From Pastor Tad

 

Disagreement

I am sure I am not the only one to perceive with dismay the world around us becoming increasingly mean. Social media is full of so-called “influencers” smugly posting video clips of some hardliner supposedly “eviscerating” the opposition. Manufacturing controversy has become a pathway to fame. Closer to home, the only voices in the public square are those of the lunatic fringe. Hardliners get attention, while reasonable, pragmatic people who believe in collaboration are ostracized as “weak” or “disloyal to the cause.” Sadly, the same thing can also be found within our family of faith, even though Jesus commands us to lay down our lives in love for our neighbors and one another.

As culture wars rage, I find myself sometimes in strong, even vehement disagreement with beloved colleagues and peers in ministry over subjects which have meaningful impact on our fellow human beings and how we faithfully follow Jesus. In such times I find myself longing for the days of Acts 11 and Acts 15. When a profound debate arose about whether gentiles are included in God’s family, counsels met in Jerusalem to discuss the issue, they listened and prayed; and God revealed to them clearly the right thing do. I wish my colleagues, and I could also receive clear instruction from God about our disagreements today. I have prayed for the Holy spirit to help my colleagues and me to be of one mind on our debated subjects. But to my frustration, no such clarity has come.

Because the topics of debate are important, I have spent considerable time in prayer, research, listening sessions with as many people as possible, and deep exegesis of scripture. Therefore, I feel I have come to my conclusions honestly and well. The problem is my colleagues I disagree with have done the exact same thing and come to differing conclusions just as honestly and well as I came to mine. What then can we do!? Why, Lord, do you refuse to speak clearly!?

Those two questions weighed heavily until I was reading the gospels and kept finding occasions when people bring questions to Jesus and he refuses to directly answer (e.g., Luke 20:20-40, Matthew 22:23-33, Matthew 19:1-12). At such times, our Lord does not dodge the question. Instead, Jesus draws our attention to a higher kingdom lesson or reality. It seems like my debates with colleagues amount to us asking Jesus to take a side on the various issues, and instead Jesus is pointing our attention to a kingdom reality greater than our disagreement.

I believe Jesus is teaching us that in this polarized chapter in history, our kingdom call is to love and serve one another even while disagreeing. In other words, I believe Jesus has an opinion on all our points of debate, but Jesus is withholding authoritative declaration, because He cares more about us loving one another than he cares about us being right about a subject of doctrine, or policy. After all, correct doctrine itself does not save. We are saved by the grace of Jesus given as an unmerited gift, through faith.

A question I have started asking myself, which I recommend we all ask ourselves is this: does the opposing side of this debate deny the deity or grace of Jesus? A second question is, can I have my opinion, and can they hold their opinion and still faithfully point hearts and minds to the good news of Jesus Christ?

If those whom we disagree with do not deny Christ or His grace, and if their position points toward the gospel, then the issue does not have mortal stakes. If “being wrong” on the subject does not cost someone their salvation, then the subject is one where we can let each other coexist without a universal authoritative ruling from the heavenly throne.

Loving one another while disagreeing about favorite sports teams is cheap. Jesus commands us to love one another even when we disagree over significant issues with real consequences. May we embody Jesus’s grace when faced with another who sees the world differently than we do.