Jame's Directive

If we could all live by these words, we could have more productive dialogue: “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (the book of James 1:19-20). Unfortunately, we fail to respond in conversation according to this directive, and the conversation fails. James also talks about asking for wisdom—if you lack it—and God will give it (James 1:5). This directive on how to respond is wisdom in itself, but there are a lot of tough issues--especially today-- of which we are faced, and it is hard to know how to respond to them.

I try to think issues through. I pray for wisdom on how to respond to the issues. I pray that I would be the person God wants me to be. That directive from the book of James is definitely wisdom on how God wants us to be. But it's especially tough today with so much change in society and how people think about and respond to things.

I have been thinking lately about the scripture that says, “whatever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). That statement is in the context of doubtful things and Christian liberty. Christians in good conscience can disagree over things. I am thinking beyond just what we can eat and drink but about social philosophy and the role of government. There are things that the Bible clearly identify as sin, and I'm not talking about those things—even though those can be debated too.

But I'm trying to conclude that we need to be true to our conscience and go with what we believe until otherwise persuaded differently. If you don't like what I believe—you think I'm wrong or misinformed—then be willing to persuade me. I would be willing to do the same, if a conversation is even allowed. The problem is that we can't seem to follow Jame's directive. Usually, no one wants to discuss the issues, or they only want their view heard or they get mad-which shuts the conversation down.

But besides the statement that “whatever is not of faith is sin,” there is the fact that we are all ultimately accountable to God. The context of Romans 14 concerning doubtful things makes that point (14:7-12). That is what I say to those who ask me as to how someone can be a Christian and believe certain things that they (the one to asks me) find disagreeable or unacceptable. I say they are accountable to God just as you (the one asking) and I are.

We may not agree on something: they believe they are right and I believe I am right, but in the end, we are both accountable to God for what we believe and do. The next question is whether the differences are enough to alienate us from one another. It is hard for two to walk together, if they are not in agreement (Amos 3:3). It depends on the disagreements, and how they are handled. Some are more tolerant than others. God seems to even use these disagreements for a purpose:

“For first of all,

when you come together as a church,

I hear that there are divisions among you,

and in part I believe it.

For there must also be factions among you,

that those who are approved

may be recognized among you.” (1 Corinthians 11:18-19)