Held together in the Body of Christ through the freedom of the Spirit, we rejoice in the diversity of the Spirit’s gifts and uphold the rights of personal conviction. For the sake of faith and fellowship it shall be for the church to decide where differences of conviction hurt our unity and peace. We commit ourselves to speak the truth in love and grow together in the peace of Christ. (Statement concerning the Nature, Faith and Order of the URC).
There is a conversation recorded in Matthew’s Gospel (16:13-19) in which Jesus presses the disciples to say who they think he is. He asks a general question and gets an answer containing a range of options, so he presses the point and Peter says what he believes.
Psalm 125 opens with the words, ‘Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.’ John Newton wrote in his hymn, ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds’, ‘Dear name, the rock on which I build…’
I am writing this just after the publication of the report into the conduct of a former Prime Minister. Ironically, not the Church, but a wider group of people have had to look at the professions of the man concerning his conduct and conclude that it was inappropriate. He disliked the outcome but there comes a point beyond which self-belief is damaging to those around.
This is where religion and bad politics part company. Faith is built on belief in a being outside ourselves and while we are free to interpret that being for ourselves the aim is to form part of a picture which is enhanced by all the different pieces of it. Strong beliefs complement one another where the believers are receptive to what is around them.
There is an ideal for politicians in this approach too. Can you imagine the strength of a government in which no one was self-serving and everyone held solid views based on unshakable and reliable principles? Come to think of it, I am not sure I have found that in the church either…
A prayer
Lord Jesus, you asked what people said of you. Help me to know what I believe and to hold on to it while listening sensitively to what others say. Forgive me if I have moments of arrogance, for Jesus sake. Amen.