"The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God." -Romans 14:22
We Christians have a nasty habit of looking around when we should be looking up.
The one thing we should say about this verse is that Paul isn't discouraging sharing our faith with people who don't believe. We know that God calls us to be active witnesses to the change that Jesus has made in our lives and to bring that message of hope to everyone who doesn't know it. But that's not what Paul's talking about here.
Paul is addressing the ugly temptation we all have to base our faith on how it compares with other Christians instead of how connected we are to God. At times we see this when we justify ourselves based on comparative behavior. Because we don't drink...or we don't watch R rated movies...or we only listen to Christan music and other believers do, we feel a sense of self-righteousness. So we trade religious pride for real relationship with God and community with other believers. At other times we define our religion based on the idiosyncratic disagreements we have with other Christians about the minutiae of what we believe. We divide up into camps and define ourselves based on the tiny things we disagree on. We spend all our time sharpening our arguments and criticising those with whom we disagree.
It is in response to this aspect of our brokenness, that Paul reminds us that the focus of our faith is our relationship with God, not how we compare with others. When we feel the impulse to divide ourselves from other believers based on our behavior or our dogma, we must turn our attention away from those around us and back to God. Each of us is an imperfect reflection of God's perfect glory. There will always be opportunities to point out the flaws and failures of each other, but this impulse to comparison does not honor God and it does not build community. By making ourselves intentionally present with God, we can be reminded of the humility we should all have as his children. By focusing on God instead of on others we can seek a generous peace with others instead of continuing petty divisions.
The one thing we should say about this verse is that Paul isn't discouraging sharing our faith with people who don't believe. We know that God calls us to be active witnesses to the change that Jesus has made in our lives and to bring that message of hope to everyone who doesn't know it. But that's not what Paul's talking about here.
Paul is addressing the ugly temptation we all have to base our faith on how it compares with other Christians instead of how connected we are to God. At times we see this when we justify ourselves based on comparative behavior. Because we don't drink...or we don't watch R rated movies...or we only listen to Christan music and other believers do, we feel a sense of self-righteousness. So we trade religious pride for real relationship with God and community with other believers. At other times we define our religion based on the idiosyncratic disagreements we have with other Christians about the minutiae of what we believe. We divide up into camps and define ourselves based on the tiny things we disagree on. We spend all our time sharpening our arguments and criticising those with whom we disagree.
It is in response to this aspect of our brokenness, that Paul reminds us that the focus of our faith is our relationship with God, not how we compare with others. When we feel the impulse to divide ourselves from other believers based on our behavior or our dogma, we must turn our attention away from those around us and back to God. Each of us is an imperfect reflection of God's perfect glory. There will always be opportunities to point out the flaws and failures of each other, but this impulse to comparison does not honor God and it does not build community. By making ourselves intentionally present with God, we can be reminded of the humility we should all have as his children. By focusing on God instead of on others we can seek a generous peace with others instead of continuing petty divisions.
Be Present with God
Make some time to be present with God. Spend some time in confession, being honest with God about when you have made your comparisons with others the focus of your faith. Ask God to forgive how you have dishonored his children in your need to compete and compare. Ask him to reveal to you any acts of amends or reconciliation you need to make. Ask him to restore to you a generosity and grace for other believers. Ask him to give you the heart of a peacemaker instead of a divider. Thank him for the way he has made you aware of his presence during this time.
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