|
| |
Transforming Grace
Discussion Guide, Chapter 6b: Called to be Free (Differing Opinions)
Central Idea: As followers of Christ we are free. Free from the drive to earn
God’s favor by our actions. Free from the oppression of trying to live up to manmade
religious rules and regulations. Free to let the Holy Spirit create in our lives something
beautiful and pleasing to God.
Review From Last Week:
- Jesus tells us that He came to set us free with His truth. In fact, a
"Christian" who is not free is not a Christian, by definition (Gal 5:1, Jn
8:31-36).
- We are set free from the condemnation of the law, once and for all, in status (Eph 2:15,
Gal 3:13, Rom 8:1-2), and from the mastery of sin in practice (Rom 6:1-2, 6-7, 11-14).
- This freedom sets our human spirits in a right and pleasing relationship with God, so
that we are free to grow in our obedience. One way we do this is to crave the spiritual
milk of the Gospel every day (the root). Another way is to grow in the holy attributes of
the Spirit (the fruit) (1 Pet 2:1-3, 1 Cor 3:7, Col 1:10-12, Gal 5:22-23, Col 3:12-14, Jn
15:4-5).
- Legalism
- Two Types:
- Thinking we can earn or forfeit God’s favor based on our behavior
- Elevating man-made rules and opinions to the level of God’s word in practice
- What are some consequences of man-made legalism (Phariseeism)
? See previous notes
- Legalistic Pitfalls
- Fences
- Fences are good because they keep us from:
- Temptations that we are prone to stumble over
- Causing our neighbors to stumble
- Fences can be bad when:
- We lose sight of the original sin, or forget the reason for the fence
- We elevate the fence to the level of God’s law, to the point that crossing the
fence becomes a sin
- We force our fences on other people unnecessarily
- We allow other people’s fences to be forced on us unnecessarily
- What would you say to a person who says, "truth is relative," or "there
is no absolute truth"
?
- Share Jerry Bridge’s faith illustration: "It doesn’t matter how much
faith you have. The only thing that matters is what you have your faith in."
- If there is no external moral code of ethics for people, then there is no basis for
meaning in life. There is no anchor of purpose or direction. People can truly do as they
please. But there is a nagging minister to the fact of an external truth: guilt.
- What is an opinion
?
- The American Heritage Dictionary: "A belief or conclusion held with confidence, but
not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof."
- Subjective vs. Objective
- Internal vs. External
- Source is Self vs. Source is outside Self
- Does Jesus want His children to be in unity
?
- Yes, in a particular sense.
- The spirit of unity is the kind that comes about as we all follow Christ. Rom 15:5-7. May
the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves
as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,
in order to bring praise to God.
- We become one in unity just as the Trinity is One. Jn 17:9-11. I pray for them. I am
not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I
have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will
remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you.
Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they
may be one as we are one.
- Paul speaks of a unity that is founded on the external truths: Revelation from Jesus
Christ. Gal 1:6-12. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who
called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is
really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are
trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should
preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9
As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other
than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 10 Am I now trying to win the
approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please
men, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel
I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor
was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
- Do you think it’s possible to have a body of believers that all share the same
opinions about everything
?
- No. Since every person is unique in personality, and since opinions are internal and
personal, not founded on external fact, then it’s highly improbable, if not
impossible, to have true Christian unity down to the level of opinion.
- Quote (Matthew Henry Commentary on Romans 14): "Attempts for producing absolute
oneness of mind among Christians would be useless."
- In light of what we have already seen about Scriptural unity, do you think God even desires
for us to all be united in opinion
?
- Is Paul speaking about issues that divide Christians from each other, or issues that
divide Christians from non-Christians
?
- He’s speaking of non-essential opinions among Christians. Rom 14:3,13,15. 3 The
man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not
eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 13 Therefore
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. 15 If your brother is distressed
because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy
your brother for whom Christ died.
- Where does Paul draw the line between what is essential and what is non-essential
?
- The line seems to be related to the external realities of the Lord Jesus’ death and
resurrection.
