Let's take our Bibles. Turn to Romans 12. Romans 12. Last time we looked. Basically, I dealt with that
15th verse of Romans 12. Paul said, Rejoice with them
that do rejoice. Weep with them that weep. Those that rejoice in the sovereign
grace of God. Those that rejoice that God the
Father would choose a people. Because had He not chosen a people,
The Scripture said we'd all been like Sodom and Gomorrah. Had Christ not redeemed His people, there would have been no redemption.
Without the shedding of blood, there's no remission of sins.
Without the shedding of His blood, unless the Spirit of God quickened
us by His grace and power, we'd have never been quickened. And God's people rejoice in that. They love it. They've got to
hear it. They're going to hear it. They
must hear it. Rejoice. And those that weep,
weep over the frailty of your flesh. Weep over the frailty
of those that they know that know not the Lord. And it's evident. Grieves you. Grieves you. Verse 16 we pick up this morning
before we begin. Let's just thank the Lord again. Father, bless. We ask this message. You said you have not because
you ask not. We are asking. Lord, help us. Bless the Word. for our good
and your glory, and for Christ's sake. Amen. Verse 16, Romans 12, Be of the
same mind, one toward another. Turn over to Philippians 2.1. Philippians chapter 2, beginning in verse 1, Paul had
said in that sixteenth be of the same mind one toward another. Philippians 2 says, if there
be any consolation in Christ, if there is any comfort, if you
have any comfort, that Almighty God in Christ, by Christ, for
Christ, if there is any comfort Any comfort founded on His person,
on His righteousness. Any comfort, any peace in His
death and His resurrection and His intercession. If that means
anything to you, that's what He said. If there's any consolation,
any comfort of love, Love, as we just talked about, that the
Father chose you, Christ redeemed you, and that the Spirit of God
quickened you. If there's any comfort of the
love of God toward you, if you believe that truly the
Lord loves you, He's called you out of darkness,
if there's any fellowship In the Spirit, if the Spirit of
God has created a new heart in you, how do you know? How do you know
if you've received the Spirit? Well, I can tell you this, you
believe God. I'd go in this long discourse,
Chuck, the way it is you believe God. You believe God. You love His Word. You love His
message. And you love His people. And you fellowship with His people.
If there's any vows of mercy, any depth, compassion, concern
for one another. If there's any heart vows of
the mercy of God. Fulfill ye my joy. Make my joy
full. that you be like-minded, having
the same love, being one accord and of one mind." Paul rejoiced
in the evidence of the church being one in unity and love and
respect for one another. You know, it's a blessing. It
is a wonderful blessing. to find brethren that are together
in unity. It's a blessing when you see
that. John Gill said it's a blessing because you see it so seldom.
It's a blessing when you do. Have the same mind, Paul said
to the church at Philippi, concerning the gospel of God, the glory
of Almighty God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and
the work of the ministry. Back in Romans 12, verse 16,
be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things. You know, there
are things that this world has, offers. But the believer
in the Lord Jesus Christ, what he sees is the fleetingness of
them all. Men strive to be somebody. Somebody. I read of a man one
time that was for a while, I guess. Supposedly, he was a preacher.
And he quit the ministry, which he never was in, to be an ambassador
to Australia. And Mr. Spurgeon said of his
so-called promotion, he said, I've never seen such a demotion
in all of my life that a man would leave. And as I said, he
never was there. God calls a man to preach. You
know what he does? He dies a preacher. That's how
he leaves this world. He fights a good fight. He sees
himself frail. I know that. But I'm telling
you, God's preachers don't leave the ministry. They don't mind high things, worldly
distinctions and titles and accomplishments. Still, nothing more than time. They're carnal. Carnal. They don't have time. Worship. Too busy. Brother Scott, turn back to Psalm
131. I ask him to read that. Blessed passage of Scripture.
Paul had just said, don't mind the high things. This is the Psalmist. Psalm 131, Lord, my heart is
not haughty. You know, if it were not the
Scriptures, you'd think, boy, that, you know, that's just an
arrogant statement. My mind is, my heart is not haughty
when the Scripture says that man by nature is nothing but
proud. Yeah, well, that is true. Man
by nature is not only proud. But you let Almighty God bring
a man down, bring a woman down. And the psalmist reveals under
the inspiration of the Spirit of God, Lord, my heart's not haughty.
