Black, white, and other colors

I remember the discussion I had at Yale with one of the seminary students about Ludwig Wittgenstein. According to the seminary student, Wittgenstein would hold that the earth could be flat or round -- without there being an objective truth that it is one, but not the other. This same Wittgenstein has been labled as one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century and may have shaped many of the ideas held by the secular relativists of today. I certainly did not like Wittgenstein, as he was presented to me.

On the other hand, are we as Christians to hold an absolutist view on all matters? Is everything just black or white? Aren't there any colors in between? Does the Bible allow for any diversity of ideas?

Certainly there are absolute truths in the Bible. There is only one God who created heavens and earth (Deuteronomy 6:4, I Samuel 2:2, I Samuel 7:22, I Chronicles 17:20, Mark 12:29, Romans 3:30, I Corinthians 8:4, I Timothy 2:5). All men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). There is only one Savior that God has given to man and that is Jesus Christ our Lord (I Timothy 2:5, Acts 4:12). By believing in Him, we are saved and reconciled with God (Romans 5:1-2). As believers, we are now a temple of God, with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and guiding us (I Corinthians 3:16, I Corinthians 6:19).

While these are absolute truths, the Bible does seem to allow for shades of ideas on certain other matters. In Romans 14, Pauls calls these "disputable matters" (Romans 14:1). One example of such disputable matters is what one does with food (Romans 14:2). Some people will eat everything, while others will avoid certain foods, such as meat that has been offered up to an idol. This was a question that vexed the Corinthian church. Meat sold in the marketplace was often/usually meat that had been offered as part of idol worship. If a Christian man was to visit a non-Christian, who served meat, should the Christian eat it? There wasn't anything inherently wrong about eating the meat, since all food was given by God. So, Paul's advice was to go ahead and eat it, but without asking where it came from (I Corinthians 10:27). But if he was then told that the meat had been offered as a sacrifice to an idol, he had better not eat it, for conscience' sake -- the conscience of the one who told him so (I Corinthinans 10:28).

There are many other such "disputable matters." Should a woman wear a dress or pants? Should she put on a make-up and wear jewelry when going to the church? Should Christian children go to public or private schools or do home schooling? As a physician, should one work on Sundays or arrange for coverage by a non-Christian physician? Can I fill my car with gas on Sundays, when I know I could have prepared and filled it with gas ahead of time? Can a Christian drink alcohol -- beer, wine, etc.?

While there is not one clear answer to many of these disputable matters, it is not as if the Bible provides no guidance on them. It is not that one can do whatever one wants to do with regard to the disputable matters. Even on these disputable matters, the Bible does provide guidance on how one should approach them. The first rule of guidance is that whatever one does, he must do it with faith and clear conscience between God and him (Romans 14:22-23), so that with his choice, he may glorify God (I Corinthians 10:31). If I believe in my conscience that drinking beer is detrimental to my faith life, I should not drink it. I should not do something, while believing that it is contrary to my worshipping and serving of the Lord. If a lady wants to dress with modesty to show her humility before the Lord, she should not be wearing extravagantly with all kinds of make-up; but if she believes that she needs to be presentable to the Lord, she may use her make-up to her advantage. What I do on these disputable matters without faith is sin (Romans 14:23).

Second, whatever I believe about these disputable matters, I am to keep it between God and myself (Romans 14:22) and should not use my belief to pass judgment on others (Romans 14:13 ff). I should not put a stumbling block or an obstacle in my brother's way, but promote peace and mutual edification. If I believe that drinking wine is un-Christian-like, I should abstain for my clear conscience. But when I see someone else drinking it, I should not pass judgment on him and make it a stumbling block that hinders his salvation or spiritual growth. (But I may need to advise him on drinking on other grounds -- physical health, addiction, effect on family and others around him when he drinks, financial stability, etc.)

But this does not mean that I am to use this freedom to indulge and fall into debauchery. "Everything is permissible", but not everything is beneficial; "everything is permissible", but not everything is constructive (I Corinthians 10:23). I am to ask whether my action on a disputable matter is good to others and builds them up. I should seek what is good to others.

The world God created has white, black, and many other colors. The Bibilical view is neither just absolutistic nor relativistic. There are certain absolute truths that we must adhere to. But on other disputable matters, there is room for variations. Variations may be allowed as long as they don't impinge on and are not inconsistent with the absolute. We should choose in ways that show our love of the Lord and of our neighbors.