Jews to leave Rome. We don’t know for what reason, but odds are that things were not good between the Roman government and this group of people. Now Paul is writing this letter only 5 years later to those Christians (Jew and gentile), who once again are in Rome. You can imagine the scrutiny these followers of Christ (most of them Jews) were under and why it was so important that they didn’t obstruct the faith that they shared with self-centered conduct.

I love J.B. Phillips’ translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 that brings even more clarity to this. Paul writes: “Be busy with your own affairs and do your work yourselves. The result will be a reputation for honesty in the world outside and an honorable independence.”

What does it mean to be spiritual? Is it studying your Bible or honestly paying your taxes? Is it praying for hours or making sure you are not indebted to anyone? Is it in saying the right words or living the right life? Well, both would be best but Paul, in Romans chapter 13, wants us to understand the value in living a life that will honor the faith that we believe and how we display that faith in our society.

James writes, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:26-27 ( NIV )

So, don’t stop helping Orphans, just make sure your conduct doesn’t get in the way.