I appeal to you who knows all. You that believe feel like that.
I appeal to you who knows it all. Lord, you are all wise. nor mine eyes lofty." You know, the publican wouldn't
even so much as lift up his eyes to heaven. That's what Scripture
says. God brought him down. You let
God bring a person down. And I'm telling you, they see
that old nature in them, that nature of arrogance, disrespect,
but they hate it. They hate it. He said, I do not exercise myself
in great matters or in things too high for me. What was he
saying? I don't pretend to understand
fully the secret things of your counsel. I know they're so. Lord, I know that you say you
chose a people. Why? Because it pleases you.
Lord, that's what you said. How do I understand that? The
potter has the right to make out of the same lump one vessel
of honor Another vessel of dishonor. Lord, I don't I don't pretend
to exercise myself in these matters that's too high for me. I'm just
thankful you'd give me a heart to bow to that and that you didn't
leave me to myself. You leave me to myself and I
know exactly what I'm going to do. It's just Lord, it's just
too embarrassing for me to even say it. Surely, verse 2, I have behaved
and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother.
My soul is even as a weaned child. Weaned from what? Weaned from
what? Well, obviously not weaned from
Christ. I have behaved myself and quieted
myself as a child that is weaned from his mother. the mother of
all harlots in this world. I behaved myself and I quieted
myself from the self-sufficiency of my own will and my own self-seeking
religious lies of this world. I struggle with it. I hate the
way I see myself warring within myself, but Lord, You've brought
me down. Let Israel hope in the Lord from
henceforth and forever. Why? He's God. He's wise in His purpose. He's
wise in His providence. He's wise in the execution of
His providence. He's strong in its execution. He's going to do His people good.
That is what he said, that Israel, true Israel, let her hope be
in the Lord. Back in Romans 12, Paul says, Mine not high things
condescend to men of low estate. Be led away to fellowship with
those who have been brought down Those that have been humiliated
concerning themselves. Lowly, cast down from their high
horse. That's what happened to Saul
of Tarsus. Proud, arrogant. Boy, don't you
hate pride and arrogance, especially in yourself. Almighty God, when He was made
flesh. He was. He condescended to men of low
estate. Turn over to Luke 4. This is
what He is talking about right here. Luke chapter 4. Our Lord
brought back to the place of His upbringing, back to Nazareth,
Luke 4. Starting in verse 16, he came
to Nazareth where he had been brought up. And as his custom
was, he went to the synagogue on Sabbath day. When the scriptures
were read, when worship, he was there. He stood up to read and
there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah.
And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was
written, of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to..." He came, the Scripture said, and condescended to men
of low estate. Men brought low. Leave them to
themselves, and they're haughty and arrogant and proud. But he
said, "...the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor." The poor in spirit. sent
me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
And he closed the book and gave it again to the minister and
sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue
were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them,
this day is this scripture fulfilled in your hearts. What did he say?
I am he. I am he. Back in Romans 12, verse 16,
be not wise in your own conceits. Don't be conceited in yourself,
is what the apostle is saying. 1 Corinthians 13, 9 says we know
in part. And what do we understand? Just
part? We prophesy in part. We know
a section. The Spirit of God has not been
given to any save one without measure. Don't be wise in your
own conceits. We don't know it all. Don't set yourself up as if you
do. We know a share. We have an allotment. We have a little knowledge of
earthly things, much less heavenly. If the Lord has given some light
to you concerning divine truth, you know that you know that by
the grace of God. Don't be puffed up with that
understanding. Verse 17, Recompense to no man
evil for evil. Don't retaliate. That is the
easiest thing for me to do. Goodness gracious, I am the world's
worst. No, you say, you are. No, I am. No, you are. No, I am. No, we
all are. I've said before, if you're mean
to me, I might let it go. Maybe. Maybe. I doubt it. Now, you be mean to one of my
kids and I'm not. You know? Boy, this is tough. Don't recompense evil for evil. That's the natural, carnal response. Only by the grace of God under
divine leadership will a man meekly, that is, bow to the providence
of God. Don't recompense evil for evil. I've got a son-in-law. lives
in Franklin, and he called me one day. I think
I told some of you this. I don't think I've said it from
the pulpit, but if I did, that's okay. Just say, well, just humor
him. He's a fireman. Worked his way
up. I like him. He gives a good profession. of faith in Christ, confessed
the Lord openly in baptism. And I like him. And he was up for promotion. And he next in line and his immediate
superior chief just didn't get along. And it
came time for his promotion. Now, the man that was just above
my son-in-law decided he was moving. He would have gotten
it, that guy just ahead of him. He'd have gotten it. But as soon
as he decided to move, then my son-in-law was next in line.
