Shades of Gray: Spiritual Maturity and Seeing Gray
Matthew 18:1-5; I Corinthians
January 26, 2014
In continuing our series on Shades of Gray, we today focus on spiritual maturity and living it out as mature Christians.
Standing in the middle is always hard. We are pulled to black or white because we want certainty. But we also know faith
does not work that way. Faith is trusting in and believing in things hoped for and not yet seen. Certainty is knowing beyond a
shadow of a doubt.
When faced with hard topics, many say there are at least three ways to look at it – the way I look at it, the way you look at it
or maybe a whole new way utilizing given tools to figure it out. But I have had lots of folk in churches say just tell us how it
really is. Tell us what is the way; I want to encourage you to think for yourself…read scriptures, relate to the Spirit in prayer,
hear what others have to say, think about your own experience and what it tells you about the issue, and then bring it all
together in terms of understanding and reason. For those that want certainty that never changes, I am sorry but that does
not jive with faith.
When we try to make everything black and white, we tend to oversimplify complex issues and polarize ourselves from
others. To do so may be what Jesus called sin, at least wrong, and possibly evil. Historically Jesus is probably disappointed in
the people of faith called Christians, because we are now divided more than ever. Did you realize there are 3000 different
Christian denominations in the world today? And that does not count the 10,000 communities known as nondenominational churches that have divided themselves even further and could not affiliate with any of the 3000
communities of faith. One could say we like to divide ourselves.
Christians number approximately 2 billion. Roman Catholics number 1 billion, Orthodox Christians make up 300 million and
Protestants number 700 million. When speaking to an Orthodox pastor I said I was pleased to meet him, and wanted to learn
more about his branch of our family tree, to which he said, I am not sure we are even a part of the same family. Or to hear a
former Pope call Protestants wounded Christians who have lost their way, simply because we do not follow the apostolic
succession and honor the Pope as the head of the real church. We divide over beliefs, doctrines, understandings of how one
lives the faith. But when Jesus was praying the “high priestly prayer” in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed that the cup
could pass him by and he also prayed “make them one.”
He could see the many divisions of the Pharisees and how in weightier matters they neglected justice and mercy. If you
might remember Jesus stern words, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees as you would strain a gnat and swallow a camel.” The
nit picking failed them to really see the important things.
When people disagree, Christ calls us to see one another as a sister or brother in Christ. I have something to learn from you
and you from me. Gray is not to agree with what another has to say, but still love them as a sister or brother. Understand
one another that we might be strengthened as a result. To do this requires humility, grace, and a willingness to listen.
You might recall even the disciples argued who was the greatest. Jesus at the last supper showed them the one who serves
the most and becomes like a slave, that is true greatness. He also calls a small child and tells them unless you change and
humble yourself like a child you will not know the kingdom of God. It is interesting a child does not care about which
atonement theory one ascribes, or what one believes about communion. A child simply trusted. One can notice many stories
in scripture where Jesus praises those who trusted.
Since the beginning of early Christendom, there have been divisions. There was the Legalists and the Libertines. The Legalists
were the ones who want to conserve or preserve the law, meaning the 613 laws of the Old Testament, and one must be
circumcised to be a Christian. The Libertines said that Jesus sets us free from the law, by his death and resurrection Jesus
paid our debt in full and the old covenant has been replaced by grace. Remember and be free. One only need to look at the
first 8 chapters of Romans, or read Philippians, or James to see these early arguments played out.
Where did the apostles stand in on this situation? In neither camp, Paul says no to the law, Jesus sets us free, but do not use
that freedom to justify oneself. Live the life worthy of your calling. So Paul stands in the middle balancing between the
Legalists and Libertines, between faith and works.
