Pursuing Shalom

In Romans 15:7, Paul encourages the Christians in Rome to “welcome one another . . . just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Apparently, there were divisions among the Christians in Rome, and Paul identifies the division as between those who are “weak in faith” (Romans 14:1) and the “strong” (Romans 15:1). The point of contention between the two groups seems to have been the observance of Jewish customs rooted in the Old Testament.

The “weak” abstained from meat and wine, and observed special devotional practices on specific days. The “strong” felt no compulsion to abstain from meat and wine, nor to observe one day as any different from other days. This resulted in “the weak” passing judgment on those who did not abstain from meat and wine or observe special days, while “the strong” despised those who did abstain and observe special days for their lack of faith.

Paul identifies himself with “the strong” in Romans 15:1, having affirmed that “everything is indeed clean” (Romans 14:20). However, his point in raising the issue is not to take sides, but rather to encourage both sides to learn to live together. He observes that both “the weak” and “the strong” are seeking to honor the Lord. Paul was clear that no pious act could merit God’s favor, yet he also understood, as a Jew, how valuable biblical tradition was, and how, if practiced in the context of the unmerited favor of God in and through Jesus, devotional habits can open us to God’s grace in surprising ways (Paul certainly had ascetical tendencies; he wrote to the Corinthians that he “punishes” his body and “enslaves” it for the sake of following Jesus – cf. 1 Corinthians 9:27). At the same time, devotional practices rooted in the Old Testament Law were certainly not required, especially for Gentiles.

Paul exhorts the Roman Christians to cease their arguments because, as he asserts clearly in Romans 14:17, “the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” In other words, the quarrel over specific devotional practices was distracting the Roman Christians from “the main thing,” which is God’s kingdom, God’s reign, God’s rule – which, of course, was at the heart of Jesus’ ministry.

“Righteousness” is a central theme in Romans. In 1:17 Paul writes, “For in [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith.” We find that righteousness, or the state of living rightly before God, is no longer a matter of observing the Law, but by life in the Spirit. Later he writes, “God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4). The kingdom of God is present, then, when we trust in Jesus’ obedience unto death on our behalf, and open our hearts so that we might say with Paul, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).

“Peace” is also a key term in Romans. Paul writes that “since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). However, “peace” (eirene in Greek) is also used to translate the Hebrew word shalom, which is not only the absence of conflict, but, to use theologian Cornelius Plantinga’s words, “the way it’s supposed to be.” When the kingdom is present, humans are in right relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. In Romans 14:19 Paul exhorts his readers, “Let us then pursue what makes for peace.” Pursuing shalom is central to living in and for God’s kingdom.

Finally, “joy.” Joy and peace are often connected. For example, in Paul’s benediction to the Romans he writes, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). This shouldn’t surprise us. Paul writes to the Galatians that both “joy” and “peace” are fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23), and, when God’s shalom is present, joy in the Spirit will undoubtedly follow.

For Paul, then, the kingdom of God – manifest in righteous, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit – is central. Arguing about scruples around devotional practices distracts us from knowing and sharing God’s gracious, beautiful, and abundant kingdom.

One of the dangers we face, I believe, in our own common life – both locally and globally – is arguing and dividing around devotional practices. How do we honor one another in our Anglican heritage (scratch just below the surface and we find that there is not one Anglican tradition, but rather many Anglican traditions), within which there is much disagreement regarding liturgy, music, vestments, and acts of devotion? Paul is clear that we are to welcome one another, “but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions” (Romans 14:1). As we learn to do that, we begin to understand that, ideally, our differences over devotional habits are secondary to an overriding unity on the centrality of God’s kingdom, and from that place we can learn much from one another. The more we “lean in” to God’s kingdom, the less likely we will be to “quarrel over opinions” on personal devotion, and the more likely we will be to work together, pursuing the things that make for God’s shalom, rooted in Christ’s work on our behalf, trusting the Spirit is at work as we do so.

I’m so thankful that the New Testament doesn’t whitewash the conflicts of the early Christians. We inevitably recapitulate these conflicts, and, as we do, we can turn to scripture for guidance. May we welcome another, trusting that “the main thing” isn’t our devotional practice (or lack thereof), but rather God’s kingdom: righteousness, shalom, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Let us heed Paul’s words, then, to “pursue the things the make for peace.” And, as we do, let us trust that the Spirit is at work, making our wounded world “the way it’s supposed to be.” My greatest hope is that we might be known as people who, before and above all else, were passionate about the kingdom of God, rejoicing in Christ’s work on our behalf, and, by the Spirit, pursuing shalom.

Peace indeed,

Chris