Sudsy wrote:
Thanks Ken for taking the time to explain. You use the phrase 'those holding to the original church position' and 'the official church position' but where is this in the text ?
I don't think I used the phrase "original church position."
Romans 14:1-6 discusses mutual brotherly kindness in relation to the keeping the dietary requirements and holy days of OT law. The Jerusalem Conference was some years previous, and the church had made a ruling on these requirements. I think that qualifies as "the official church position."
Sudsy wrote:
I don't see where Paul is just talking to the leaders in the church but rather anyone who could be judging their brother on personal ways of following Christ. Especially older Christians and how they interact wih younger ones (spiritually speaking). This text, to me, is speaking to each individual Christian in how to interact with each other regarding our differences and allows for spiritual growth to occur and not be imposed or forced on anyone.
I would agree that Paul is not giving instructions here for church administration. Rather he is giving guidance for how to interact on an individual level within the bounds of what is acceptable.
Sudsy wrote:
It is this need for the church to define an official church position ('the group has come to an agreement on a minimum standard') when talking about sanctification I don't find in the NT.
What exactly do you think Acts 15 is about? The church at Jerusalem provided guidance to help settle the unrest caused by various individual opinions about what was necessary or appropriate. The final decision included an instruction to abstain from eating meat offered to idols, which Paul tells us isn't actually sinful. That was a practical decision applicable to that time and culture. Today the church discusses and provides guidance on current issues.
Sudsy wrote:The reasons for this add-to are honourable but I don't see where the approach to unity is about things like, for instance, what we wear. Scripture says not to draw the wrong kind of attention by our appearance, no further defining needed. Our unity and our witness to the world, Jesus said, is primarily by our good deeds and how we love one another. And the 'one another 'is everyone who makes up His Bride. If we all go about setting minimum standards of sanctification to adhere to in our little groups they will not be the same so how will this ever be a clear witness to the world ? To me, they can be a distraction and hindrance to good deeds and reflect the same kind of divisions Paul was warning the Corinthians to stay away from.
I'm trying to imagine how that conversation between a pastor and his wayward member might go.
Pastor - "Son, you're drawing the wrong kind of attention by your appearance."
Member - "What do you mean?
Pastor - "The Bible tells us not to be drawing attention to ourselves by the way we dress, which would include how we fix our hair."
Member - "What am I doing wrong? How am I drawing undue attention to myself?"
Pastor - "You're drawing the wrong kind of attention by your appearance. I'm sure if you think about it you can understand what I mean. No further explanation needed."
You see what I mean? Part of the work of the church, part of the way we demonstrate love to each other, is by helping one another along toward perfection. We speak into each others' lives, like Paul did with Peter when Peter got carried away by the division between Jews and Gentiles in Antioch, and as we see demonstrated in the epistles. Most church standards are a basic list of current ways that Bible principles apply to life in the culture we live in. Jesus never said "don't join the Masons," but even a weak Christian can understand why membership in secret societies is proscribed by NT commands.
I've seen a lot more division, distraction, hindrance to good deeds, and muddled witness to the world caused by those who insist that their religious practice is between them and God and the brotherhood can't tell them what to do. PA has a lot of "little groups," many of which set their individual lines at different places, but there is broad appreciation and respect across the spectrum.