Daily Lesson for May 7, 2015

Today's daily lesson comes from Romans chapter 14 verses 1 through 4:

"As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand."

It is astonishing how broadly diverse the early church was in both its beliefs and its practices. Early Christianity contextualized itself in local places and with local customs. It also accommodated a wide diversity of opinions on all manner of things including the place of women in the church, dietary and other "holiness" strictures, engagement with non-Christian and non-Jews, and mores about sex and marriage.   It really wasn't until the 4th century when demand for uniformity within the church took hold; the early church was far more fluid -- and tolerant of diversity.

So when you hear someone say, " The early church believed or did . . ." be sure the early church believed and did a lot of things -- including in certain places being intolerant and demanding conformity!  In other words, the early church was every bit as varied and diverse as we are.

Today's lesson is a good example of the early church's dialogue over toleration.  Apparently, there was some sort of conflict within the church over dietary custom.  St. Paul knows there is a diversity of opinion within the church and instead of demanding conformity he affirms the freedom for each individual within the congregation to hold fast to their own convictions.  Later, some Baptists would call this "soul freedom".  Every individual soul will stand before his or her master and judge -- who is God and (thank God) not us!

Paul brings this home when he writes, "Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand."

Paul and the best of the early church opened the church doors wide, allowed the freedom of individuals to have their own convictions -- whether conservative or liberal -- and decided in the end to let God be God.

There is an old latin phrase which first appeared in the 16th century amongst those dissenting against the demand for uniformity within the church. "In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas."  It means "In necessary things unity; in uncertain things freedom; in everything compassion."  That's a good word for the 16th century church, a good word for the first century, and a good word for our own as well.