How to handle it when followers of Christ disagree

This page was originally written as part of our response to the Harry Potter film and books. Followers of Christ take two widely different views about the world of Harry Potter. Both are convinced that they are right, and that the issue is an important one. We are not likely to persuade each other. So how are we supposed to handle it when followers of Christ disagree with each other?

Know what is really important

First of all, we need to be clear in our minds that some issues really are secondary. There are some issues which are so important, so central, that if we disagree over them we have stopped being followers of Christ at all; the reality of God; his personal nature, infinite knowledge, infinite power, creation of the universe; the fact that we are made in His image and yet mired down in our sin and rebellion; that Jesus really lived, and really was (and is) the Son of God; the fact that he died on the cross as a sacrifice for sins, and that he rose again; the fact that he will one day return to rule the earth. If we do not believe these central truths, we are not followers of Christ at all.

But all down through history, there have been a wide range of other issues over which followers of Christ have disagreed strongly with each other - baptism, issues to do with Christ's return, the ordination of women, the gifts of the Holy Spirit... How are we to handle such issues?

The Bible's model

The Bible gives us a model, in chapter 14 of Paul's letter to the Romans. The followers of Christ in Rome at the time disagreed over eating certain kinds of food, and keeping certain kinds of days special. These were hot issues for them. So how does Paul say we should deal with this kind of disagreement?

Weak or strong?

First of all, Paul identifies two different groups of followers of Christ. He calls them the strong and the weak. In general, the weaker follower is the one who has the more 'picky' conscience, while the stronger follower has the greater freedom. The natural tendency is for the weaker follower to be judgmental of the one who exercises greater freedom, and for the stronger follower to patronize or look down on the one who is more picky. Paul has some underlying principles, and some practical guidelines.

Underlying principles:

Christ is my master (14:7). I am answerable to God, not to anyone else (14:4). I will stand before God's judgment to give an account of my own conduct, not someone else's! (14:10-12). Therefore I should live with a view to pleasing God (14:6).
If I believe something is wrong, then it is wrong for me to do it. (If someone else believes it is not wrong, it may be perfectly all right for them to do it, but it would still be wrong for me.) (14:14, 23)
I should be determined not to put obstacles in the way of another follower of Christ (14:13), or to cause them distress (14:15) by what I do. It pleases God when the stronger follower voluntarily gives up some of his or her freedom so the weaker follower will not be tripped up. (14:15-23).

Practical guidelines:

We should be convinced in our own minds (14:5) - not letting ourselves be shaken by what someone else does, or does not do.
We should accept each other, even though we disagree. (14:1)
We should not argue about these secondary issues (14:1)
The strong must not look down on the weak (14:3, 10) and the weak must not condemn the strong (14:3, 10, 13)