It is important in a Christian school community that we have a Biblical foundation for our beliefs, including in the way we perceive others and ourselves. By using the Bible as our reference point, we can understand what we are to do, through God’s revelation of His plans and purposes for our lives.
In Romans chapter 14, we have three very important lessons: We learn that unity is not the same as uniformity; we learn that liberty is not licence; and we learn that judgement is God’s prerogative. In this passage of Scripture, we also learn that when we live together with others, we can accentuate the differences among us. Sadly, this goes sometimes beyond acceptance of diversity and leads us to judge others because they are different. This should not be so.
Although we have different understandings and ideas, each of us should seek to please God because He is the One Whom we serve and He is the One to Whom we give thanks. This is because each of us belongs to the Lord. When we tend to pass judgement on others, rather than keeping our beliefs on different matters between ourselves and God, it grieves God.
In Romans 15:7 we read, ‘Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God’. In 1 Corinthians 12 we learn that God gives different gifts to different people, but that is God’s prerogative. The reason that God gives gifts to us is for us to exercise those gifts for His glory and for the common good. Christian community is made up of many parts and together we form one community.