March 21, 2005

This week finds Bob Jones University holding its annual Bible Conference, the longest-running such event in the US, supposedly. If not the longest-running, then the longest-running/most-attended such conference by far. Parking is always a problem…which is why the school’s trying to raise just over $4 million to build a new parking garage that will at least double the car capacity on campus. Incidentally, if you wish to contribute $300k or more, you can have one of the four towers of that garage named after the person of your choice. If you’d like to help, I’d be willing to forward your donation on, after taking a modest broker’s fee of 1/10 of one percent of your donation. Just email me, and I’ll give you my PayPal account. No joke.

Anyway, the first message this morning was by Dr. Dave Doran, prez of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary and pastor of Inter-City Baptist Church in Allen Park, MI, spoke. Given the topic of choice in the fundy blogosphere recently (as well as Dr. Doran’s involvement in that topic, particularly on one site), it wasn’t hard to guess what he was going to preach on. And indeed, he opened to Romans 14-15 and in one hour (that didn’t seem like an hour) systematically explained Rom. 14:1-15 [+/-] [14:1]As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 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. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.:7 in a very clear but precise way. I was coming from work, so I only had my Palm. No notes from mounty’s own head; sorry. But, I do have a lenghty incipit (that’s a contradiction, I know) that was emailed out in the form of “Chapel Notes.” Every day I get “Chapel Notes” from some secretarial staff member; She even has her own rule in my inbox: When mail with subject “Chapel Notes” and received from “*****” arrives, mark as read and move to folder “Trash”. I usually skim through them once a week to get the gist, but I don’t generally have time to sit there every afternoon and read the chapel message of the day. I saved this one, though, because the sermon was that good, and the notes are that helpful. So, without further delay, in all its unedited glory…

Truth today has become entirely subjective. Religious truth has become mired in confusion. You can believe what you believe, but dont tell others what you believe. It has become your opinion. The world is becoming more complex, making it difficult to maintain Bible-believing Christianity. Many claim to be believers, but they want to change Christianity–saying there is no eternal punishment or that the Bible is authoritative, but not without error. This thinking is being paraded as Bible-believing Christianity. This should cause great dismay to real Bible-believing Christians, and we need to know how to respond. There are two characteristics we should have–firmness and flexibility. Know where to be flexible and when, but also know when you need to take a firm stand. We need to know how to maintain firmness and flexibility that is honoring to the Lord Jesus Christ and at the same time helpful to His people. There are areas in which the Scriptures say we need to give each other a little room. Any discussion on Christian liberty almost always includes Romans 14 [+/-] [14:1]As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 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. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.. There is an overarching theme of things that we are obligated to do if were committed to pursuing holiness. We need to understand the truth God has for us. Believers should accept one another as Gods people, allowing room for differing convictions and building each other up for the praise and glory of the Father and Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 14 [+/-] [14:1]As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 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. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.: 1 commands us to receive one another. Receive means to accept or bring close–to welcome into your circle of acquaintances. Just as Christ received us, we should receive those who are weak, allowing room for differences in convictions. There should not be a breach of fellowship over insignificant issues. If you are earnest about the Christian life you will arrive at convictions about life, but not all believers come to the same convictions. You must respond carefully to those whose convictions differ from yours. Allow room for differing convictions–do not despise them. You cannot presume to judge the convictions of others. This should lead to the edifying of one another (Romans 14:19 [+/-] So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.). If your goal is to build other believers up, you will not do things that cause them damage spiritually. The main concern is that the body of Christ (the local assembly) be able, with one mind and one mouth (Romans 15:6-7 [+/-] that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.) to offer praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a nonnegotiable. It is our responsibility to have a cordial, warmhearted relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If God accepted them, who are we to hold them in contempt or pass judgment on them? There will always be diversity because of our background, what we know and dont know, and our personal experience. This, of course, does not apply to those who have never accepted the Savior or when church discipline has been used. That would be a clear violation of Scripture. There are boundaries in which this command operates–it includes those in faith and obedience to the Word of God, with their lives committed to the unity of Gods people. Ask God to help you respond in a way that is pleasing to God. Be firm, but without forsaking your flexibility.

I think I’ve been trying to say this kind of thing all along, though certainly not as eloquently or exactly as Dr. Doran presented it. So, in the words of Calvin (not the theologue…the other one), “may his orders be heeded and his views be embraced!”