Beyond the Gospels: Romans 14:13-15:7

Today’s Scripture: Romans 14:13-15:7
[Read today’s verses in your own Bible or click the reference to read online.]

harmony noun… a pleasing combination or arrangement of different things

—www.Merriam-Webster.com

Musical harmony makes a beautiful rich sound. Spiritual harmony in the church does, too, bringing together many with a variety of differences for one purpose: God’s glory.

What disrupts harmony? Judgment.

Judgment of others’ gifts, the way they use them to serve God, and the way they appeal to our own tastes are stumbling blocks to the church when it comes to experiencing harmony (Romans 4:13).

We’ve seen judgment disrupt the unity of the church universal over hundreds of years, transforming Jesus’s one true Church into a disjointed mass of denominations.

We’ve experienced local congregations thrown into discord over judgment of external matters such as style, time, and order of worship.

The majority of these judgments have to do with personal taste or differing levels of spiritual maturity and understanding, which cause us to focus on the externals rather than the motive of the offering or an individual’s personal relationship with God. Paul tells us this is not what church is about — externals.

Do you find yourself unable to worship, serve, fellowship in harmony with other Believers? Perhaps you should consider what judgments you are making, either consciously or unconsciously.

As Believers, we need to remember the focus of our faith community is not about pleasing self, but about glorifying God with all our diverse gifts coming together as one beautiful community of love, grace, and peace for His glory.