How long have you been in church? You know, a loyal believer, one who’s steeped in religious fever and right living.
By now, it all comes naturally to you, and when someone new visits the church and crosses your judgment threshold, you want to roll your eyes. Why can’t they get it? It’s obvious!
Except that it’s not when you’re the new kid on campus. It’s up to the established saints to ensure that new Christians get the instruction they need to reach the level you’re already at.
Read the Word’s instructions in Romans 14:19:
“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”
Edify. It might help if we understand that world. We don’t use it often and rarely outside of the religious realm. Merriam-Webster gives us this meaning:
—to instruct and improve in religious knowledge.
Then Webster’s goes on to say: uplift; enlighten; inform.
Now let’s return to our verse and look at the first part: Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace.
This means no judgments allowed. The new convert at church? Cut them some slack.
That doesn’t mean to excuse their mistakes and errant behaviors. Rather, when we see something not of God, take time to instruct them. Help them improve their religious knowledge.
Uplift them with love.
Let the grace of God flow from you to them until they are as filled with religious fever and right living as you are. Do that, and the peace of God will abound in the church for all time.
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