In our modern era the division continues with the debate over this book. The Modernists were people of the Enlightenment
and endorsed God as a God of mercy and grace, and uphold the gains in sciences and history. They did not believe God
commanded the slaying of the innocents, or that the discrepancies between gospels did not matter because the Bible was a
library of books and words about God and the relationship that humans had with God. They were human words inspired by
God. The modernists encourage people to question everything. The details do not matter, for it was only words of humans
and written many years after the fact for the oral tradition was first and then people wrote down so the importance of story
could be preserved.
And then the conservatives said “Hey, wait a minute.” Their reaction was so holy and said every word is the Word of God
equally. Every single word was chosen by God and the writers were secretaries to God. Can’t be any errors. If science says
something different than scripture, the conservatives said it is wrong. If history does not agree with scripture it is wrong.
There are no discrepancies, the Bible is perfect and right always. Early extremes of this says you cannot question anything.
Remember Newton’s Law, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction…so the pendulum against Modernists and
the Enlightenment says if the Bible says the world was created in 7days, it happened in 7 days just as it was written. And
some traditions still hold to a tradition that says woman cannot be ushers or have any leadership position or have any voice
in church.
When I started in ministry in Missouri there were a number of United Methodist churches in Missouri that devoted
themselves to doing God’s work. Going out and meeting the needs of the community and seeking justice and mercy for the
marginalized. One lives by grace. And there was an almost equal number of churches that emphasized memorizing
scriptures, winning souls and focusing on holiness. Which is right? Well I thought we need holiness and spiritual relationship
with God and we need grace. The scripture is inspired word of God interplays with the new learnings as well. It maybe
should not be taken so literally. There are nuances that guide and inform. So to live in the Gray is to have a place of balance
and to know the richness and fullness one has to hold the call for righteousness and faith without works is imbalanced. And
if one only held onto the liberal understandings, living out ones faith doing justice with acts of mercy and works of piety
without the foundation of faith can be equally unfulfilling. To know the fullness of God’s call is to live into both.
Living into both matures one spiritually. An Emory University professor, James Fowler, developed the concept of faith
development similar to educational and psychological development. He talked about six stages of faith development. In
stages one and two there is the Mythical/Literal like children can hear and sense God, but also have a hard time
differentiating the concept of God from Santa or the Tooth Fairy. In stage one and two one sees God literally and know
somewhere there is a God and can draw God. In stage three, and unexamined faith, one believes what they are taught by
their pastor, Sunday School teacher or parents. During this time one’s faith matures and one learns from other youth as well.
One embraces without question and follows the faith of their youth director or camp counselor. Many adults never get past
this stage in their life.
Stage 4 is Faith Tested through Trial. Usually in late teens or college one questions lots of things as one begins to
differentiate from one’s Parents. Often growth in faith happens in tragedy or through difficult experiences in life. I share
words of a mother who lost a child. At the funeral many people told me it was our son’s time. Well meaning people with
such hurtful words. I knew I did not believe God wished my son to die, but his death was a tragedy. Tragedy was not a part of
God’s will. God was understanding and compassionate in the midst of the most difficult time in my life. Since his death I have
been changed and have grown in my spiritual understanding. That did not mean life was pain free, but faith has been what
gives me hope for the future and knowledge I will see my child again someday.
Stage 5 Conjunctive Faith- Widening Grace, Comfort and Paradox One is able to deal with the paradoxes of life and hold
things together. As one grows in the truth one sees the mystery of God and know they cannot understand it all. You know
the adage the more I know the more I realize I do not know and never will. At this stage one understands the family of God
as a mysterious unity. One understands Christians can disagree and yet agreeable love one another. This is the development
most millennial and young adults find themselves working in as they do not want the canned answers; they wish to struggle
learn and discover life’s meaning.
Stage 6 Sanctification – perfect love for God and neighbor. Most persons will not realize this in their lifetime. Honoring God
and Expressing Love for God and one another perfectly forever.
I Corinthians 13 was not written for weddings. Paul’s description was the climactic part of his letter. He shares how love and
trust are the defining characteristics of the Christian life. In conclusion I want you to hear these words and Put your name in
place of love. Close with prayer.