This reversal of the counsel “Let your conscience be your
guide” is exactly what Romans 14 was written to address among the Christ
followers of Paul’s day. It is human
nature to believe that our own judgment is superior to that of others, and our
own standards of right and wrong are more biblical, realistic, honorable, and
in every way defensible than the standards of those who disagree with us.
But Scripture is very clear that we are to respect others
who differ with us, but not judge them.
We will each stand before God as individuals, and only His judgment will
ultimately count. Therefore, we should
seek His truth, His counsel, and walk in His grace with a conscience thus
trained, rather than simply complying with or rebelling against the traditions,
truth claims, and the counsels and judgments of others.
If the history of man shows anything, it shows that humans
have a hard time navigating the middle of the road. We go from one extreme to the other,
over-correcting the perceived excesses of the previous era. Legalism and libertarianism are both excesses
which each seem necessary and noble when pointing out the flagrant errors of
the other.
While these battles of liberalism vs conservatism in
political and social issues or legalism vs libertarianism in spiritual issues
rage throughout history, and can in a free society generally co-exist without
too much danger or social disruption, when these battles arise within a
denomination, a local church, a family, or particularly a marriage, they can
become excruciatingly divisive and harmful.
Women judge men from their point of view, and men do the
same toward women. Older folks judge
younger folks and vice-versa, each believing they have the more accurate perspective
on life. On and on with various issues
we find ourselves taking a side in opposition to another.
Acknowledging that these things are so obviously doesn’t
change them. But if as individuals we
can humbly embrace that we each are biased by nature and none of us sees
everything with clarity—perhaps nothing with complete clarity—then at least we
might be able to show respect and appropriate tolerance for those who sincerely
differ from us in what they understand and practice as true and right. We can let their conscience be their guide,
and our conscience be ours. We can have
civil discourse about issues without descending into demeaning criticism. This can save the harmony of marriages,
families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and societies.
We have a hard time tolerating, much less showing respect
for people whose values or lifestyles greatly differ from ours, but ultimately
the realities of life and the laws of sowing and reaping reveal what is best or
worst, true or false, what works and what doesn’t, and become the catalysts for
changing how people think and live. Our
judging and fighting them doesn’t accomplish the same.
It is interesting and should be instructive to us that
though Jesus lived on the earth under very corrupt political, religious, and
social systems, He ignored those issues that might have ensnared Him in controversy
(give to Caesar what is Caesar’s) and focused attention on His credentials as
God’s Savior, and instructing each person to look into their own heart to right
the wrongs which they know to be there.
(Remove the log from your own eye before trying to find a splinter in
your brother’s.) Wouldn’t He do the same
thing today? Then that should be how we
deal too.