- He seems to be saying that we draw the line according to the things we are accountable
to God for. The things we are accountable to God for are the things He reveals to us in
His Word, in which He ultimately reveals Himself to us in Jesus Christ, or the Gospel.
- Rom 14:7-10. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself
alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether
we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to
life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You, then, why do
you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand
before God's judgment seat.
- Paul seems to be forcing the essential things toward those things that are external
realities, not internal opinions.
- Therefore, we have no basis to pass judgement on our brothers on issues that lie outside
the scope of God’s external and factual revelation to us.
- SG #6.a. Paul states that God allows equally godly people to have differing opinions
on certain matters. Can you think of any modern parallels to the issue of eating meat?
- Dietary Convictions
- Sabbath Convictions
- Spiritual Disciplines
- Worship Services
- In verses 5,22, and 23, Paul mentions that we are to be "fully convinced" of
our opinions. How do we understand this
?
- Quote (Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Rom 14:5): "Compelled assent to any
doctrine, or conformity to outward observances without being convinced, would be
hypocritical and of no avail."
- Quote (Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Rom 14:22-23): "Hast thou faith? It is
meant of knowledge and clearness as to our Christian liberty. Enjoy the comfort of it, but
do not trouble others by a wrong use of it. Nor may we act against a doubting
conscience."
- Quote (The Message, Rom 14:22-23): "You’re fortunate if your behavior
and your belief are coherent. But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are
acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your
opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that
you’re out of line. If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe,
then it’s wrong."
- When should we not enforce our own opinions
?
- When it causes our brother to stumble. Rom 14:13,15,21. 13 Therefore 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. 15 If your brother is distressed because of what you
eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom
Christ died. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that
will cause your brother to fall.
- What are some other ways differing opinions can lead us to sin
?
- When elevate our opinions and others’ opinions to the level of God’s law,
especially those in apparent authority or position of respect.
- When we let the existence of many opinions discourage us in our walk with God, because
humans inherently seek resolution.
- How can differing opinions among Christians actually be good
?
- "Triangulate" the real truth
- Can give us a fresh perspective of the issue
- Humbles us by helping to keep us teachable and flexible with our growing knowledge
Conclusion
- Truth (Fact)
. There is a body of external, objective truth that exists independently
of what anybody believes. This body of truth includes two spheres of reality.
- God’s general truth (laws of nature)
- God’s specific truth (biblical truth)
- Opinion
. There is a body of internal, subjective assertions that people have
confidence in that are not substantiated by any external truth.
- Call of Unity
. God calls His children to be united in truth, not opinion.
- Disunity
. If you’re going to be divided with somebody on an issue, make sure
it’s based on essential, external, and objective truth. Don’t be divided based
on non-essential, internal, and subjective opinions.
- The Line Drawn
. The line is drawn at the things we are accountable to God for. In
everything else, we are free to have our own opinions, without sacrificing true Christian
unity.
- Sensitivity
. We are to be sensitive about enforcing our opinions in situations that
might cause our brother to stumble.
- We actually sin when our behavior that is based on opinions causes a brother to stumble
spiritually, or stunts his spiritual growth.
- We should be humble with our opinions, and be willing to change them based on better
understandings of biblical truth and sensitivities toward others.
- Benefits
- They remind us what the essential truths are.
- They give us a fresh perspective on the issue.
- They keep us teachable and humble.
- They help us appreciate the diversity in the Body of Christ.
- Applications
- How do these truths affect the way we view Christian fellowship
?
- I can have koinonia with my brothers and sisters based on things that are
unchanging, the true vine, not based on opinions, which constantly change.
- It helps me appreciate the diversity in personalities in my friends.
- When I exhort or encourage my brothers and sisters, it keeps me within the bounds of
biblical fact, not opinion.
- How do these truths affect our relationship with the lost
?
- I recognize that I cannot have unity (fellowship) with them, because they are on a
different vine than I am.
- I can more effectively focus on the essentials, and not try to share the gospel of my
opinions, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- How do these truths liberate me in my own walk with God
?
|