And the chief made this statement. He said, listen. He said, we
need to revamp this thing. We need to just go back and just
redo this. And everybody's got to start
over. And so my son-in-law decided
he'd go get a lawyer. Somebody told him, said, no,
you need to go get a lawyer. Fight that. And so he called me. And he said, Margaret, I just
want to ask you something. He gave me the story. And he
said, what do you think I ought to do? He said, I can go get
a lawyer. I'll fight it. I said, I wouldn't. You wouldn't? I said, no. I said, let me ask
you something. I said, did the man have the right, the chief
that's above you, did he have the right to pass you by? And did he do anything illegal
against city council? Or did he do I mean, was it illegal
what he did? He said, no. I said, so he was
your boss. Yeah. So he had a right to do
what he did. Yeah. I said, well, Tommy, I
wouldn't do it. I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I said,
let me tell you what's going to happen. I said, you're going
to take him to court. And I said, you're going to lose.
Because you know why? They're going to go strictly
by the law. If he had the right to do it, they're going to go
exactly. And I said, it's going to cause
you trouble. And I said, don't do it. Don't do it. So he didn't. He just let it go. Two weeks
later, the chief wrote him a letter and congratulated him on the
promotion. I don't know what happened behind
the scenes. I didn't really ask, but I can tell you what the first
cause was. Almighty God was pleased to allow him to be promoted. All government, all authority
is of God. And that chief gave him that
job, probably against his own will. I don't know. If I could
get back into the inner chambers of the mayor's office, I'd probably
find out something. That's OK. That's OK. But he
got his job, and he got his back pay, and he got everything else.
And he called up, and he said, thanks. I said, you'd have hired
an attorney, and you'd have had attorney fees, and you'd have
had a fight, you'd have had a battle, and there'd been a stink in the
fire department. Don't recompense evil for evil. I'm not agreeing
with a man because he passed you over. I'm just saying he
had the right to do it. But he did it according to God's
good pleasure and good will. And you let it go. Let it go.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in
the sight of all men. Act in a way that is commendable
to yourself and to those that know you. If Almighty God has
done something for you, if God has shown grace to you, then
you act graciously. Good conscience. Do something that absolutely
would not cause anyone to be offended in the gospel that you
profess. Don't let the gospel be or take
the brunt of your actions. Turn over to Romans, maybe one
page to Romans 14, 14. Paul says, I know and I'm persuaded
by the Lord Jesus Christ that there's nothing unclean in itself.
But to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
If I, brother, be grieved with thy meat. Now Paul was talking
to a group of people they were coming out of, out of Judaism. And they, a Jew wouldn't think,
a Jew would not think of eating meat that was offered to idols. Paul's situation, this can fit
anything. This can fit anything that we
know. They wouldn't eat meat offered to idols. A Gentile didn't
bother them. Hey, it was beef, like beef offered
to an idol. Our idol was nothing. It was
just beef. He said, But if your brothers
grieve with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. You're not
in love. You know it offends him. Destroy
not him with thy meat for whom Christ died. Let not your good
be evil spoken of. The kingdom of God is not meat
and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Ghost." Don't let your conversation,
your walk, be offensive in that someone looks and they says,
that's a believer. That's how a believer acts. That's
that's the attitude of anybody act like that. Well, that's tough. I'm telling you, I'm admitting
it. I'll tell you, I know for a fact, but for the grace of
God. This is impossible. I'll tell
you how we act, we act just like everybody else acts, but for
the grace of God. Scripture says in verse 18, if
it be possible As much as life ends, you live
peaceably with all men, if it be possible. And I realize
that peace is not always possible. Why? Because others won't allow
it. Some just won't allow it. They're
just not going to allow it to be peace. The Prince of Peace
found himself to be hated by carnal men. And believers will
too. Amos 3.3 says, Can two walk together
except they be agreed? If it be possible, if others
will allow it, but don't you be the reason that peace is not
there. Don't you be the reason of it.
