Romans 14:1-12

Part of a series of sermons on the UMC advertising slogan, “Open hearts, open minds, open doors—the people of the United Methodist Church.”

Having open minds is a difficult thing to describe. There is a tension that exists between having firm convictions (strong faith) and being open minded (allowing that others’ faith may be valid for them). I saw this tension reflected in a cartoon called Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson. Calvin, the sophisticated mixture of adult and child embodied in a hyperactive six-year-old, and Hobbes—his imaginary friend who acts as straight-man. Calvin is reading a book and looks disgusted, “The more you know, the harder it is to take action. Once you become informed, you start seeing complexities and shades of gray. You realize that nothing is as clear and simple as it first appears. Ultimately, knowledge is paralyzing.” Calvin throws the book away and says, “Being a man of action, I can’t afford to take that risk.” At this, Hobbes looks wistfully away and replies, “You’re ignorant, but at least you act on it.”

For me, this cartoon captures the tensions that exist between being open-minded and holding firm convictions. On the one hand being open-minded is often seen as weakness. One member of a congregation refused to attend on the Sunday I preached about being open-minded…. On the other hand, there are those who think that a person who refuses to be swayed from a position of faith is somehow ignorant—or at best, uninformed….

But, a scriptural open-mindedness—that of the UMC—is not opposed to having firm convictions at all.

Paul recognizes this in today’s text from his letter to the Romans. In the midst of telling the church to be open-minded, he reminds us to, “…be fully convinced in our own minds.” (v.5). In other words, be open-minded while having firm convictions at the same time. The two are not mutually exclusive!

From its beginnings, Methodism has embraced this kind of open-mindedness.

Because of this, some have said that we don’t have any doctrine.

We do have doctrine. We have our doctrine contained in our Discipline, and in John Wesley’s sermons.

John Wesley, Methodism’s founder, often preached a sermon on this very subject. In this sermon Wesley used a verse from 2Kings 10:15, where Jehu meets Jehonadab and greets him, “Is your heart as true to mine as mine is to yours? …If it is, give me your hand.” (Wesley’s Sermons, Sermon 39, Catholic Spirit). Even in this scripture, the openness expressed by Jehu is in tension with conviction-based action. Jehu is extending his hand to Jehonadab as he is departing the battlefield where he has slaughtered the descendents of king Ahab, and he is on his way to kill every single worshipper of Baal….

What does it look like to have an open mind, and yet to be sure about what we believe?

Yes we have doctrine. We acknowledge that Christians believe in God as Creator, in Jesus as the one who redeems our broken relationship with God, and in Holy Spirit as God’s presence with us continually.

Being open minded is not to be without faith! It is not doubting what we believe, for if we doubt we are like a wave that is tossed about on the ocean by every wind that blows. (see James 1:6).

However, we are not like Jehu, on a mission to destroy all who’s hearts are not true to ours.

Being open-minded is having a foundation of doctrine, worship, and congregation while being able to embrace others. It means that we will not let our beliefs become a barrier to others….

John Wesley said that it is about having a bit of humility about our convictions. He said that every opinion that a person holds must be believed as true. Yet, no one can be assured that all of one’s opinions taken together are true—that in general one must be mistaken, however one cannot know in what particulars one is wrong (Wesley’s Sermons, Sermon 39, Catholic Spirit).

Yet at the same time, Wesley would be the first to tell us, Stand firm in your faith.

Can you see that if a person or a church is to proclaim that they are open-minded, they must be willing to live within this tension?

In John Wesley’s words, “Take heed, lest thou be either wavering in thy judgment [doubting], or straightened in thy bowels[close-minded]; but keep an even pace, rooted in the faith once delivered to the saints, and grounded in love….” (Wesley’s Sermons, Sermon 39, Catholic Spirit, brackets mine).

So what is it that the United Methodist Church—strongly believes?

Wesley was no stranger to the battlefield of Christian doctrine. His father was a “dissenter” in the Anglican Church….

As I have said before, the Methodist church strongly believes many things….

The practical impact of the Methodist movement was a grass-roots pursuit of personal and social holiness. And the doctrinal revolution of the Methodist movement is Wesley’s doctrine of salvation by God’s grace and human response to that grace.

Wesley fought against the prevailing doctrine of predestination. Wesley believed that Jesus died for everyone, not just the elect. This controversy eventually split Wesley from his good friend and coworker in the movement, George Whitefield.

But, if Jesus died for all, why then were some not saved? Wesley understood salvation to be a life-long process of God’s grace coming to us, and our responding to that grace. His main theme is that this grace comes to everyone and that everyone is free to either respond, or not. In this view, we are all predestined in the sense that we have a destiny as children of God, yet we are free to accept that destiny or reject it.

As Methodists, there are many things that we strongly believe, but regarding our personal salvation we stand on this: salvation is a life-long process of God’s grace coming to us, and our responding to that grace. Yes, there is one pivotal moment when we respond to the cross of Jesus and our relationship with God is restored. But there is so much more—salvation goes on, transforming us and assuring us….

If people ask me, “Are you saved?” I answer that I am saved and I am being saved!

Where are you in your salvation? What is God’s grace doing in your life?

Are you still awakening to the fact that God exists, that God loves you, that God wants you?

Are you even now being offered the faith that says I trust in Jesus to restore my broken relationship with God?

Are you awakening to the fact that you are indeed a child of God?

Are you hearing God calling you to a deeper trust—to a greater commitment—one that changes you and the world around you?

Are you receiving, even now, the assurance of faith and eternal life as you face the end of life?

Are you here today by mere coincidence, or could the very fact that you are in this church this morning be a part of God working in your life?

The good news is that you can bring your experiences, your traditions, and your intellect to the altar of this church, and you are welcome. Open minds—the people of the United Methodist Church. We are the people. Thanks be to God. Amen.