Pursuing Holiness

Since I’m so anxiously awaiting my next Harry Potter fix , I thought I’d repost The Judgement of God and Men from November 3rd, 2005. Obviously I’m in favor of the series (hence the ad) and while I understand the concerns of Christians who think the books are harmful, I and many others disagree. I think this is certainly a topic that Christians can debate if they wish, although I don’t see the point. (It’s not a salvation issue.) But as we ramp up to the next book release, the controversy will increase and Christians will argue about it. I hope that the pro-Potters and the anti-Potters will each take a step back and consider how each is judging the other.

Don’t judge, or else you will be judged. But if a Christian judges you - even if they’re wrong - should you go along with it out of love for your brother or sister in Christ? For non-doctrinal, non-salvation types of questions, you probably should.

Matt Jones has an excellent article about how, when, whether, Christians should judge. One of his points was a reminder that we are called to judge (i.e. hold one another accountable) within the church, but that those outside the church will be judged by God and we are not intended to usurp His authority.

So then each one of us will give account concerning himself to God. Then let us not judge one another any more, but rather judge this, not to put a stumbling-block or an offense toward his brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing by itself is common; except to him who esteems anything to be common, it is common. But if your brother is grieved with your food, you no longer walk according to love. Do not with your food destroy him for whom Christ died. Then do not let your good be spoken evil of, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is well-pleasing to God, and approved by men. So then let us pursue the things of peace, and the things for building up one another.
(Romans 14:12-19 MKJV)

In John Piper’s sermon, We Will All Stand Before the Judgement of God from October 30, 2005, it’s clear that the “judgement” referred to in this verse is not the type of “accountability” judgement referred to by Matt Jones. As Piper says,

I take this judgment (“Why do you pass judgment on your brother?”) to mean, first, don’t be critical of your fellow believer without the manifest affirmation of brotherly affection. In other words, I am leaving room for the biblical admonitions to correct and admonish and rebuke each other (2 Timothy 2:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 2 Timothy 4:2). And, second, I take it to mean, don’t judge your brothers to be unbelievers because of these non-essential things.

Today it’s questions on Halloween, Harry Potter, LOTR, Santa Claus, and coming soon, on Narnia as soon as the movie is released. I include LOTR because that actually happened to me - a fellow church member was truly horrified that we would consider attending the movie when the Fellowship of the Ring first came out. She didn’t know that Tolkien was a Christian, and in fact one of the main reasons that C.S. Lewis came to Christ, or the Christian symbology and themes in the books/movies. And if she did know, it might not have mattered. LOTR had wizards and magic and was therefore verboten. Similar arguments about Harry Potter ensue, but without the justification that they are written by a Christian writer and therefore must be okay. If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have skipped the LOTR movies, because even though all things are allowed, all things are not beneficial. I don’t think those movies harm me - but my viewing them might well have harmed her. In verse 21, “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.” [Added: At the very least I would not have mentioned it.]

When the day comes for me to be judged by God (Romans 14:12), I would prefer that the list not include petty selfishness like upsetting a brother or sister in Christ over a movie. I may think that woman was silly or misinformed for objecting to my watching the LOTR movies, but she was genuinely upset that I was harming my faith and my witness by watching it. I put a stumbling block before her. John Piper said,

But I want you to feel the weight of what Paul sees at stake in these verses. Just look briefly at verse 20: “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God.” And verse 23: “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats.” Those are very serious words: “to be destroyed” and “to be condemned.”

I am going to try to show in the weeks to come that Paul’s point is this: If we play fast and loose with each other’s conscience so that we cause others to act against their conscience and take lightly whether they act with assurance of conviction, then we may lead someone to become spiritually calloused and to forsake the faith and perish. It’s the same concern Paul has in 1 Timothy 1:19 where he urges Timothy to go on “holding faith and a good conscience.” And then he adds with utter seriousness, “By rejecting this [a good conscience with faith], some have made shipwreck of their faith.” That’s what is at stake in Romans 14.

With rights comes responsibility - we have the right and obligation to judge other Christians, within specific parameters and after a thorough examination of our own behavior. You may think some things other Christians you know get upset about are silly. I specifically state, “Christians you know” because if Dobson or some other public Christian figure makes a strong recommendation that you disagree with, you can do as you feel led and no harm will come to them - they don’t even know you. But in the circle of people God has seen fit to surround you with, for minor disagreements, you have the responsibility to serve, even when you feel you have been judged unfairly, even when your brother has judged you on a non-essential thing that he should not have.

For he who serves Christ in these things is well-pleasing to God, and approved by men.
(Romans 14:18 MKJV)

written by Laura