A believer has got to be honest with men who God is. God the
Father, you've got to be honest with men who Christ is, how God
saves a sinner. Man, I can't compromise on that. For the sake of just having a
peaceable relationship, I am not going to compromise the gospel
of free grace. I can't. If it be possible. And when it comes to that, it's
just not possible. The carnal man doesn't want to
be reproved for what he believes. But do
you know what a believer does? A believer does. Proverbs 9,
8, Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate you. But listen to this. Rebuke a wise man, and he'll
love you. A believer will hear. A believer
will hear this, Gary. Love yourself, you're nothing.
Now, you'll hear that. Without the Lord Jesus Christ,
you can do nothing. A believer will hear that. I
am what I am by the grace of God. Apart from anything that
I could do, anything of my will, a believer will hear that. From
the crown of a man's head to the sole of his foot, putrefying
sores, just filthy rags. Believe or hear that. They'll
agree with you. You're right. But the Scripture says you reprove
a man that God's not done something for, and He'll hate you for that,
if it be possible. As much as life in you. Keep a close watchfulness on
yourself as much as life in you. Let reproof be administered in
the spirit of love and meekness. Live peaceably with all men. I know that peace is not always
possible because the carnal mind hates the gospel of free grace. It hates the truth. It will not
support the truth. It will not have anything to
do with the truth. It avoids it. It just won't do
it. But a believer sets a close watch
upon himself. How does a believer live peaceably
with all men? That's what it says. If it be
possible as much as life, then you live peaceably with all men. How? Verse 19, Dearly beloved,
avenge not yourselves. Don't take the execution of what
must come your way into your own hands, being the children
of God loved from the foundation, before the foundation of the
world. He's not going to allow anything
to happen to you that will not be for your good and His glory. Oh, but I've got to be taught
that. I've got to be taught that. You know how a man is taught?
How does a man grow in grace? And I'm telling you, growing
in grace is evidenced by a spirit of humility before God. That's
what Brother Scott just read. My heart is not haughty. Lord,
you brought me down. That's growing in grace. I mean,
you let a man be puffed up in what he knows, I'm telling you,
that's not the evidence of graciousness. What did John the Baptist say?
He must increase. decrease. Scripture says, avenge not yourselves,
give place unto wrath. The wrath that is administered
is the prerogative of the Lord. His place. Give place. Yield the place is what it says
to Him. Give place. unto wrath. It is written, Vengeance
is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, living peaceably
with all men, therefore, verse 20, if thine enemy hunger, feed
him. If he thirsts, give him drink.
For in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. The
greatest cause of unrest in a very stressful situation
is when we take upon ourselves the task of avenging a wrong. More stress is found when I'm
going to try to figure out how I'm going to get you back. Give
place to wrath. God's going to repay. There's
a day coming. Give place to it. He who is altogether wise reveals
this, for in so doing, verse 20, for in so doing, thou shalt
heap coals of fire on his head." When? Not in this world. You
know what I have found? I have found whenever, and I'm
talking about an unbeliever now. Now this, I'm telling you, I'm
convinced of this. I've witnessed this myself. The
more you try to be kind to an unbeliever, the more arrogant
they are to you. You know why? They perceive it
as weakness. That's exactly right. The kinder
you try to be to someone that resists you and hates you for
what you are and what you stand for, they perceive it as weakness. You submit yourself to the Lord
and they see it and they'll do all they can to get at you more. So whenever the Scripture says,
in so doing you'll heap coals of fire on his head, when? In
that day. In the day of judgment. These
acts of kindness in the face of evil is going to increase
the punishment of the enemies of God. You say, you mean there's
degrees of punishment? Oh, my friend, write it down. The Lord said it will be more
tolerable for those in Sodom and Gomorrah than it will be
for those that heard the gospel. It will be more tolerable. It
would be better, it would be better if a man or a woman never
heard the gospel and died in unbelief than to have heard it
and left this world in unbelief. It will be more tolerable. Why? Because they are going to remember.
