James 3:1-2
Dear brothers, don’t be too eager to tell others their faults, for we all make many mistakes; and when we teachers of religion, who should know better, do wrong, our punishment will be greater than it would be for others.
If anyone can control his tongue, it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Two years before he died, my brother moved home from California to live with my parents. He attended church services with them on Sundays, until the day the pastor announced from the pulpit that AIDS was God’s punishment for homosexuals. My brother, a Christian gay man whose partner died of AIDS, was aghast – and heartbroken. He never returned to church. To my parents’ credit, they never allowed that pastor into their home to call on my brother as he became ill and died.
Several years afterward, I sat in another worship service where an associate pastor made similar claims, and it took everything in me not to stand and walk out of the sanctuary. I clenched the pew cushion and bit my tongue…but I strongly voiced my disapproval of this to church officials afterward. Ultimately, I did leave this church body, primarily over the issue of inclusion of homosexuals and other people and groups. Regardless of how you feel about this issue (and I know some of you may heartily agree with these claims) such declarations and judgments are incredibly hurtful and harmful to many.
Just because we interpret scripture in a particular way doesn’t mean we’ve got it right – and others have it all wrong. Far too often, we operate in thoughts, words, and actions that more nearly represent our own fears and selfishness than God’s commands. A case in point would be the widely-accepted stance of my childhood church body that dancing is inappropriate – even sinful. I would love to see where God says this in scripture! Other dear friends and family members are part of a denomination that believes using any musical instruments in worship services is unacceptable. I did a quick Internet search that indicated this is because the use of musical instruments in worship is not mentioned in the New Testament (although it is mentioned in Psalm 98:5-6).
The point is this…I study the Bible, but I am by no means a Biblical scholar or expert. I spend time in communication with God and seek His word and will…so any opinions I share are based on what I hear God say to me. My prayer is that you would seek God’s word for your life…that you would spend time in prayer and study and determine for yourself what God intends for you. And I would suggest that we all tread lightly as we interact with others. Our “truth” may be more of an opinion…and sharing this could be not only insulting, but a complete roadblock to another person’s growth and pursuit of a relationship with God in their own life.
We can freely share general truths…God loves us…God will never leave us…God knows us intimately and wants His best for us. We can share the commands of Christ to “love God” and “love one another” – and more importantly, we can demonstrate these tenets with every word and action in our own daily living. But we must be careful as we expound beyond these parameters. If you think about it, when we stay in these “lanes,” nothing else is needed in our daily witness. James seems to be saying that we are overthinking our faith – and our witness. It’s time to keep it simple…and maybe keep some of our opinions to ourselves. Alleluia!
©2024 Debbie Robus
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