A Confluence of Voices

some thoughts on unity in diversity

Dedicated to Aram and Mike: a confluence of awesome

What do you feel within your gut when someone mentions Paul’s letter to the Romans?

Do you become anxious about a looming debate on faith and works? Do you think of Romans 1 and the ongoing discussion on the Bible, gender, and sexuality? Do you remember sermons on baptism in Romans 6? Or speculation of Israel’s future in Romans 9-11? Perhaps you identify with a passage in Romans 5 or 7?

Romans is the second longest letter of Paul by about 42 words (1 Corinthians is number 1), but it draws the most attention of all of Paul’s letters because it is placed as Paul’s first letter in our usual ordering of the New Testament, though Galatians or 1 Thessalonians were probably written earlier. It is also one of the most prominent of Paul’s letters because of its theological depth, range of subjects, and elaborate arguments.

And often, all of this makes us miss the entire point of Paul’s letter.

What Romans is All About

While Paul might weigh in on the discussion of works versus faith or of the significance of the resurrection or of the Exodus themes underlying the work of Jesus, all of this is secondary to Paul’s main point: the body of Christ is a confluence of voices of people from different nationalities, tongues, occupations, levels of education, and sex that glorifies God as one, unified voice.

When Paul mentions a big list of sins in Romans 1-3, it’s to make the point that nobody is in a position to judge anyone because we all mess up (Romans 2:1).

When Paul discusses works and faith in Romans 4-5, it’s to make the point that Jesus, as the second Adam, gifts all people righteousness on the basis of faith, not just one tribe or nation (Romans 5:18).

When Paul uses the Exodus as a backdrop for the transformation of individuals within the body of Christ and the body of Christ as a whole, it’s to make the point that all are part of a large family (Romans 8:29).

When Paul discusses the place of Israel in redemptive history, it’s to correct some of the Gentile church who thought that the gift they received gave them the right to exclude others (Romans 11:28-32).

And all of this theological talk is just laying a foundation for a kingdom ethic—a way we are supposed to be in the world. “Don’t think too highly of yourself.” “Encourage each other.” “Outdo one another in showing honor.” “Do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly.” “Love one another.”

And all of this is to make an even more specific point about specific issues the diverse Roman house churches were working through.

You Have Differences, and That’s a Good Thing

In Romans 14, Paul deals with the touchy subject of how people who have different opinions and preferences for worship and food can actually live together in harmony. He writes that even though some observe one day above another while others view everyday the same (including Sunday?), every person should “be fully convinced in their own minds” (Romans 14:5).

He encourages the Christians to not use their liberty to judge others or offend the conscience of others while encouraging everyone to grow together. But he finishes chapter 14 with this line: “Hold the conviction that you have as your own before God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves because of what they approve.”

And this is what Paul has been working towards the whole time! All of the theology, all of the logic, all of the deep thoughts, they all led to this: yes we are different, but don’t have to allow these differences to separate us.

What if those (in my tradition) who fought over instrumental music were willing to say, “Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves because of what they approve.” What if we learned to say to each other, “Holt the conviction that you have as your own before God”?

We don’t like this kind of flexibility, do we? We want to know where the line is. We want to know what the rules are. Tell us what to do and what not to do.

But in this diverse community, Paul didn’t give them a book of Leviticus with lists and lists of rules and guidelines. Instead, he called them to a new way of living: learn to live in harmony with each other regardless of your differences. In fact (thinking back to Romans 12), take advantage of your differences and use them to everyone’s benefit!

One Voice

When we learn to bear with each other, celebrate each other, learn to live for each other, and live in harmony, we “may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6).

The church is a confluence of voices.

We have different gifts.

We have different preferences in worship; some of us enjoy contemplative services, while others prefer praise and a worship, and even others prefer a conversation around a fire.

We have different opinions; eat this but not this, drink this but not that, do this but not that.

But when we come together, we lift up one voice to God.

In fact, it is in this confluence of different voices that we praise God the best!

When we live in our different communities and isolate ourselves from any appearance of difference, we might think that we “all speak the same thing” (1 Corinthians 1:10), but we are really unnecessarily fragmenting the body of Christ. We were meant to live together. If there isn’t friction, there isn’t movement.

The only kind of unity is unity in diversity.