They will remember. You heap coals of fire and that
day of judgment when the books are opened, The books of man's
works, the book of Christ will be opened. All found written
in the book before the foundation of the world will hear him say,
well done, enter in. But those who are not found written
in the book, they'll answer for everything and everything will
stand in judgment. Everything that will be for a
man's condemnation will be brought up. I don't want to go into this. I want to close this out, but
I want to say this one thing here before I look at the last
verse, too. The Scripture says, talking about preachers, Obey
them that have the rule over you, as they that must give account,
that they may do it with joy and not with grief. I looked
at that Scripture a long time, and I saw just a glimpse of something
that's going to That was very sobering. I made the statement
just then. You heap coals of fire on their
head. When God calls a man to be a preacher, a watchman, an
overseer, and you go back and read this scripture, look it
up. I challenge you to look it up. Obey them that have the rule
over you. Those that God has raised up
to be preachers of the gospel, hear what they say. Listen to
them. to the Word of God, obey them
that have the rule over you, as they that watch for your souls,
that they may give an account, as they that must give account,
I'm sorry, that they may do it with joy and not with grief. In the day of judgment, everything
that will be for a man's good, he'll stand there in the righteousness
of Christ and those that were preachers. For the Scott, there's
coming a day when as a pastor, a faithful pastor, you'll give
an account. And to those that sat and were
faithful to the gospel of free grace, that pastor will give
an account of joy. Now, you go by and look this
up now. I'm challenging you to. Obey them that have the rule
over you, they that must give account. They may do it with
joy and not with grief. But for those who heard the gospel
and refused it and walked away, they'll die in their own sins.
The dust of the city that the preachers of Paul shook the dust
off their feet because they wouldn't hear the gospel, the Lord says
that dust will rise up in judgment against them. It will give evidence.
And preachers of the gospel will stand up with grief and say they
were inconsistent. Not that their judgment is going
to be what puts them in hell. I'll tell you what will put a
man in hell, his own rebellion against God. But everything that
will be added to the grief and judgment, obey them that have
the rule over you as they that must Give account. A young preacher
asked, I read the other day, an older preacher. The young
preacher said, I just don't have that many people in my congregation.
The older preacher said, you've got all that you're going to
want to have to give account for in the day of judgment. That was just a little bit more
soberness to me as the pastor of this church and for Brother
Scott, the pastor of this church. The Scripture says, you heap coals of fire on their
head. Be not, last verse, overcome with evil, but overcome evil
with good. Yield to the anger of another. Don't be conquered
by. When you yield to the anger,
when you yield to what somebody is doing to you, they've conquered
you. When you yield to it, they've conquered you. When you respond
to them the way they responded to you, they got you. You just
did what they did. But before I leave today, I got
to read this one verse, one passage. In verse 18, it says, live peaceably
with all men. I want you to turn to Mark 9,
and I want to give us all a good word of remembrance. Mark 9, verse 38. John, now listen, John, this
is John the Apostle. This is John, this is the Lord's
Apostle here. John, the Scripture says, Mark
9, 38, answered him saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils
in thy name, and he followeth not us. And we forbade him because
he followed not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not,
for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that
can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us
is on our part. For whosoever shall give you
a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ,
verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. Whosoever
shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is
better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
he were cast into the sea. If I hand a fin thee, cut it
off, it is better for thee to enter into life maimed than to
having two hands to go into hell, into the fire which shall never
be quenched. Where there worm dieth not, the
fire is not quenched. And if I foot a fin thee, cut
it off, it is better for thee to enter haught into life than
having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never
shall be quenched. Where their worm dieth not, the fire is not
quenched. If an eye offend thee, pluck it out. It is better for
thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having
two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Where their worm dieth
not, and the fire is not quenched, for every one shall be salted
with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt
is good, but if the salt hath lost his saltness, wherewith
will you season him? Have thought in yourselves and
have peace one with another. Here's the mind of our Lord.
