Hold On Let Go

Over the years, our family has had the blessing of moving around the country, finding ourselves in five different states over a 34-year period. In most of these states we lived in two or three different communities. One of the results of this lifestyle has been the opportunity to fellowship with a diversity of groups. In the process, we learned that Christian believers are very much similar in a good sort of way. Also, in numerous ways they have differing opinions and the sad part of all this is how easy it is to focus on the differences. The differences often become how people identify themselves and magnified as the main event.

Part of our nature is the desire to get it right. No one likes to be wrong. The person who is wrong is “deceived”, “confused”, “living in a lie”, and oh what a terrible place to be. The one thing I know for a fact is that we are all, in some small or big way, wrong about something. Being wrong or not seeing the whole picture is common to us all.

So why not call out some of the biggies:

1. Divorce: Did not Jesus say that if a divorced person remarries they are committing adultery and yet I have known very good Pastors who have explained to me that this issue is just not that simple. Relationships are complicated, it is not good for a man to be alone, God hates divorce but how do we get on with our lives once this has happened and how do we relate to someone in that real life situation if we feel that we must hold fast to what seems to us a very clear and specific truth?
2. Eternal judgment: Is it not true that scripture tells us that the person who has not put their trust in Jesus Christ is destined to an eternal lake of fire judgment? Some would say that this judgment simply means they cease to exist, others say this judgment is not a forever eternity but rather for an unknown amount of time intended to bring ultimate restoration. Others believe it is a forever and ever torture. I am sure there are other opinions and combination of these opinions and I am confident that many very wise theologians have good reasons for their conclusions.
3. Eschatology: So what IS going to REALLY happen in the end?
4. Eucharist/Communion - What actually happens with the bread and wine or juice?
5. Water baptism – sprinkle, immersion, head upstream or downstream, in the name of Jesus or in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost/Spirit?
6. Predestination or free will?
7. The modern day state of Israel – what should be our attitude toward the Jewish people. Certainly we are called to love all people and every nation. Do the Jews get a special place or position in our hearts?
8. Creation – is it a six literal days, 6,000 years ago or billions of years?
9. Etc. etc.

So maybe all of these issues have no effect on our day-to-day walk or relationship with fellow believers but my sense is that they probably do. So what is the mindset we should have? Allow me to tack a crack at it. Maybe there are more questions to be asked than answers to be had.

Someone said, “It is more important to be righteous than to be right.” Could there actually be a difference between being righteous and right? In Romans 14:17 Paul writes, “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking but of righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Paul was addressing a right and wrong question regarding what food to eat or not eat. At the end of the discourse he wants to make sure everyone understands there is a higher way of thinking beyond right and wrong.

Is it not interesting that the forbidden tree in the garden was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Certainly, God wants us to discern between good and evil but there is a “renewed mind” mindset that takes us beyond what is right and wrong; to a place of greater discernment, a place of righteousness, peace and joy in the midst of the crazy evil world and the unpleasant disunity within the Body of Christ.

Having spent 34 years as a worker in the YMCA, I became a student of its history. One of the largest non-profit organizations in the world, the YMCA had very humble beginnings. It also had some very big ideas that God used to impact millions of people over the past century and a half. Though I must confess my critical attitude toward the YMCA regarding its mission drift, there is still a great deal to be learned from its successes and failures.

From the very beginning, the founder of the YMCA, George Williams and other co-workers had a vision of Christian unity in regard to their desired purpose. So much so that they established what was called the Paris Basis. This was a broad statement meant to put some definition to the “why” of their existence.

“The Young Men’s Christian Associations seek to unite those young men who, regarding Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour, according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to be his disciples in their faith and in their life, and to associate their efforts for the extension of his Kingdom amongst young men.

Any differences of opinion on other subjects, however important in themselves, shall not interfere with the harmonious relations of the constituent members and associates of the World Alliance.”

Normally, when we think of the Paris Basis in the YMCA, we leave off the second paragraph. Actually, one would think that from the first paragraph the ideas in the second paragraph could go without saying. Unfortunately, this is not true. In their wisdom they decided to make sure the message in the second paragraph was clearly stated. Differences of opinions are precisely that – differences of opinions. To the holder of the opinion it may feel like it is life and death. I suppose that is also their opinion and maybe they are right, or maybe not.

In Matthew 21; 36-40, someone in the mindset of trying to be right asked Jesus, “what is the great commandment . . .” Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the Prophets.”

I would suggest that any thoughts or actions that fall outside of these two commandments are suspect of not being productive or leading us toward righteousness, peace and joy.

If you read Romans 12:9-21 regarding the marks of a true Christian you will not find anything regarding eschatology, eternal judgment, divorce, politics etc. Opinions regarding these important issues should be pursued, prayerfully considered and thought about but never, never should they take a front seat to the more important principles of the Kingdom of God.

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil: hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor . . . .Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Our opinion is not the way, the truth, and the life. The way, the truth and the life is a person and the closer we get to this person the more clearly we will see what is good.

Hold fast to what is good and be ready to let go of your opinion.