Evaluating 40 Days of Community

[*NOTE: Quotes from the 40 Days of Community Workbook are blockquoted.]

"We're Chosen to Fellowship Together...By Being Patient With Each Other."

"Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love" (Eph 4:2b, NLT).

"...with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love" (Eph 4:2, KJV). This is a good scripture reference, although the NLT changes "in love" to "because of your love." We are to bear with one another in love because of God's love and forbearance of us, not because of our love. Let us never forget that God died for us while we were yet sinners.

It helps when facing a patience-challenge to remember God will never ask you to give more patience to others than the patience he gives to you.

I think what Rick is trying to say here is that God will supply us with the patience that He requires of us (if we are abiding in Him). Indeed, we are to be patient with others. However, this does not mean that we do not correct one another in love, but that we don't give up on one another, or condemn one another. If our brother or sister in the Lord is living in sin, they may need to be put out of the fellowship for a time. But this is for the purpose of bringing them back into fellowship with the Lord, and we are to always hope and pray for them and welcome them back with complete forgiveness when they repent.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with--even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently" (Rom 14:1, MSG).

Eugene Peterson seems to have taken an opportunity to rant here, inserting his views about doctrinal disagreements--and in so doing, he goes beyond what Paul is saying in this passage. Peterson makes it seem that Paul is speaking generally of all things. Yet this is not so since we know that Paul also states in 1 Cor 5:11 (NASB) "But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?"

Rather, Rom 14:1 reads in the NASB: "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." What is being referred to by opinions? Reading the following verses clarify that it is in the area of non-commanded things such as what one eats or drinks (in moderation), or which days one regards as holy. We are commanded not to judge one another on such things, but to keep from causing one who is weaker in faith to stumble because of our freedom. We are told later in this chapter that everything we do must be done in faith, or for us it is sin (Rom 14:22-23).