That verse of Scripture that I just read, live peaceably with
all men. Here's the mind of the Lord on
this great subject of love, tolerance, understanding toward the brethren. John 1, verse 38, casting out
devils. in Christ's name. And John said,
he followed not us. John and some others with him
saw somebody doing something that John didn't think he had
the right or the authority to do. That's what he, he didn't
follow us. And the Lord reprimanded him
for it. So what he did in verse 39, Jesus said, forbid him not. Those who preach Christ, the
Lord said, are not against us. John's complaint was he didn't
do things exactly the way I said. Now, I didn't say that he wasn't
preaching the gospel. If he wasn't preaching the gospel,
that's one thing. But there was something. There
was something. But the gospel was not the issue. This is the
bottom line. The gospel wasn't the issue.
If the gospel is not the issue, then don't make an issue out
of it. The Lord told him in verses 42,
48, in there, be careful. Be careful, John, that that which
stands between us and our fellowship is not offensive. The Lord taught His disciples,
forsake the fleshly thoughts and desires of this world. What
would you hang? If your arm offends you, it's
just symbolic. I'm not telling you go cut your
arm off and pluck your eye out and stuff. Here's the issue of
this. If there's something that you
want to hang on to, that you think, I'd rather have this than
obedience to Christ, then you get rid of it. That's the heart
of what it is. If your arm offends you, if there's
something that's so precious to you that you wouldn't turn
loose of it, that you'd rather go to hell than turn loose of
it, then you will. Verse 49, he says, Everyone shall
be salted with fire, preserved and corrected with
the fire of God's Spirit. That's in Malachi 2 and 3. He
is a refining fire. He who has purged us from our
sins will purify us concerning our daily walk. Every sacrifice
shall be salted with salt. You go back in Leviticus 2.13
and the sacrifice, the meat offering was salted with salt. That is
the savor of Christ in His walk. Salt is good. And the Lord told
His people, and I'm closing right here, He said, You're the salt
of the earth. That's what He told them. You're
the salt of the earth. You're the means of the preserving of
this world. You're the means through which
God the Spirit preaches. You're the salt of the earth.
And salt is good. That's what it says in verse
50. John had come to the Lord. He had just gotten on somebody
that was over here doing something that John didn't think he ought
to be doing. As I said, the issue was not the gospel because he
said he was doing it in your name. That's the same as saying
he was preaching the truth. The Lord says don't do that. What right do you have to go
reprimand if he's preaching the truth of whatever the issue was? This is the heart of it. Live
peaceably with all men. Salt is good, that which is set
forth in the gospel of the preserving grace of Almighty God. But if
the salt had lost its saltness, and you're the salt of the earth, that's in Matthew 5.13. Life,
the walk of a believer, has influence of Christ, of people that he
mixes with. To some, we are proclaimers of
life to life. To some, death to death. But
you remember, this is what the Lord, this is the context of
what the Lord is saying. He's talking to John about John's
reprimanded somebody for doing something that John didn't think
he ought to be doing because he said they weren't following
us. They don't do it the way we do it. Salt is good, but if the saltness Loses its
savor. You lose your influence with
somebody over an arrogant spirit. Haughty. Arrogant. If the issue is not the gospel,
let it go. Let it go. If the issue is not
the gospel of free grace, it ain't worth it. It's not worth
it. It's not worth it. It's not worth
it. Salt is good, but if the salt
has lost its saltness, where will you season it? Where are
you going to get your influence back if you've made an issue
over something that wasn't the gospel? If the gospel is the issue, we're
going to make an issue over it. But if the gospel is not an issue, if you want to let your hair
grow a little longer, If you don't want to wear makeup... If the Gospel is not the issue,
don't make an issue over it. But if the Gospel is the issue,
you have no choice. We're going to have to follow
Christ rather than man. Here you come.