Hello. I’ve been back at college for a couple days now, and I’ve noticed a couple of things. First, this year will probably be a bit different from last year. Being able to conform to those changes will definitely be a must. Second, luckily some things haven’t changed. I’m still hanging out with the same people, and sometimes even the seniors who’ve graduated last year (and have become my friends during that time) come to stop at Nyack College for a visit.
I’ve also noticed that Nyack is a huge place for discussion for people’s views on things such as theology and politics. For me, there are a few things that can be debatable in the Bible. Those things I shouldn’t go crazy over. For issues that are outwardly cut and dry (e.g. Love your neighbor, Do not steal, etc.), that’s where things need to be discussed. Just as long as we do our discussions in love, we’ll be fine.
Issues that deal with the really general non-important issues must be addressed quietly, without quarreling, and in love. Sure there might be some issues that directly relate to what the Bible say, and so I might be a scapegoat by saying this, but at times one can be pounded for just holding specific beliefs the other person *believes* to be wrong. Let us on either sides of the spectrum, the Democrats and the Republicans, the Liberals and the Conservatives, the Pentecostals and the Methodists, the Lutherans and the Baptists, agree to disagree and calm down! We should not yell at people who voted for Kerry, and we should not yell at people who voted for and support Bush. Every president has his own sins and problems. Let us be happy that we have a president, and not a dictator! Let us pray for him and love him no matter who he is!
Let us instead focus on building each other up. Let us help one another by exhorting, rebuking, correcting, and loving, but not on the issues that don’t matter in the end anyway, and end up hurting people more than helping people. Remember what the Bible says through the epistles, and live out what it says. Remember the song “That’s the story of Love”? Give a little and take a little; give up on some things, and maybe your brothers and sisters in Christ will do the same. Then we will be a church that truly loves each other, and hopefully, through this, we will be able to show the world the difference that we have in Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, I am not saying that non-important issues can’t be discussed. Theology and political discussions can be great at times. But when people are quarreling against one another on what they believe, or pushing what they believe on others, espicially when the issues don’t have an explicit command to back it up (e.g. Thou shalt vote for Bush), they are doing more harm than good. We must be careful to be be balanced in this.