What’s your favorite book of the Bible? For many Christians, it’s either 1st or 2nd Opinions.
People have opinions about lots of stuff, but what are we do when there is a difference of opinion?
I’m not talking about a difference of opinion on facts or truths. When it comes to facts or truths, there is either right or wrong. If we don’t agree about facts or truths, we both might be wrong, but we can’t both be right.
But there is a category that theologians and philosophers call “adiaphora” which is a category that points to spiritually neutral things, things that are neither right nor wrong. These are things that we can have different opinions on as Christians, and it be okay.
Should Christians eat meat? Should we hold church services at 9 a.m. on a Sunday or 11:00am or 6:00pm? Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Should Christians get a tattoo? Should a Christian smoke? Should Christians have a Christmas tree? Should Christians include the Santa Claus tradition? Should a Christian have an alcoholic beverage? Should we have Wednesday night services?
What are we to do in these situations where Christians have different opinions? Well, the first thing we should do is not fight or quarrel over them. Beloved, how many debates and arguments do you get into at church or with family members or friends or with people on Facebook that are focused on things that are adiophora and fall into this Christian liberty category? Paul says that these things are not worth fighting over. Let each person do what they have decided to do. You are free to do what you’ve decided to do, and so are they. Just move on.
Second, not only stop fussing over these things, the Bible also says to stop passing judgment on each other and despising each other over these things. Concerning the opinion over eating meat, Paul writes by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Romans 14:3, “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.” Beloved, we are so quick to judge people who are convinced differently that us, but we need to stop looking down on people who have a different opinion from you on these matters.
If there is one thing that Christians today sorely need to seriously study, it’s Christian liberty. May you dive in and bet set free from fussing and judgment!
Change begins in you!
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