“One of the marks of a certain type of bad man is that he cannot give up a thing himself without wanting every one else to give it up. That is not the Christian way. An individual Christian may see fit to give up all sorts of things for special reasons--marriage, or meat, or beer, or the cinema; but the moment he starts saying the things are bad in themselves, or looking down his nose at other people who do use them, he has taken the wrong turning.” - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Some of C.S. Lewis’s most profound observations appear as he dissects morality. Lewis deals with the touchy subject of social mores. Many Christians have bitter disagreements about alcohol, movies, and other such topics. Christians who hold strict positions accuse their freer brethren of indulgence and sin. Those who hold different views accuse their opponents of legalism and pharisaical behavior. Personally, I have sometimes struggled to find the fine line between these camps. In Mere Christianity, Lewis slices to the heart of the dispute, arguing that while we can make a decision to abstain, we must not look down on others who do not.
First, Lewis declares the Bible asks for temperance instead of absolute abstinence (78). Paul wrote, “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful” (1 Cor. 10:23). When it comes to “gray areas” such as entertainment, alcohol, or modesty, Paul asks us to judge not by law but by the Spirit. If all things are indeed lawful, the Bible must call for wisdom in judgment and moderation in participation. For various reasons, Christians have come to different conclusions on such topics, ranging from complete freedom to complete abstinence.
Lewis now brings down the hammer: Christians who judge others for their stance commit sin themselves. As the Bible says, “Judge not lest ye also be judged” (Mt. 7:1). As Lewis points out, all of us find ourselves blind to sin in our lives. While the Bible calls us to hold our brethren accountable, others may draw different conclusions in the same area. Although Lewis charges us to avoid causing others to stumble, he asks us to also avoid condemning others for their prayerful decision on the matter.
Personally, Lewis’s charge to “believe the good of others . . .and make others as comfortable as you can” has helped me immensely (95). For instance, I believe in a stricter form of courtship, while my friends engage in dating in high school. Rather than condemning them, I probed deeply into their position, asking them to defend their view from a Biblical perspective. After many friendly yet intense discussions, I still don’t agree with them, but I respect their decisions as their personal convictions based on their spiritual journey. When meeting other students who identify as homosexual, I treat them with courtesy and respect, without offering condemnation and without hiding my own conviction. After all, they do not have the same standard as I do. Rather, I have tried to share the love of God with them. Instead of condemning them under a standard they do not recognize, I try to bring them under my standard first, before challenging them directly.
Although I know many Christians who would disapprove of my actions, I believe they represent what Christ would want me to do. Lewis offers practical advice about morality – advice that if followed, could change the way Christians interact with the world. Many people reject Christ because they see condemnation instead of love, legalism instead of grace, and hypocrisy instead of honesty. Christ has called the Church to love without compromise, grace without excess, and transparency without indulgence. Following the middle path between these two extremes is hard, but it bears much fruit in the end.
Some of C.S. Lewis’s most profound observations appear as he dissects morality. Lewis deals with the touchy subject of social mores. Many Christians have bitter disagreements about alcohol, movies, and other such topics. Christians who hold strict positions accuse their freer brethren of indulgence and sin. Those who hold different views accuse their opponents of legalism and pharisaical behavior. Personally, I have sometimes struggled to find the fine line between these camps. In Mere Christianity, Lewis slices to the heart of the dispute, arguing that while we can make a decision to abstain, we must not look down on others who do not.
First, Lewis declares the Bible asks for temperance instead of absolute abstinence (78). Paul wrote, “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful” (1 Cor. 10:23). When it comes to “gray areas” such as entertainment, alcohol, or modesty, Paul asks us to judge not by law but by the Spirit. If all things are indeed lawful, the Bible must call for wisdom in judgment and moderation in participation. For various reasons, Christians have come to different conclusions on such topics, ranging from complete freedom to complete abstinence.
Lewis now brings down the hammer: Christians who judge others for their stance commit sin themselves. As the Bible says, “Judge not lest ye also be judged” (Mt. 7:1). As Lewis points out, all of us find ourselves blind to sin in our lives. While the Bible calls us to hold our brethren accountable, others may draw different conclusions in the same area. Although Lewis charges us to avoid causing others to stumble, he asks us to also avoid condemning others for their prayerful decision on the matter.
Personally, Lewis’s charge to “believe the good of others . . .and make others as comfortable as you can” has helped me immensely (95). For instance, I believe in a stricter form of courtship, while my friends engage in dating in high school. Rather than condemning them, I probed deeply into their position, asking them to defend their view from a Biblical perspective. After many friendly yet intense discussions, I still don’t agree with them, but I respect their decisions as their personal convictions based on their spiritual journey. When meeting other students who identify as homosexual, I treat them with courtesy and respect, without offering condemnation and without hiding my own conviction. After all, they do not have the same standard as I do. Rather, I have tried to share the love of God with them. Instead of condemning them under a standard they do not recognize, I try to bring them under my standard first, before challenging them directly.
Although I know many Christians who would disapprove of my actions, I believe they represent what Christ would want me to do. Lewis offers practical advice about morality – advice that if followed, could change the way Christians interact with the world. Many people reject Christ because they see condemnation instead of love, legalism instead of grace, and hypocrisy instead of honesty. Christ has called the Church to love without compromise, grace without excess, and transparency without indulgence. Following the middle path between these two extremes is hard, but it bears much fruit in the end.
Excellent post! I loved your conclusion. Very relevant for our times.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are back to blogging!
ReplyDeleteWell thought out post, Daniel! (I love C.S. Lewis. :)) I have battled between the two many times. Answering the age-old question of how to "hate the sin, yet love the sinner" can be difficult to determine. It is important to discern whether an action is truly wrong (such as adultery, lying, cheating, drunkenness, etc), yet a verbal, demeaning, holier-than-thou "slap-in-the-face" to one committing the action often does not produce the desired consequences - especially when we turn a blind eye toward our own blemishes which are quite glaring to the individual being reprimanded. I love how you described the balance between maintaining a firm belief in your convictions, being willing to debate, defend, and question the opposing arguments, but not demonizing the individuals who hold a varying perspective. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDelete