Sometimes I think things can get too complicated and it's easy for us as Christians to get focused on the wrong things. Even in the early days of the Church there were still controversies that threatened to divide.
One issue was the matter of eating certain food. Some felt all food was the same, and others felt that there were some things you should avoid. This issue was actually causing division in the body of Christ.
Paul summed it up this way,
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up." Romans 14:17-19 (NLT)
That's what it boils down to, as Jesus said, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'No other commandment is greater than these." Mark 12:29-30 (NLT)
Everything starts with love. Loving God, loving people, building each other up.
