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Last week we were in the first 12 verses of this chapter and saw the foundation of unity, within the church, being a heart level acceptance and reception toward our faith siblings.
Paul speaks into the relationship of the strong and weak members that make up a local congregation.
And he addresses how to filter through the hardship that comes when we find disagreement in preferential matters.
We learned to guard our hearts from a cynical or critical attitude toward those faith siblings who differ from us, ultimately because, as v. 3 states it, God accepts and receives our sibling, so we should too.
Not only did we see the foundation of our unity, but we also saw those five helpful filters as we encounter the disagreements with those we are called to love and receive.
Those five filters we studied were:
1.
I am not master of that person’s life, Jesus should be (v.
4)
2. I need to be fully convinced of the matter in my own mind (v. 5)
3.
Both parties can honor the Lord (v. 6)
4. All of life belongs to and is to glorify God (vv.
7-9)
5.
I am not the final judge, God is (vv.
10-12)
We concluded last week with this thought together:
My preferences should not take precedence over people.
Therefore, I choose to guard my heart, love my brothers and sisters in Christ, and diligently pursue God in His Word.
Guard my heart.
Love my faith siblings.
Pursue God in His Word.
Last week I also told you that we would spend some time this morning looking at Theological Triage.
This is the process we can go through to assign urgency to matters of our faith.
During mass tragedy, first responders typically begin triaging those injured by assessing and assigning the urgency of their injuries by group - minor, delayed, urgent, morgue.
You may see tarps on the ground or areas taped off with colors designating who goes where.
This type of training and decision making is crucial in emergency settings.
And the process is likewise crucial when it comes to matters of faith.
As we saw last week, there is room in the Christian faith for variance on certain issues.
However, as we read other passages of scripture and consider the whole revelation of God, there are areas that we are not to differ.
So how do we assess and assign the urgency of these issues?
THEOLOGICAL TRIAGE.
There are two helpful diagrams that I have encountered over the years that I think will help us today to understand this idea and in the days to come as we apply the truth to our lives of faith.
The first is a set of circles.
Adapted from Mark Vroegop at College Park in Carmel
Absolutes, Convictions, Preferences
When it comes to absolutes:
Does this issue determine if someone is a Christian or not?
Is this a clearly forbidden or commanded moral issue?
When it comes to convictions:
Does the Bible provide teaching or instruction on this issue?
Are there warnings and cautions?
Are there biblical principles that apply?
When it comes to preferences:
Are there contextual or cultural issues in play?
Is the Bible silent?
Is this simply a matter of personal application?
The second is a pyramid Adapted from Al Mohler at Southern Seminary in Louisville
First-level, Second-level, Third-level Issues
When it comes to first-level issues (absolutes):
These issues are where the Church stands or falls.
These are fundamental to the faith, and to stand in error here, is to err outside of the Christian faith.
This will be the smallest list.
Examples: Full deity and actual humanity of Jesus, the Trinity, Justification by faith alone, authority of the scriptures
When it comes to second-level issues (convictions):
These issues are what form denominations and distinguish one local church from another.
Examples: Ecclesiology (structure of a church: pastor, elder, deacons, autonomy, etc), Baptism, Lord’s supper, gender roles in the church
When it comes to third-level issues (preferences):
This is the largest list of all three.
These issues form a lot of questions and many discussions but the conclusion of these questions and discussions still allows close fellowship even within the same church body.
Examples: Certain views on the end-times, gospel freedom issues, understanding of difficult texts
As we find ourselves in life conversations with other believers and non-believers, it is here that we find the help needed to know where priority lands.
So you are at the coffee pot at work and someone asks if you really believe that Jesus is God.
That’s a first level issue.
Through your personal study of the Word I hope the conclusion you have come to is ABSOLUTELY!
Perhaps you are doing some yard work, and a neighbor from another church in town asks where your church lands on Female Pastors.
You can carry on a conversation, hopefully base your response on biblical grounds, and know that even if we do not land where they do, we are still both believing the essentials to the christian faith.
Gender roles in the church do not distinguish salvation.
We may not attend their church, but if they are trusting in Jesus alone for justification, we will attend heaven together.
Let’s say you are having a discussion with your teen son about a lesson he heard in teen group or on the radio about what the end of times will look like.
Maybe there is a variation in that lesson from how you thought it will all end up.
You would be wise to not make that grey area black and white and sow the seed of criticism in his heart.
You should read broadly and study it out, have discussions with those who differ from you, and yet allow for variance because this is a third-level issue.
The conclusion of such a matter is not a fundamental to the faith, and shouldn’t keep you from close fellowship with another brother or sister.
These are real life discussions, with real life responses.
Now there are two extremes that we need to be aware of.
Theological Legalism takes a second or third tier issue and makes them a first tier issue.
Example: Someone might say, “You know, that church has a drum set on their platform and it was way too loud.
The songs didn’t even feel like I was worshipping.
That church is leading people away from Jesus.
I’m not even sure if they are saved, listening to that garbage.”
or “Did you see what he was wearing on Sunday morning.
He must not know that when we come to church we wear our best.
Someone needs to tell that guy the dress code for Sunday mornings.”
Perhaps a little more subtle: “Can you believe the new pulpit?
Why would you change something that has been at this church for decades.
I just prefer the older wooden look.
I’m not sure where this church is headed, but I don’t like it.”
Theological Liberalism is the other extreme to be aware of.
It takes first tier issues and minimizes it’s importance.
Examples would include minimizing the importance of the deity of Jesus, or the authority of all of scripture.
If Jesus was just another man, or if I can pick and choose which parts of the bible fit my ideas of how God should work, I do not have Christian faith.
Now, with all of this in mind, it is good to know that at a humanity level, you are free to draw the lines of difference where you want.
If you don’t believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, that he was just another man, who did good things, you are free to.
However, that line can’t be drawn there and still be claimed as Christian doctrine.
Likewise, you have the liberty to place other convictional issues within the second-tier.
You can create for yourself a theological bubble that holds tightly to a long list of biblical convictions.
You have the freedom to study scripture, and land where you think you should with various issues.
And you have the freedom to partner with others who land where you do.
However, my Pastoral heart would advice you from either extreme.
Don’t take what the bible has a lot to say about and make it of little importance, and don’t take what the bible says a little about and make it of big importance.
As I am growing in my Christian walk, there are issues that land firm in tier one.
These don’t change.
However, as I study the word and meet with people my levels two and three are changing.
Some things I used to think were biblical convictions that I would divide over and claim denominational precedence for, has been moved to tier 3.
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