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Stick to What Really Matters

What kind of t-shirts do Christians wear?
What kinds of foods do Christians eat?
What kind of cars do Christians drive?
What kinds of haircuts do Christians get?
What kind of tattoos do Christians get? (okay I made that one up and added it in)

"While the Bible speaks to these issues to come degree...we are all tempted to say more than the Bible does on certain issues, to impose rules on others based on our personal preferences about how others should act or behave."

This was actually a major issue in the early church.  Yes, even before anyone with a computer or smartphone could put their 'words of wisdom' out there for the whole world to read with social media.  The church at Antioch around A.D. 49 had a group of Judaizers basically claiming that recent Gentile converts to Christ would have to become Jewish in all practical ways in order to truly be saved.  This became a cause of strife in the church and led to a meeting in Acts 15 of the church apostles and elders with the entire church body present.

After much debate, Peter, who has been witnessing and leading Gentiles to Christ, stands up and speaks.  He reminds the people that God chose him to witness to Gentiles, that God knows their heart and has given them the Holy Spirit, and asks why some of the Jews are placing such a yoke, or burden, on the new Gentile believers when all people are saved the same way - by the grace of Jesus Christ.  Peter's words left the assembly silent.  (Acts 15:6-12)

Some 2000 years later, today's church isn't much different from that church in Antioch.  Yes, the issues we debate are different, but there are still issues nonetheless.  And there are many different denominations of Christians because there are things that we can agree to disagree on.

But there are some things that cannot be denied.  The fact that salvation is received by grace through faith is one of them.  "You can't earn God's love through doing good works, following rules, or meeting cultural expectations.  The gospel is good news for all people - all who trust in Christ will be saved.  The fact that salvation is the free gift of God and should be proclaimed to all is not something we can agree to disagree on.  It is central to our faith."

We all have our own personal preferences of how we like to dress, eat, worship, drive, and do all the other things that we do that make our life unique.  But when we start adding things to the Bible from our personal preferences, the culture, or the media, we are making a grave mistake.  The Bible is complete and doesn't need our opinions to make it any better.  Let's focus today on being Christians that are welcoming to all people and that are better known for what we stand for as opposed to what we stand against.
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