I've had a few more thoughts since my last post and since I got a bit of feedback on it, I'll say more.
Part of the problem I see with us, is that we seem to have less capacity for disagreement and friendly discourse. We all lose when all of our friends and fellow church members have all the same viewpoints as we do.
Romans 14 is helpful. Paul tells the mixed group of ex-pagans and Jews who are now Christians:
"Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them."
I rarely eat pork. For a period of time, I was a vegan. I still strongly believe that Americans consume too much meat filled with hormones. I know that is far out to say here in the Midwest where burger is king! I like essential oils and my wife and I have utilized chiropractic medicine. (GASP!)
But I would suffer loss if I insisted and propagated my beliefs regarding these things in a way that's equal to my love for the gospel! There is no comparison! These are secondary issues compared to teaching doctrines like: our identity in Christ, the grace of God, life in the Spirit, the End of all things, etc.
This is why in some way every Christian church needs to review some form of the Creeds. Believers through the centuries have relied on these when life was literally "at stake." When Christians were fed to lions, what did they qualify as reasons for fellowship? Not secondary issues but those primarily found in the Apostles' Creed, the Westminster Catechism, etc.
So go ahead and have those strong opinions on secondary things like immigration, healthcare, child-rearing, politics, and more. But then gather around the Lord's table and set those aside to drink from the cup of spiritual fellowship brought to us by the Son of God, sacrificed and raised from the dead for us--the united body of Christ.
A good question to ask: Do I have any friends who disagree with me?
Jesus, make us one even as you and the Father are one.
