RESPECTING THE CONTRARY VIEWS – THE CHRISTIAN APPROACH

As we walk through this life on earth, there are many, who support us, and our views. There are many, who may not do so. They may hold a different view from us. Some of them may have a contrary or an opposing view from us. How should we handle this situation? What should we do about those, who hold contrary views to ours? 

We see, sadly, the church, through its history, to be under the firm “phobia” grip, for views that are contrary to the official position of the church. This is very clearly visible, down through the centuries, ever since Roman empire took over the reins of governance of the church. I see this in Christians here too, though not many, and certainly not as strongly as in other places.
– 19 July 64 AD – Fire breaks out among the shops lining the Circus Maximus, Rome’s chariot stadium. Nero is blamed for it. To deflect the blame from himself, onto Jews and Christians, soon conducts a full scale persecution of Christians, notorious for the cruelty with which it is carried on.
– 19 July 1393 – Martin of Mayence is burned as a heretic at Cologne, because he belongs to a sect known as “Friends of God” and refuses to observe, the days and hours of prayer and worship, as commanded by the church, regards all Christians as priests, maintains that, outward works have no merit before God, and preaches that the Lord Jesus suffered more in bearing the judgment of God than in enduring the pain of the cross.
– 19 July 1597 – Annaken van den Hove becomes the last Anabaptist martyr in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. Catholic theologians determine he deserves death as a heretic, and hand him over to the civil authorities, who bury him alive.

Pagan Roman empire, killed mercilessly, anyone who held a contrary view to the official position of the empire. When the empire took over the governance of the Church, the same principle was applied. The Church, down through the centuries, including the Protestant reformers, seems to have faithfully followed the same principle, but for a few exceptions.
– March 12, 417 – Pope Innocent I dies. His claims for the Roman see’s supremacy went farther than any of his predecessors, as he asserted Rome’s reach extended to the whole church.
– March 12, 604 – Gregory the Great, pope from 590 to 604, dies. Setting a high mark for the medieval papacy, he defended the primacy of the chair of Peter against even the smallest slight.
– 21 March 418 – In a letter to the North African bishops, Pope Zosimus declares that none dare dispute the judgment of the see of Rome.
– 01 July 1765 – Nineteen-year-old Chevalier de la Barre is decapitated and burned at Abbeville, France, for mutilating a figure of Christ that stood on the bridge of that town, an offence regarded as blasphemy. On the scaffold de la Barre remarks calmly, “I did not believe they could have taken the life of a young man for so small a matter.”

The best place for us to look for all the answers to our questions, and the solutions for all the issues plaguing us is, the Written Word of God, the Bible. Let us look at two incidents from the Bible, and see it can teach us about, how to handle contrary views in the Christian way.

1- THE PROBLEM BETWEEN BROTHERS
– THE PROBLEM – “37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.” – Acts 15:37-38
– AMICABLE SOLUTION – “39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” – Acts 15:39-41
– CHANGE OF HEART, A FEW YEARS LATTER – “11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4:11

2- PAUL AND THE PEOPLE OF THE OTHER FAITHS
– THE PROBLEM – “16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.” – Acts 17:16
– THE AMIABLE APPROACH – “22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:” – Acts 17:22-23

Beware the approach of Roman empire, and the church, taken over by the Roman empire. It is an approach of hate-filled intolerance, strictly adhering to the principle of, living by the letter of the law; and anyone who breaks the law, will be punished without mercy; for law and mercy don’t exist together. The law that should operate in the life of a Christian is, the law of the LORD Jesus Christ of Nazareth – the law of Love, Tolerance, Acceptance and Forgiveness. This is clearly visible in the way, the apostles and the early Church conducted themselves, and their affairs, untill the empire took over the reigns of the church. Let us not walk that path of paranoia driven phobias, filled with, and fuelled by, intolerance, hate and discrimination, towards others, who hold contrary views to us.
– “37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:37-40
– “16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

May we earnestly seek the LORD, to grant us His grace and mercy, to Love, Tolerate, Accept and Forgive others, just like He did. Let us not hate or discriminate based on race, religion, region, language and gender, even if they are wrong. Let us learn to love them, despite our difference, just as we are commanded by our LORD. Even so, the LORD help us.